Kylie Bailey

Exposure to dysfunctional parenting and trauma events and posttraumatic stress profiles among a treatment sample with coexisting depression and alcohol use problems

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS Trauma exposure (including experiencing dysfunctional parenting when a child) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently coexist with major depressive disorder (MDD) and alcohol use disorders (AUD), with the impact of this comorbidity usually studied as a dual disorder (i.e. PTSD-MDD or PTSD-AUD). This study explores trauma exposure (including to dysfunctional parenting), PTSD symptom severity and PTSD in people seeking treatment for coexisting depressive symptoms and alcohol use problems. DESIGN AND METHODS Participants (n = 221) with current depression and alcohol use problems were recruited. Trauma exposure, PTSD symptoms and PTSD were assessed using the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale. The Measure of Parenting Style assessed dysfunctional parenting (neglect/over-control/abuse) experienced as a child. RESULTS Most participants experienced trauma (71.6%, n = 159), with more than one-third reaching DSM-IV criteria for current PTSD (38.0%, n = 84). Unique to this study was that there were no gender differences in rates of trauma exposure, number of traumatic events and PTSD. More severe PTSD symptoms and PTSD were associated with: childhood neglect; earlier depression onset; more severe depression and alcohol problems; and lower general functioning. More severe problems with alcohol were related to Intrusion and Avoidance symptoms, while severe alcohol dependence symptoms were related to hyperarousal. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS PTSD symptoms and PTSD are highly prevalent in those with coexisting depression and alcohol use problems and are associated with a history of childhood neglect and higher levels of comorbidity. Trauma, PTSD symptoms and PTSD should be assessed and addressed among people seeking treatment for coexisting depression and alcohol problems.

The Relationship Between Psychiatric Illnesses and Skin Disease: A Longitudinal Analysis of Young Australian Women

OBJECTIVE To examine longitudinally the relationship between skin disease and psychological morbidity in young women, testing the hypothesis that psychological morbidity (depression, anxiety, and stress) is a factor in the causation of skin disease. DESIGN The Australian Longitudinal Study on Womens Health was designed to investigate multiple factors affecting the health and well-being of women over a 20-year period. Data from 3 surveys (conducted in 2000, 2003, and 2006) were analyzed. Multivariate longitudinal generalized estimating equation models, with and without time lag, were used to determine significant factors associated with skin disease (including anxiety, depressive symptoms, and stress). SETTING An Australian community-based study. PARTICIPANTS Women, aged 22 to 27 years at the time of the first survey, were randomly selected from the Australian National Medicare database. Participant numbers for the surveys from the years 2000, 2003, and 2006 were 9688, 9081, and 8910, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Outcome measures were the scores from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Perceived Stress Questionnaire for Young Women, and an item to elicit reporting of anxiety symptoms. RESULTS Of 6630 women providing data on skin diseases on all 3 surveys, 8.0% (n = 523) reported having skin problems on all 3 occasions; 12.1% (n = 803) on 2 occasions; and 23.9% (n = 1582) on 1 occasion. On the 2000, 2003, and 2006 surveys, prevalence of skin problems was 24.2%, 23.9%, and 24.3%, respectively. In the generalized estimating equation models, depression symptoms and stress (but not anxiety) were significantly associated with skin problems (P < .005). Conclusion The findings of this relationship of depression and stress to skin disease may have considerable clinical implications, including implications for adjunctive psychological interventions in the management of patients with skin disease.

The Influence of Parental Emotional Neglect on Assault Victims Seeking Treatment for Depressed Mood and Alcohol Misuse: A Pilot Study

This study explores the relationship between reported parental emotional neglect when a child, assault type experienced, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression, and alcohol consumption in treatment seekers for comorbid depressive symptoms and alcohol misuse. Participants (n = 220) with concurrent depression and alcohol misuse were recruited from the DAISI (Depression and Alcohol Integrated and Single-focussed Interventions) project. Assault type and PTSS were retrospectively assessed by the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale. The Measure of Parenting Style is a self-report measure that retrospectively assessed emotional neglect experienced as a child. An exploratory factor analysis using the tetrachoric correlation matrix (applying principal factor extraction with a varimax rotation) identified the two assault factors of sexual assault (SA) and physical assault (PA). A path analysis revealed that Maternal Emotional Neglect increased the impact of PTSS and depression. Paternal Emotional Neglect increased the impact of PA on PTSS and alcohol dependence symptoms. There appears to be differential effects of assault type and Maternal/Paternal emotional neglect on depression and alcohol misuse, suggesting that parenting roles serve distinct protective functions.

PILAR: A model of collaboration to encapsulate social psychology.

This article presents an iterative examination of a grounded theory of collaboration in conjunction with social psychology literature. The resulting PILAR (Prospects, Involved, Liked, Agency, Respect) model of collaboration encapsulates over 30 social and group psychology (SGP) theories, including social identity theory, social network analysis, and psychological safety. Selected works of the early 20th-century scholars Lewin, Moreno, Simmel, and Foucault resonate with the PILAR model. We considered that, in constructing a generalized model of collaboration made possible by the availability of modern SGP theory, PILAR may represent advancement toward accomplishing these early scholars’ original intent. To validate PILAR, we proposed an empirical investigation for its consistency with organizational psychology, positive psychology, and appreciative inquiry, and for testing whether learning PILAR may improve collaboration skills for individuals lacking empathy.

Respondent disengagement from a peer assessment instrument measuring Collaboration Viability

Abstract Undergraduate group projects are intended to improve the ability of students to collaborate, a skill considered critical by many employers. If such groups become unviable, for instance due to interpersonal conflict or imbalanced effort, intervention by the lecturer may be required to alleviate this problem. The article proposes Collaboration Viability (CoVi) as a construct to indicate the degree to which a team is failing. Peer assessment instruments are designed to establish the relative contributions of team members, but are rarely used to measure emergent group-level properties, such as CoVi. Averaged per-group peer assessment ratings from 458 undergraduate engineers (forming 72 teams) demonstrated an overall weak, but statistically significant, correlation between CoVi and their group mark (r = 0.25, p = 0.04), adjusting for academic ability. A Self and Peer Assessment Resource Kit (SPARKPLUS) online instrument was used that comprised 13 questions, categorised according to whether they related to contribution, competence or teamwork. Individual questions were unevenly correlated with performance, which based upon general principles of survey design, was postulated to be attributable to poor design of some of the questions. It was further postulated that the cumulative effect of poor question design was respondent’s disengagement from the instrument. Consequently, to improve the peer assessment methodology employed for this research, a novel, three-step process was recommended. First, a short, non-divisive instrument measuring peer’s-perception of collaboration; second, intervention by the lecturer of low-CoVi groups; and third, in recidivist groups, as SPARKPLUS currently does, application of a validated peer assessment instrument to algorithmically adjust marks.

Effects of Assault Type on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Coexisting Depression and Alcohol Misuse

Although assault exposure is common in mental health and substance misusing populations, screening for assaults in treatment settings is frequently overlooked. This secondary analysis explored the effects of past sexual (SA) and physical (PA) assault on depression, alcohol misuse, global functioning and attrition in the Depression and Alcohol Integrated and Single focussed Intervention (DAISI) project, whose participants (N = 278) received cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for their depression and/or alcohol misuse. Of the 278 DAISI participants, 220 consented to screening for past assault (either by a stranger or non-stranger) at baseline. Depression, alcohol, and global functioning assessments were administered at baseline and 3, 12, 24, and 36 months post baseline. A between-group analysis was used to assess differences between SA and No SA, and PA and No PA groupings, on adjusted mean treatment outcomes across all assessment periods. SA and PA participants had similar mean symptom reductions compared to No SA and No PA participants except for lower depression and global functioning change scores at the 12-month follow-up. People with coexisting depression and alcohol misuse reporting SA or PA can respond well to CBT for depression and alcohol misuse. However, follow-up is recommended in order to monitor fluctuations in outcomes.