Transitioning to civilian life: The importance of social group engagement and identity among Australian Defence Force veterans.

OBJECTIVE: Veterans transitioning to civilian life after leaving the military face unique health concerns. Although there is a significant body of research exploring veterans' experiences of transition and predictors of well-being, there are limited studies examining how social group engagement influences veterans' transition. We explored how Australian Defence Force veterans' social group engagement and identity influenced their adjustment to civilian life and well-being. METHODS: Forty Australian veterans (85% male; mean age = 37 years, range = 25-57 years) took part in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Participants completed two mapping tasks (a social network map and life course map) that provided a visual component to the interviews. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically and interpreted by adopting a social identity approach. RESULTS: Joining the military involved a process of socialisation into military culture that for most participants led to the development of a military identity. An abrupt or difficult discharge from defence was often associated with a negative impact on social group engagement and well-being in civilian life. Veterans' social group memberships may act not only as positive psychological resources during transition but also as a potential source of conflict, especially when trying to re-engage with civilian groups with different norms or beliefs. Military values inscribed within a veteran's sense of self, including a strong sense of service, altruism and giving back to their community, may operate as positive resources and promote social group engagement. CONCLUSION: Engaging with supportive social groups can support transition to civilian life. Reintegration may be improved via effective linkage with programmes (e.g. volunteering, ex-service support organisations) that offer supportive social networks and draw upon veterans' desire to give back to community. Social mapping tasks that visualise veterans' social group structures may be useful for clinicians to explore the roles and conflicts associated with veterans' social group memberships during transition.

"Types of change strategies for limiting or reducing gambling behaviors and their perceived helpfulness: A factor analysis." Correction to Rodda et al. (2018).

Reports an error in "Types of change strategies for limiting or reducing gambling behaviors and their perceived helpfulness: A factor analysis" by Simone N. Rodda, Kathleen L. Bagot, Alison Cheetham, David C. Hodgins, Nerilee Hing and Dan I. Lubman (Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2018[Sep], Vol 32[6], 679-688). In the article the ethics approval details appearing in the last sentence of the second paragraph of the Participants section are incorrect and should appear instead as follows: Ethics approval for the study was gained by Eastern Health Research and Ethics Committee (study registration number LR22/1314). (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2018-44923-008.) Gamblers engage with a broad range of resources and strategies to limit or reduce their gambling. However, there is limited research examining the uptake and helpfulness of the full range of strategies gamblers employ. The aim of this study was to compile a comprehensive inventory of change strategies and then group these using principal component analysis based on perceived helpfulness. We also aimed to determine whether there are differences in the helpfulness of strategies by demographic, gambling severity, and readiness indicators. The Change Strategies Questionnaire-Version 1 contained 99 strategies, and 489 gamblers (including 333 problem gamblers) identified the most frequently endorsed strategy as remind yourself of negative consequences of gambling (92%) and think about how money could be better spent (92%). Principal components analysis identified 15 strategy groupings: cognitive, well-being, consumption control, behavioral substitution, financial management, urge management, self-monitoring, information seeking, spiritual, avoidance, social support, exclusion, planning, feedback, and limit finances. There were differences in the helpfulness of strategies by age and gambling severity. Few strategies were correlated with confidence to manage an urge to gamble. Overall, change strategies were viewed as moderately helpful. The top five strategies were all used by at least 90% of gamblers, and these strategies were all cognitive in nature. This study provides important information for the development of interventions targeting gambling behavior. Furthermore, it suggests that interventions for problem gambling should target cognitive, feedback, planning, and urge management strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Recognition of, and attitudes towards, people with depression and psychosis with/without alcohol and other drug problems: results from a national survey of Australian paramedics.

OBJECTIVE: Continuing stigma towards mental health problems means that many individuals-especially men-will first present in crisis, with emergency services often the first point of call. Given this situation, the aims of this paper were to assess paramedics' ability to recognise, and their attitudes towards, males with clinically defined depression and psychosis with and without comorbid alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems. METHODS: A cross-sectional national online survey of 1230 paramedics throughout Australia. The survey was based on four vignettes: depression with suicidal thoughts, depression with suicidal thoughts and comorbid alcohol problems, and psychosis with and without comorbid AOD problems. RESULTS: Just under half of respondents recognised depression, but this decreased markedly to one-fifth when comorbid AOD problems were added to the vignette. In contrast, almost 90% recognised psychosis, but this decreased to just under 60% when comorbid AOD problems were added. Respondents were more likely to hold stigmatising attitudes towards people in the vignettes with depression and psychosis when comorbid AOD problems were present. Respondents endorsed questionnaire items assessing perceived social stigma more strongly than personal stigma. Desire for social distance was greater in vignettes focusing on psychosis with and without comorbid AOD problems than depression with and without comorbid AOD problems. CONCLUSIONS: Paramedics need a well-crafted multicomponent response which involves cultural change within their organisations and more education to improve their recognition of, and attitudes towards, clients with mental health and AOD problems. Education should focus on the recognition and care of people with specific mental disorders rather than on mental disorders in general. It is essential that education also focuses on understanding and caring for people with AOD problems. Educational interventions should focus on aligning beliefs about public perceptions with personal beliefs about people with mental disorders and AOD problems.

Types of change strategies for limiting or reducing gambling behaviors and their perceived helpfulness: A factor analysis.

Gamblers engage with a broad range of resources and strategies to limit or reduce their gambling. However, there is limited research examining the uptake and helpfulness of the full range of strategies gamblers employ. The aim of this study was to compile a comprehensive inventory of change strategies and then group these using principal component analysis based on perceived helpfulness. We also aimed to determine whether there are differences in the helpfulness of strategies by demographic, gambling severity, and readiness indicators. The Change Strategies Questionnaire-Version 1 contained 99 strategies, and 489 gamblers (including 333 problem gamblers) identified the most frequently endorsed strategy as remind yourself of negative consequences of gambling (92%) and think about how money could be better spent (92%). Principal components analysis identified 15 strategy groupings: cognitive, well-being, consumption control, behavioral substitution, financial management, urge management, self-monitoring, information seeking, spiritual, avoidance, social support, exclusion, planning, feedback, and limit finances. There were differences in the helpfulness of strategies by age and gambling severity. Few strategies were correlated with confidence to manage an urge to gamble. Overall, change strategies were viewed as moderately helpful. The top five strategies were all used by at least 90% of gamblers, and these strategies were all cognitive in nature. This study provides important information for the development of interventions targeting gambling behavior. Furthermore, it suggests that interventions for problem gambling should target cognitive, feedback, planning, and urge management strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record

Change Strategies and Associated Implementation Challenges: An Analysis of Online Counselling Sessions.

Self-change is the most frequent way people limit or reduce gambling involvement and often the first choice of people experiencing gambling-related problems. Less well known is the range of change strategies gamblers use and how these are selected, initiated or maintained. This study examined change strategies discussed in counselling transcripts from 149 clients who accessed a national online gambling help service in Australia. Using thematic analysis, we identified the presence of six change strategies; cash control and financial management, social support, avoiding or limiting gambling, alternative activities, changing thoughts and beliefs, and self-assessment and monitoring. Four implementation issues were also identified; a mismatch between need and strategy selection or maintenance; importance and readiness versus the cost of implementation; poor or unplanned transitions between strategies; and failure to review the helpfulness of strategies resulting in premature abandonment or unhelpful prolonged application. This study is the first to identify change strategies discussed in online counselling sessions. This study suggests change strategies are frequently discussed in online counselling sessions and we identified multiple new actions associated with change strategies that had not previously been identified. However, multiple implementation issues were identified and further work is required to determine the helpfulness of change strategies in terms of their selection, initiation and maintenance.

An Examination of the Prevalence, Consumer Profiles, and Patterns of Energy Drink Use, With and Without Alcohol, in Australia.

BACKGROUND: There has been a significant growth in the energy drink (ED) market in Australia and around the world; however, most research investigating the popularity of ED and alcohol and energy drink (AED) use has focused on specific subpopulations such as university students. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence, consumption patterns, and sociodemographic correlates of ED and combined AED use among a representative Australian population sample. METHODS: A computer-assisted telephone interview survey (n = 2,000) was undertaken in March-April 2013 of persons aged 18 years and over. Half of the interviews were obtained through randomly generated landline telephone numbers and half through mobile phones. Approximately half of the sample was female (55.5%; n = 1,110) and the mean age of participants was 45.9 (range 18 to 95, SD 20.0). RESULTS: Less than 1 in 6 Australians reported ED use (13.4%, n = 268) and 4.6% (n = 91) reported AED use in the past 3 months. Majority of ED and AED users consumed these beverages monthly or less. ED and AED users are more likely to be aged 18 to 24 years, live in a metropolitan area, and be moderate risk or problem gamblers. AED consumers are more likely to report moderate levels of psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings in relation to problem gambling and psychological distress are novel and require further targeted investigation. Health promotion strategies directed toward reducing ED and AED use should focus on young people living in metropolitan areas and potentially be disseminated through locations where gambling takes place.