Karena J. Burke

The influence of ethical values and food choice motivations on intentions to purchase sustainably sourced foods

This study examined a three-step adaptation of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) applied to the intention of consumers to purchase sustainably sourced food. The sample consisted of 137 participants, of which 109 were female, who were recruited through a farmers market and an organic produce outlet in an Australian capital city. Participants completed an online questionnaire containing the TPB scales of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and intention; measures of positive moral attitude and ethical self identity; and food choice motives. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine the predictive utility of the TPB in isolation (step 1) and the TPB expanded to include the constructs of moral attitude and ethical self-identity (step 2). The results indicated the expansion of the TPB to include these constructs added significantly to the predictive model measuring intention to purchase sustainably sourced food. The third step in the adaptation utilised this expanded TPB model and added a measure of retail channel (where consumers reported buying fresh produce) and 9 food choice motives, in order to assess the predictive utility of the inclusion of choice motivations in this context. Of the 8 food choice motives examined, only health and ethical values significantly predicted intention to purchase sustainably sourced food. However, with the addition of food choice motives, ethical self-identity was no longer a significant predictor of intention to purchase sustainably sourced food. Overall the adapted TPB model explained 76% of the variance in intention to purchase sustainably sourced food.

Child maltreatment: Prevalence, risk, solutions, obstacles

Child maltreatment is a growing problem nationally in Australia. This paper documents the extent of the problem. It also presents a range of interventions shown to work, including a number that have been developed and used here in Australasia. Despite the fact that there are evidence-based services available, the problem of child maltreatment continues to grow. Problems linked to implementing and sustaining an evidence-based program or culture include organisations that are resistant to change, whose staff see a new program as short term and not a part of longer-term, routine service delivery. In the face of such a climate, these initial conditions then have potential to become exacerbated through hasty implementation of new services that are not well thought out, resourced or supported. With intervention services that have documented potential, the critical next step is to ensure that implementation is done correctly to guarantee that successful services are being delivered effectively over the long term. Thus, following a description of the problem of child maltreatment and review of potential intervention-based solutions, this paper then discusses factors that need to be considered when advocating for or adopting a new, evidence-supported service. Psychologists have a role to play in the future to help stem the growth of child maltreatment in Australia, at both local service delivery as well as state and national policy levels.

Increased prevalence of chronic physical health disorders in Australians with diagnosed mental illness

Objective: To compare chronic physical health disorder prevalence amongst Australian adults with and without mental illness.

Predicting Police Officer Job Satisfaction: Traditional versus Contemporary Models of Trauma in Occupational Experience

The dominant approach in examining stress and well-being among police officers has, until relatively recently, focused almost exclusively on the risk of officers developing psychopathology. This approach, drawn from the pathogenic paradigm, presupposes that exposure to any adverse event can disrupt the capacity of those involved to function normally and assumes stress is predominantly a function of the operational on-the-job experiences of police. However, recent research suggests that organizational characteristics are just as, if not more, important than operational experiences in determining employee well-being. This study examined the relative contributions of daily operational and organizational experiences to police officer job satisfaction. One hundred seventeen currently employed police officers responded to a paper-based survey. A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted, and it was found that, as predicted, organizational experiences explained more of the variance in job satisfaction than operational experiences did. However, the pattern of results suggests that the relationships examined are not linear in nature and that there may be a mediating pathway incorporating operational experiences between organizational experiences and job satisfaction. Language: en

Markers of Resilience in New Police Officers: Appraisal of Potentially Traumatizing Events

This article presents data from a longitudinal study of adjustment to policing, specifically examining the role played by exposure to traumatic events prior to entry to the profession. This study a...

Going to the dogs: A quasi-experimental assessment of animal assisted therapy for children who have experienced abuse

ABSTRACT Experience of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a risk factor for the development of maladaptive outcomes across the lifespan. CSA victims have been found to have a significantly higher risk of developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) than children who experience non-CSA trauma. While cognitive behavioral therapy approaches have been found to effectively treat PTSD, reviews suggest that children who have experienced CSA commonly disengage from this type of therapy. Engaging children who have been sexually abused may therefore require both innovation and creativity. One approach that is gaining recognition as effectively addressing barriers associated with engagement and retention is animal assisted therapy (AAT). The current article presents a quasi-experimental assessment of an AAT program working with children who present with clinical symptoms of PTSD following CSA. The efficacy of the program is discussed along with implications of the rising interest in AAT initiatives.

Mental health service delivery: a profile of mental health non-government organisations in south-east Queensland, Australia

OBJECTIVE Non-government organisations make a substantial contribution to the provision of mental health services; despite this, there has been little research and evaluation targeted at understanding the role played by these services within the community mental health sector. The aim of the present study was to examine the depth and breadth of services offered by these organisations in south-east Queensland, Australia, across five key aspects of reach and delivery. METHODS Representatives from 52 purposively targeted non-government organisations providing mental health services to individuals with significant mental health challenges were interviewed regarding their approach to mental health service provision. RESULTS The findings indicated a diverse pattern of service frameworks across the sector. The results also suggested a positive approach to the inclusion of consumer participation within the organisations, with most services reporting, at the very least, some form of consumer advocacy within their processes and as part of their services. CONCLUSIONS This paper offers an important first look at the nature of non-government service provision within the mental health sector and highlights the importance of these organisations within the community sector. What is known about the topic? Non-government organisations make a substantial contribution to the multisectorial provision of services to mental health consumers in community settings. Non-government organisations in Australia are well established, with 79.9% of them being in operation for over 10 years. There is an increasing expectation that consumers influence the development, delivery and evaluation of mental health services, especially in the community sector. What does this paper add? This paper provides a profile of non-government organisations in one state in Australia with respect to the services they provide, the consumers they target, the practice frameworks they use, the use of peer workers and consumer participation, the success they have had with obtaining funding and the extent to which they collaborate with other services. What are the implications for practitioners? This paper provides readers with an understanding of the non-government organisations and the services they provide to people with mental health conditions. In addition, the findings provide an opportunity to learn from the experience of non-government organisations in implementing consumer participation initiatives.

Double Jeopardy: Insurance, Animal Harm, and Domestic Violence:

Although the role of companion animals within the dynamic of domestic violence (DV) is increasingly recognized, the overlap of animal harm and insurance discrimination for victims/survivors of DV has not been considered. Prompted by a case study presented in a National Link Coalition LINK-Letter, this research note examines “Pet Insurance” policies available in Australia and whether nonaccidental injury caused by an intimate partner would be covered. We discuss the implications of exclusion criteria for victims/survivors of DV, shelters providing places for animals within a DV dynamic, and, more broadly, for cross- or mandatory-reporting (of animal harm) initiatives.