Examining the complexity of wellbeing profiles in a large cross-national community sample

The existence of multiple wellbeing indicators reflecting Psychological, Subjective and Social Wellbeing domains is widely reported. However, there is limited examination of the wellbeing profiles individuals report across multiple indicators. The current paper utilises a latent profile framework to examine the extent individuals report different wellbeing profiles. Participants (n = 42, 038) were from the European Social Survey (ESS), a large multi-national study who completed the ESS wellbeing module. Profiles analyses identified no complexity in the experiences of groups of individuals across different wellbeing indicators; individuals who scored high (or low) on one indicator scored high (or low) on the other indicators. Similarly, analysis of higher-order wellbeing dimensions were consistent, no complexity was reported. Different profile classes simply reflected groups of individuals who generally scored at consistent levels across multiple wellbeing indicators

Unmet depression information needs in the community

Background Despite the well acknowledged importance of consumer health information, little is known about the public’s depression information needs. This study aimed to develop a formal measure of unmet need for depression information in the community, to investigate the level of this unmet need and to identify its predictors. Methods Data were collected as part of a survey of 12,319 Australian adults aged 18–65 years. This survey incorporated 21 questions targeting depression information need, together with measures of demographic status, self-reported current depression and personal stigma. The information needs data were subjected to principal components analysis followed by linear regression analyses to determine the demographic and other predictors of each of the resulting components. Results Between 50 and 75% of participants endorsed the need for more information on each of the 21 information need topics. The PCA yielded a 20-item Depression Information Needs Scale (DINS) of high reliability and factor validity comprising four subscales: General (facts about depression), Specific Treatments, Research and Policies, and Lived Experience. Controlling for other factors, those with self-reported current depression and those without tertiary education had greater information needs across all four factors. Limitations The survey response rate was low and further research is required to establish the adequacy of the psychometric properties of the DINS. Conclusions Given the high unmet need for depression information there is a need to develop and implement evidence-based strategies for ensuring the accessibility and uptake of depression information relevant to the needs of members of the community.This study was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Project Grant 471435. K.G. is supported by NHMRC Fellowship no. 525413. The funding body played no further role in any aspect of this study

Seeking help for depression from family and friends: A qualitative analysis of perceived advantages and disadvantages

BACKGROUND People with depression often seek help from family and friends and public health campaigns frequently encourage such help seeking behaviours. However, there has been little systematically collected empirical data concerning the effects of such informal help seeking. The current study sought to investigate the views of consumers about the advantages and disadvantages of seeking support from family and friends for depression. METHODS Participants were the subset of 417 respondents to a survey, sent to 7000 randomly selected members of an Australian electoral community, who indicated that they had sought help for depression from family or friends. One item on the survey asked participants to indicate the advantages or disadvantages of seeking help from family or friends. A coding system was developed based on a content analysis of the responses to the item. Each of the responses was then coded by two raters. RESULTS Respondents identified both advantages and disadvantages of seeking support from friends. The most commonly cited advantage was social support (n = 282) including emotional support (n = 154), informational support (n = 93), companionship support (n = 36) and instrumental support (n = 23). Other advantages related to family's or friend's background knowledge of the person and their circumstances (n = 72), the opportunity to offload the burden associated with depression (n = 62), the personal attributes of family and friends (n = 49), their accessibility (n = 36), and the opportunity to educate family and friends and increase their awareness about the respondent's depression (n = 30). The most commonly cited disadvantages were stigma (n = 53), inappropriate support (n = 45), the family member's lack of knowledge, training and expertise (n = 32) and the adverse impact of the help seeking on the family/friend (n = 20) and the relationship (n = 18). CONCLUSIONS Family and friends are well placed to provide support which consumers perceive to be positive and which can assist them in obtaining formal mental health treatment. However, the input of some family members may be unhelpful or toxic. There may be benefits in undertaking community education and destigmatisation programs which target carers.Kathleen Griffiths is supported by NHMRC Fellowship 525413. Lisa Barney is supported by NHMRC Capacity Building Grant No. 41802

The emotion regulation strategies of flourishing adults

Flourishing is an optimal state of wellbeing, but the mechanisms that enable flourishing are unclear. This study examined the role of emotion regulation (ER) strategies that may enable flourishing. The first aim examined differences between flourishers and non-flourishers in the use of functional/adaptive and dysfunctional/maladaptive ER strategies. A second aim specifically compared differences between flourishers and those non-flourishers who were free of psychopathology. We hypothesised that flourishers utilise greater use of functional/adaptive and lower use of dysfunctional/maladaptive strategies in comparison with non-flourishers, and those without pathology. Australian adults (N = 292) completed measures of flourishing, depression, and anxiety, and two measures of emotion regulation. Quota sampling obtained a balanced sample by age-group and gender. Regression analyses regressed ER strategies on flourishing and depression/anxiety status, adjusting for socio-demographic covariates. ER measures included the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) to assess reappraisal and suppression strategies, and the Emotion Regulation Profile – Revised (ERP-R) used vignettes to assess intentional response to situations. For the first aim, there was limited evidence that flourishers utilise higher levels of functional/adaptive, but substantive evidence that they use lower levels of dysfunctional/maladaptive ER strategies. For the second aim, flourishing was associated with these ER strategies over-and-above being free of pathology. The findings highlight a nuanced understanding of the ER of flourishers; flourishers appear to limit their use of dysfunctional/maladaptive strategies and do not necessarily report increased use of functional/adaptive strategies. Implications for wellbeing research and clinical practice are discussed.</p

Age and sex differences in the annual and seasonal variation of Australia’s suicide rate, 2000–2020

Suicide is a major public health concern both globally and in Australia. But in Australia the extent of substantive annual and seasonality trends since 2000 through the first two decades of the 21st Century, by age and sex, has not been formally reported. The current paper sought to identify annual and within-year (seasonality) trajectories in age-sex standardized suicide rates between 2000 and 2020. The annual and within-year (seasonality) trajectories of suicide were estimated from generalised regression analyses of Australia’s mortality database. No systematic variation in Australia’s suicide rate since 2000 was reported and was consistent between sex and age cohorts. Seasonal variation in rates were identified, with peaks in the new year (January), declines in late Summer/Autumn, stability in Winter, increases in Spring, but with a notable decline in early summer (November–December). These trends were driven men only. Interpretation of current suicide rates need to consider systematic long-term historical context. Despite a historical focus on youth suicide especially, working-aged and very old men have consistently reported higher standardized suicide rates over the first two decades of the 21st Century. Seasonal variation was reported but only reported by men, potentially because across the lifespan, suicide rates for females were a comparatively low incidence event. Particularly after recent successive national and international crises, we emphasise that surveillance and interpretation of current suicide rate requires careful consideration as to the extent any immediate variation may otherwise fall within otherwise normal historical norms.</p

The ANU WellBeing study: a protocol for a quasi-factorial randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of an Internet support group and an automated Internet intervention for depression

BACKGROUND Recent projections suggest that by the year 2030 depression will be the primary cause of disease burden among developed countries. Delivery of accessible consumer-focused evidenced-based services may be an important element in reducing this burden. Many consumers report a preference for self-help modes of delivery. The Internet offers a promising modality for delivering such services and there is now evidence that automated professionally developed self-help psychological interventions can be effective. By contrast, despite their popularity, there is little evidence as to the effectiveness of Internet support groups which provide peer-to-peer mutual support. METHODS/DESIGN Members of the community with elevated psychological distress were randomised to receive one of the following: (1) Internet Support Group (ISG) intervention, (2) a multi-module automated psychoeducational and skills Internet Training Program (ITP), (3) a combination of the ISG and ITP, or (4) an Internet Attention Control website (IAC) comprising health and wellbeing information and question and answer modules. Each intervention was 12 weeks long. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, 6 and 12 months to examine depressive symptoms, social support, self-esteem, quality of life, depression literacy, stigma and help-seeking for depression. Participants were recruited through a screening postal survey sent to 70,000 Australians aged 18 to 65 years randomly selected from four rural and four metropolitan regions in Australia. DISCUSSION To our knowledge this study is the first randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of a depression ISG. TRIAL REGISTRATION Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN65657330.This study was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council Project Grant 471435 to KG, HC and AM. KG is supported by NHMRC Fellowship No. 525413 and HC is supported by Fellowship No. 525411

The effectiveness of an online support group for members of the community with depression: a randomised controlled trial

Background: Internet support groups (ISGs) are popular, particularly among people with depression, but there is little high quality evidence concerning their effectiveness. Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an ISG for reducing depressive symptoms among community members when used alone and in combination with an automated Internet-based psychotherapy training program. Method: Volunteers with elevated psychological distress were identified using a community-based screening postal survey. Participants were randomised to one of four 12-week conditions: depression Internet Support Group (ISG), automated depression Internet Training Program (ITP), combination of the two (ITP+ISG), or a control website with delayed access to ecouch at 6 months. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, 6 and 12 months. Results: There was no change in depressive symptoms relative to control after 3 months of exposure to the ISG. However, both the ISG alone and the combined ISG+ITP group showed significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms at 6 and 12 months follow-up than the control group. The ITP program was effective relative to control at post-intervention but not at 6 months. Conclusions: ISGs for depression are promising and warrant further empirical investigation.The trial was funded by a National Health and Medical Research Council Project Grant 471435. KG is supported by NHMRC Fellowship No. 525413 and HC is supported by Fellowship No. 525411. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript