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Perinatal psychiatric emergencies in rural Australia: In urgent need of attention

The burden of perinatal mental illness is a significant global concern, affecting approximately 10–20% of women at this stage of life. It is well recognised that Rural Australia has far less health services and mental health specialists per capita than metropolitan regions. 

Protocol to implement and evaluate a culturally secure, strength-based, equine-assisted learning program, "Yawardani Jan-ga" (horses helping)

Australian Aboriginal people experience stressors from inequalities across crucial social determinants, including deep and entrenched disadvantage and exclusion. The impact of unaddressed historical issues is pervasive and intergenerational. The disproportionate rates of Aboriginal youth suicide, juvenile detention and imprisonment highlight the inadequacy of existing social and emotional wellbeing programs and services for Aboriginal children and young people.

Sensitivity and specificity of Aboriginal-developed items to supplement the adapted PHQ-9 screening measure for depression: results from the Getting it Right study

Citation: Skinner T, Brown A, Teixeira-Pinto A, et al. Sensitivity and specificity of Aboriginal-developed items to supplement the adapted PHQ-9

Strategies for coping and dealing with lateral violence among Aboriginal people living in south-east Australia

Lateral violence, a group of behaviours directed towards people of the same group, is considered endemic among Aboriginal people. Behaviours include bullying, gossiping, isolation or exclusion of certain group members, and challenges to one’s Aboriginal identity. Lateral violence impacts all aspects of one’s life. Due to its pervasiveness, this qualitative study investigated strategies employed by Aboriginal people to deal with lateral violence.

Atypical Antipsychotic Prescribing in Australian Children and Adolescents: A Survey of Medical Practitioners

Prescriptions for atypical antipsychotics in children and adolescents are increasing globally. However, a precise understanding of the clinical variables and evidence that prescribers consider before using these agents is lacking. 

Mental health outcomes for teenage boys and girls following a youth sports development program including a mental health program

Youth sports programs provide an opportunity to embed mental health and wellbeing programs to reach young people with mental health support. The aims of this study were to (a) examine mental health outcomes from a youth sports program including a mental health program (Life-Fit-Learning) in adolescent boys and girls, and (b) among the larger cohort of adolescent boys, to examine whether partial or full completion of Life-Fit-Learning yielded different outcomes for boys within healthy and high-risk ranges for anxiety, depression and behavioral concerns. 

The effectiveness of community friendship groups on participant social and mental health: a meta-analysis

Social disconnectedness and isolation are risk factors for poor mental health. Community-based friendship group interventions have been designed to increase an individual's social capital and consequently their mental wellbeing. Structured and unstructured friendship groups reflect two distinct approaches to friendship group interventions.

Shame as a mediator of the association of childhood emotional abuse with aversive cognitive perseveration in adults

Childhood emotional abuse (CEA) has been linked to response-focused emotion regulation in adulthood. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. This pre-registered study examined whether shame mediates the association between CEA history and aversive cognitive perseveration (ACP), including brooding rumination, experiential avoidance and emotional non-acceptance, in adulthood. 

A Longitudinal Study of Children's Hippocampal Development: Investigating Maternal Physical Activity, Depression, and Education

The developing hippocampus is particularly sensitive to early environmental influences, including during pregnancy. This longitudinal neuroimaging study examined associations between prenatal maternal physical activity and depression, maternal education, and hippocampal development from early childhood to early adolescence.

Psychosocial aspects of early detection in type 1 diabetes: Language matters, decision making and support needs

The potential implementation of early type 1 diabetes (T1D) detection pathways, encompassing autoantibody screening and longitudinal monitoring, raises important psychosocial considerations for ethical, person-centred care. This review summarises evidence on the psychosocial impact of early T1D detection, identifying key evidence gaps and recommendations for integrating psychosocial support.