Bibliographies
The following bibliography has been compiled from the Australian Family & Society Abstracts database and other resources held in the Institute's library. Where available a link to the document on the Web is provided. Most items can be borrowed from the Institute's library via the inter library loan system. Online publications in PDF format require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Natural disasters and families
Children's fears post September 11.
Campbell, Marilyn; Gilmore, Linda
Katsikitis, M. ed. Psychology bridging the Tasman: science, culture and practice: Proceedings of the 2006 Joint Conference of the APS and NZPsS, 26-30 September 2006, Auckland, NZ. Melbourne, Vic: Australian Psychological Society, 2006, p55-59 (PDF on CD-ROM, whole volume 8.4MB).
Increasingly, the internet and global media are exposing children to images of war, disaster and terrorism. Parents seem to be more protective of children because of their own increasing fears of child abduction, sexual abuse, drug use, bullying and internet paedophilia. Parents also seem to be more indulgent of children's unrealistic fears, often allowing them to avoid non dangerous situations, being overprotective and encouraging less independence in their children. This paper reports on a study that investigated whether children today have more worries and fears than did previous generations of children. The Fear Schedule Survey - Revised (FSSC-R) was administered to 220 children aged between six and 12 years, and the results for self reported frequency, intensity and content of fears were compared with those of similar studies 10 and 20 years ago using the same instrument. The implications for helping parents understand and cope with children's fears are discussed.
Community responses to bushfires: The role and nature of systems of primary sociality.
Goodman, Helen; Healey, Lucy; Boulet, Jacques
New Community Quarterly v.5 no.1 Autumn 2007: 11-25.
The importance of social networks in linking family, friends and neighbours are often ignored by emergency service operations in cases of bushfires and other threats to life. This article argues that multiple levels of sociality must be integrated in such situations, because local people's experiences and knowledge should inform the processes of the state's response. The article uses local people's experiences of the Wangary fire on the Lower Eyre Peninsula in January 2005 as evidence of the need to integrate technical resources, social resources and personal ecological awareness in order to improve fire and disaster preparedness and prevention. It focuses on the importance of primary sociality in living with and responding to natural threats.
Drought and its effect on mental health: How GPs can help.
Satore, Gina-Maree; Kelly, Brian; Stain, Helen J
Australian Family Physician v.36 no.12 Dec 990-993.
Drought has been a major stressor affecting rural New South Wales communities since late 2001. While much is known about the effects on mental health of acute natural disasters, there is less research available on the effect to communities of chronic natural disasters. Of great concern for Australian rural communities is that independent of drought, the rate of suicide for some groups is higher in rural than urban communities, while access to mental health services is less. This article explores how general practitioners can identify and respond to the drought related mental health needs of farming residents. Early intervention is a critical task in improving the mental heath of rural communities. Early intervention provided by GPs will be enhanced through: working closely with other community agencies to promote early effective intervention for mental health problems, improve access to advice and initial consultation, and facilitate urgent consultation when needed; increasing access to services for farmers and responding promptly to needs; and utilising the support of rural organisational workers.
Helping children to cope with media coverage of traumatic events (PDF 167 KB).
Tansey, Sonja
Putting Children First no.21 Mar 2007: 10-13.
Media coverage of tragic events in the community or further afield can affect children negatively. This article discusses the types of events reported in the media that may affect children, how they may be affected, how they can be protected from disturbing media reports, how to limit children's exposure to harmful media, Internet safety, supporting affected children, and appropriate exposure to media reported events. The discussion is directed at both parents and child care workers.
It's really not easy to get help: Services to drought-affected families.
Alston, Margaret
Australian Social Work v.60 no.4 Dec 2007: 421-435.
The present paper details the results of research conducted with drought affected farm families in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The study reveals the significant health and welfare stresses experienced by families and the lack of access to services and support. The research was conducted in three sites in rural and remote areas of NSW in 2003. Farm family members, service providers and other community key informants were interviewed. The paper outlines ways that the social work profession can respond to significant natural disasters.
Managing critical events in children's services (PDF 170 KB).
Tansey, Sonja
Putting Children First no.20 Dec 2006: 16-19, and Online.
Child care services can reduce the negative impact of critical events, such as local or distant natural disasters, the death of a family member, or witnessing violence, by providing support to staff, children and their families during and after the event. Other services and professionals including emergency services, counsellors and health and safety authorities can help child care services manage critical events. This article presents advice on preventing critical events, preparing for a critical event, critical event management plans, and responding to critical events. It discusses how critical events can affect children and adults, the impact of events outside the service and supporting children and adults after critical events.
Postdisaster emotional distress, depression and event-related variables: Findings across child and adolescent developmental stages.
McDermott, B and Palmer, L.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 0004-8674 v. 36 no. 6 Dec 2002 754-761.
Developmental approaches have not been widely used in child and adolescent posttraumatic stress disorder research, and little is known about developmental differences in response to postdisaster trauma. The authors' objective was to investigate postdisaster depression and emotional distress psychopathology across a broad child and adolescent developmental range. Six months following a bushfire disaster, 2379 grade 4-12 school students completed an extensive self-report battery, which included the Impact of Event Scale and the Birleson Depression Inventory. Generalized linear models were constructed to model the effects of multiple covariates on continuous outcome measures of depression and emotional distress. Results showed that significant independent predictors of persisting depressive symptoms were increased symptoms of emotional distress; increased symptoms of anxiety; evaluation experience; and school grade. Significant independent predictors of emotional distress were persisting depressive symptoms; perception of threat to self or to parents; evacuation experience and school grade. Gender was not a significant predictor in either the depression or emotional distress multivariate models. Complex, non-linear relationships between depression, emotional distress and school grade were found. This study suggests that important developmental differences in postdisaster psychological responses exist across a broad spectrum of developmental stages in children. (Journal abstract, edited)
Solastalgia: The distress caused by environmental change.
Albrecht, Glenn; Sartore, Gina-Maree; Connor, Linda; Higginbotham, Nick; Freeman, Sonia; Kelly, Brian; Stain, Helen; Tonna, Anne; Pollard, Georgia
Australasian Psychiatry v.15 2007 supplement: s95-s98.
As opposed to nostalgia - the melancholia or homesickness experience by people when they are separated from a loved home - solastalgia is the distress produced by the impact of environmental change on people while they are directly connected to their home environment. This paper focuses on two contexts in which researchers have found solastalgia to be evident: experiences of persistent drought in rural New South Wales, and the impact on individuals of a large open cut coal mine in the Upper Hunter Valley. The paper examines research into these lived experiences of drought and mining to explore the potential uses and applications of the concept of solastalgia for understanding the psychological impact of environmental changes worldwide that challenge sense of place and identity.
Malone, Gilian; Ahrens, Jennifer; Bourke, Gary
Program and papers: 8th National Rural Health Conference, 10-13 March 2005, Alice Springs, Northern Territory. Deakin, ACT: National Rural Health Alliance, 2005, 9p, tables, Online.
The impact of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) education on fire and drought affected rural communities in north east Victoria is examined in this paper. The paper reports on research that investigated rural participants' perceptions of the impact that MHFA education has had on their roles, relationships and identity as individuals, within their families and in a broader community context. The paper discusses mental health in rural regions, the impact of drought and bushfires on the rural economy and the consequences for stress levels and subsequent mental health issues. It describes the MHFA course, reasons people attended, outcomes and themes of MHFA courses.
Supporting children through disasters.
Elliott, Alison
Every Child v.11 no.3 Winter 2005: 12.
News coverage of disasters can have a severe impact on children. This article discusses the effects on children of exposure to images of natural disasters or terrorist attacks, and suggests ways in which parents and educators can protect and support children through these events.
Tackling tough times: Drought mental health initiative
Greig, Julie; Crockett, Judith; Tonna, Anne
Auseinetter no.30 Mar 2008: 6-8.
The Drought Mental Health Assistance Package (DMHAP) for New South Wales was announced by the State Government in October 2006. Its aim was to deal with prolonged stress in rural communities affected by drought through increasing capacity in individuals, service providers and communities. Awareness of mental health issues and early intervention was raised through a range of activities, including: Mental Health First Aid workshops to improve individuals' ability to respond to their own and others' emerging mental health needs; Service Network meetings to improve links among service providers; community events, called Tackling Tough Times gatherings, to increase mental health literacy, reduce stigma and identify local pathways to care; and development of mental health resources for consumers and service providers working closely with Beyondblue. This article describes the implementation and outcomes of the DMHAP project and identifies factors critical to its success, particularly the active participation and collaboration of government and non government sector organisations. It discusses how the 2007 DMHAP experience can inform the 2008 DMHAP project.