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AIMS: We assessed the mental health effects of Australia's 2019-2020 bushfires 12-18 months later, predicting psychological distress and positive psychological outcomes from bushfire exposure and a range of demographic variables, and seeking insights to enhance disaster preparedness and resilience planning for different profiles of people. METHODS: We surveyed 3083 bushfire-affected and non-affected Australian residents about their experiences of bushfire, COVID-19, psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder) and positive psychological outcomes (resilient coping, wellbeing). RESULTS: We found high rates of distress across all participants, exacerbated by severity of bushfire exposure. For people who were bushfire-affected, being older, having less financial stress, and having no or fewer pre-existing mental disorders predicted both lower distress and higher positive outcomes. Being male or having less income loss also predicted positive outcomes. Severity of exposure, higher education and higher COVID-19-related stressors predicted both higher distress and higher positive outcomes. Pre-existing physical health diagnosis and previous bushfire experience did not significantly predict distress or positive outcomes. RECOMMENDATIONS: To promote disaster resilience, we recommend investment in mental health, particularly for younger adults and for those in rural and remote areas. We also recommend investment in mechanisms to protect against financial distress and the development of a broader definition of bushfire-related impacts than is currently used to capture brushfires' far-reaching effects.
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OBJECTIVE: To examine and describe telehealth use and attitudes among mental health professionals in Australia and New Zealand during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Participants completed a brief online survey between May and July 2020. Participants were recruited via peak and professional organisations and through psychology-focused social media groups and networks. The survey examined frequency of telehealth use, reasons for non-use, telehealth modalities, prior use, attitudes towards use, plans for future use, and training, information or resource needs. RESULTS: A total of 528 professionals (85.2% female) participated in the survey, of which 98.9% reported using telehealth and 32.2% reported using telehealth exclusively. Respondents were less likely to use telehealth if they worked with clients experiencing complex issues (e.g. trauma), had more hours of weekly client contact, had a choice about whether to use telehealth or felt less positive about using technology. Respondents were more likely to hold positive views towards telehealth if they were female, had used online programmes with clients previously, were frequent telehealth users and were comfortable using technology. Participants expressed mixed views on client safety and the impact of telehealth on therapeutic process and effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Telehealth has a clear and ongoing role within mental healthcare and there is a need for strong guidance for professionals on how to manage client risk, privacy, security and adapt therapy for delivery via telehealth. In particular, there is a need for individual-, organisational-, professional- and policy-level responses to ensure that telehealth remains a viable and effective healthcare medium into the future.
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From March 2020, clinical psychology postgraduate programmes began rapidly adopting telepsychology within their training clinics to support public health and reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, implementing this rapidly, safely, and effectively posed challenges to programmes, educators, supervisors, and trainees who at the time predominantly utilised in-person psychology and had limited experience with telepsychology. This paper outlines the collaboration of Australian psychology postgraduate programmes;the development of the Australian Telepsychology Collaboration’s role in supporting rapid adoption;empirical evidence for the use of telepsychology in training clinics;and reflects on how clinics overcame initial technological, security, clinical, practical and competency barriers to adoption. Implications and recommendations for clinical psychology postgraduate programmes are discussed, and an emphasis is placed on the unique opportunity that psychology programmes have to contribute meaningfully to clinical and empirical telepsychology knowledge. Key Points What is already known about this topic: Telepsychology has been rapidly adopted and is increasingly used in psychology and psychology training programs since the pandemic. Telepsychology is a way to maintain training standards and learning opportunities for post-graduate psychology trainees during times of increased social and movement restrictions. There is emerging literature to support telepsychology for the types of presentations common to training clinics. Telepsychology has been rapidly adopted and is increasingly used in psychology and psychology training programs since the pandemic.Telepsychology is a way to maintain training standards and learning opportunities for post-graduate psychology trainees during times of increased social and movement restrictions.There is emerging literature to support telepsychology for the types of presentations common to training clinics. What this topic adds: A reflection on the security, technological, and clinical knowledge learned by postgraduate psychology training programs transitioning to telepsychology that has relevance for training providers and clinicians undertaking parallel transitions. Overcoming barriers to large-scale telepsychology implementation. Implications and recommendations for psychology postgraduate programmes. A reflection on the security, technological, and clinical knowledge learned by postgraduate psychology training programs transitioning to telepsychology that has relevance for training providers and clinicians undertaking parallel transitions.Overcoming barriers to large-scale telepsychology implementation.Implications and recommendations for psychology postgraduate programmes. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Australian Psychologist is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to significant psychological distress, but few psychologists in Australia are trained in working with this complex clinical group. Despite government funding to provide video-consulting (VC) services in Australia, uptake before COVID-19 was limited. OBJECTIVE: This mixed methods study evaluated whether training in eHealth and evidence based TBI psychological therapies increased provider uptake of VC in clinical practice, and delivery of mental health services to individuals with TBI. METHODS: Mental health professionals completed a range of self-report measures before (n = 50), after (n = 48), and four months following (n = 30) a one-day workshop. Participants' TBI knowledge, client-base and levels of access, confidence, motivation and attitudes toward VC were assessed. Knowledge did not increase after training but participants had significant increases in their confidence and motivation to using VC at follow up. Significant reductions in pragmatic barriers to using VC were reported post training and at follow up, all barrier categories indicated significant reductions. There was no significant change in clinical practice of the participants. CONCLUSIONS: Training to increase TBI knowledge requires specific assessment tools and although training appears to reduce barriers to using VC, uptake in clinical practice may require additional supervision and warrants further research.