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This paper analyzes how knowledge is reproduced as "universal" in contemporary higher education and how this production of universality influences the application of knowledge. Using a case study of clinical psychology, it describes the results of over two years of ethnographic fieldwork in a university and professional settings in Singapore with short comparative field studies in Australia and the Netherlands. The results provide critical insights into the cultural effects and knowledge contestations within transnational higher education.

The present research studied the symptomatologic overlap of AD/HD behaviours and retention of four primitive reflexes (Moro, Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex [TLR], Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex [ATNR], Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex [STNR]) in 109 boys aged 7-10 years. Of these, 54 were diagnosed with AD/HD, 34 manifested sub-syndromal coordination, learning, emotional and/or behavioural symptoms of AD/HD, and 21 had no (or near to no) symptoms of AD/HD. Measures of AD/HD symptomatology and of the boys' academic performance were also obtained using the Conners' rating scale and the WRAT-3, respectively. Results indicated that, in general, boys diagnosed with AD/HD had significantly higher levels of reflex retention than non-diagnosed boys. Results also indicated both direct and indirect relationships between retention of the Moro, ATNR, STNR and TLR reflexes with AD/HD symptomatology and mathematics achievement. The pattern of relationships between these variables was also consistent with the notion of the Moro acting as a gateway for the inhibition of the other three reflexes. (Contains 8 tables and 1 figure.)

This article describes a unique Australian infant mental health (IMH) service for families from pregnancy through to early parenthood (0-3 years) and training center for postgraduate clinical psychology students. The Australian Association for Infant Mental Health Incorporated, West Australia Branch (AAIMHI WA) "Competency Guidelines"® provides the framework in which interns build their competencies in IMH relationship-based practice at the clinic. The authors discuss the achievements and challenges of the Pregnancy to Parenthood (P2P) Clinic, including transformations in how interns practice as clinical psychologists, the way in which this service is experienced by families, and future directions as the demand for the service increases.

Mental health consumers in Australia have a basic right of access to high-quality mental health assessment and treatment. Given that universities are the entry point to the training process, they have a responsibility to train high-quality clinicians. Clinical psychology is the sub-discipline of psychology with specialist training in mental health assessment, diagnosis and treatment. There has been a call for clinical psychology programs to assessment away from a largely theoretical base to one that integrates theory with practice. In 2008, the University of Southern Queensland developed a viva voce for a course on adult psychopathology. The viva voce is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination, modeled closely on the one used by the Royal College of Australian and New Zealand Psychiatrists. This paper outlines the development of this innovation to assessment and gives directions for future research and evaluation.

Background: Psychological services are increasingly provided within a context in which third party payers impose limits on the number of sessions available to the client and therapist. Considerable research has addressed the effect of time limits on therapeutic outcomes, while effects on therapeutic process have received less attention. This article reports on research that assessed the perceived impact of externally determined time limits on therapeutic process from the perspective of practicing psychologists. Methods: This study used a concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design. Study 1 was a repeated measures questionnaire that was both qualitative and quantitative in nature, and Study 2 utilised qualitative semi-structured interviews. Twenty-seven Australian psychologists treating clients within externally imposed time limits were interviewed, and 85 completed a questionnaire to obtain their perspective on the impact of time limits on the therapeutic process. Results: Therapeutic approach was impacted by time limits, including choice of therapeutic modality, shifts in problem definition and approach, and increased directiveness, prompting concern about a focus on symptom removal over facilitating maintenance of treatment gains. Conclusions: This research contributes to an understanding of how temporal constraints influence treatment, and managed care funding policies may need to be considered in the light of this understanding.

Background: Challenging and disruptive behaviour is commonly reported among children placed in the out-of-home care sector. Little is known about how stakeholders in this sector understand or manage challenging behaviour. Method: Ninety-two stakeholders in the South Australian out-of-home care sector were interviewed about their approach to supporting children with challenging behaviour. Participants were teachers, foster carers, child statutory workers, child mental health workers, and residential care workers. These semi-structured interviews were subject to thematic analysis. Results: The analysis revealed several ways of understanding challenging behaviour: behaviour as learnt, behaviour as purposeful, behaviour as a choice, behaviour arising from constant change, behaviour reflecting strong emotions, and behaviour reflecting attachment history. Conclusions: This analysis suggests that professionals seeking to engage in collaborative casework on behalf of children may need to accommodate a range of diverse views about the origin and solution to challenging and aggressive behaviour. The possible implications of these divergent understandings for placement policy and practice are discussed. These apparently disparate frameworks are discussed in terms of their underlying assumptions, and possible "common ground" is identified and highlighted. Explicating the implicit assumptions inherent in others' accounts may provide a "way forward" in more effective work on behalf of children.

Objective: Adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is poor. We assessed the effectiveness of a motivational interviewing intervention (motivational interview nurse therapy [MINT]) in addition to best practice standard care to improve acceptance and adherence to CPAP therapy in people with a new diagnosis of OSA. Method: One hundred six Australian adults (69% male) with a new diagnosis of OSA and a clinical recommendation for CPAP treatment were recruited from a tertiary sleep disorders center. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 3 sessions of a motivational interviewing intervention (MINT; n = 53; mean age = 55.4 years) or no intervention (control; n = 53; mean age = 57.74 years). The primary outcome was the difference between the groups in objective CPAP adherence at 1-month, 2-month, 3-month, and 12-month follow-ups. Results: Fifty (94%) participants in the MINT group and 50 (94%) participants in the control group met all inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in the primary analysis. The number of hours of CPAP use per night in the MINT group at 3 months was 4.63 hr and was 3.16 hr in the control group (p = 0.005). This represents almost 50% better adherence in the MINT group relative to the control group. Patients in the MINT group were substantially more likely to accept CPAP treatment. Conclusions: MINT is a brief, manualized, effective intervention that improves CPAP acceptance and objective adherence rates compared to standard care alone. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)

School belonging, measured as a unidimensional construct, is an important predictor of negative affective problems in adolescents, including depression and anxiety symptoms. A recent study found that one such measure, the Psychological Sense of School Membership scale, actually comprises three factors: Caring Relations, Acceptance, and Rejection. We explored the relations of these factors with negative affect in a longitudinal study of 504 Australian Grade 7 and 8 students. Each school belonging factor contributed to the prediction of negative affect in cross-sectional analyses. Scores on the Acceptance factor predicted subsequent negative affect for boys and girls, even controlling for prior negative affect. For girls, the Rejection factor was also significant in the prospective analysis. These findings have implications for the design of interventions and are further confirmation that school belonging should be considered a multidimensional construct. (Contains 4 tables.)

Since its introduction on 1 November 2006 the Better Access initiative has improved the access and affordability to psychological services. The enthusiastic response by Australians has resulted in the production of a large and growing dataset about the way in which psychological treatments are delivered by different professionals in routine clinical practice. Given the importance of evidence-based decisions in psychological treatment service delivery there is now an opportunity to use the Better Access data to make a significant and sustained contribution to the evidence base. In this paper the features of the Better Access initiative and the Australian context that potentially place Australia as a unique and key contributor to the evidence-base movement on a global scale, are described. Areas are then suggested in which improvements to the evidence base are needed, and some of the ways in which the Better Access data might clarify these issues are outlined (including the evidence to support the $AUD27,650,523.80 of higher Medicare rebate to clinical psychologists) as well as the research opportunities the Better Access initiative has created through the rapid growth in services.

This paper provides a background to the mental health policy changes introduced by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 2006. It then considers a major Australian Government COAG reform, the revision of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), by analysing the month-by-month utilisation of the available time-series data for the 17-month period (1 November 2006-31 March 2008) when new items for psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists were introduced. There are a number of unique problems associated with monthly time-series data. Essentially, there is a problem of heterogeneity that arises from the non-uniformity of the temporal unit of a "month". Second, there is an issue of the population covered by Medicare altering through time. Both of these problems are addressed in the present analysis of the time-series data. The two groups of psychologists created by the MBS changes dominate the provision of the new services, providing 96.4% of the new services. Psychologists, who are not deemed clinical psychologists in the MBS changes, are the group providing most of the services. Virtually all services are individual, not group, and are provided in a consulting room. The temporal adoption of the new items was continuing to grow by March 2008. Implications of this analysis for psychologists are discussed. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

Mental and substance use disorders are leading contributors to the burden of disease among young people in Australia, but young people experience a range of barriers to accessing appropriate treatment for their mental health concerns. The development of early intervention services that provide accessible and effective mental health care has the potential to reduce the individual and community burden associated with mental health problems. Collaborative care arrangements between general practitioners, psychologists and other service providers are a key component of comprehensive and integrated early intervention services, with evidence-based psychological treatments an important part of these collaborative mental health care models. Recently, the Australian Government funded "headspace" (the National Youth Mental Health Foundation) to promote and support early intervention in youth mental health by establishing accessible and collaborative models of enhanced primary mental health care for young people with emergent mental and substance use disorders. Clinical psychologists in the "headspace" Community of Youth Service and other settings will play a key role in providing early and effective interventions within multidisciplinary collaborative care arrangements.

This study designed and tested a scale to measure psychologists' attitudes towards complementary and alternative therapies. The scale, derived from existing measures for medical professionals, was tested on a sample of psychology students (N = 163) using an online survey. The data were factor analysed and three correlated subscales were identified, assessing the perceived importance of knowledge about available therapies, attitudes towards integration with psychological practice, and concerns about associated risks of use. It is anticipated that this newly developed scale with be useful in gauging changes in attitudes towards psychology practice over time, as well as in planning educational initiatives within the field of psychology. (Contains 2 tables.)

The present paper outlines the development and evaluation of an allocation committee to distribute community placements on an equitable basis between universities. Although based on our experience in South Australia with the University Placement Allocation Committee (UPAC), the primary goal is to outline the steps that would be useful if placement coordinators at other universities in Australia decided to establish and maintain an allocation committee. A survey of field supervisors was also conducted and field supervisors endorsed UPAC as a constructive mechanism for allocating community placements. (Contains 2 tables.)

Emphasis is placed on the use of empirically supported therapies in clinical practice as a manifestation of the scientist-practitioner approach. The predominant model used to provide empirical support for interventions uses groups of patients in randomised clinical trials in university settings. This model has severe limitations for the clinician. It cannot be assumed that results obtained in university-based, group studies generalise to a clinical practice setting. In addition, the group model does not provide the clinician with a practical approach to evaluate his/her intervention. Single case (N = 1) designs have much to offer the clinician in this regard. Clinicians need to be encouraged to use this approach in evaluating their interventions and journal editors should be encouraged to publish them.

A study of depressed patients showed either cognitive or behavioral treatment can effectively alleviate the depressed condition by a short-term approach. A cognitive approach was more effective in decreasing depression and maintaining this effect. A strong inverse correlation between self-concept and depression after treatment was demonstrated. (Author)

Further evidence is provided for assessing the use of cluster analysis in comparison with other multivariate methods. When appropriately used, cluster analysis is a convenient tool for developing empirically based diagnostic groupings. The frequently stated limitations of the technique should not invalidate the obtained groupings of such cases. (Author)

Background: Students often harbour negative attitudes towards research methods and statistics courses, and such attitudes may be associated with harmful cognitive and behavioural responses. Research on these effects has been restricted to the investigation of direct links between attitudes towards statistics, statistics anxiety, academic procrastination, and course performance. Aims: This study sought to examine the interconnected impact of attitudes towards statistics, statistics anxiety, and procrastination, on course performance in a cohesive model. It was predicted that attitudes towards statistics would indirectly affect statistical performance via statistics anxiety and procrastination in a sequential manner. Sample: The sample comprised 171 undergraduate psychology students from Australian universities. Methods: An online questionnaire collected information on participant demographics, attitudes towards statistics, statistics anxiety, procrastinatory behaviours, and performance in participants most recently completed statistics course. Data were collected cross‐sectionally. All responses were anonymous. Results: A sequential mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect effect of statistics anxiety and procrastination, controlling for age and gender. The results showed that more negative attitudes towards statistics are associated with greater statistics anxiety, which is in turn associated with greater procrastination, and finally with lower statistical performance. Conclusions: It was concluded that students who view their statistics courses as a threatening experience may fail to see value in their statistical education, which is associated with heightened statistics anxiety, increased avoidance of course‐related activities, and in turn poorer course performance. Practical implications of the findings are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The struggle to distinguish a clear professional identity has been an ongoing issue for counselling psychology. In Australia, this struggle has been associated with discrepancies between the definition and competencies of counselling psychologists. This is further exacerbated by the overlap between clinical and counselling psychologists' scopes of practice. This research contributes to the ongoing discussion surrounding the similarities and differences between clinical and counselling psychology. A web-based survey was distributed to Australian counselling psychologists (n = 290) seeking information regarding respondents' demographics and their perceptions of the similarities and differences between clinical and counselling psychology. Reflexive thematic analysis generated three key themes: 1) overlap in the scope of practice and competencies of clinical and counselling psychologists; 2) the philosophy of counselling psychology; and 3) the negative impact of the Better Access scheme on counselling psychology. These findings indicated that despite overlap across core competencies, counselling psychologists perceive they are a distinct area of practice to clinical psychology. In identifying counselling psychologists' perceptions of the similarities and differences between the two areas of practice endorsement, this study has the potential to clarify scopes of practice and perceived competencies. What is already known about this topic: Professional identity has been identified as an issue for Australian counselling psychologists. A lack of clarity exists over counselling psychology's similarities and differences with clinical psychology. No prior comparisons of similarities and differences between the two areas of practice endorsement have been published with Australian psychologists. What this topic adds: Participants perceive an overlap in the competencies and scope of practice of clinical and counselling psychologists. Counselling psychologists perceive a unique philosophy and orientation to practice. External factors, such as funding schemes, have negatively impacted on public understanding and recognition of counselling psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite increasing engagement with mental health services in Australia, therapy dropout rates for men remain high, most commonly due to a lack of connection with their therapist. Previous studies have examined the challenges men face when attending therapy, the obstacles therapists encounter when working with male clients, and the subsequent recommendations for therapist training that have emerged from these findings. However, to date there has been no investigation into the experiences and needs of trainee therapists working with men. It is unclear how their status as trainees influences their perception and adaptability when providing care for male clients. The current study therefore explored psychology trainees’ expectations, experiences, and preparedness regarding their psychotherapeutic work with men. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 students undertaking clinical psychology training from a single Australian University, focusing on their experiences working with male clients throughout their clinical training. Reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken to develop three themes: (1) Mismatched expectations of manspeak, which explored the ways in which students expected and experienced male engagement, (2) Gratifying work, which highlighted elements of therapeutic work with men that shaped participants’ sense of competence, and (3) Working with the “macho man”, which described the challenges of working with men, such as managing boundaries, misogyny, and personal safety. Findings suggest psychology trainees may benefit from additional training in university curriculums which specifically addresses some of the complexities of therapy with men. This training could illuminate how masculine socialisation affects men’s engagement in psychotherapy in practice and provide strategies for trainee therapists to support male engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional education (IPE) is essential to prepare healthcare students to work collaboratively once they enter the mental health workforce. However, there is limited research exploring IPE for students in a mental health service context. This study aimed to explore stakeholder experiences of a work-integrated learning (WIL) placement model with embedded IPE opportunities for clinical psychology and occupational therapy students in a youth mental health service in Australia. Students (n=9), staff (n=12) and clients (n=10) involved in the model participated in semi-structured interviews. A template thematic analysis derived five themes from the data: placement model valuable for all stakeholders, students’ interprofessional learning, the role of the clinical educators, contrasting expectations of students’ workload, and challenges of piloting new models of care. The findings from this research highlight the value and challenges of WIL placements featuring IPE in mental health settings, providing useful future directions to organizations hoping to implement similar models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous Psychology within Australia reflects the traditional knowledges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their understanding of the cultivation of relational social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB). However, these perspectives are poorly incorporated into dominant "Western" psychological theories and practice, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). This represents a barrier to the cultural safety of current mental health practice and its decolonisation within Australia. This study brought together CBT Practitioners and Practitioners of an Aboriginal Wellbeing practice ("Wayapa") to engage in a series of yarns (guided focus groups) to share perspectives, insights, and stories on their own and each other's practices. Indigenous qualitative research approaches including Research Topic Yarning were engaged to decolonise the research environment and support dialogue at the cultural interface of the two practices. Through experiencing Wayapa, CBT practitioners reflected on gaps in their own practice, with an enthusiasm for the opportunities that Wayapa provided to decolonise their practice. Wayapa practitioners were able to celebrate the holistic nature of their practice and the possibility for it to inform dominant "Western" psychological theories and practice, such as CBT, and encourage a more connected and culturally safe way of working with First Nations peoples. Creating safe cultural interfaces between "Western" and Indigenous Psychologies, and building awareness of the value of Aboriginal grounded wellbeing models, can help to promote and expand culturally safe practices within Australian psychological practice. What is already known about this topic: The cultural safety and relevance of CBT for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples remains uncertain. There is limited knowledge of Aboriginal wellbeing practices and Indigenous Psychologies amongst non-Indigenous Australian mental health practitioners, including psychologists. Broadened understanding of Aboriginal wellbeing practices such as Wayapa Wurrrk, may contribute to decolonising psychology in Australia. What this topic adds: CBT and Wayapa share common and unique tools and concepts that can support the social emotional wellbeing of all Australians. Wayapa Wurrrk concepts such as earth mindfulness and the centring of Country as a foundation for wellness and social emotional wellbeing represent gaps in current CBT practice. Work at the cultural interface of "Western" and Indigenous Psychology offers a pathway to promote appreciation for, and active utilisation of, Indigenous psychologies including the social emotional wellbeing framework (SEWB). In this article, we recognise both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the First Nations of Australia. We acknowledge and pay respect to the knowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are unique, all with their own languages, knowledge systems, beliefs, and histories. We recognise the collective terms they prefer also vary. With respectful consideration to these preferences, typically we will specify Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples when referring to First Nations Peoples in this article. From time to time, we use the term Indigenous. However, we note that for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, this is not preferred. As such, we have only used this where we are referencing it's use from another source, or it is the established use of the term, such as its use in "Indigenous knowledges". Where referring to individual Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, we have endeavoured to incorporate their preferences, including for example, reference to the Country they are connected to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many people with mental health problems use a range of complementary medicine (CM), including over the counter products, practices, and utilise the services of CM practitioners. Psychologists are likely to consult with clients using CM, in some form, as part of their broader mental health care. The aim of this research was to determine the number of types of CM products, practices, and practitioners are recommended and/or referred by Australian psychologists as part of their clinical practice, as well as explore the relationship between psychologists' perspectives on the risk and relevance of engaging with CM in psychology. Methods: Survey data was collected from psychologists in clinical practice who self-selected to participate in the study via an online 79-item questionnaire exploring core aspects of CM engagement in psychology clinical practice. Results: Amongst the 201 psychologists, 5% reported not recommending any type of CM, with 63% recommending four or more types of CM. Further, 25% had not referred to a CM practitioner, while 33% had referred to four or more types of CM practitioner. Psychologists are recommending and referring to CM even when they perceive their knowledge of CM to be poor, and that engaging with CM was a risk. Conclusion: This study provides insights into psychologist perceptions of CM within psychology practice and how these perceptions are associated with rates of recommending and referring to CM as part of their clinical practice. These findings may inform the development of CM relevant education and guidelines for psychologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical psychology master's degree students require intern placements that support them to attain work-ready competencies. With the growing focus in Australia on addressing rising youth mental health issues, dealing with complexity, suicidality and self-harm are critical workforce skills. Yet, students are often not exposed to such presentations during their practicums. This study examined students' experience of such exposure through a youth dialectic behaviour therapy placement. Participants were 11 clinical master's degree students who completed a youth dialectic behaviour therapy practicum placement and participated in semi-structured interviews reflecting on their placement experiences. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. Five themes were identified: a community working as a community; beyond the training manual; confidence to work with complexity and risk; enhanced personal development; and acknowledging and overcoming stigma. The results clearly demonstrated that a highly supported, collaborative, learning experience with high-risk and complex clients, and their families, could provide clinical students with the skills and confidence to work with this client group. The five themes revealed key learning supports and opportunities that enabled clinical psychology students to gain experience and confidence working with high-risk young people, a much-needed mental health workforce capability. Other practicum experiences may benefit from considering these approaches to learning. What is already known about this topic: (1) There is a need for highly skilled, confident psychologists to work with high-risk and complex clients. (2) Graduate training programs offer limited training and exposure to risk and complex clients. (3) Psychologists, especially early career psychologists, are not confident or well-skilled to work with complex client presentations, including self-harm. What this topic adds: (1) A highly supportive learning community that includes peers and supervisors is highly valued by clinical master's degree students and enables them to work with high-risk clients. (2) The interaction of a supportive learning community, exposure to high-risk presentations, and appropriate resources facilitate both professional and personal development for clinical students. (3) Well-supported practicum training and exposure to high-risk and complex clients ensures clinical graduates are confident and prepared to work with complex client presentations in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People living with borderline personality disorder (BPD) face high levels of prejudice and discrimination from both the community and medical professionals, but no measure of prejudice toward people living with BPD exists. Aims: The current study aimed to adapt an existing Prejudice toward People with Mental Illness (PPMI) scale and investigate the structure and nomological network of prejudice toward people with BPD. Methods: The original 28-item PPMI scale was adapted to create the Prejudice toward People with Borderline Personality Disorder (PPBPD) scale. The scale and related measures were completed by three samples: 217 medical or clinical psychology students, 303 psychology undergraduate students, and 314 adults from the general population. Results: The original four-factor structure of the PPMI was supported in the PPBPD scale. Reported prejudice toward people with BPD was more negative than prejudice toward people with mental illness in general. The association of the PPBPD scale with antecedents and consequences was assessed, including social dominance orientation, right-wing authoritarianism, ethnocentrism, personality traits, empathy, prior contact, and feelings toward other stigmatized groups and mental illnesses. Conclusions: This study provided evidence for the validity and psychometric properties of the PPBPD scale across three samples and investigated anticipated relationships with theoretically related antecedents and consequences. This research will help improve understanding of the expressions underlying prejudice toward people with BPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advancements in the field of psychotherapy have included a diversification in Cognitive Behaviour Therapies (CBTs), often referred to as the "third wave", yet relatively little is known about their coverage in Australian postgraduate clinical psychology training. Data were gathered to study the relationships between training program theoretical orientation, therapies covered, and factors determining the coverage of therapies. Responses to a semi-structured interview of 28 Directors of Clinical Training (DCT) or equivalent of Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) approved clinical psychology training programs (representing 72% of all accredited programs) were examined. Behaviour and cognitive theories were identified as dominant in programs. Coverage of Beck's CBT was not correlated with other CBTs, and the number of therapies covered did not distinguish integrative (64.3%) from non-integrative programs. In an examination of the factors guiding the adoption of insight orientated therapies (i.e., Cognitive Analytic Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Humanistic Therapy, Psychoanalytic Therapy, Process Experiential/Emotion-Focused Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, and Existential Therapy), the focus of clinical research, and student interest emerged as significant predictors (β = −.16, SE =.06, p <.05, 95% Boot CI [−.27, −.03]). Beck's CBT, and its undergirding theories emerged as dominant and was not associated with coverage of more recent CBTs, suggesting that there is opportunity to diversify therapies covered considering their evidence base. What is already known about this topic: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) has evolved and now includes therapies focused on acceptance, dialectical thinking, and mindfulness. Australian clinical psychologists predominantly self-identify a CBT theoretical orientation. Previous surveys of clinical training programs indicate a primary focus on traditional CBT. What this topic adds: Data on the extent to which diverse theories are included in Australian clinical psychology programs. Data on the extent to which various therapies, including third wave CBTs are included in Australian clinical psychology programs. Data on the factors guiding the adoption of therapies in Australian clinical psychology programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little research has investigated professional identity in Australian clinical psychology postgraduate students. The current study examined potential predictors of professional identity for these students. Anonymous, self-report cross-sectional surveys for Australian postgraduate clinical psychology students were distributed via online survey links sent by their institution's Program Director. Respondents reported professional identity, motivation, engagement, satisfaction with program, resilience, burnout, demographics, and enrolment type. Data from 77 respondents were analysed. Students reported an average 4.25/5 for sense of professional identity as a psychologist. Age, work experience, and stage of program were not associated with professional identity. In multivariate analyses, higher student satisfaction, lower burnout, and lower engagement with "student" aspects of postgraduate study were associated with stronger professional identity. Levels of professional identity were relatively high and showed little influence of demographic variables. However, there is likely to be a reciprocal relationship between satisfaction with postgraduate study and professional identity for students, which would need to be evaluated in a different design to understand directions of association. Results also suggest that supporting postgraduate students in self-care and helping students to balance professional responsibilities and academic aspects of study are likely to assist in fostering postgraduates' professional identity. What is already known about this topic: Professional identity provides a sense of self in relation to membership of a specific profession. Students in health and social services professions, including psychology, have demonstrated emerging professional identities in their areas of study. In working professionals, professional identity has been found to be important for wellbeing and for relationships with colleagues and clients. What this paper adds: Professional identity amongst a sample of Australian postgraduate students in clinical psychology was independent of demographic variables such as age, gender, and previous work experience. Stronger professional identity in the current sample correlated with higher satisfaction with the program of study and lower level of burnout. In multivariate analysis, higher satisfaction with the program of study, lower burnout, and lower engagement with "academic" aspects of the program each independently predicted higher level of professional identity. From these cross-sectional findings, potential causal associations between predictors and professional identity remain to be clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is strong endorsement of competency-based frameworks for practitioner training and widespread use of group supervision in practitioner training. However, there has been little effort made to understand the components and anatomy of group supervision, or efforts made to evaluate its efficacy. The current study investigates the nature and extent to which abilities and skills within individual and group supervision are similar or distinct from each other. A total of 98 supervisees, across 21 groups, evaluated individual and group supervisor competence of their supervisors (N = 11) using the Supervision Evaluation and Supervisor Competence Scale. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that group supervision emerged as a distinct and independent cluster to individual supervision competencies. Additionally, supervisors were rated higher on individual than group supervision competencies. Group supervision should be considered a distinct competency requiring specific skills and therefore would likely benefit from specialised training to deliver competent group supervision. These preliminary results have implications for supervisor training, as well as clinical training programs in Australia and abroad who use group supervision as a form of clinical training. What is already known about this topic: Competency-based supervisory approaches are supported by regulatory authorities. The evaluation of competent group supervision has received inadequate research attention. There are no available measures of group supervision to evaluate supervisor competence. What this paper adds: First experimental exploration that establishes group supervision as a distinct competency in clinical supervision. Compared to individual supervision, supervisors were rated lower on group supervision competence and may require specialised training. A scale is included in the appendix for evaluation of both individual and group supervision competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The disparity in mental health outcomes compared with non‐Indigenous Australians means that there is an urgent need to develop an evidence base around how services can better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. A critical first step is to embed cultural safety into research methodologies. Objective: Here, we aim to establish the foundation of a research project through co‐designing a qualitative interview with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers and community members about experiences of cultural safety with mainstream mental health services. Design: Voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples must be empowered across all stages of research. An Aboriginal‐led research team conducted focus groups to understand clear, sensitive, and culturally appropriate ways of asking about experiences in mental health care, to co‐design an interview on this topic. Participants were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers of mental health services, carers, mental health workers, Elders and Cultural Healers, living in Metropolitan and Regional Western Australia. Findings: Results suggest that Indigenous governance, together with investing in ongoing, and meaningful cultural awareness and cultural safety training (cultural awareness being a first step towards safety) for non‐Indigenous researchers, together with taking the time to build respectful partnerships with communities through ongoing consultation, were appropriate and comprehensive methods of co‐designing an interview. Discussion: The process of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in research is as important as the outcome. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, self‐determination, and relationship building with communities are essential. Conclusion: Empowering co‐design methodologies are flexible, iterative, and ensure that the experiences and views of participants are valued, leading to more meaningful results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a growing demand for mental health/psychological support in the Australian community, there is a deficit of appropriately trained professionals, due in part to psychology graduates who are not afforded meaningful applied learning experiences during their degree. Systematic integration of authentic WIL into undergraduate psychology degrees may offset this lack of industry exposure, but such learning is scarcely implemented within current curricula. The proposed research sought to address this gap in the undergraduate curriculum by constructing a tangible framework of work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities to enrich student education and preparedness for the workforce. Semi-structured interviews (n = 36) were conducted with four key stakeholder groups to elicit the current state of WIL in undergraduate psychology curricula and to generate industry specific WIL opportunities that will enhance the skillset and abilities of psychology undergraduates, heighten their psychological literacy, and endorse their transition to an increasingly diverse workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical psychology involves the integration of clinical science and clinical practice, and the application of this integrated knowledge for the purpose of alleviating human distress. The best way to train these competencies has been a matter of debate. In this editorial, we compare the standards of three accreditation bodies: the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC), the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), and the American Psychological Association (APA). Although the three accreditation standards are similar in terms of required coursework for core clinical psychology competencies, research output, and clinically supervised placement hours, the APA/CPA standards involved more coursework in statistics, research methodology, and topics highly relevant to clinical psychology that elucidate for whom and under what circumstances a treatment may be helpful (e.g., developmental and social psychology). The APA/CPA standards also required coursework on the history of psychology, which provides the opportunity for students to learn about and better appreciate the developments and influences on current knowledge and practice. The APA/CPA accreditation standards also required more clinically supervised placement hours to be obtained prior to graduation than did the APAC standards. Unfortunately, data do not directly support one training system over another. We therefore urge psychology programs to routinely monitor their students' clinical practice effectiveness after graduation so that accreditation standards can be reenvisaged if needed. (1) Accreditation of degree programs leading to the practice of clinical psychology is overseenby regulatory bodies in Australia, the US, and Canada. (2) Greater synchronization with international competencies is a stated goal of the Psychology Board of Australia. (3) No prior comparisons of accreditation standards between Australia and Canada/US has been published. (1) APA/CPA and APAC accredited programs tend to have very similar coursework in clinical psychology. (2) APA/CPA programs tend to require substantially greater training in research methods/statistics and other domains of psychology such as social and cognitive psychology. (3) An individual with an APA/CPA-accredited degree would be close to meeting Australian psychology registration requirements, while an individual with an APAC accredited degreewould require substantial additional coursework if wishing to become licensed/registered as a psychologist in the US or Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This piece is a commentary on an important article, "An examination of accreditation standards between Australian and US/Canadian doctoral programs in clinical psychology". The commentary complements and extends the original article by providing additional data on clinical supervision and examination requirements for clinical psychology training in the US and Australia. Indications that end-of-placement supervisor assessments are less reliable than expected, extremely low fail-rates during training, and the absence of a comprehensive and rigorous final examination for Registration with AOPE together constitute a serious concern and raise the possibility of a compromised competence assessment system. Inadequate assessment matters especially in the context of reduced clinical supervision requirements within the new accreditation standards. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: The commentary analyses and comments on an important submission to the journal, "An examination of accreditation standards between Australian and US/Canadian Doctoral programs in clinical psychology." What this topic adds: APAC requirements for clinical supervision are much lower than the APA requirements. Unlike their US counterparts, clinical psychology trainees are not required to pass a final, bench-marked examination to gain registration with AOPE/licensure. Less than satisfactory validity of end-of-placement supervisor assessments, extremely low fail-rates during training, and the absence of a comprehensive and rigorous final examination for Registration with AOPE are indicators of a deficient system of competence assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to clarify some of the assertions made by Norton et al. (2022) regarding the accreditation standards of the American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA) and the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), as well as examines two critical issues raised by the authors. In their editorial, Norton et al. sought to examine accreditation standard similarities and differences between Australia and North America to promote an exploration of effective educational practices. This commentary applauds their effort and after making some clarifying comments about the First Street Accord, Exemplar Institutions, Program Differences and Supervised Experience Requirements and Licensure, this commentary explores competency-based education and assessing competency. The commentary concludes by underscoring Norton et al.'s challenge to the field to develop a clear consensus on what constitutes competent practice and instruments that would allow researchers to measure competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychologists, and their clients, are engaging with complementary medicine (CM). Increasing evidence for CM approaches, such as improved nutrition and St John's wort, has led to their inclusion in the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for mood disorders. This research aims to determine in what ways, and to what extent, Australian psychology regulatory bodies and associations consider CM relevant to psychology practice. Specifically, how these regulatory bodies and professional association's ethical and practice guidelines engage with CM. Methods: Documents from Australian regulatory bodies and professional associations, that relate to the governance or guidance of psychologists' clinical practice, were systematically searched for key terms relating to CM. Results: There were no direct references to CM in the 58 ethical and practice guidelines reviewed. There was also no reference to the relevance of CM to ethnocultural groups, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional healing practices. Conclusion: While other mental health care disciplines are working toward integrating CM, the discipline of psychology in Australia is not currently engaged in such developments. Given the exponential rise of CM use amongst those with mental health problems, psychology associations should consider developing resources and guidelines to assist psychologists in navigating CM in relation to clinical practice to help minimise risks, such as patient safety associated with concurrent CM use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to the workforce can be stressful for psychology registrars. Supervision can be a protective factor during this transition. However, the incremental benefit of adding structured group supervision to individual supervision remains unclear. We aimed to explore the impact of registrars' participation in structured group supervision offered within Australian Health services. We surveyed Australian psychology registrars who had and had not participated in a structured group supervision programmes about their experiences and satisfaction with supervision, and its impact on development of foundational competencies and transition to professional work roles. Participants were 63 psychology registrars (95% in clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology). Group comparisons using independent-samples t-tests revealed that registrars who had participated in structured group supervision (n = 32) were more confident in the key foundational competencies of "communication and interpersonal relationships" (d =.53) and "intervention strategies" (d =.57), and felt more supported by their workplace (d =.73), than participants with no structured group supervision (n = 31). Structured group supervision appears to offer additional work role adjustment benefits for psychology registrars. Further studies are needed on the structured group supervision experience for Australian early-career psychologists to guide future implementation of these programme across health services. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: (1) The transition to the workforce is a stressful time for graduates. (2) Supervision is an essential part of psychology training that helps to develop skills and confidence in practitioners. (3) There are a range of benefits of group supervision including peer feedback and enhanced public speaking skills.What this topic adds: (1) Specific additional benefits of structured group supervision include feeling more supported by the workplace and being better able to meet registrar program requirements. (2) Structured group supervision programs may enhance perceived development of foundational competencies, including communication and interpersonal relationships and intervention strategies. (3) Provision of structured group supervision programs by Australian health services could help attract and retain a loyal early-career psychology workforce who feel valued and more confident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing skills to critically evaluate and conduct research is central to psychology training programmes. The fundamental importance of scientific evidence to the practice and progression of psychology as a discipline is reflected in the "Scientist-Practitioner" model, to which psychologists adhere. However, to fully realise the potential benefits of the Scientist-Practitioner model for psychological practice and client outcomes, its implementation needs to occur in a bi-directional way. That is, psychologists need to be actively engaged in both a critical analysis of literature to inform clinical practice, as well as using their clinical expertise to develop, inform, and lead research activities to contribute to the evidence-base. Unfortunately, psychologists employed in public health settings are rarely able to utilise their research skills to contribute to the evidence-base. In this Commentary, we critically examine literature regarding barriers and facilitators to psychologists employed in clinical roles engaging in research activities. We argue that enabling more practising psychologists to lead research could facilitate significant benefits to individuals (both the psychologists and their clients) and organisations. We then describe the strategies developed and implemented by a local psychology research committee to drive improvements and address obstacles to psychology-led research in public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor sleep can significantly impact mental health. Despite this, sleep education is absent from the curriculum of many psychology training programs. The current study examined the amount of sleep education delivered within postgraduate psychology programs in Australia. It also developed a new survey tool to capture postgraduate psychology students' experience of sleep education. Two cross-sectional sleep education surveys were emailed to postgraduate psychology programs across Australia via the Heads of Department and Schools of Psychology Association. The first survey explored sleep education from postgraduate psychology program coordinators' perspectives (n = 35; survey response rate = 73%), while the second custom-designed survey examined postgraduate psychology students' perspectives (n = 152). Program coordinators reported a median of 2.00 hours (range 0-9) of didactic sleep education delivered within postgraduate psychology programs. Postgraduate students, however, reported receiving a median of only 1.00 hour (range 0-40) of sleep education, with 47% of students reporting no sleep education. Most students acknowledged already working with clients experiencing sleep disturbances (68%), yet they disclosed low confidence and self-efficacy to manage sleep disturbances in psychology practice. Despite delivering minimal sleep education, thematic analysis indicated that program coordinators viewed sleep education as an important topic for trainee psychologists. Program coordinators preferred sleep education to supplement the postgraduate curriculum, preferably online (63%), whereas students chose clinical supervision (61%). Postgraduate psychology training programs deliver minimal sleep education to trainee psychologists in Australia. Enhanced integration of sleep education within the postgraduate psychology curriculum is required to improve mental health outcomes. Key Points What is already known about this topic: (1) Sleep disturbances commonly co-occur with mental health conditions, often with a bidirectional relationship. (2) Trainee clinical psychologists in the US receive limited sleep education, which may impact their ability to manage the sleep disturbances in clinical practice. (3) There are currently no Australian Psychology Accreditation Council training requirements in sleep and sleep disorders for postgraduate psychology programs, despite the bidirectional relationship between sleep and mental health. What this topic adds: (1) This is the first study to examine sleep education within postgraduate psychology programs in Australia. (2) We show that (1) a median of only two hours of didactic sleep education is delivered within postgraduate psychology programs, (2) almost half (47%) of postgraduate students received no sleep education during their training, (3) sleep issues were a common presenting complaint for postgraduate students to address on placement, and (4) overall, graduate students reported low levels of confidence and self-efficacy to manage sleep disturbances in clinical practice. (3) Postgraduate psychology students in Australia need more sleep education to manage the sleep disturbances that commonly co-occur with mental health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent changes to clinical psychology training and supervision in Australia have been driven by a deliberate endeavour by regulatory authorities and professional bodies to align education and training with competency-based models of training, a development that is apparent internationally across health disciplines. A critical question is: how do reforms in Clinical Psychology training standards match international benchmarks for competency-based pedagogies? Objective: To outline key principles of competency-based pedagogies and to critically examine whether Australia's new standards and guidelines for accreditation of coursework, practicum requirements, and supervision are consistent with competency principles, and match similar guidelines proposed in the U.K. and the U.S.A. Method: Following a critical analysis of the extant literature, the authors highlight progress achieved, discuss major gaps and challenges, and examine the extent to which current accreditation changes constitute a reliable blueprint for the development of a competent psychology workforce for the country. Results and Conclusions: The current review indicates that in an overall sense, practitioner training in Australia is tracking well in comparison to international developments. Specifically, the decreased emphasis on the regulation of inputs (e.g., nature and type of coursework and practicum) is pedagogically sound and has the potential to promote training innovation and efficiencies. However, a revision of the current competency framework is required to underpin future progress. Also, the lack of reliable and valid competence instruments in combination with less than rigorous adherence to systematic, timely, and ecologically valid assessments constitute a major challenge and a serious threat to ensuring safe and competent psychology practice. What is already known about this topic: (1) Competency-based education and clinical training play important coordinated roles in ensuring the competence of clinical psychologists, consistent with the accreditation standards and registration requirements of the Psychology Board of Australia. (2) The Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC, 2019) have recently published new accreditation standards for psychology programs that are based on competency principles. (3) The shift to the new paradigm is both exciting and challenging. It is exciting because it provides opportunities for innovation; it is challenging because it demands systemic change. What this topic adds: (1) The current paper compares and contrasts current standards and guidelines for accreditation in Australia with their counterparts in the U.K. and the U.S.A. (2) Although significant progress has been made in Australia, additional implementation efforts should be taken to establish a comprehensive and authoritative competency framework, incorporating empirically-supported means of assessment. Such a framework should be fit-for-purpose providing a grid that maps shared and unique aspects of competencies across registration levels and specialised endorsements. (3) The progressive relaxing of input criteria has the potential to seriously compromise the commitment to safe and competent psychological practice if training institutions do not adopt a re-designed system of ecologically valid assessments both during training and at the point of entry to the profession. (4) The need to ensure competence is maintained throughout a psychologist's career will remain a major challenge, given the ongoing and rapid advance of science. A commitment to the competency-based approach provides the necessary scaffolding for ongoing professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Psychologists are at the forefront of assessing and treating clients who been affected by trauma. This study determined the proportion of Australian postgraduate psychology courses that provide training on trauma in coursework units. Method: Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyse the trauma-related contents of online unit handbooks from Masters of Psychology courses that were offered in 2019. Results: Forty-two unit handbooks from 25 courses delivered by 16 institutions explicitly mentioned trauma-related content, equating to 31.65% of courses included in the present study. Of those unit handbooks, 30 were unique (i.e., not duplicates across courses at the same institution). Content analysis of the unit handbooks revealed (a) trauma was most commonly discussed as a disorder (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder, stressor-related disorders) and (b) postgraduate psychology students were often taught about trauma-related assessment, intervention and theory. Conclusions: Trauma training appears limited within postgraduate psychology coursework in Australia. Further research is warranted into how well-prepared psychology graduates are to work with clients who have been exposed to trauma. Such preparedness is vital in the current Australian climate whereby many individuals are impacted by potentially traumatic loss or adversity, for example, due to bushfires and COVID-19. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: The effects of traumatisation are highly variable across individuals and thus psychologists must be well-informed about the different presentations of trauma. Trauma- and stressor-related disorders are often challenging to treat and psychologists must be well-trained in appropriate interventions for doing so. Mental health practitioners often lack the appropriate support and training in addressing the needs of clients who have been affected by traumatising events. What this topic adds: Only a minority of postgraduate psychology courses in Australia appeared to contain information about trauma. Further research is warranted to continue to explore psychologists' training and competency development in trauma-informed practice. Systemic changes to postgraduate psychology courses are required to ensure all provisional psychologists receive foundational knowledge and skills in supporting clients who have been impacted by trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Clinical psychologists are practitioners with expertise in mental health, who apply advanced psychological theory and knowledge to their practice in order to assess and treat complex psychological disorders. Given their robust specialised mental health training, clinical psychology is an integral component of the Australian mental health workforce, but is under-utilised. Recent reviews have identified significant problems with Australia's mental health system, including unequal access to clinical psychology services and fragmentation of service delivery, including convoluted pathways to care.Conclusions: Clinical psychology is well placed to contribute meaningfully to public mental health services (PMHS). We describe what clinical psychologists currently contribute to team-based care in PMHS, how we could further contribute and the barriers to making more extensive contributions. We identify significant historical and organisational factors that have limited the contribution made by clinical psychologists and provide suggestions for cultural change to PMHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate graduates' experiences in Australian postgraduate training programs and the registrar program in clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology, and to identify which components of training were most useful in preparing graduates for the workforce. Method: An anonymous online survey was distributed among recent (2013-2018) graduates of clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology training programs. Results: 170 graduates (95 clinical psychology, 75 neuropsychology; 82% female) responded to the survey. Ninety-six percent of respondents were working in a clinical or academic setting that utilised their postgraduate qualifications, though 4% had not yet obtained work in their specific desired role. Neuropsychology graduates were more likely to report a lack of relevant professional development. Both disciplines wanted increased focus on interventions in their training, including a broad range of psychological therapy approaches. Both disciplines consistently rated the practical elements of their training (clinical work on placement, roleplays, case discussions) the most valuable preparation for their current roles. Conclusions: Universities should maximise practical training and assessment methods, and provide comprehensive therapy training for clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists in preparation for the types of roles in which they are likely to be employed. Employers may need to ensure that access to supervisors and professional development is provided through the workplace. Key Points What is already known about this topic: Clinical psychologists and clinical neuropsychologists tend to report learning best through practical forms of learning and observation. It is unclear whether Australian postgraduate psychology training programs are preparing graduates adequately for the modern workplace. The Psychology Board of Australia registrar program has been in place for over 10 years, and not been systematically evaluated in terms of its impact on recent graduates' capabilities and confidence in transitioning to the workforce. What this topic adds: The vast majority of recent graduates of Australian clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology programs are employed in roles that utilise their postgraduate qualifications. While the quality of Australian postgraduate programs was rated highly by recent graduates, they wanted greater focus on a broader range of psychological interventions. Psychology registrars should be provided more support to meet their professional development and clinical supervision needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are good theoretical and empirical grounds to suggest that personal practices (PPs; e.g., self‐practice/self‐reflection [SP/SR] programmes, meditation programmes and personal therapy) can have a positive impact on therapist skills and client outcomes. However, to date, a weakness in many PP studies is the lack of cohort control groups. The two pilot studies reported in this paper examined SP/SR programmes integrated into postgraduate psychology training and are the first to include cohort control groups. Study 1 compared outcomes of students assigned to either SP/SR (n = 17) or a cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) book study group (n = 13) during their first clinical placement. Study 2 compared outcomes of students who completed the SP/SR programme as part of CBT training (n = 12) with participants who completed the same CBT training in the previous year without an SP/SR programme (n = 17). Significant improvements in therapist confidence for the SP/SR groups were found in both studies. Study 2 also showed significantly higher therapist self‐awareness and lower burnout scores in the SP/SR group. These studies are limited by their small sample size and the lack of random allocation. Nevertheless, they provide preliminary empirical evidence demonstrating large effects of PP on trainees' personal and therapist selves and offer a basis for further research using randomized controlled designs with larger sample sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between general practice (GP) registrars and their supervisors underpins the training experience for the next generation of medical practitioners. Building on recent research into the development and validation of a measure of the relationship between registrars and supervisors from the perspective of the supervisor, the current study focuses on the educational alliance from the perspective of the registrar. This paper presents an adaptation and initial validation of the clinical psychology supervisory relationship measure for GP registrars in an Australian context. Following an Expert Group review and adaptation of the items, 238 GP registrars completed the adapted tool. Using exploratory factor analysis and Procrustes confirmatory rotation, an optimal four factor model of the supervisory relationship was identified, reflecting measures of Safe base (α =.93), Supervisor investment (α =.96), Registrar professionalism (α =.90), and Emotional intelligence (α =.87). The general practice supervisory relationship measure for registrars (GP-SRMR) demonstrated excellent model fit, high internal consistency, and was theoretically consistent with the original tool. Implications for clinical education and future research are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries psychology has been used as a tool of colonisation. Critical theorists argue that in order to improve the wellbeing of those most affected by inequality, psychology programs need to be decolonised. In the Australian context, research has primarily focused on what decolonised curricula might look (e.g., Dudgeon 2017; Mahmut, 2018). The current study aimed to build on this research by providing insights into the critical processes and issues involved in decolonising clinical psychology programs. Methods: Researchers conducted 10 interviews with academics from Australia and abroad who were actively engaged in a process of decolonising their psychology programs. Interviews focused on how academics have decolonised their programs and what barriers they faced in this process. Results: The model which has emerged from this research highlighted the central role of personhood, institutions and curricula in decolonising clinical psychology programs and offers a roadmap for universities interested in starting this process. The research also provided insights into the paradoxes of decolonising clinical psychology programs in colonial contexts and highlighted the need to validate this model through participatory action research with local communities. Conclusions: Findings support previous research which demonstrated the importance of including indigenous history and knowledges in psychology curricula. This article offers new insights into how these can be adapted and applied to clinical psychology programs specifically, as well as insights into the role that personhood and institutions play in decolonising psychology programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As older adults become a growing client base, all psychologists will need to prepare to work effectively with them. Those unfamiliar with geropsychology may be able to bolster their knowledge and confidence by accessing the clinical insight of psychologists who have increased exposure to this client group. Thus, this qualitative study explored Australian clinical psychologists' experiences of working with older adults. Participants were 13 clinical psychologists ranging in age from early 30s to late 60s. They worked in various private and public settings and reported familiarity with working with older adults as per predefined criteria (on average, having at least 25% of clients who were aged 65+ and having delivered psychological interventions to this client group for approximately 2 years or more). Individual semistructured interviews were conducted and data were subsequently analyzed using thematic analysis. Three overarching themes were identified regarding commencing psychotherapy (e.g., assessing older adults' suitability for psychotherapy), practices in psychotherapy (e.g., using wisdom as a therapeutic tool), and more personal matters for psychologists (e.g., managing ethical issues and reflection of personal values). The findings overall highlight that variations to the structure or content of psychotherapy may sometimes be necessary according to older adults' life experience, their experience of aging, and their broader environmental context. Therefore, to work effectively with older adults, psychologists must be prepared to skillfully apply knowledge about aging to their psychological practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]