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In this paper, we develop and extend the emerging concept of 'family assemblages' to theorise the bodies, objects, habits, spaces, technologies, discourses and affects that participate in family life. We argue that existing conceptualisations of the family tend towards anthropocentrism, a sundering of the world into active human subjects and passive non-human objects. Assemblage theory offers a means of overcoming this anthropocentrism in order to generate richer accounts of the more-than-human dynamics of family life. From this perspective, anything that participates in the action of family life can be considered a member of the family assemblage, establishing the ontological ground for a non-anthropocentric and relational view of the family. We elaborate these arguments with reference to ethnographic research on fathers' mental health conducted in Melbourne, Australia. Our ethnographic material provides a rich empirical context for the development of the notion of family assemblages. We conclude by suggesting that the concept of the family assemblage is not simply a provocation to the human-centric assumptions that guide most studies of family life, but may also prove useful for human and health geographers already attuned to the materiality of family life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:While the recovery approach in mental health currently enjoys immense support, it is not without its critics. The most persistent criticisms focus on the individualism underpinning many conceptualisations of recovery. In this paper, we outline the shortcomings of individualistic approaches to recovery, and explore the alternative notion ofrelational recovery. Method:We begin this article by reviewing recent research and theory that critiques individualistic approaches to recovery. We then draw together disparate bodies of research that view recovery as an inherently social process. Results:Our reading of the literature suggests that although many models of recovery recognise relationships or connectedness as a component of the recovery process, an overemphasis on the ‘inner’, subjective experiences of people with a lived experience of mental ill-health largely obscures the interpersonal contexts of recovery. Interpersonal relationships can more accurately be seen as suffusing all aspects of recovery, including experiences such as hope, identity and empowerment. Discussion:We conclude by arguing that the way forward for mental health systems lies in developing, promoting and implementing approaches that properly acknowledge the irreducibly relational nature of recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to introduce Manuel DeLanda’s “assemblage theory” to psychology. Based on a select review of this theory, we argue that DeLanda’s work may allow for new ways of approaching unresolved problems in psychological inquiry, such as the realism–constructivism impasse, and disputes regarding linear and non-linear models of causality. DeLanda’s systematic treatment of the assemblage, using terms familiar to social scientists and analytic philosophers alike, offers a host of novel concepts and methods for the analysis of social, biological, and/or political systems, while also indicating how this analysis may be deployed in innovative social science inquiry. A number of psychologists have recently begun to explore the concept of assemblage. We add to these efforts in the present paper by assessing how DeLanda’s assemblage theory may open up a new “image of the psychological” to guide research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been little research attention paid to fathers' experiences of mental illness stigma. This scoping review sought to (a) "map" the current state of academic knowledge about fathers' experiences of mental illness stigma, and (b) make initial recommendations about how such knowledge may inform anti-stigma interventions and policies. A scoping study methodology was used and literature searched between December 2014 and January 2015 in Scopus, PsychINFO and MEDLINE for peer-reviewed, qualitative papers. Directed content analysis was conducted on 12 identified studies, using a 4-part typology of stigma (public, self, associative and structural) as an analytical framework. Stigma was identified as a theme in seven studies, with public stigma the most commonly experienced. A priority for stigma prevention needs to be changing the current ways in which fathers with a mental illness are portrayed and perceived by the public, mental health professionals and by fathers themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several topics discussed at the seminar titled "Work hours, requests for flexibility and work-life interference in Australia: What we know, what we need to know" held at the Australian Institute of Family Studies on June 23, 2011 is presented. Professor Barbara Pocock, director of the Centre for Work + Life at the University of South Australia was the speaker of the seminar. It highlights the relationship between workplace flexibility and work-life interference.