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This article describes the experiences of teaching undergraduate psychology students in an Australian context. The degree course the students take has no community or critical units, but it is one of very few in Australia that has a compulsory standalone unit in qualitative methods. While qualitative methods are by no means necessarily inherently critical or community focused, it has presented an opportunity to the teachers of the unit (the authors of this paper). The authors of this paper, who employ community critical methodologies in their research, aim to design teaching which is also grounded in such theory, wherever possible and despite significant limitations. Such teaching is informed by: challenging taken for granted assumptions; deconstruction and problem posing; making things uncomfortable; and relating differently. The paper describes a design of teaching where all the students undertake research projects exploring the research question: "what does psychology offer community?" Following a description of the methodologies and teaching practices, the authors reflect subjectively on their experiences working with the students, on opportunities which arose and on structural boundaries which appear to make community critical methodologies in university teaching very difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our collective account considers the ways community critical methodologies can inform academic endeavors. Methodology is understood to be the theorizing of methods that produce and legitimate knowledge claims. For us, community critical approaches incorporate poststructural and other forms of critical theory in the questioning of taken for granted assumptions. This forms a valuable foundation for community praxis as it focuses not just on social issues outside, but on an examination within; on the institution of psychology itself. We find "examining within" a vital process for our research, teaching, and community engagement. Above all it is important to ask whose interests are served by the construction and presentation of knowledge in particular ways. We present three pieces of practice which engaged with critical methodologies. The first examines collaborative research methodologies developed with young people in rural Australia who are primary carers for a family member. The second examines tensions involved in trying to employ critical methodologies in multi‐stakeholder work between community organizations, communities, and researchers. The third examines opportunities and barriers when employing critical methodologies in learning and teaching with undergraduate students. We reflect upon the intersecting threads of commonality and difference between them and consider the implications for practice. Highlights: Our collective account considers how community critical methodologies informs academic endeavors.We present three pieces of practice which engaged with critical methodologies.We reflect upon the intersecting threads between them and consider the implications for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Australian data has indicated that the frequency and severity of family and domestic violence (FDV) tends to increase with remoteness. Rural communities rely on Emergency Departments (ED) within public hospitals for general health and safety needs. Public health departments within Australia are strongly influenced by Government policies which can define 'health problems' and limit institutional responses to patients presenting with FDV. The current study therefore aimed to critically examine FDV Australian Government policies to explore how policy meanings could potentially impact on ED staff and individuals within rural communities. Methods: Foucauldian Discourse Analysis and Policy Narrative Analysis were used to examine 9 policy documents which represented national, state/territory and clinical practice levels. Publication dates ranged from 2006 to 2020. Results: A total of 8 discourses were identified, with each one providing a unique construction of the target problem and determining the potential agency of health professionals and subjects of FDV. Discourses combined to produce an overall narrative within each policy document. Narrative constructions of the target problem were compared which produced three narrative themes: 1) Deficit Subject Narratives; 2) Object Oriented Narratives; and 3) Societal Narratives. Conclusion: The results reflected a transition in the meaning of FDV within Australian society and over the past decade, with policies trending away from Deficit Subject Narratives and towards Object Oriented or Societal Narratives. Institutional systems, sociohistorical context and broader societal movements may have shaped this transition by stagnating policy meanings or introducing new insights that expanded the possibilities of understanding and action. Narratives produced assumptions which significantly altered the relevance and agency of individuals and groups when applied to a rural ED setting. As FDV was moved out of the clinical space and into the public domain, the agency of health professionals was reduced, while the values and strengths of FDV subjects and rural communities were potentially recognised. Later policies provided contextual specificity and meaning fluidity that could benefit diverse groups within rural areas; however, the expectation for ED staff to learn from their communities and challenge institutionalised approaches to FDV requires careful consideration in relation to rural hospital systems and resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores and identifies the different challenges for both antenatal and postnatal fathers that might act as precursors for poor paternal perinatal emotional well-being. Twelve fathers living in Sydney, aged over 18 years, identified as either an antenatal or postnatal father were interviewed concerning their experiences. Interview data were thematically analysed to identify challenges faced by expectant and new fathers. Five main challenges were identified – father–mother relationship, father–child relationship, life changes, lack of support and birth event. The results of this study indicate possible differences between antenatal and postnatal challenges, with postnatal fathers being confronted by additional challenges. These findings provide valuable insight for health professionals to better target treatment interventions by considering the actual precursors for poor emotional well-being in fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex workers experience risk and protective factors that affect their psychological well-being, yet little is known about sex workers' mental health and their experiences with related services in rural and remote Tasmania, Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six current or former sex workers with pre-existing mental health problems, and thematic analysis was used to identify their experiences with mental health and related care. Generally, sex work does not contribute to participants' mental health concerns; rather, social exclusion and systemic issues cause psychological harm. Ineffective mental health professionals and the lack of tailored or culturally competent support serve as barriers to care. Significantly, widespread stigma was both a risk factor to participants' mental health and a barrier to help seeking and resulted in isolation and identity concealment. Resilience, self-awareness and social inclusion reduce the psychological impact of exogenous oppression and encourage help seeking. The decriminalisation of sex work could improve sex worker mental health and reduce stigma by normalising sex work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]