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Relationship Between Self-Compassion, Thwarted Interpersonal Needs, and Suicidal Thoughts Among Indonesian Young Adults
No full textObjectives: Risk and protective factors for suicide are under-researched in developing Asian countries. This study investigated the potential protective role of self-compassion and its subscales (compassionate and uncompassionate self-responding) in moderating the relationship between thwarted interpersonal needs and suicide ideation in young adults. Method: Indonesian university students (n = 510; age = 18–25 years) completed an online questionnaire that measured thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, recent suicide ideation, depressive symptoms, self-compassion, and demographic factors. Hierarchical linear regression models tested possible moderation effects. Results: Significant correlations were found between suicidal ideation, thwarted interpersonal needs (i.e., perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness), depressive symptoms, and self-compassion (including both the positive and negative subscales of compassionate and uncompassionate self-responding), all in the expected directions. A three-way interaction was observed between compassionate self-responding, perceived burdensomeness, and thwarted belongingness in determining suicidal ideation severity. The findings suggest that individuals with high levels of compassionate self-responding tend to experience lower levels of suicidal ideation, even in the presence of high perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Conclusions: Compassionate self-responding (i.e., responding to life stressors with self-kindness, a sense of common humanity, and mindfulness) may be an important protective factor in buffering the adverse effects of thwarted interpersonal needs on young people’s suicidal ideation. Therefore, interventions that enhance individuals’ ability to treat themselves with compassion may help reduce suicidal ideation. Preregistration: This study is not preregistered.</p
Longitudinal causal dynamics between perceived burdensomeness and suicide ideation
No full textBetter understanding of the determinants of suicidal distress may be critical to improving clinical approaches to suicide prevention. According to the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide, perceived burdensomeness (PB) is one of the proximal, causal risk factors for the development of suicidal distress. Considerable cross-sectional data has supported this association, but limited longitudinal data has investigated whether short-term change in PB influences subsequent suicidal ideation (SI). This longitudinal study involved daily assessments of both PB and SI over a 7-day period in 791 Australian adults who reported recent or current SI. Eight different panel models, with and without covariates were fit to examine cross-lagged effects between PB and SI. In the final model, there was weak evidence for a lagged effect from PB on SI the next day (β = 0.175), although the contemporaneous effect of PB on SI was larger and more consistent (β = 0.948). There was little evidence for lagged effects of SI on PB (β = 0.008). Effects varied across age groups and living situations. Inconsistent with the theory, findings suggest limited value of PB in predicting later SI, after accounting for cross-sectional relationships. Greater consideration of other psychosocial and contextual risk factors may be important for theories of suicide risk and for supporting people who are at risk of suicidal behaviour
A Review of Control Methods in Lower Limb Exoskeleton Robots:From Classical to Machine Learning Approaches
No full textLower limb exoskeleton robots have emerged as a transformative technology for rehabilitation, mobility assistance, and performance augmentation. These robotic systems are designed to support or restore lower limb movement in individuals with disabilities, injuries, or neurological disorders. The effectiveness of an exoskeleton largely depends on its control system, which governs movement, interaction with the user, and adaptation to environmental conditions. This paper explores the classification of lower limb exoskeleton robot controllers based on control strategies, input sources, loop types, and levels of autonomy. The study categorizes control strategies into predefined control, adaptive control, and supervisory control, each offering varying levels of responsiveness and adaptability. Additionally, different control input sources, such as biomechanical sensors, electromyography (EMG), and brain-machine interfaces (BMI), are analyzed for their role in detecting user intent. The paper also examines control loop types, differentiating between open-loop and closed-loop systems, and discusses how these impact stability and precision. Furthermore, the level of autonomy is explored, ranging from manual operation to fully autonomous systems that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Despite advancements, challenges such as energy efficiency, sensor accuracy, real-time adaptability, and user comfort remain key limitations. This review synthesizes insights from existing literature into the state-of-the-art control strategies for lower-limb exoskeleton robots. Hence, it forms a roadmap for future advancements in the field.</p
Qualitative Perspectives of Young-Onset Dementia Care in Australia: A Thematic Analysis From the Joint Solutions Project
No full textPeople with young-onset dementia in Australia face significant challenges due to inconsistencies in diagnostic and post-diagnostic care. These challenges stem from a general lack of knowledge of young-onset dementia, limited age-appropriate supports, and inconsistent services that are available for people with young-onset dementia. The lack of awareness, insufficient professional training, and inadequacies in services exacerbate these challenges, and geographic disparities exist. In 2024, the Joint Solutions Young-onset Dementia project aimed to explore the care experiences of people with young-onset dementia in Australia, highlighting gaps, barriers, and positive aspects of the care pathway This paper presents the emergent themes derived from the Joint Solutions project. Using qualitative methodology, we gathered optional free-text data from a pool of 313 survey participants and feedback from 47 focus group participants, including individuals with young-onset dementia, caregivers, general practitioners, and community service providers. A thematic analysis generated six key recurring themes and patterns underscoring the needs of this population. These themes highlight the necessity to (1) increase knowledge, information, and education relating to young-onset dementia; (2) improve services to manage the psychosocial implications associated with young-onset dementia; (3) ensure sufficient requisites are in place to provide necessary support and preparedness; (4) enhance the accessibility and availability of age-relevant services; (5) consider the impact young-onset dementia has on personal finances; (6) reduce bureaucracy to obtaining support. These findings emphasise the urgent need for a nationally consistent care pathway to address young-onset diagnostic and post-diagnostic care. A comprehensive framework must be developed, offering a diverse range of resources and services tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals diagnosed with young-onset dementia and their families
Attentional biases, as measured by motion-induced blindness, are linked to schizophrenia traits
Get PDFTypically, people demonstrate a small attentional bias towards the left visual field. This bias has not consistently been observed in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia has been thought to be linked to a top visual field bias, due to an impaired dorsal stream found in those individuals. Here we assessed left/right and upper/lower spatial biases measuring perceptual disappearances in a motion-induced blindness (MIB) task and link those to schizophrenia traits. The sample were consisted of first year psychology students (N=54; 22 males, 31 females, and 1 prefer not to say; age 18–54 years; median age=23). Schizophrenia traits were measured using the schizotypal personality questionnaire (SPQ) and perceptual aberration scale (PAS). We found that higher SPQ scores correlated with a top field bias. Higher interpersonal scores (an SPQ subscore) linked to a right field, and so did PAS (p=.007). Higher cognitive-perceptual scores linked to a left field bias. Taken together, this study supports a complex relation between spatial attention and schizophrenia traits in MIB, in which a top field bias may reflect an impaired dorsal stream. A possible implication of these findings is that MIB may serve as a potential tool for screening early schizophrenia traits.</p
Using AI to improve English language skills in health students
No full textBackground: Effective communication skills are essential for patient-centred care and safety. Teaching verbal communication can be difficult and expensive. Complexity can increase when teaching students with English as an additional language (EAAL). The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in developing verbal communication is an innovative solution to a contemporary issue. Sample: Six undergraduate health students from three disciplines who self-identified EAAL. Method: A pre–post intervention study was conducted. The Coherence, Lexical, Grammatical, Pronunciation (CLIP) assessment was conducted pre- and post-intervention. Students completed a debrief to explore their perceptions of the intervention. Results: Improved English language was noted in two criteria of the CLIP. Students reported that the intervention assisted their conversational skills; however, its effectiveness was limited as it was not human. Conclusion: AI software may support students in developing conversational English skills; however, it should be used to complement, not replace, traditional teaching methods. Briefing and Debriefing should be facilitated to optimise student learning.</p
Does Play Belong in Primary Schools? Australian Teachers’ Perspectives
Get PDFTeachers’ conceptualisations of play significantly influence its integration in school contexts, yet these perceptions remain understudied. This study employs Parker et al.’s (2022) Framework for Quality Learning through Play as a theoretical lens to examine how Australian primary school teachers conceptualise play within educational contexts. Data collected from 238 practicing teachers across Australia was analysed through descriptive statistics, supported by participant written responses. Results revealed clear acknowledgement of the developmental benefits of play, aligning with the learning outcomes dimensions of the framework, while beliefs about implementing play into classroom practice and teacher’s facilitation roles varied substantially, reflecting tensions identified in the framework’s facilitation dimension. These findings highlight the complexity of implementing play as a pedagogical tool in primary education illustrating complexities of school contexts and curriculum requirements, tensions between child-led activities and teacher involvement in children’s play
How gambling influencers and user-generated content on social media can contribute to risky gambling: A social identity approach
No full textBreastfeeding Support and Protection During Natural Disaster and Climate-Related Emergencies in Indonesia:Policy Audit
Get PDFBackground: Indonesia is a middle-income country in Southeast Asia in which 2,394 disasters were recorded in 2022 alone, with a total loss of 178,367 lives. In 2018 governments at the World Health Assembly resolved to improve emergency planning using Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG IFE). Little is known about whether Indonesian policies protect the health and lives of women, infants, and young children in line with OG IFE through planning for breastfeeding support and protection during emergencies. Research Aim: To identify and audit Indonesian policy regulations regarding infant and young child feeding support and protection during emergencies. Method: A search of the grey literature was conducted in 2023 through Google Basic and Advanced Search, official websites, and consultation with the Indonesian Breastfeeding Mothers Association (Asosiasi Ibu Menyusui Indonesia/AIMI) network. Keywords used included the Indonesian words for “regulation,” “disaster,” and the name of a province, city, or region, or the name of appropriate government organizations. Data was analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach, and based on the Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies: Operational Guidance for Emergency Relief Staff and Program Managers (OG-IFE) framework. Results: A total of 513 regulations were found online; however, only four were included for audit. The 509 excluded regulations did not specifically mention infant and young child feeding in emergencies. Those Indonesian policies that did mention infant and young child feeding in emergencies lacked attention to, and comprehensive planning for, breastfeeding protection and support during emergencies. Conclusion: Mothers and infants may be exposed to unnecessary risk and avoidable morbidity and mortality during emergencies. Indonesia could enhance its disaster relief policies to align with international standards supporting breastfeeding in emergencies. This could involve more comprehensive and integrated regional planning and preparation before disasters, including regular assessment of local infant and young child feeding practices, communication measures to raise emergency workers' awareness of breastfeeding, and resourcing of training so as to translate policies into practice.</p
Thermal mismatch models derived from occurrence data predict pathogen prevalence in frogs
No full textEmerging infectious diseases increasingly threaten many wildlife populations, yet the impacts of pathogens vary considerably both within and among host species. The environmental tolerance mismatch hypothesis (ETMH) suggests that this variability stems in part from differences in the relative performance of hosts and pathogens under varying environmental conditions. According to the ETMH, pathogen impacts should be more severe in environments where pathogen performance is high and host performance is low, and vice versa. However, testing the ETMH with field data is challenging due to the difficulty of measuring host and pathogen performance among locations and quantifying performance mismatches. Here, we demonstrate that a measure of thermal mismatch, based on species realized thermal niches derived from species occurrence data, can reliably predict variation in the prevalence of the amphibian fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd—chytrid fungus) within and among 42 frog host species in Australia. Specifically, we show that 1) within species, more warm-adapted host species show a steeper decline in Bd prevalence with increasing mean annual temperature, potentially reflecting greater host advantage at warmer temperatures; and 2) among host species, mean pathogen prevalence declines as the thermal affinity of hosts diverges from that of the pathogen. Our findings strongly support the ETMH and, importantly, offer a promising approach to predicting pathogen outcomes both spatially and temporally using species occurrence data. This approach enhances our understanding of variability in pathogen impacts and could inform management actions to mitigate these effects.</p