Cartwright, C, Rhodes, P, King, R & Shires, A 2014, 'Experiences of Countertransference: Reports of Clinical Psychology Students', AUSTRALIAN PSYCHOLOGIST, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 232-240.
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While historically linked with psychoanalysis, countertransference is recognised as an important component of the experience of therapists, regardless of the therapeutic modality. This study considers the implications of this for the training of psychologists. Fifty-five clinical psychology trainees from four university training programmes completed an anonymous questionnaire that collected written reports of countertransference experiences, ratings of confidence in managing these responses, and supervision in this regard. The reports were analysed using a process of thematic analysis. Several themes emerged including a desire to protect or rescue clients, feeling criticised or controlled by clients, feeling helpless, and feeling disengaged. Trainees varied in their reports of awareness of countertransference and the regularity of supervision in this regard. The majority reported a lack of confidence in managing their responses, and all reported interest in learning about countertransference. The implications for reflective practice in postgraduate psychology training are discussed. © 2014 The Australian Psychological Society.
Liu, L & Kager, R 2014, 'Perception of tones by infants learning a non-tone language', Cognition, vol. 133, no. 2, pp. 385-394.
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Lu, SH, Dear, BF, Johnston, L, Wootton, BM & Titov, N 2014, 'An internet survey of emotional health, treatment seeking and barriers to accessing mental health treatment among Chinese-speaking international students in Australia', Counselling Psychology Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 96-108.
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The present internet survey examined the demographic characteristics of Chinese-speaking international students in Australia, psychological distress levels as measured by the Kessler-10 (K-10) Item scale, help-seeking history and preferences, as well as treatment barriers. Of the 144 respondents, 54% reported high psychological distress (mean K-10 score = 23.96; SD = 9.03). However, only 9% of those who were highly distressed reported they had sought mental health services in the past year. While the majority preferred help from informal social networks, they tended to favour mental health services over traditional culture-specific forms of help. Common barriers to accessing mental health services reported by respondents with high psychological distress included costs or transportation concerns, limited knowledge of available services, time constraints, the perception that symptoms were not severe enough to warrant treatment, language difficulties and lack of knowledge of symptoms of psychological distress. Although the majority preferred face-to-face treatments over internet treatments, a considerable percentage of respondents were willing to try either treatment modality. Chinese-speaking international students are a high risk group for developing psychological distress, yet they tend to underuse mental health services. Education about the effectiveness of face-to-face and online treatments may increase treatment seeking by this population. © 2013 Taylor & Francis.
Mitchison, D, Hay, P, Slewa-Younan, S & Mond, J 2014, 'The changing demographic profile of eating disorder behaviors in the community', BMC Public Health, vol. 14, no. 1.
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Penney, ES & Abbott, MJ 2014, 'Anticipatory and Post-Event Rumination in Social Anxiety Disorder: A Review of the Theoretical and Empirical Literature', Behaviour Change, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 79-101.
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Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a psychological disorder characterised by an excessive and persistent fear of social or performance situations, which interferes with daily functioning. Cognitive models of SAD (Clark & Wells, 1995; Hofmann, 2007; Rapee & Heimberg, 1997) emphasise the importance of negative pre- and post-event rumination as a maintaining factor in the cycle of SAD. While the link between negative rumination and SAD is well supported by empirical research, little is understood about this cognitively important process; thus, research investigating the predictors of negative rumination in SAD is important to consider. Within the current literature, performance appraisal appears to be the most likely unique cognitive predictor of post-event rumination. There is limited research into cognitive predictors of pre-event rumination. Treatments targeting this maintaining factor are important to consider. Suggestions for future research examining the cognitive models of SAD by experimentally manipulating perceived social standards in order to examine the impact of high and low perceived social standard on appraisal processes (i.e., threat appraisal and performance appraisal), state social anxiety, and negative pre-event and post-event rumination, are proposed. Implications for theoretical models and efficacious treatments for SAD are discussed.
Puckett, AM, Mathis, JR & DeYoe, EA 2014, 'An investigation of positive and inverted hemodynamic response functions across multiple visual areas', Human Brain Mapping, vol. 35, no. 11, pp. 5550-5564.
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AbstractRecent studies have demonstrated significant regional variability in the hemodynamic response function (HRF), highlighting the difficulty of correctly interpreting functional MRI (fMRI) data without proper modeling of the HRF. The focus of this study was to investigate the HRF variability within visual cortex. The HRF was estimated for a number of cortical visual areas by deconvolution of fMRI blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) responses to brief, large‐field visual stimulation. Significant HRF variation was found across visual areas V1, V2, V3, V4, VO‐1,2, V3AB, IPS‐0,1,2,3, LO‐1,2, and TO‐1,2. Additionally, a subpopulation of voxels was identified that exhibited an impulse response waveform that was similar, but not identical, to an inverted version of the commonly described and modeled positive HRF. These voxels were found within the retinotopic confines of the stimulus and were intermixed with those showing positive responses. The spatial distribution and variability of these HRFs suggest a vascular origin for the inverted waveforms. We suggest that the polarity of the HRF is a separate factor that is independent of the suppressive or activating nature of the underlying neuronal activity. Correctly modeling the polarity of the HRF allows one to recover an estimate of the underlying neuronal activity rather than discard the responses from these voxels on the assumption that they are artifactual. We demonstrate this approach on phase‐encoded retinotopic mapping data as an example of the benefits of accurately modeling the HRF during the analysis of fMRI data. Hum Brain Mapp 35:5550–5564, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Slessor, G, Phillips, LH, Ruffman, T, Bailey, PE & Insch, P 2014, 'Exploring own-age biases in deception detection', Cognition and Emotion, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 493-506.
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Smith, E, Bailey, PE, Crawford, J, Samaras, K, Baune, BT, Campbell, L, Kochan, N, Menant, J, Sturnieks, DL, Brodaty, H, Sachdev, P & Trollor, JN 2014, 'Adiposity Estimated Using Dual Energy X‐Ray Absorptiometry and Body Mass Index and Its Association with Cognition in Elderly Adults', Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, vol. 62, no. 12, pp. 2311-2318.
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ObjectivesTo determine whether obesity, estimated according to body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and body fat and abdominal fat assessed using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA), was associated with cognitive performance.DesignCross‐sectional.SettingCommunity based.ParticipantsIndividuals aged 74–94 (N = 406).MeasurementsBMI, waist circumference, body fat, and abdominal fat were assessed using DEXA. Cognitive performance was assessed using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery.ResultsWhen categorized using BMI, overweight individuals had higher global cognitive function and executive function scores than normal‐weight individuals. This relationship did not differ according to sex. When categorized according to DEXA, there were no relationships between body fat and cognitive function in the whole group, but women in the middle and highest tertiles of DEXA body fat had better executive function than those in the lowest tertile. Men in the middle tertile of DEXA body fat had significantly better executive function and memory than those in the lowest tertile. BMI had greater power to predict executive function than DEXA body fat. No significant associations were found between cognition and estimates of abdominal adiposity.ConclusionThis study found an association between being overweight and better executive function in elderly adults; this association was stronger for the simpler BMI than the more‐elaborate DEXA measures.
Stein, T, Seymour, K, Hebart, MN & Sterzer, P 2014, 'Rapid Fear Detection Relies on High Spatial Frequencies', Psychological Science, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 566-574.
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Signals of threat—such as fearful faces—are processed with priority and have privileged access to awareness. This fear advantage is commonly believed to engage a specialized subcortical pathway to the amygdala that bypasses visual cortex and processes predominantly low-spatial-frequency information but is largely insensitive to high spatial frequencies. We tested visual detection of low- and high-pass-filtered fearful and neutral faces under continuous flash suppression and sandwich masking, and we found consistently that the fear advantage was specific to high spatial frequencies. This demonstrates that rapid fear detection relies not on low- but on high-spatial-frequency information—indicative of an involvement of cortical visual areas. These findings challenge the traditional notion that a subcortical pathway to the amygdala is essential for the initial processing of fear signals and support the emerging view that the cerebral cortex is crucial for the processing of ecologically relevant signals.
Titov, N, Dear, BF, Johnston, L, McEvoy, PM, Wootton, B, Terides, MD, Gandy, M, Fogliati, V, Kayrouz, R & Rapee, RM 2014, 'Improving Adherence and Clinical Outcomes in Self-Guided Internet Treatment for Anxiety and Depression: A 12-Month Follow-Up of a Randomised Controlled Trial', PLoS ONE, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. e89591-e89591.
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Background: A recent paper reported the outcomes of a study examining a new self-guided internet-delivered treatment, the Wellbeing Course, for symptoms of anxiety or depression. This study found the intervention resulted in significant symptom reductions. It also found that automated emails increased treatment completion and clinical improvements in a subsample with elevated anxiety and depression. Aims: To examine the clinical outcomes and the effect of automated emails at 12 months post-treatment. Method: Participants, who were randomly allocated to a Treatment Plus Automated Emails Group (TEG; n = 100), a standard Treatment Group (TG; n = 106) or delayed-treatment Waitlist Control Group (Control; n = 51), were followed up at 12 months post-treatment. Eighty-one percent, 78% and 87% of participants in the TEG, TG and treated Waitlist Control Group provided symptom data at 12-month follow-up, respectively. The primary outcome measures were the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Item Scale (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Item Scale (GAD-7). Results: Significant improvements in symptoms of anxiety and depression were observed over time in both the TEG and TG (Fs >69, ps <.001) these were sustained from post-treatment to 12-month follow-up ( ps >.05), and were associated with large effect sizes. No statistically significant differences in symptoms were found between the TEG and TG at post-treatment, 3-month or 12-month follow-up. Previously reported symptom differences between TEG and TG participants with comorbid symptoms were no longer present at 12-month follow-up (ps >.70). Conclusions: The overall benefits of the Wellbeing Course were sustained at 12-month follow-up. Although automated emails facilitated Course completion and reductions in symptoms for participants with comorbid anxiety and depression from pre-post treatment, these differences were no longer observed at 12-month follow-up. The results indicate that automated emails promot...
Vaccaro, LD, Jones, MK, Menzies, RG & Wootton, BM 2014, 'The treatment of obsessive‐compulsive checking: A randomised trial comparing danger ideation reduction therapy with exposure and response prevention', Clinical Psychologist, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 74-95.
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van Kemenade, BM, Seymour, K, Christophel, TB, Rothkirch, M & Sterzer, P 2014, 'Decoding pattern motion information in V1', Cortex, vol. 57, pp. 177-187.
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van Kemenade, BM, Seymour, K, Wacker, E, Spitzer, B, Blankenburg, F & Sterzer, P 2014, 'Tactile and visual motion direction processing in hMT+/V5', NeuroImage, vol. 84, pp. 420-427.
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Veldre, A & Andrews, S 2014, 'Lexical Quality and Eye Movements: Individual Differences in the Perceptual Span of Skilled Adult Readers', Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, vol. 67, no. 4, pp. 703-727.
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Two experiments used the gaze-contingent moving-window paradigm to investigate whether reading comprehension and spelling ability modulate the perceptual span of skilled adult readers during sentence reading. Highly proficient reading and spelling were both associated with increased use information to the right of fixation, but did not systematically modulate the extraction of information to the left of fixation. Individuals who were high in both reading and spelling ability showed the greatest benefit from window sizes larger than 11 characters, primarily because of increases in forward saccade length. They were also significantly more disrupted by being denied close parafoveal information than those poor in reading and/or spelling. These results suggest that, in addition to supporting rapid lexical retrieval of fixated words, the high quality lexical representations indexed by the combination of high reading and spelling ability support efficient processing of parafoveal information and effective saccadic targeting.
Watson, P, Wiers, RW, Hommel, B & de Wit, S 2014, 'Working for food you don’t desire. Cues interfere with goal-directed food-seeking', Appetite, vol. 79, pp. 139-148.
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Wootton, BM, Dear, BF, Johnston, L, Terides, MD & Titov, N 2014, 'Self-guided internet administered treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder: Results from two open trials', Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 102-108.
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Bragdon, L, Wootton, B, Diefenbach, G & Tolin, D 1970, 'Psychometric investigation of the CBT Adherence Measure.', Poster presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 48th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Diefenbach, G, Wootton, B, Bragdon, L & Tolin, D 1970, 'Treatment outcome and predictors of internet-guided self-help for OCD', Paper presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 48th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Diefenbach, G, Wootton, B, Bragdon, L, Davis, E & Tolin, D 1970, 'Executive functioning deficits in hoarding disorder.', Poster presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 48th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Gilliam, C, Bowe, W, Bragdon, L, Davis, E, Hannan, S, Steinman, S, Wootton, B, Worden, B & Tolin, D 1970, 'Reliability and validity of the Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and OCD, and related Neuropsychiatric Disorders', Poster presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 48th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Moody, A, Wootton, B & Davis, E 1970, 'A preliminary examination of the prevalence and clinical features of primary tokophobia in university sample', Poster presented to the 37th Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy Annual Conference, Perth, WA, Australia.
Wootton, B, Bragdon, L, Steinman, S & Tolin, D 1970, 'Three-year trajectory of individuals with anxiety and related disorder following cognitive behavioural therapy.', Paper presented to the 37th Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy Annual Conference, Perth, WA, Australia.
Wootton, B, Dear, B, Johnston, L, Terides, M & Titov, N 1970, 'Self-guided internet delivered treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder: Short-term and long-term outcomes', Paper presented to the 37th Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy Annual Conference, Perth, WA, Australia.
Wootton, B, Diefenbach, G, Bragdon, L, Steketee, G, Frost, R & Tolin, D 1970, 'A contemporary psychometric evaluation of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory – Revised', Paper presented to the 37th Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy Annual Conference, Perth, WA, Australia.
Wootton, B, Diefenbach, G, Bragdon, L, Steketee, G, Frost, R & Tolin, D 1970, 'Contemporary psychometric evaluation of the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory.', Poster presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 48th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Youle, C, Wootton, B & Moses, K 1970, 'The Depressive Symptoms Scale (DSS). (October, 2014). A preliminary psychometric analysis', Poster presented at the 37th Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy Annual Conference, Perth, WA, Australia.
