Tracey Shea

Reduced connectivity of the auditory cortex in patients with auditory hallucinations: a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

BACKGROUND Previous research has reported auditory processing deficits that are specific to schizophrenia patients with a history of auditory hallucinations (AH). One explanation for these findings is that there are abnormalities in the interhemispheric connectivity of auditory cortex pathways in AH patients; as yet this explanation has not been experimentally investigated. We assessed the interhemispheric connectivity of both primary (A1) and secondary (A2) auditory cortices in n=13 AH patients, n=13 schizophrenia patients without auditory hallucinations (non-AH) and n=16 healthy controls using functional connectivity measures from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. METHOD Functional connectivity was estimated from resting state fMRI data using regions of interest defined for each participant based on functional activation maps in response to passive listening to words. Additionally, stimulus-induced responses were regressed out of the stimulus data and the functional connectivity was estimated for the same regions to investigate the reliability of the estimates. RESULTS AH patients had significantly reduced interhemispheric connectivity in both A1 and A2 when compared with non-AH patients and healthy controls. The latter two groups did not show any differences in functional connectivity. Further, this pattern of findings was similar across the two datasets, indicating the reliability of our estimates. CONCLUSIONS These data have identified a trait deficit specific to AH patients. Since this deficit was characterized within both A1 and A2 it is expected to result in the disruption of multiple auditory functions, for example, the integration of basic auditory information between hemispheres (via A1) and higher-order language processing abilities (via A2).

Emotional prosodic processing in auditory hallucinations

Deficits in emotional prosodic processing, the expression of emotions in voice, have been widely reported in patients with schizophrenia, not only in comprehending emotional prosody but also expressing it. Given that prosodic cues are important in memory for voice and speaker identity, Cutting has proposed that prosodic deficits may contribute to the misattribution that appears to occur in auditory hallucinations in psychosis. The present study compared hallucinating patients with schizophrenia, non-hallucinating patients and normal controls on an emotional prosodic processing task. It was hypothesised that hallucinators would demonstrate greater deficits in emotional prosodic processing than non-hallucinators and normal controls. Participants were 67 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (hallucinating=38, non-hallucinating=29) and 31 normal controls. The prosodic processing task used in this study comprised a series of semantically neutral sentences expressed in happy, sad and neutral voices which were rated on a 7-point Likert scale from sad (-3) through neutral (0) to happy (+3). Significant deficits in the prosodic processing tasks were found in hallucinating patients compared to non-hallucinating patients and normal controls. No significant differences were observed between non-hallucinating patients and normal controls. In the present study, patients experiencing auditory hallucinations were not as successful in recognising and using prosodic cues as the non-hallucinating patients. These results are consistent with Cuttings hypothesis, that prosodic dysfunction may mediate the misattribution of auditory hallucinations.

Employee Attraction and Retention in the Australian Resources Sector

This article presents findings from a survey conducted in the Australian resources sector in 2009 exploring human resource (HR) managers’ perceptions of how their organizational practices and external contextual changes in industrial relations legislation present challenges for the sector and influence attraction and retention of highly skilled employees. The research makes an important contribution to the literature on good employment/high involvement work practices by investigating organizational practices within the politico-legislative context of this economically significant sector. Our findings indicate that organizations have implemented a range of ‘good’ employment practices, while dealing with concerns about skills shortages, employee turnover, an aging workforce and changes in legislation. We identify a need for employers to give greater attention to diversity and work—life balance issues. Further, there is a need for strategies to increase the attractiveness of work in remote locations.

Interhemispheric transfer time in patients with auditory hallucinations: An auditory event-related potential study

Central auditory processing in schizophrenia patients with a history of auditory hallucinations has been reported to be impaired, and abnormalities of interhemispheric transfer have been implicated in these patients. This study examined interhemispheric functional connectivity between auditory cortical regions, using temporal information obtained from latency measures of the auditory N1 evoked potential. Interhemispheric Transfer Times (IHTTs) were compared across 3 subject groups: schizophrenia patients who had experienced auditory hallucinations, schizophrenia patients without a history of auditory hallucinations, and normal controls. Pure tones and single-syllable words were presented monaurally to each ear, while EEG was recorded continuously. IHTT was calculated for each stimulus type by comparing the latencies of the auditory N1 evoked potential recorded contralaterally and ipsilaterally to the ear of stimulation. The IHTTs for pure tones did not differ between groups. For word stimuli, the IHTT was significantly different across the 3 groups: the IHTT was close to zero in normal controls, was highest in the AH group, and was negative (shorter latencies ipsilaterally) in the nonAH group. Differences in IHTTs may be attributed to transcallosal dysfunction in the AH group, but altered or reversed cerebral lateralization in nonAH participants is also possible.

Leading and lagging indicators of occupational health and safety: The moderating role of safety leadership.

In response to the call for empirical evidence of a connection between leading and lagging indicators of occupational health and safety (OHS), the first aim of the current research is to consider the association between leading and lagging indicators of OHS. Our second aim is to investigate the moderating effect of safety leadership on the association between leading and lagging indicators. Data were collected from 3578 employees nested within 66 workplaces. Multi-level modelling was used to test the two hypotheses. The results confirm an association between leading and lagging indicators of OHS as well as the moderating impact of middle management safety leadership on the direct association. The association between leading and lagging indicators provides OHS practitioners with useful information to substantiate efforts within organisations to move away from a traditional focus on lagging indicators towards a preventative focus on leading indicators. The research also highlights the important role played by middle managers and the value of OHS leadership development and investment at the middle management level.

Evaluation of a perceived organisational performance scale using Rasch model analysis

Increasingly, researchers are using perceptual or subjective measures of organisational performance, but our review of the literature reveals that these measures are rarely validated. We introduce Rasch model analysis to the management field and apply it to a psychometric analysis of an organisational performance scale developed in 1996 by Delaney and Huselid. Although this scale has been widely used, the present work is the first substantial investigation of its psychometric properties. The results of Rasch model analysis reveal that the original hypothesised two-factor structure was not supported but a revised three-factor structure with good psychometric properties that reflect internal, external and market performance was supported. Evidence for construct validity was found for internal and market performance subscales but not for external performance. This paper presents an important methodological advance for management research by demonstrating the evaluation of the psychometric properties of this scale through Rasch model analysis. The findings expand our understanding of the underlying structure of organisational performance and have implications for a wider application of Rasch model analysis in the management field.

Strategic implications of HR role management in a dynamic environment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider the impact of human resource (HR) role overload and HR role conflict on the HR function’s involvement in strategic decision making and to examine whether conditions of environmental dynamism moderate the impact of HR role conflict and HR role overload in that relationship. Design/methodology/approach – The authors collected data from two sources, senior HR and top management team (TMT) executives. A total of 180 HR executives and 109 TMT members completed the survey. In all, 102 organisations were included in the sample with matched HR executive and TMT responses. Findings – Results did not support hypothesised negative relationships between HR role management and involvement in strategic decision making but did establish the moderating effect of environmental dynamism, such that these associations were more negative at higher levels of dynamism. Research limitations/implications – The cross-sectional nature of the study precludes making inferences about ...

Occupational Violence and Aggression Experienced by Nursing and Caring Professionals

PURPOSE To examine the extent and source of occupational violence and aggression (OVA) experienced by nursing and caring professionals. This study also examines the relative contributions of demographic characteristics and workplace and individual safety factors in predicting OVA. DESIGN A cross-sectional study design with data collected using an online survey of employees in the nursing and caring professions in Victoria, Australia. METHODS Survey data collected from 4,891 members of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian branch) were analyzed using logistic regression. FINDINGS Sixty-seven percent of respondents reported experiencing OVA in the preceding 12 months, with nearly 20% experiencing OVA on a weekly or daily basis. The dominant sources of OVA were patients (79%) or relatives of patients (48%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that respondents working in public hospitals and aged care facilities were more likely to experience OVA, compared to those working in other workplaces. While higher levels of safety compliance reduced the likelihood of experiencing OVA, role overload and workplace safety factors such as prioritization of employee safety and leading indicators of occupational health and safety were stronger predictors. CONCLUSIONS The likelihood of healthcare workers experiencing OVA varies across demographic and workplace characteristics. While some demographic characteristics and individual safety factors were significant predictors, our results suggest that a greater reduction in OVA could be achieved by improving workplace safety. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The studys outcomes identify workforce segments that are most vulnerable to OVA. The study also highlights workplace safety factors such as the prioritization of employee safety that might assist in the reduction of OVA.

Postincident support for healthcare workers experiencing occupational violence and aggression

PURPOSE To investigate the relative contributions of workplace type, occupational violence and aggression (OVA) strategies and interventions along with perceptions of the occupational health and safety (OHS) environment on the likelihood of receiving postincident support following the experience of OVA. DESIGN We used a cross-sectional study design with an online survey to collect data from employees in nursing and midwifery in Victoria, Australia. METHODS Survey data collected from 3,072 members of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian branch) were analyzed using logistic regression. FINDINGS Of the 3,072 respondents who had experienced OVA in the preceding 12 months, 1,287 (42%) reported that they had received postincident support. Hierarchical logistic regression revealed that the OHS environment was the dominant factor that predicted the likelihood of workers receiving postincident support. Working in a positive OHS environment characterized by higher levels of leading indicators of OHS, prioritization of OHS, supervisor support for safety, and team psychological safety was the stronger predictor of postincident support. Being employed in a workplace that offered training in the management and prevention of OVA also increased the likelihood of receiving postincident support. CONCLUSIONS While training in the management and prevention of OVA contributed to the likelihood of receiving postincident support, a greater emphasis on the OHS environment was more important in predicting the likelihood that workers received support. CLINICAL RELEVANCE This study identifies workplace practices that facilitate the provision of postincident support for healthcare workers. Facilitating effective postincident support could improve outcomes for workers, their patients and workplaces, and society in general.

Central auditory processing deficits in patients with auditory hallucinations as shown by event-related potentials: preliminary results.

293 schizophrenia. Motor overfl ow, involuntary movement occurring during voluntary movement, is one such NSS found in schizophrenia. Method: Thirty-seven participants (19 with schizophrenia, 18 controls) were tested. Participants exerted 25% and 75% of their maximal force output while overfl ow was monitored in the passive hand. Three transcranial magnetic stimulation protocols were designed to investigate the cortical origin of motor overfl ow: 1) motor cortex was stimulated unilaterally at 140% RMT; MEPs were recorded bilaterally; 2) stimulation of ispilateral hemisphere at 140% RMT was performed during motor overfl ow. Resulting latencies between the cMEP onset and the iSP onset were compared; 3) facilitated MEPs produced (through stimulation of contralateral hemisphere) during voluntary contraction and facilitated MEPs produced during motor overfl ow were compared. All procedures were applied to both hemispheres. Results: Previous fi ndings of increased motor overfl ow in schizophrenia compared with controls were confi rmed (P > 0.05); neither group showed a signifi cant difference between MEPs facilitated during voluntary movement and those facilitated during motor overfl ow (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Results suggest that in both groups, motor overfl ow results from an imbalance between the transcallosal processes occurring during voluntary movement, leading to bilaterally active corticospinal tracts. Specifi c defi cits in cortical excitability are likely to be responsible for greater overfl ow seen in schizophrenia.