PurposeTo review and synthesise prognostic indices that predict subsequent risk, prescriptive indices that moderate treatment response, and mechanisms that underlie each with respect to relapse and recurrence of depression in adults.Results and conclusionsChildhood maltreatment, post-treatment residual symptoms, and a history of recurrence emerged as strong prognostic indicators of risk and each could be used prescriptively to indicate who benefits most from continued or prophylactic treatment. Targeting prognostic indices or their “down-stream” consequences will be particularly beneficial because each is either a cause or a consequence of the causal mechanisms underlying risk of recurrence. The cognitive and neural mechanisms that underlie the prognostic indices are likely addressed by the effects of treatments that are moderated by the prescriptive factors. For example, psychosocial interventions that target the consequences of childhood maltreatment, extending pharmacotherapy or adapting psychological therapies to deal with residual symptoms, or using cognitive or mindfulness-based therapies for those with prior histories of recurrence. Future research that focuses on understanding causal pathways that link childhood maltreatment, or cognitive diatheses, to dysfunction in the neocortical and limbic pathways that process affective information and facilitate cognitive control, might result in more enduring effects of treatments for depression.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of mentally disordered offenders (MDOs) conditionally discharged from secure hospitals on a restrictive Section of the Mental Health Act (Section 37/41).
Design/methodology/approach
Data were derived from seven semi-structured interviews from three forensic community teams.
Findings
Thematic analysis identified seven predominant themes: (1) the uncertainty of the discharge timeframe; (2) fear of jeopardising discharge; (3) progress; (4) engagement with community life; (5) barriers to social engagement; (6) evolving identity and (7) someone to turn to. Findings are discussed in relation to the recovery model and the good lives model.
Practical implications
The findings highlight the importance of fostering trust between MDOs and their care teams to encourage help-seeking. They also suggest that resources should be sequenced appropriately throughout the discharge process, to match the “window of engagement” and maximize impact and effectiveness.
Originality/value
This research gained rarely obtained first-hand perspectives from MDOs, with the findings contributing to a more effective evaluation of the discharge pathway.
This paper describes the final phase of a study that validates a group of generic attributes of graduates of Australian undergraduate degree programs with majors in Information Systems (IS). 105 academics from all Australian universities that offer IS undergraduate degree programs of study and 53 member of the Australian Computer Society (ACS) took part in this study. A three round Delphi questionnaire was used. The results of this study are compared with a previous study of generic attributes conducted by the authors in Queensland, Australia. Differences between academics and industry are identified. The top three attributes in each study are the same, although the order is reversed in the national study. Some of these include the higher ranking of interpersonal skills, teamwork, and knowledge of the IS discipline by academics compared with the higher ranking of industry of self-motivation and the ability to learn independently. Other major findings include the high ratings of the attributes of team participation and the commitment to further learning and intellectual development. Oral and written communications are significantly rated as more important than a comprehensive knowledge of IS. This study has a very strong overall correlation with the previous Queensland study.
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