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Mental health practitioners' beliefs about the causes of mental illness may influence their approach to treatment and impact therapeutic outcomes. There has been limited research on this topic. This study explores mental health practitioners' views and experiences of addressing causal beliefs in treatment. A thematic framework guided the analysis of semi-structured interviews with 17 mental health practitioners. Participants stated that their causal beliefs impact their approach to treatment, and clients' causal beliefs influence how clients approach treatment. Participants thought that it was important to discuss causes with clients and identified several barriers to, and consequences of, doing so. Participants identified that addressing causal beliefs in treatment influenced factors such as practitioner empathy, therapeutic alliance, engagement in treatment and clients' self-blame.

An internationalised curriculum could better prepare graduates for globalising and increasingly culturally diverse workplaces. There is a need to provide students with intercultural learning opportunities at home because many students do not have access to study abroad opportunities. This paper describes curriculum changes designed to enhance students' intercultural learning in a third year social psychology course at an Australian university. Two novel classroom activities based on the alliance building and cultural mapping methods of the Excellence in Cultural Experiential Learning and Leadership (EXCELL) programme were used. Students reported increased intercultural learning in this course, especially regarding awareness and knowledge, compared to another third year psychology course they participated in that did not include such activities. Suggestions for embedding intercultural learning throughout the psychology curricula are discussed along with the challenges in sustaining such curriculum changes.

This study compared the effects of 2 art activities (structured and nonstructured) and a focused breathing exercise on outcome measures of mindfulness, anxiety, and affect. Seventy-seven participants, recruited from university students and the general public, were randomly assigned to either 15 min of coloring a mandala (structured), free drawing (nonstructured), or a focused breathing exercise. Results demonstrated that all 3 interventions produced significant improvements in the outcome measures at posttest compared with pretest. However, no significant differences were found across the 3 intervention conditions. These findings inform the design of brief interventions aimed at achieving short-term positive psychological benefits in nonclinical populations.

Given a projected threefold increase in people living with dementia globally by 2050 (World Health Organization, 2012), attracting nurses to work in this area will be critical to meet demand. This study examined the role of age, positive ageism, negative ageism, and aged-care placement completion in predicting nursing students' intentions to work in dementia care. Perceived barriers to working in dementia care were also explored through a thematic analysis. Participants were 135 undergraduate nursing students from one regional Australian university (ages ranging from 18 to 55 years) who completed an online survey. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis revealed that age (p = 0.001) and positive ageism (p < 0.001) were associated with greater intentions to work in aged-care. A thematic analysis of perceived barriers to working in dementia care showed five themes consisting of 11 subthemes: profession (conditions, culture, diversity, interest); personal demands (emotional, physical); patient contact (communication, safety); experience (previous, lack); and no barriers. Younger students (<25 years of age) were more likely to nominate emotional demands as potential barriers, whereas older students were more likely to cite work conditions. Patient communication and interest in other areas of nursing were identified as barriers across age groups. The findings from this study suggest that educational providers could target students with specific characteristics associated with greater work intentions in dementia care, such as age and positive ageism. Perceived barriers to working in dementia care indicate possible areas of improvement that may attract more students to this field of practice.

Alternative splicing of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) and allosteric modulation by auxiliary subunits, such as transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins (TARPs), are two important mechanisms that regulate the time course of glutamatergic neurotransmission. Prior work has shown that alternative splicing of the flip/flop cassette profoundly regulates TARP c2 modulation, where flip receptor gating exhibits robust sensitivity to TARPs while flop isoforms are relatively insensitive to TARP modulation. Whether this splice variant-specific regulation extends to other auxiliary subunit families, such as cornichons (CNIHs), GSG1L, or CKAMPs, remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that CNIH-3 modulation is unaffected by AMPAR alternative splicing due to inherent differences in how CNIH-3 and TARP c2 modify channel gating. CNIH-3 slows receptor deactivation from the outset of current decay, consistent with structural evidence showing its point of contact at the level of the pore. In contrast, TARP c2 acts via the KGK site of the ligand-binding domain (LBD) to slow the onset of desensitization. Although GSG1L and CKAMP44 primarily slow recovery from desensitization, their effects on channel gating are unaffected by alternative splicing, further underlining that structural events leading to the onset and recovery from desensitization are separable. Together, this work establishes that alternative splicing and TARP auxiliary subunits form a unique partnership that governs fast glutamatergic signaling at central synapses. Since proteomic studies suggest that all native AMPARs co-assemble with at least two TARPs, allosteric coupling between the flip/flop cassette and TARPs may represent a common design element in all AMPAR complexes of the mammalian brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain Bingo is a tutorial activity for helping undergraduate psychology students learn complex physiological terms. In two experiments, the authors tested pretest and posttest knowledge, and in Experiment 2, the authors tested retention after 5 weeks. In Experiment 1 (n = 41), the experimental group (Brain Bingo) recalled more terms than the control group (standard tutorial activities). In Experiment 2 (n = 107), control and experimental groups did the Brain Bingo activity, but only the experimental group received feedback during the activity. Both groups recalled more terms at posttest and follow-up than at pretest, and the experimental group outperformed the control group at both time points. Brain Bingo, particularly with feedback, is a useful activity for learning physiological terminology. (Contains 1 figure.)

PURPOSE We sought to determine the feasibility of delivering a Supportive Oncology Care at Home intervention among patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS We prospectively enrolled patients with pancreatic cancer from a parent trial of neoadjuvant fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRINOX). The intervention entailed (1) remote monitoring of patient-reported symptoms, vital signs, and body weight; (2) a hospital-at-home care model; and (3) structured communication with the oncology team. We defined the intervention as feasible if ≥ 60% of patients enrolled in the study and ≥ 60% completed the daily assessments within the first 2-weeks of enrollment. We determined rates of treatment delays, urgent clinic visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations among those who did (n = 20) and did not (n = 24) receive Supportive Oncology Care at Home from the parent trial. RESULTS From January 2019 to September 2020, we enrolled 80.8% (21/26) of potentially eligible patients. One patient became ineligible following consent because of moving out of state, resulting in 20 participants (median age = 67 years). In the first 2 weeks of enrollment, 65.0% of participants completed all daily assessments. Overall, patients reported 96.1% of daily symptoms, 96.1% of daily vital signs, and 92.5% of weekly body weights. Patients receiving the intervention had lower rates of treatment delays (55.0% v 75.0%), urgent clinic visits (10.0% v 25.0%), and emergency department visits/hospitalizations (45.0% v 62.5%) compared with those not receiving the intervention from the same parent trial. CONCLUSION Findings demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of a Supportive Oncology Care at Home intervention. Future work will investigate the efficacy of this intervention for decreasing health care use and improving patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty-nine individuals with developmental disabilities received individualized rehabilitation programs based on client choice and implemented in client-approved home/community environments, and received training in residential, leisure, and personal skills. The intervention resulted in improved self-awareness, self-confidence, independence, and community activity, compared to control group individuals. Aspects of worker-client relationships are discussed. (Author/JDD)

Enteral nutrition (EN) is a vital component of nutrition around the world. EN allows for delivery of nutrients to those who cannot maintain adequate nutrition by oral intake alone. Common questions regarding EN are when to initiate and in what scenarios it is safe. The answers to these questions are often complex and require an evidence-based approach. The Board of Directors of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) established an Enteral Nutrition Committtee to address the important questions surrounding the indications for EN. Consensus recommendations were established based on eight extremely clinically relevant questions regarding EN indications as deemed by the Enteral Nutrition Committee. These consensus recommendations may act as a guide for clinicians and stakeholders on difficult questions pertaining to indications for EN. This paper was approved by the ASPEN Board of Directors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lived experience of people with mental illness is a powerful way to promote mental health literacy and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. However, there is little guidance on how to do this safely. Mental Illness Education ACT is an Australian organisation that since 1993 has supported volunteer educators to share their individual stories of lived experience to school and community groups. In 2011, they developed the DoNOHarm Framework to assist volunteers to be able to talk about their experiences in a way that is safe for them and for their audience, a gap that they recognised in the field. This study reports a review of the Framework, considering the extent to which it is supported by the current literature and how it is being implemented and experienced by the volunteer educators. These research questions were addressed by a literature review and interviews with 14 volunteer educators and the staff that support them. The review of published literature over the past 10 years showed strong evidence for three of the six principles of the Framework: Context and Purpose, Recovery Emphasis, and Safe Talking. Although the principle of Respectful and Inclusive Language is widely promoted in the mental health field, no recent studies investigated the benefits of this approach. Similarly, there was no recent research into the two principles of Limits to Helping and Self Care. The interviews revealed strong support for the Framework among volunteers. It was seen to be effective to protect the safety of both presenter and audience, ensure the relevance of the presentation, give educators confidence in their message and delivery, convey a hopeful message, and make certain that presentations were engaging for the audience. Overall, this review shows that the DoNO-Harm Framework fills an important gap for mental health education, with a sound evidence base where there is published evidence available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment (N = 60) was conducted to examine the hypothesis that the illusory correlation effect is underpinned by a process of seeking to identify meaningful differences between social categories. It was reasoned that the effect would be weaker in an experimental condition in which the identity of the majority and minority groups was based on a characteristic (right- and left-handedness, respectively) that was less relevant to evaluative differentiation than in a control condition. This argument was supported by the predicted differences (a) in levels of illusory correlation across control and experimental conditions and (b) self-reports indicating that control participants sought to develop more differentiated impressions of groups than did participants in the experimental condition. The results support claims that the stereotyping process underpinning illusory correlation is structured by social meaning.

Objective: To explore health professionals' (clinicians) approach to the provision of care in a dementia setting. Methods: Participants were clinicians from two older persons' mental health services (community and inpatient). Participants completed an interview about strategies to engage with, and barriers to providing person‐centred care to consumers with a co‐morbid diagnosis of dementia. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Three main themes were developed through analysis of the interview data: (1) overall approach to care (synthesis of care and cure principles), (2) the challenges in the provision of care, and (3) coping strategies to manage care demands. Conclusion: Developing a relationship with a patient and attending to their medical needs were seen as optimal care, relevant to both person‐centred and task‐oriented approaches to dementia care. Clinicians also highlighted the importance of their own personal resources and attitudes in shaping the type of care provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kainate receptors (KARs) are L-glutamate-gated ion channels that regulate synaptic transmission and modulate neuronal circuits. KARs have strict assembly rules and primarily function as heteromeric receptors in the brain. A longstanding question is how KAR heteromer subunits organize and coordinate together to fulfill their signature physiological roles. Here we report structures of the GluK2/GluK5 heteromer in apo, antagonist-bound, and desensitized states. The receptor assembles with two copies of each subunit, ligand binding domains arranged as two heterodimers and GluK5 subunits proximal to the channel. Strikingly, during desensitization, GluK2, but not GluK5, subunits undergo major structural rearrangements to facilitate channel closure. We show how the large conformational differences between antagonist-bound and desensitized states are mediated by the linkers connecting the pore helices to the ligand binding domains. This work presents the first KAR heteromer structure, reveals how its subunits are organized, and resolves how the heteromer can accommodate functionally distinct closed channel structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a relationship is considered the foundation of providing person‐centred care (PCC) when working with a person who has a diagnosis of dementia. Currently, there is a lack of consensus about the how to develop this relationship. This aim of this study was to explore the key skills adopted by clinicians to establish an effective care relationship, referred to as therapeutic alliance, specific to working with patients who have dementia. Participants were clinicians (nursing and allied health professionals) from two older person's mental health service teams (inpatient and community) who routinely provided clinical care to patients with a diagnosis of dementia. Participants self‐selected from a purposive sample to complete a semi‐structured interview about their provision of care to, and strategies used to engage with, people with a diagnosis of dementia. Exploratory qualitative thematic analysis was conducted using mixed inductive and deductive procedures. Five themes were identified as the interpersonal skills used to develop relationships with patients including the following: empathy, unconditional positive regard, congruence, psychological flexibility, and communication. Findings from this study provide direction for training of clinicians employed in a dementia setting and can also be generalized to other non‐specific clinical settings where clinicians may incidentally provide treatment to patients with a diagnosis of dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health practitioners' beliefs about the causes of mental illness may influence their approach to treatment and impact therapeutic outcomes. There has been limited research on this topic. This study explores mental health practitioners' views and experiences of addressing causal beliefs in treatment. A thematic framework guided the analysis of semi-structured interviews with 17 mental health practitioners. Participants stated that their causal beliefs impact their approach to treatment, and clients' causal beliefs influence how clients approach treatment. Participants thought that it was important to discuss causes with clients and identified several barriers to, and consequences of, doing so. Participants identified that addressing causal beliefs in treatment influenced factors such as practitioner empathy, therapeutic alliance, engagement in treatment and clients' self-blame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Measurement feedback systems provide clinicians with regular snapshots of a client's mental health status, which can be used in treatment planning and client feedback. There are numerous barriers to clinicians using outcome measures routinely. This study aimed to investigate factors affecting the use of a measurement feedback system across youth mental health settings. Methods: The participants were 210 clinicians from headspace youth mental health services across Australia. They were surveyed on predictors and use of MyLifeTracker, a routine outcome measure. This was explored through three processes: looking at MyLifeTracker before session, using MyLifeTracker in treatment planning, and providing feedback of MyLifeTracker scores to clients. Results: Clinicians were more likely to look at MyLifeTracker before session, less likely to use it in treatment planning, and least likely to provide MyLifeTracker scores to clients. Each measurement feedback system process had a distinct group of predictors. Perceptions of MyLifeTracker's practicality was the only significant predictor of all three processes. Conclusion: Practically, organisations and supervisors can increase the use of measurement feedback systems through targeted supports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Causal beliefs are thought to influence consumers' perceptions of their mental illness and self-stigma, and may impact treatment and recovery. Understanding consumers' perspective on causes being addressed in treatment is vital to help guide future research and improve services. Aim: This study aimed to explore consumers' views on causes of mental illness being addressed in treatment, along with their subjective experiences of how causes were focused on in their treatment. Methods: Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 consumers who self-identified as having a mental illness. A thematic analytic framework was used to identify and analyse themes that emerged within the data. Results: Consumers believed that causes were important and should be addressed in treatment, and identified several associated benefits including increased insight/personal understanding of their illness, symptom management and relapse prevention and reduced self-blame. Negative consequences and considerations were also identified. Conclusion: Causes help consumers make sense of their illness, and consumers would like causes to be addressed in treatment. More research is needed on how mental health professionals can address causes effectively as consumers are currently dissatisfied with how causes were discussed in their treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]