Bailey, PE & Henry, JD 2008, 'Growing Less Empathic With Age: Disinhibition of the Self-Perspective', The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, vol. 63, no. 4, pp. P219-P226.
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Bailey, PE, Henry, JD & Von Hippel, W 2008, 'Empathy and social functioning in late adulthood', Aging & Mental Health, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 499-503.
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Berle, D, Starcevic, V, Hannan, A, Milicevic, D, Lamplugh, C & Fenech, P 2008, 'Cognitive factors in panic disorder, agoraphobic avoidance and agoraphobia', Behaviour Research and Therapy, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 282-291.
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Clarke, CE, Veale, EL, Wyse, K, Vandenberg, JI & Mathie, A 2008, 'The M1P1 Loop of TASK3 K2P Channels Apposes the Selectivity Filter and Influences Channel Function', Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 283, no. 25, pp. 16985-16992.
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Coiera, E, Westbrook, JI & Rogers, K 2008, 'Clinical Decision Velocity is Increased when Meta-search Filters Enhance an Evidence Retrieval System', Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 638-646.
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Objective: To test whether the use of an evidence retrieval system that uses clinically targeted meta-search filters can enhance the rate at which clinicians make correct decisions, reduce the effort involved in locating evidence, and provide an intuitive match between clinical tasks and search filters. Design: A laboratory experiment under controlled conditions asked 75 clinicians to answer eight randomly sequenced clinical questions, using one of two randomly assigned search engines. The first search engine Quick Clinical (QC) was equipped with meta-search filters (the combined use of meta-search and search filters) designed to answer typical clinical questions e.g., treatment, diagnosis, and the second 'library model' system (LM) offered free access to an identical evidence set with no filter support. Measurements: Changes in clinical decision making were measured by the proportion of correct post-search answers provided to questions, the time taken to answer questions, and the number of searches and links to documents followed in a search session. The intuitive match between meta-search filters and clinical tasks was measured by the proportion and distribution of filters selected for individual clinical questions. Results: Clinicians in the two groups performed equally well pre-search. Post search answers improved overall by 21%, with 52.2% of answers correct with QC and 54.7% with LM (χ2 = 0.33, df = 1, p > 0.05). Users of QC obtained a significantly greater percentage of their correct answers within the first two minutes of searching compared to LM users (QC 58.2%; LM 32.9%; χ2 = 19.203, df = 1, p < 0.001). There was a statistical difference for QC and LM survival curves, which plotted overall time to answer questions, irrespective of answer (Wilcoxon, p = 0.019) and for the average time to provide a correct answer (Wilcoxon, p = 0.006). The QC system users conducted significantly fewer searches per scenario (m = 3.0 SD = 1.15 versus m = 5.5 SD1.97, t = 6.6...
Einstein, DA & Menzies, RG 2008, 'Does Magical Thinking Improve Across Treatment For Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder?', Behaviour Change, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 149-155.
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AbstractThe present study investigated whether MI is a mechanism for change in the treatment of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). The Magical Ideation scale (MI), the Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory — Short Version (OCI-SV) and the Padua Inventory were completed by 34 obsessive–compulsive patients pre- and post cognitive–behavioural treatment. Treatment did not target magical styles of thinking. Significant improvements on all three measures of obsessive–compulsive symptoms were demonstrated by t tests over the course of treatment. Improvement in magical thinking was also shown to be significant in t test results. In support of the hypothesis, correlations between MI improvement and improvement on the obsessive–compulsive symptom scales were significant (at a level of .05) suggesting that there is an association between improvement in magical thinking and improvement in obsessive–compulsive symptoms. Notably, a significant negative correlation was obtained between prescores on MI and change scores on the OCD measures. This suggests that high levels of MI are associated with high levels of treatment intractability. High MI appears to be a poor prognostic factor in OCD.
French, AN, Rose, K, Cornell, E & Thompson, K 2008, 'The evolution of colour vision testing', Australian Orthoptic Journal, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 7-7.
Healey, AK, Kneebone, II, Carroll, M & Anderson, SJ 2008, 'A preliminary investigation of the reliability and validity of the Brief Assessment Schedule Depression Cards and the Beck Depression Inventory‐Fast Screen to screen for depression in older stroke survivors', International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, vol. 23, no. 5, pp. 531-536.
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AbstractObjectiveTo conduct an initial assessment of the reliability and validity of the Brief Assessment Schedule Depression Cards (BASDEC) and the Beck Depression Inventory‐Fast Screen (BDI‐FS) to screen for depression in older stroke survivors.MethodsParticipants from four inpatient rehabilitation units completed the BASDEC and the BDI‐FS together with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for comparison. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV Axis 1 Disorders (SCID) was then completed with all participants to ascertain a criterion depression diagnosis. The BASDEC and BDI‐FS were subsequently completed for a second time.ResultsForty‐nine stroke survivors (M = 78.80, SD = 6.79 years) were included. The BASDEC and BDI‐FS demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and test–retest reliability. The BASDEC (cut‐off ≥7) resulted in a sensitivity of 1.0 and specificity of 0.95 for detecting major depression whereas the BDI‐FS (cut‐off ≥4) had a sensitivity of 0.71 and specificity of 0.74. When participants with minor depression were included in analyses, sensitivity lowered to 0.69 (specificity = 0.97) for the BASDEC and 0.62 (specificity = 0.78) for the BDI‐FS.ConclusionsThe BASDEC and BDI‐FS were found to have acceptable reliability. The BASDEC demonstrated some advantage in criterion validity over the BDI‐FS at the examined cut‐offs. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hearne, A, Packman, A, Onslow, M & O’Brian, S 2008, 'Developing Treatment for Adolescents Who Stutter: A Phase I Trial of the Camperdown Program', Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 487-497.
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PurposeTo investigate in detail how adolescents who stutter perform during treatment, with the aim of informing treatment development for this age group.MethodThe Camperdown Program was conducted with 3 adolescents who stutter. Their performance during treatment was recorded in detail, and outcome measures were collected before treatment and on 5 occasions after treatment.ResultsOne participant responded extremely well to treatment, with percentage of syllables stuttered (%SS) scores at 12 months follow-up around 1%. In addition, his speech naturalness was within normal limits. Another participant withdrew from treatment during maintenance, yet he still approximately halved his pretreatment %SS scores and was also sounding natural after treatment. This participant was satisfied with his treatment outcome. A third participant did not reach maintenance and did not benefit from the treatment.ConclusionThe adolescent who succeeded in treatment presented with a high level of self-confidence and maturity. When examining the factors that seemed to impact on treatment outcome, an underlying theme of decreased parent influence and increased peer influence and self-direction was detected. These are fundamental during the journey through adolescence from childhood to adulthood. Future directions in developing treatments for adolescents are discussed.
Hearne, A, Packman, A, Onslow, M & Quine, S 2008, 'Stuttering and its treatment in adolescence: The perceptions of people who stutter', Journal of Fluency Disorders, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 81-98.
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Adolescence is a complicated phase of maturation during which a great deal of physical, neurological and social development occurs. Clinically this phase is thought to be the last chance to arrest the development of the disorder of stuttering before it becomes chronic in adulthood. However, little treatment development for this age group has occurred. Previous research on the impact of stuttering during adolescence presents a complex picture of apprehension about speaking which does not, however, appear to interfere with social life. The purpose of the present study was to investigate further the experiences of adolescents who stutter with respect to: (1) their experience of stuttering during the adolescent years, (2) reasons for seeking or not seeking therapy during the adolescent years, (3) barriers to seeking therapy during the adolescent years, (4) their experience of therapy during the adolescent years, and finally (5) suggested improvements to therapy for adolescents. Two focus groups and seven individual interviews were conducted with 13 adolescents and young adults. The major finding was a perceived lack of awareness about stuttering by teachers and parents, as well as other adolescents. In addition it appeared that having a stutter was, in itself, not enough reason to seek treatment. However when adolescents did seek treatment, for reasons such as joining the workforce, group therapy was well liked. Educational objectives: The reader will summarize key features that characterize: (1) the complex developmental phase of adolescence, (2) evaluate the experience of stuttering during the adolescent years, (3) discuss the experience of stuttering therapy during the adolescent years, (4) list adolescents' reported barriers to seeking therapy during the adolescent years, and (5) suggest possible ways to improve management of stuttering in adolescence. Crown Copyright © 2008.
Hemsley, B, Balandin, S & Togher, L 2008, '‘I've Got Something to Say’: Interaction in a Focus Group of Adults with Cerebral Palsy and Complex Communication Needs', Augmentative and Alternative Communication, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 110-122.
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Hemsley, B, Balandin, S & Togher, L 2008, '‘We need to be the centrepiece’: Adults with cerebral palsy and complex communication needs discuss the roles and needs of family carers in hospital', Disability and Rehabilitation, vol. 30, no. 23, pp. 1759-1771.
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Hemsley, B, Balandin, S & Togher, L 2008, 'Family Caregivers Discuss Roles and Needs in Supporting Adults with Cerebral Palsy and Complex Communication Needs in the Hospital Setting', Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 257-274.
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Hemsley, B, Balandin, S & Togher, L 2008, 'Professionals’ views on the roles and needs of family carers of adults with cerebral palsy and complex communication needs in hospital', Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 127-136.
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Henry, JD, Bailey, PE & Rendell, PG 2008, 'Empathy, social functioning and schizotypy', Psychiatry Research, vol. 160, no. 1, pp. 15-22.
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Hodge, C & Lawless, M 2008, 'Ocular emergencies.', Aust Fam Physician, vol. 37, no. 7, pp. 506-509.
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BACKGROUND: General practitioners, especially those located in country areas, are commonly the first contact for many patients with an ocular emergency. OBJECTIVE: This article aims to provide the GP with a guide to several relatively common ocular emergencies relevant to the general practice setting. It details assessment, initial management and referral planning. DISCUSSION: Successful patient outcomes in the setting of ocular emergencies depends on correct recognition and assessment as well as appropriate initial management and referral. Assessment involves a concise history, observation, pupil examination; ocular movements should be tested in patients with a suspected orbital wall fracture. Documentation of visual acuity or subjective vision is vital. Important conditions to recognise include penetrating injuries, nonpenetrating injuries, chemical burns, acute angle closure glaucoma, orbital cellulitis and retinal detachment.
Jones, M, Onslow, M, Packman, A, O'Brian, S, Hearne, A, Williams, S, Ormond, T & Schwarz, I 2008, 'Extended follow‐up of a randomized controlled trial of the Lidcombe Program of Early Stuttering Intervention', International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, vol. 43, no. 6, pp. 649-661.
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Background: In the Lidcombe Program of Early Stuttering Intervention, parents present verbal contingencies for stutter‐free and stuttered speech in everyday situations. A previous randomized controlled trial of the programme with preschool‐age children from 2005, conducted in two public speech clinics in New Zealand, showed that the odds of attaining clinically minimal levels of stuttering 9 months after randomization were more than seven times greater for the treatment group than for the control group.Aims: To follow up the children in the trial to determine extended long‐term outcomes of the programme.Methods & Procedures: An experienced speech–language therapist who was not involved in the original trial talked with the children on the telephone, audio recording the conversations using a telephone recording jack. Parental reports were gathered in addition to the children's speech samples in order to obtain a balance of objective data and reports from a wide range of situations.Outcomes & Results: At the time of this follow‐up, the children were aged 7–12 years, with a mean of 5 years post‐randomization in the 2005 trial. Twenty of the 29 children in the treatment arm and eight of the 25 children in the control (no treatment) arm were able to be contacted. Of the children in the treatment group, one (5%) failed to complete treatment and 19 had completed treatment successfully and had zero or near‐zero frequency of stuttering. Three of the children (16%) who had completed treatment successfully had relapsed after 2 or more years of speech that was below 1% syllables stuttered. Meaningful comparison with the control group was not possible because an insufficient number of control children were located and some of them received treatment after completing the trial.<...
Kelly, B, Cretikos, M, Rogers, K & King, L 2008, 'The commercial food landscape: outdoor food advertising around primary schools in Australia', AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, vol. 32, no. 6, pp. 522-528.
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Objective: Food marketing is linked to childhood obesity through its influence on children's food preferences, purchase requests and food consumption. We aimed to describe the volume and nature of outdoor food advertisements and factors associated with outdoor food advertising in the area surrounding Australian primary schools. Methods: Forty primary schools in Sydney and Wollongong were selected using random sampling within population density and socio-economic strata. The area within a 500m radius of each school was scanned and advertisements coded according to pre-defined criteria, including: food or non-food product advertisement, distance from the school, size and location. Food advertisements were further categorised as core foods, non-core foods and miscellaneous drinks (tea and coffee). Results: The number of advertisements identified was 9,151, of which 2,286 (25%) were for food. The number of non-core food advertisements was 1,834, this accounted for 80% of food advertisements. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages were the food products most commonly advertised around primary schools (24% and 22% of food advertisements, respectively). Non-core food products were twice as likely to be advertised close to a primary school (95 non-core food advertisements per km2 within 250 m vs. 46 advertisements per km2 within 250-500 m). Conclusions: The density of non-core food advertisements within 500 m of primary schools, and the potential for repeated exposure of children to soft drink and alcoholic beverage advertisements in particular, highlights the need for outdoor food marketing policy intervention. Implications: Outdoor advertising is an important food marketing tool that should be considered in future debates on regulation of food marketing to children. © 2008 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2008 Public Health Association of Australia.
Lamplugh, C, Berle, D, Milicevic, D & Starcevic, V 2008, 'A pilot study of cognitive behaviour therapy for panic disorder augmented by panic surfing', Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 440-445.
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AbstractThis pilot study reports the outcome of cognitive behaviour therapy for panic disorder augmented by panic surfing. This treatment approach encourages acceptance of feelings rather than control of symptoms and anxiety, at the same time also targeting catastrophic misinterpretations, bodily vigilance and safety‐seeking behaviours. Eighteen participants completed a brief group treatment for panic disorder incorporating psychoeducation, panic surfing, interoceptive exposure, graded exposure and cognitive restructuring. Significant improvements occurred over the course of this treatment and were maintained at a 1‐month follow‐up. Results suggest that cognitive behaviour therapy augmented by panic surfing may be effective in the treatment of panic disorder, but there is a need for controlled studies and investigation of the relative contribution of its various components. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lewis, C, Packman, A, Onslow, M, Simpson, JM & Jones, M 2008, 'A Phase II Trial of Telehealth Delivery of the Lidcombe Program of Early Stuttering Intervention', American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 139-149.
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Purpose The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of telehealth delivery of the Lidcombe Program of Early Stuttering Intervention, compared with a control group, and to determine the number of children who could be regarded as “responders.” Method A speech-language pathologist provided telehealth delivery of the Lidcombe Program during telephone consultations with parents in their homes, remote from the clinic. The study design was an open plan, parallel group, randomized controlled trial with blinded outcome assessment. Children in the no-treatment control group who were still stuttering after 9 months then received the same treatment. The primary outcome measure was frequency of stuttering, gathered from audiotape recordings of participants' conversational speech in everyday, nontreatment situations, before and after treatment. Results Analysis of covariance showed a 73% decrease in frequency of stuttering at 9 months after randomization in the treatment group, as compared with the control group (95% confidence interval = 25%–90%, p = .02). Measures of treatment time showed that telehealth delivery of the Lidcombe Program requires around 3 times more resources than standard presentation. Conclusions Telehealth delivery of the Lidcombe Program is an efficacious treatment for preschool children who cannot receive the standard, clinic-based Lidcombe Program. Avenues for improving efficiency are considered.
Lim, VPC, Lincoln, M, Chan, YH & Onslow, M 2008, 'Stuttering in English–Mandarin Bilingual Speakers: The Influence of Language Dominance on Stuttering Severity', Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, vol. 51, no. 6, pp. 1522-1537.
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Purpose English and Mandarin are the 2 most spoken languages in the world, yet it is not known how stuttering manifests in English–Mandarin bilinguals. In this research, the authors investigated whether the severity and type of stuttering is different in English and Mandarin in English–Mandarin bilinguals, and whether this difference was influenced by language dominance. Method Thirty English–Mandarin bilinguals who stutter (BWS), ages 12–44 years, were categorized into 3 groups (15 English-dominant, 4 Mandarin-dominant, and 11 balanced bilinguals) using a self-report classification tool. Three 10-min conversations in English and Mandarin were assessed by 2 English–Mandarin bilingual clinicians for percent syllables stuttered (%SS), perceived stuttering severity (SEV), and types of stuttering behaviors using the Lidcombe Behavioral Data Language (LBDL; Packman & Onslow, 1998; Teesson, Packman, & Onslow, 2003). Results English-dominant and Mandarin-dominant BWS exhibited higher %SS and SEV scores in their less dominant language, whereas the scores for the balanced bilinguals were similar for both languages. The difference in the percentage of stutters per LBDL category between English and Mandarin was not markedly different for any bilingual group. Conclusions Language dominance appeared to influence the severity but not the types of stuttering behaviors in BWS. Clinicians working with BWS need to assess language dominance when diagnosing stuttering severity in bilingual clients.
LIM, VPC, LIOW, SJR, LINCOLN, M, CHAN, YH & ONSLOW, M 2008, 'Determining language dominance in English–Mandarin bilinguals: Development of a self-report classification tool for clinical use', Applied Psycholinguistics, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 389-412.
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ABSTRACTIn multilingual Asian communities, determining language dominance for clinical assessment and intervention is often complex. The aim of this study was to develop a self-report classification tool for identifying the dominant language in English–Mandarin bilinguals. Participants (N = 168) completed a questionnaire on language history and single-word receptive vocabulary tests (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test type) in both languages. The results of a discriminant analysis on the self-report data revealed a reliable three-way classification into English-dominant, Mandarin-dominant, and balanced bilinguals. The vocabulary scores supported these dominance classifications, whereas the more typical variables such as age of first exposure, years of formal instruction, and years of exposure exerted only a limited influence. The utility of this classification tool in clinical settings is discussed.
Luijsterburg, P, Verhagen, A, Ostelo, R, van den Hoogen, H, Peul, W, Avezaat, C & Koes, B 2008, 'Oefentherapie is effectief bij een lumbosacraal radiculair syndroom', Huisarts en Wetenschap, vol. 51, no. 11, pp. 549-554.
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Luijsterburg, PAJ, Verhagen, AP, Ostelo, RWJG, van den Hoogen, HJMM, Peul, WC, Avezaat, CJJ & Koes, BW 2008, 'Physical therapy plus general practitioners’ care versus general practitioners’ care alone for sciatica: a randomised clinical trial with a 12-month follow-up', European Spine Journal, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 509-517.
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Menzies, RG, O’Brian, S, Onslow, M, Packman, A, St Clare, T & Block, S 2008, 'An Experimental Clinical Trial of a Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Package for Chronic Stuttering', Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, vol. 51, no. 6, pp. 1451-1464.
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Purpose The aims of the present study were to (a) examine the rate of social phobia among adults who stutter, (b) study the effects of speech restructuring treatment on social anxiety, and (c) study the effects on anxiety and stuttering of a cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) package for social anxiety. Method Thirty-two adults with chronic stuttering were randomly allocated to receive either speech restructuring following a CBT package for social anxiety or speech restructuring alone. Data were obtained on a variety of speech and psychological measures at pre-treatment, post-CBT, post–speech restructuring, and 12 months follow-up. Results Sixty percent of our cohort were diagnosed with social phobia. Speech restructuring treatment alone had no impact on the social phobia of our cohort at 12 months follow-up. At follow-up, participants who had received CBT showed no social phobia and greater improvements than control participants on a range of psychological measures of anxiety and avoidance. However, the CBT package made no difference to the speech outcomes of those with social phobia. Conclusion The CBT treatment was associated with significant and sustained improvements in psychological functioning but did not improve fluency.
Montfoort, I, Frens, MA, Koes, BW, Lagers-van Haselen, GC, de Zeeuw, CI & Verhagen, AP 2008, 'Tragedy of conducting a clinical trial; generic alert system needed', Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, vol. 61, no. 5, pp. 415-418.
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Mountain, H, Brisbane, JM, Hooper, AJ, Burnett, JR & Goldblatt, J 2008, 'Trimethylaminuria (fish malodour syndrome): a “benign” genetic condition with major psychosocial sequelae', Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 189, no. 8, pp. 468-468.
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Newton-John, TR & Geddes, J 2008, 'The non-specific effects of group-based cognitive—behavioural treatment of chronic pain', Chronic Illness, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 199-208.
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Group-based cognitive—behavioural therapy (CBT) for chronic, non-malignant pain is recognized as the treatment of choice for patients with intractable pain problems. The core components of CBT pain treatment have been standardized, and meta-analyses have shown that that this form of intervention is effective. However, the psychotherapy literature points to a range of influences on treatment outcome that arise out of the process of treatment, rather than directly from the active treatment components. These so-called non-specific treatment effects include the composition of the group, the leadership style of the group leader, and the ways in which group dynamics are dealt with. Although CBT pain management programmes are conducted in a group format, and are therefore subject to similar kinds of influences to other forms of group treatment, these issues have not been discussed in detail in any previous literature. The present paper proposes a number of non-specific treatment factors that are likely to be associated with positive outcomes from CBT pain management programmes, and discusses ways in which these factors may be deliberately manipulated in order to maximize treatment effectiveness.
O’Brian, S, Packman, A & Onslow, M 2008, 'Telehealth Delivery of the Camperdown Program for Adults Who Stutter: A Phase I Trial', Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 184-195.
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Purpose This Phase I trial investigated the viability of telehealth delivery of the Camperdown Program with adults who stutter. This program involves speech restructuring. Method All treatment was conducted remotely with participant–clinician contact occurring by telephone and e-mail. Results Ten adults completed the program. The group showed an 82% reduction in stuttering frequency immediately after treatment and a 74% reduction 6 months after treatment. However, there was significant individual variation in response to the program. Conclusion These preliminary data suggest that telehealth Camperdown has the potential to provide efficacious treatment for clients who do not have access to traditional face-to-face treatment.
Onslow, M 2008, 'Eternity and clinical translation of speech-language pathology research', International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 118-126.
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The work we do as clinicians and researchers is forever vulnerable to political trends which can cause dramatic and rapid change in higher education. A current example is the funding of universities according to the value of their research outputs. In comparison to some other domains of health care, the discipline of speech-language pathology is particularly vulnerable to such politics. If we have evolved, we can devolve. The thesis here is that this matter concerns clinicians and clinical researchers, and that both parties need to shore up their relationship to ensure that this discipline has a guaranteed passage into eternity. This can be achieved by sharpening the focus of clinical research and driving its translation into clinical practices. The different and complementary contributions that clinicians and clinical researchers can make to that pursuit are discussed. It is argued that clinicians and clinical researchers can best pursue their necessary relationship with models of spatial cohabitation, and four models are presented for how that might be achieved. The paper concludes with some speculations about alternatives to eternity for the discipline of speech-language pathology.
Onslow, M, Jones, M, O’Brian, S, Menzies, R & Packman, A 2008, 'Defining, Identifying, and Evaluating Clinical Trials of Stuttering Treatments: A Tutorial for Clinicians', American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 401-415.
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Purpose To develop a method for clinicians to evaluate stuttering treatment efficacy research with very little burden of work. Method The clinical trial is the most fundamental, clinically interpretable, and useful output unit of stuttering treatment research. We define a clinical trial of a stuttering treatment and specify 3 levels of clinical trials evidence. We use this taxonomy to identify and evaluate clinical trials of stuttering treatment. Our taxonomy draws on 2 fundamental principles of clinical trials used to evaluate health care: randomization and effect size. Results Published clinical trials of stuttering treatments were identified and allocated to 1 of 3 levels of evidence. Conclusions We outline a 3-step, semi-automated, Internet-based method to identify the publication of a report of stuttering treatment efficacy. For a report identified as such, a 10-item checklist is applied to verify its status as a clinical trial and to allocate it to 1 of 3 levels of clinical trials evidence. The present taxonomy reduces the burden of work of a 136-item checklist in an existing taxonomy.
Pishyar, R, Harris, LM & Menzies, RG 2008, 'Responsiveness of measures of attentional bias to clinical change in social phobia', Cognition & Emotion, vol. 22, no. 7, pp. 1209-1227.
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This study examined responsiveness of the dot probe measure of attentional bias to standard cognitive-behaviour group therapy (CBGT) for social phobia. People who met criteria for social phobia were randomly allocated to either an immediate treatment condition or a waiting list control (WLC). All participants completed self-report measures of social anxiety, depression, and anxiety sensitivity, a verbal dot probe and a facial dot-probe task before and after eight weeks of standard CBGT was undertaken by the treatment group. On the first measurement occasion the two groups had similar scores on all measures. On the second measurement occasion the self-report scores for the CBGT group were lower than those of the WLC group. Performance on the dot-probe tasks for the CBGT group had also changed. The treatment group appeared to direct their attention away from social threat words and threatening faces after CBGT.
Roberts, AS, Benrimoj, SI, Chen, TF, Williams, KA & Aslani, P 2008, 'Practice change in community pharmacy: Quantification of facilitators', ANNALS OF PHARMACOTHERAPY, vol. 42, no. 6, pp. 861-868.
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Background: There Has Been An Increasing International Trend Toward The Delivery Of Cognitive Pharmaceutical Services (Cps) In Community Pharmacy. Cps Have Been Developed And Disseminated Individually, Without A Framework Underpinning Their Implementatio
Rousseau, I, Onslow, M, Packman, A & Jones, M 2008, 'Comparisons of Audio and Audiovisual Measures of Stuttering Frequency and Severity in Preschool-Age Children', American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 173-178.
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Purpose To determine whether measures of stuttering frequency and measures of overall stuttering severity in preschoolers differ when made from audio-only recordings compared with audiovisual recordings. Method Four blinded speech-language pathologists who had extensive experience with preschoolers who stutter measured stuttering frequency and rated overall severity from audio-only and audiovisual recordings of 36 preschool children who were stuttering. Stuttering frequency (percentage of syllables stuttered [%SS]) was based on counts of perceptually unambiguous stutterings, made in real time, and overall severity was measured using a 9-point rating scale. Results Stuttering frequency was statistically significantly lower by around 20% when made from audio-only recordings. This was found to be directly attributable to differences in the counts of stuttered syllables, rather than to differences in the total numbers of syllables spoken. No significant differences were found between recording modalities for the ratings of overall severity. Correlations between %SS scores in the 2 modalities and severity rating scores in the 2 modalities were high, indicating that observers agreed on data trends across speech samples. Conclusions Measures of %SS made from audio-only recordings may underestimate stuttering frequency in preschoolers. Although audio-only %SS measures may underestimate stuttering frequency at the start of a clinical trial to a clinically significant extent, posttreatment scores at or below 1.0%SS are likely to underestimate by 0.2%SS or less, which is clini...
Russo, MA, Newton-John, T & Lo, W 2008, 'Chronic non-malignant pain', Australian Doctor, no. 21/MAR., pp. 25-32.
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■Chronic pain affects about 20% of the adult population, with about 10% becoming significantly disabled by it. The social, economic and health care burdens related to chronic pain are enormous. ■CNS plasticity is increasingly recognised as playing a role in the development of persistent pain states. The development of postural abnormalities, physical deconditioning and psychological distress then further add to the maintenance of chronic pain. ■Chronic pain is typically categorised as neuropathic, nociceptive or a mixture of both. ■The use of brief self-report questionnaires can add valuable clinical information regarding pain intensity, mood, pain disability and pain beliefs. ■Opioid prescription should be done with specific pain reduction and functional upgrading goals at the outset. ■Group-based CBT has the strongest empirical basis in terms of increased function and decreased distress.
Schellingerhout, JM, Verhagen, AP, Heymans, MW, Pool, JJM, Vonk, F, Koes, BW & de Vet, HCW 2008, 'Which subgroups of patients with non-specific neck pain are more likely to benefit from spinal manipulation therapy, physiotherapy, or usual care?', Pain, vol. 139, no. 3, pp. 670-680.
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Schellingerhout, JM, Verhagen, AP, Thomas, S & Koes, BW 2008, 'Lack of uniformity in diagnostic labeling of shoulder pain: Time for a different approach', Manual Therapy, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 478-483.
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Seymour, K, Karnath, H-O & Himmelbach, M 2008, 'Perceptual grouping in the human brain: common processing of different cues', NeuroReport, vol. 19, no. 18, pp. 1769-1772.
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Snijders, E, Thomas, S & Verhagen, A 2008, 'Acuut enkelbandletsel', Huisarts en Wetenschap, vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 17-23.
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Introduction: In this literature review our aim was to assess the effectiveness of conservative treatments of acute ankle sprain. Methods: We searched Medline and the Cochrane Library for systematic reviews and randomised studies of conservative treatment of acute ankle sprains. Included were articles scoring the following outcome measures: pain, return to work or sport or recurrence of injury. Reasons for exclusion were recurrent injuries or fractures. Results: Except for medication, there is little or no evidence for the added value of any treatment versus placebo or no treatment. There is, however, strong evidence that as regards the group of functional treatments (a form of external support), a brace is more effective than a bandage. Furthermore, there is strong evidence that a functional treatment is more effective than immobilisation, and that physiotherapy is more effective than simply instructions or an elastic bandage. There is limited evidence that combining the use of an elastic bandage and a brace is more effective than merely using a brace. The thesis that additional physiotherapy is more effective than only functional treatment is also supported by limited evidence. Compared to placebo, there is limited evidence for the use of Piroxicam and Wobenzym. Conclusion: For the treatment of pain, medication is the preferred intervention. It is not known whether any intervention is better than no treatment for return to work or sport. If a functional treatment is chosen, it seems to be: 'the more support, the better'. Additional physiotherapy shortens the time to return to sport. To prevent re-injury, physiotherapy is the best intervention. There is no place for physical interventions, operation or immobilisation, no matter how severe the sprain is.
Sterke, CS, Verhagen, AP, van Beeck, EF & van der Cammen, TJM 2008, 'The influence of drug use on fall incidents among nursing home residents: a systematic review', International Psychogeriatrics, vol. 20, no. 05, pp. 890-910.
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Sutton, G & Hodge, C 2008, 'Accuracy and Precision of LASIK Flap Thickness Using the IntraLase Femtosecond Laser in 1000 Consecutive Cases', Journal of Refractive Surgery, vol. 24, no. 8, pp. 802-806.
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<h4>PURPOSE</h4><p>To report the safety and flap thickness predictability of LASIK using the IntraLase femtosecond laser.</p><h4>METHOD</h4><p>A retrospective analysis of 1000 consecutive LASIK cases was performed to assess the rate of intra- and postoperative complications and loss of best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA). A subset of 260 eyes was prospectively analyzed to assess flap thickness predictability using subtraction ultrasound on the day of surgery.</p><h4>RESULTS</h4><p>No serious intra- or postoperative complications were noted. Three (0.3%) patients had epithelial defects that required a bandage contact lens. Four (0.4%) patients had slipped caps on day 1 that required repositioning. Two (0.2%) patients developed grade I diffuse lamellar keratitis. No patient developed epithelial ingrowth >1 mm from the flap edge, transient light sensitivity, or infection. No patient lost <u>></u>2 lines of BSCVA at 6 months postoperatively. With an attempted flap thickness of 105 µm with the 15-KHz laser, the mean flap thickness was 116.79±10.75 µm (range: 95 to 148 µm) (n=119). In the 30-KHz group (n=141), the target corneal flap thickness was 115 µm, with a mean flap thickness of 114.02±9.82 µm (range: 93 to 163 µm). Overall 87.3% of eyes were within ±20 µm of the intended result. Ninety-eight percent of caps created with the 30-KHz laser were within ±20 µm compared to 74.8% in the 15-KHz group.</p><h4>CONCLUSIONS</h4><p>LASIK surgery with the IntraLase femtosecond laser is safe and flap thickness is predictable. [<cite>J Refract Surg.</cite> 2008;24:802-806.]</p><h4>ABOUT THE AUTHORS</h4><p>From Auckland University, Save Sight and Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney (Sutton); and The Eye Institute, Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia (Sutton, Hodge)....
Sutton, G, Hodge, C & McGhee, CNJ 2008, 'Rapid visual recovery after penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus', Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology, vol. 36, no. 8, pp. 725-730.
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AbstractPurpose: To ascertain the level and speed of visual recovery after penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus.Method: A retrospective review was performed of 100 consecutive cases of penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus, performed between 1999 and 2005. Review assessed visual function and the speed at which patients achieved a functional best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of ≥6/12 either with glasses or phoropter. Analysis of visual, refractive and keratometric results were made on 76 eyes that had reached 6 months after suture removal. Intraoperative and postoperative complications including graft rejections were recorded.Results: Post keratoplasty, 43.4%, 78.9% and 96.1% of patients achieved a BCVA of 6/12 or better by 1, 3 and 6 months, respectively. The mean time to achieve a BCVA of 6/12 was 9.6 weeks. Only 5.3% of patients required a rigid gas permeable contact lens. Overall 42.4% of patients had unaided visual acuity of 6/12 or better at 12 months. The mean refractive cylinder and standard deviation was 2.78 ± 1.6 D, and the mean spherical equivalent was −1.12 ± 2.9 D. There were no significant intraoperative complications, and although 3.9% of eyes had at least one graft rejection episode there were no graft failures.Conclusion: Penetrating keratoplasty is an effective method for treating advanced keratoconus. By 3 months almost all patients are able to achieve a BCVA of 6/12 or better with progressive improvement over time. This technique allows almost half of patients to achieve an unaided vision of 6/12 or better with sutures in situ.
van der Windt, DAWM, Simons, E, Riphagen, I, Ammendolia, C, Verhagen, AP, Laslett, M, Devillé, W, Aertgeerts, B, Deyo, RA, Bouter, LM & de Vet, HCW 2008, 'Physical examination for lumbar radiculopathy due to disc herniation in patients with low-back pain', Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, no. 4.
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van Kessel-Cobelens, AM, Verhagen, AP, Mens, JM, Snijders, CJ & Koes, BW 2008, 'Pregnancy-Related Pelvic Girdle Pain: Intertester Reliability of 3 Tests to Determine Asymmetric Mobility of the Sacroiliac Joints', Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 130-136.
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Verhagen, A, Bierma-Zeinstra, S, Lambeck, J, Cardoso, JR, de Bie, R, Boers, M & de Vet, HCW 2008, 'Balneotherapy for osteoarthritis. A cochrane review.', J Rheumatol, vol. 35, no. 6, pp. 1118-1123.
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OBJECTIVE: Balneotherapy (or spa therapy, mineral baths) for patients with arthritis is one of the oldest forms of therapy. We assessed effectiveness of balneotherapy for patients with osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: We performed a broad search strategy to retrieve eligible studies, selecting randomized controlled trials comparing balneotherapy with any intervention or with no intervention. Two authors independently assessed quality and extracted data. Disagreements were solved by consensus. In the event of clinical heterogeneity or lack of data we refrained from statistical pooling. RESULTS: Seven trials (498 patients) were included in this review: one performed an intention-to-treat analysis, 2 provided data for our own analysis, and one reported a 'quality of life' outcome. We found silver-level evidence of mineral baths compared to no treatment (effect sizes 0.34-1.82). Adverse events were not measured or found in included trials. CONCLUSION: We found silver-level evidence concerning the beneficial effects of mineral baths compared to no treatment. Of all other balneological treatments, no clear effects were found. However, the scientific evidence is weak because of the poor methodological quality and the absence of an adequate statistical analysis and data presentation.
Verhagen, AP, de Vet, HCW, Willemsen, S & Stijnen, T 2008, 'A meta-regression analysis shows no impact of design characteristics on outcome in trials on tension-type headaches', Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, vol. 61, no. 8, pp. 813-818.
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Vos, CJ, Verhagen, AP, Passchier, J & Koes, BW 2008, 'Clinical Course and Prognostic Factors in Acute Neck Pain: An Inception Cohort Study in General Practice', Pain Medicine, vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 572-580.
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Vos, CJ, Verhagen, AP, Passchier, J & Koes, BW 2008, 'Impact of motor vehicle accidents on neck pain and disability in general practice', British Journal of General Practice, vol. 58, no. 554, pp. 624-629.
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Wain, HR, Kneebone, II & Billings, J 2008, 'Patient Experience of Neurologic Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Investigation', Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, vol. 89, no. 7, pp. 1366-1371.
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Wiltshire, E, Davidzon, G, DiMauro, S, Akman, HO, Sadleir, L, Haas, L, Zuccollo, J, McEwen, A & Thorburn, DR 2008, 'Juvenile Alpers Disease', Archives of Neurology, vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 121-124.
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