Tom O'Brien

Towards a developmental framework of consumer and carer participation in child and adolescent mental health services

Objective: This paper examines the concept of consumer participation in the context of developmental changes in parent/child relationships and associated differences in the utilization of child and adolescent mental health services. Method: Existing definitions and characteristics of mental health service delivery for children and young people are examined to answer the question,“Who is the consumer in the context of clinical services for young clients and their parents, and does this change with the child or young persons developmental stage?”. Results: As children, young people and parents utilize services in this area of mental health, the roles of consumer and carer need redefinition to accommodate both young clients and parents as consumers, and parents also as carers. Conclusion: The proposed framework addresses the changing roles of parents and young clients from infancy to early adulthood to guide consumer and carer participation strategies. If child and adolescent mental health services are to apply a developmental perspective and engage both young clients and parents as ‘consumers’, they need to address challenges related to the differences in expectations and capacities of young clients and parents, to the complexity associated with dual roles, and to promoting meaningful participation.

Many-particle Majorana bound states: derivation and signatures in superconducting double quantum dots

We consider two interacting quantum dots coupled by standard s-wave superconductors. We derive an effective Hamiltonian, and show that over a wide parameter range a degenerate ground state can be obtained. An exotic form of Majorana bound states is supported at these degeneracies, and the system can be adiabatically tuned to a limit in which it is equivalent to the one-dimensional wire model of Kitaev. We give the form of a Majorana bound state in this system in the strong interaction limit in the many-particle picture. We also study the Josephson current in this system, and demonstrate that a double slit-like pattern emerges in the presence of an extra magnetic field. This pattern is shown to disappear with increasing interaction strength, which is due to the current being carried by chargeless Majorana bound states.

Working at the Periphery: A View of Group Psychotherapy in Australia

Abstract Australia is a vast country with a relatively small population living in cities separated by long distances. It is a wealthy country with a highly developed mental health system in which psychotherapy has a limited, but recognized, place. Group psychotherapists are a small but active community within that mental health world. Limitations in numbers, influence, and authority have left group psychotherapy on the margins of universities and major mental health organizations. A commitment to thoughtful clinical work, a willingness to reach out to vulnerable people, and some signs of flexibility in clinical approaches promise a strengthening of the role of group psychotherapy in Australia.

A Longitudinal, Comparative Evaluation of Reflective Practice Groups for Nurses Working in Intensive Care and Oncology

This paper presents a longitudinal evaluation of Reflective Practice Groups (RPG) for nurses from Intensive Care and Oncology settings at Nambour Hospital, Queensland. The literature review examines previous evaluations of RPG, establishing the contribution of the current study as its longitudinal, quantitative comparison of RPG from two distinct nursing contexts. The two year evaluation utilised a validated tool, the Clinical Supervision Evaluation Questionnaire (CSEQ), designed specifically for facilitative group supervision. The results support the positive findings of a pilot study by the author, with a majority of nurses from both groups rating their experience of RPG as ‘definitely positive’ throughout the evaluation period. Subtle differences in data from CSEQ subscales of purpose, process and impact indicate that aspects of, and benefits from, RPG were experienced differently in each group. Whilst both groups reported positive perceptions of process, the ICU group showed a notable positive shift in fields relating to trust, respect and safety whereas data from the Oncology group indicated an upwards trend in ratings of impact fields such as self awareness, clinical insight and quality of care. These results are discussed in relation to group characteristics and workplace contexts. Despite limitations, the data is felt to reinforce the value this RPG model places on facilitation techniques and management of group process as means of enhancing critical reflection, promoting a focus on the interpersonal aspects of care giving and encouraging supportive interaction. The study establishes a sound basis for ongoing research into this RPG model.

Universal geometric classification of armchair honeycomb nanoribbons by their properties in a staggered sublattice potential

We demonstrate the topological band-gap dependence of armchair honeycomb nanoribbons in a staggered sublattice potential. A scaling law is presented to quantify the band gap variation with potential strength. All armchair nanoribbons are described by one of three distinct classes depending on their width, consistent with previous classifications, namely, the well known massless Dirac condition, potentially gapless, and gapless-superlattice. The ability to tune and, in all cases close, the band-gap via external probes makes our classification particularly relevant experimentally. We propose several systems in which these results should shed considerable light, which have all already been experimentally realized.