The Psychology Centre

Research Archive


Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Research Project.
Philippa Thomas (The Psychology Centre)
Wendy Tuck & Jeannette Shennan (Health Waikato)
Helen Conaglen (Private Practitioner)

We will be posting further details of this project shortly.


The management of child and adolescent anxiety in Primary Care: Evaluation of a brief training intervention for General Practitioners.

and

General Practitioners prepared for child and adolescent mental health presentations? A survey of training, perceived competence and confidence.
John Fitzgerald & Joanne Clarkson

The purpose of these two related survey studies was to research to explore how GPs make mental health diagnostic decisions across the age range, and provide formal feedback on streamlining of screening systems (Stage I). In particular, we were interested in their preparaedness and decision-making related to anxiety disorders in children and youth (Stage II). Related to the second part of the study we wanted to provide training to enhance mental health screening and diagnostic systems through the introduction of specific evidence-based screening tools and procedures.

The purpose of the project was to support primary care practitioners in developing their skills, and facilitate the development of more effective and ‘once-only’ screening procedures for young patients suffering from anxiety so that an accurate diagnosis and referral can be made at the first visit more often than happens at the present time.

Outcome
More details to follow.

Dissemination
Stage I - The results were presented as a poster at the 2005 Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society, Manchester, England, and as a paper presentation at the 2005 Annual Conference of the New Zealand Psychological Society, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Click here to see the conference poster (.pdf format)
Click here for a summary of the project (.pdf format)

Stage II - We have not pursued publication of the Stage I survey results as we decided to integrate the Stage II survey results into the same manuscript. While the Stage II data is interesting the sample size was small and would not merit publication as an independent report. Summary of the Stage II survey has been completed and disseminated to Waikato’s general practitioners. We have also commenced work with Waikato PHO to explore the provision of child and adolescent mental health training on their GP CME scheme.


An evaluation of the child’s best interests: The interpretation of data in the preparation of child welfare reports in the New Zealand Family Court -- a project in the New Zealand Family Court.
John Fitzgerald & Natasha Moltzen

Section 29A of the Guardianship Act (1968) makes provision for a judge to be assisted by the commissioning of a specialist medical, psychiatric and/or psychological report. Judge Mahony (Principal Family Court judge) issued a set of practice notes (Family Court of New Zealand, 2001) relating to the parameters of appointment and case management for specialist report writers, specifically psychologists. However, no guidance was provided on the conduct of report preparation and submission. A survey was undertaken with the aim of elucidating the issues that influence the reporting and recommendations of psychologists who write s29A reports.

The results were presented at the 2003 Annual Conference of the New Zealand Psychological Society, Palmerston North, New Zealand and have been published in a peer reviewed journal.

• Fitzgerald, J. M. & Moltzen, N. (2004). Psychological evaluation of the child’s best interests: The interpretation of data in the preparation of child welfare reports in the New Zealand Family Court. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 11(2), 214-225.

Click here for a summary of the results (.pdf format).


Examining the role of stigma-tolerance, self-concept and pathology in adolescent help-seeking and service utilisation -- a two centre collaborative study.
John Fitzgerald (The Psychology Centre)
Gerard Dolan (Taranaki Healthcare)
Ian Evans (Massey University)

This study investigated the association between stigma concerns, self-concept and self-reported psychopathology on the decisions of adolescents to access mental health services.

We aimed to collect New Zealand data relating to variables and values which impact on the decisions of young people to access specialist mental health services. The goal of the project was to obtain a better understanding of some of the intrapsychic and social factors that impinge on such decision-making. On the basis of these data we hoped to be able to make recommendations that would assist service providers and planners to present their services in a more accessible way, and suggest ways of supporting young people so that they are able to make appropriate use of the 'right' services in a timely manner.

Key findings
The data were complex, but here are a cuple of the important 'take home' messages,

• Complex psychological factors influence youth choices regarding service use.
• Service accessibility may be associated with both professional/organisational issues and issues with the service users.
• For dolescents, mental health status is a developmental issue. Compromised mental health status has a social and personal context.
• For young people the experience of 'psychopathology', stigma and the ability to tolerate it, and one's sense of self appear to be linked in a complex mix that, among other things, can impact on one's ability and willingness to use services.

Dissemination
The results were presented as a poster at the 2005 Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society, Manchester, England, and as a paper presentation at the 2005 Annual Conference of the New Zealand Psychological Society, Dunedin, New Zealand. A full manuscript is still in preparation for submission to an academic journal.

Click here to see the conference poster (.pdf format)
Click here for a summary of the project (.pdf format)


Provision and evaluation of a family debriefing service following youth suicide and suicide attempts -- piloting and evaluating a programme for families who have experienced a traumatic event.
John Fitzgerald

More information about this project is coming soon