Andrew Baillie | Macquarie University (original) (raw)

Papers by Andrew Baillie

Past research has revealed a relationship of perfectionism with dysmorphic appearance concern (DA... more Past research has revealed a relationship of perfectionism with dysmorphic appearance concern (DAC). Little research, however, has examined moderators of this relationship, including among men, whose appearance concerns are under-researched compared with women. Emotion regulation is one potential moderator that may be particularly compromised among men. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the role of emotion dysregulation in the relationship of perfectionism with DAC among men. Participants were 106 undergraduate men who completed an online survey that included questions about DAC, difficulties in emotion regulation, perfectionism, and depressive symptoms. Results showed that increased emotional awareness and low impulse control were associated with DAC. Moreover, difficulties in emotion regulation moderated the relationship between perfectionism and DAC. Implications of the present findings are discussed.

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2011

The aim of this study was to report nationally representative data on the prevalence and patterns... more The aim of this study was to report nationally representative data on the prevalence and patterns of 12 month comorbidity of chronic physical conditions (diabetes, asthma, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, arthritis) and DSM-IV affective and anxiety disorders in Australian adults. The 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) was a nationally representative household survey of 8841 Australian adults (16-85 years) assessing symptoms of ICD-10 mental disorders and the presence of chronic physical conditions. Prevalence of at least one National Health Priority Area chronic physical condition was 32.2% (95%CI = 30.9%-33.5%). Among those with chronic physical conditions 21.9% had an affective or anxiety disorder. Affective and anxiety disorders were more common among people with physical conditions than among people without chronic physical conditions (affective OR 1.5; anxiety OR 1.8). Of those with a 12 month affective or anxiety disorder, 45.6% had a chronic physical condition. Physical disorders were more common in those with an affective or anxiety disorder than among people without an affective or anxiety disorder (affective OR 1.6; anxiety OR 2.0). Disability was high in those with an anxiety disorder, an affective disorder and a physical condition and 43.4% were classified as high service users. Comorbidity between chronic physical conditions and affective and anxiety disorders is widespread and is associated with high levels of disability and service use.

Drug and Alcohol Review, 1994

This report presents outlines for approaches to smoking cessation. These recommendations are base... more This report presents outlines for approaches to smoking cessation. These recommendations are based on a meta-analysis of the treatment-outcome literature, a survey of current treatment practices and the views of a panel of experts. Face-to-face intervention to assist smokers to stop smoking needs to be considered in the context of a public policy approach to reducing the prevalence of smoking. The nature of face-to-face interventions is determined by the time available to practitioners. Where there is no time to intervene (e.g. in some primary health care settings) quality self-help materials should be prominently displayed. Where there is only 10 minutes or less, attention should be focused on personalizing the health effects of smoking, providing firm advice to quit, providing self-help material, setting a quit date (if appropriate), identifying social support for cessation and organizing a follow-up visit. If there is more time to intervene (up to one hour) the previous techniques can be expanded on and supplemented with nicotine replacement and discussion of methods for dealing with high-risk situations. Longer interventions would use all of these methods, presenting them in more detail, and may also address stress management and minimization of weight gain.

Australian Psychologist, 2011

... Correspondence: Andrew J Baillie,. *Correspondence: Andrew Baillie, Centre for Emotional Heal... more ... Correspondence: Andrew J Baillie,. *Correspondence: Andrew Baillie, Centre for Emotional Health, Psychology Department, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia. Fax: +61 2 9850 8062; email: andrew.baillie@mq.edu.au. Publication History. ...

The Journal of Sex Research, 2015

Sexual dysfunctions are related to depressive and anxiety disorders, but the nature of these rela... more Sexual dysfunctions are related to depressive and anxiety disorders, but the nature of these relationships remains unclear. This study examined the relationship among symptoms of these disorders over time by comparing (a) a model that included causal relationships, (b) a model that accounted for change over time with a shared underlying factor (or latent liability) among all the disorders, and (c) a model that conceptualized sexual dysfunctions as unrelated to depressive and anxiety disorders over time. Participants (n = 1,012) completed online self-report measures of sexual dysfunctions and depressive and anxiety disorders across six time points at either weekly or monthly intervals. Models 1 and 2 provided equal best fit for men and women based on data collected four weeks apart, but there were no evident causal relationships in Model 1. Subsequent analyses using data collected one week and six months apart found Model 2 provided robust fit for women, but these data were not examined for men due to inadequate sample sizes. The results are consistent with a shared latent liability of internalizing psychopathology driving the change in these disorders over time, which provides a clear direction for an empirically driven nosology and for future research into transdiagnostic treatments.

Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2015

Sexual dysfunctions have not been included in research on the broad structure of psychopathology ... more Sexual dysfunctions have not been included in research on the broad structure of psychopathology to date, despite their high prevalence and impact on quality of life. Preliminary research has shown that they may fit well in an internalizing spectrum, alongside depressive and anxiety disorders. This study compared dimensional and categorical models of the relationships between depression, anxiety, and sexual problems with "hybrid" models (i.e., factor mixture analyses), which combine dimensional and categorical components simultaneously. Participants (n = 1000) were selectively recruited to include a range of symptom levels, and completed a series of self-report measures online. A hybrid model that combined dimensional and categorical components fit best for men and women. Taken together, the results are consistent with a nosology that explicitly recognizes the relationships between the diagnostic chapters of depressive and anxiety disorders and sexual dysfunctions, but still maintains discrete diagnoses, which is compatible with the structure of the DSM-5 and upcoming ICD-11.

The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science, Jan 17, 2015

BackgroundAutism research has previously focused on either identifying a latent dimension or sear... more BackgroundAutism research has previously focused on either identifying a latent dimension or searching for subgroups. Research assessing the concurrently categorical and dimensional nature of autism is needed.AimsTo investigate the latent structure of autism and identify meaningful subgroups in a sample spanning the full spectrum of genetic vulnerability.MethodFactor mixture models were applied to data on empathy, systemising and autistic traits from individuals on the autism spectrum, parents and general population controls.ResultsA two-factor three-class model was identified, with two factors measuring empathy and systemising. Class one had high systemising and low empathy scores and primarily consisted of individuals with autism. Mainly comprising controls and parents, class three displayed high empathy scores and lower systemising scores, and class two showed balanced scores on both measures of systemising and empathy.ConclusionsAutism is best understood as a dimensional constru...

Anxiety, stress, and coping, 2015

The prevalence of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is frequently higher in younger age groups and pe... more The prevalence of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is frequently higher in younger age groups and people with other anxiety or mood disorders; however, it is unclear whether these groups have a higher risk for developing SAD or are simply more likely to endorse diagnostic criteria than other people with similar levels of social anxiety. Explicitly testing the assumption all people respond to structured diagnostic interviews in comparable ways (measurement invariance) is essential in ensuring systematic response biases do not create spurious group differences. This research aims to systematically test whether age, comorbidity status, or types of social fears affect responses to a structured diagnostic interview. Responses from 1755 participants in a large-scale survey of mental health in Australia screening into the social phobia/SAD section of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview were used. Three series of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses for categorical data systema...

Journal of anxiety disorders, 2014

Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental disorders, and is associated with long t... more Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental disorders, and is associated with long term impairment, distress and vulnerability to secondary disorders. Certain types of social fears are more common than others, with public speaking fears typically the most prevalent in epidemiological surveys. The distinction between performance- and interaction-based fears has been the focus of long-standing debate in the literature, with evidence performance-based fears may reflect more mild presentations of social anxiety. This study aims to explicitly test whether different types of social fears differ in underlying social anxiety severity using item response theory techniques. Different types of social fears were assessed using items from three different structured diagnostic interviews in four different epidemiological surveys in the United States (n=2261, n=5411) and Australia (n=1845, n=1497); and ranked using 2-parameter logistic item response theory models. Overall, patterns of...

Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 2014

Molecular Autism, 2014

Background: Empathy is a vital component for social understanding involving the ability to recogn... more Background: Empathy is a vital component for social understanding involving the ability to recognise emotion (cognitive empathy) and provide an appropriate affective response (emotional empathy). Autism spectrum conditions have been described as disorders of empathy. First-degree relatives may show some mild traits of the autism spectrum, the broader autism phenotype (BAP). Whether both cognitive and emotional empathy, rather than cognitive empathy alone, are impaired in autism and the BAP is still under debate. Moreover the association between various aspects of empathy is unclear. This study aims to examine the relationship between different components of empathy across individuals with varying levels of genetic vulnerability to autism.

Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 2014

Preliminary research has suggested that sexual problems should be included in the internalizing s... more Preliminary research has suggested that sexual problems should be included in the internalizing spectrum alongside depressive and anxiety disorders. This study aimed to empirically examine and compare an extended internalizing spectrum model with a categorical framework model implied by the current nosological structure. Responses to an online survey from a community sample (n = 518) were analyzed to compare the fit of six alternative models of the relationship between sexual problems and depressive and anxiety disorders, separately for men and women. The best model for women (n = 336) was a dimensional spectrum model that included sexual arousal, orgasm, and pain difficulties in the internalizing spectrum. The results for men (n = 182) were less clear-cut: there were apparent categorical relationships for a small group (n = 8), and the spectrum model showed a good fit for 96% of the sample. These findings are consistent with a nosology that maintains discrete disorders and diagnostic chapters while recognizing the relationships between them, as in the new structure of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. As such, this study offers further evidence that there are dimensional relationships between sexual problems and depressive and anxiety disorders, which should be explicitly recognized in diagnostic systems.

International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2012

Family-based treatment for anorexia nervosa (FBT) has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of a... more Family-based treatment for anorexia nervosa (FBT) has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) in a number of randomized control trials (RCT). The aim of the current research was to determine whether adherence to the key components of the model as outlined in the treatment manual predict weight gain or dropout. The 59 participants were under 19 years and had AN for less than 3 years. Five core treatment objectives and working alliance were measured across 20 sessions of FBT. The core objectives of parents taking control, being united, not criticizing the patient and externalizing the illness predicted greater weight gain. Sibling support did not predict weight gain. The relationship between therapeutic alliance and weight gain was positive for mothers but negative for fathers. Dropout was predicted by low control and poor maternal-therapeutic alliance. The results of this study lend further support for the efficacy of the FBT, demonstrating that the principles guiding clinical practice are those which lead to weight gain. The finding that parental control is the central predictor of change can also support the development of augmentations to the model.

Impact, Policy, Prevention, Treatment, 2011

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry, Jan 13, 2014

Current and accurate estimates of prevalence, correlates, comorbid concerns and treatment-seeking... more Current and accurate estimates of prevalence, correlates, comorbid concerns and treatment-seeking behaviours associated with disorders are essential for informing policy, clinical practice and research. The most recent snapshot of social anxiety disorder in Australia was published more than a decade ago, with significant changes to the accessibility of mental health treatment services and diagnostic measures occurring during this period. This paper aims to (i) update the understanding of social anxiety disorder, its associations and patterns of treatment-seeking behaviours in the Australian population, and (ii) explore the impact of revised diagnostic criteria detailed in the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) on prevalence estimates. The National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) was conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2007, collecting information from a nationally representative random sample of 8841 Aust...

Background: Alcohol use disorders and social anxiety disorder are common and disabling conditions... more Background: Alcohol use disorders and social anxiety disorder are common and disabling conditions that frequently co-exist. Although there are efficacious treatments for each disorder, only two randomized controlled trials of interventions for these combined problems have been published. We developed a new integrated treatment for comorbid Social Anxiety Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder based on established Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) interventions for the separate disorders. Compared to established MI/CBT for alcohol use disorders this new intervention is hypothesised to lead to greater reductions in symptoms of social anxiety and alcohol use disorder and to produce greater improvements in quality of life. Higher levels of alcohol dependence will result in relatively poorer outcomes for the new integrated treatment. Methods/design: A randomised controlled trial comparing 9 sessions of individual integrated treatment for alcohol and social phobia with 9 sessions of treatment for alcohol use problems alone is proposed. Randomisation will be stratified for stable antidepressant use. Post treatment clinical assessments of alcohol consumption and diagnostic status at 3 and 6 month follow-up will be blind to allocation.

Substance Use & Misuse, 2012

Alcohol, tobacco, prescription drug, and illicit drug use frequently co-occur. This paper reviews... more Alcohol, tobacco, prescription drug, and illicit drug use frequently co-occur. This paper reviews the extent of this co-occurrence in both general population samples and clinical samples, and its impact on treatment outcome. We argue that the research base for understanding comorbidity among tobacco, alcohol, prescription, and illicit drugs needs to be broadened. We specifically advocate for: (1) more epidemiological studies of relationships among alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit drug use; and (2) increased research on treatment options that address the problematic use of all of these drugs.

Psycho-Oncology, 2013

Background: Bodily changes after breast cancer treatment can lead to long-term distress. Self-com... more Background: Bodily changes after breast cancer treatment can lead to long-term distress. Self-compassion, the ability to be kind to oneself, is an internal resource that may enhance a woman's ability to adjust to cancer-related bodily changes. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that self-compassion mediates the relationship between body image and distress, controlling for alternate plausible mediators.

Past research has revealed a relationship of perfectionism with dysmorphic appearance concern (DA... more Past research has revealed a relationship of perfectionism with dysmorphic appearance concern (DAC). Little research, however, has examined moderators of this relationship, including among men, whose appearance concerns are under-researched compared with women. Emotion regulation is one potential moderator that may be particularly compromised among men. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the role of emotion dysregulation in the relationship of perfectionism with DAC among men. Participants were 106 undergraduate men who completed an online survey that included questions about DAC, difficulties in emotion regulation, perfectionism, and depressive symptoms. Results showed that increased emotional awareness and low impulse control were associated with DAC. Moreover, difficulties in emotion regulation moderated the relationship between perfectionism and DAC. Implications of the present findings are discussed.

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2011

The aim of this study was to report nationally representative data on the prevalence and patterns... more The aim of this study was to report nationally representative data on the prevalence and patterns of 12 month comorbidity of chronic physical conditions (diabetes, asthma, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, arthritis) and DSM-IV affective and anxiety disorders in Australian adults. The 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) was a nationally representative household survey of 8841 Australian adults (16-85 years) assessing symptoms of ICD-10 mental disorders and the presence of chronic physical conditions. Prevalence of at least one National Health Priority Area chronic physical condition was 32.2% (95%CI = 30.9%-33.5%). Among those with chronic physical conditions 21.9% had an affective or anxiety disorder. Affective and anxiety disorders were more common among people with physical conditions than among people without chronic physical conditions (affective OR 1.5; anxiety OR 1.8). Of those with a 12 month affective or anxiety disorder, 45.6% had a chronic physical condition. Physical disorders were more common in those with an affective or anxiety disorder than among people without an affective or anxiety disorder (affective OR 1.6; anxiety OR 2.0). Disability was high in those with an anxiety disorder, an affective disorder and a physical condition and 43.4% were classified as high service users. Comorbidity between chronic physical conditions and affective and anxiety disorders is widespread and is associated with high levels of disability and service use.

Drug and Alcohol Review, 1994

This report presents outlines for approaches to smoking cessation. These recommendations are base... more This report presents outlines for approaches to smoking cessation. These recommendations are based on a meta-analysis of the treatment-outcome literature, a survey of current treatment practices and the views of a panel of experts. Face-to-face intervention to assist smokers to stop smoking needs to be considered in the context of a public policy approach to reducing the prevalence of smoking. The nature of face-to-face interventions is determined by the time available to practitioners. Where there is no time to intervene (e.g. in some primary health care settings) quality self-help materials should be prominently displayed. Where there is only 10 minutes or less, attention should be focused on personalizing the health effects of smoking, providing firm advice to quit, providing self-help material, setting a quit date (if appropriate), identifying social support for cessation and organizing a follow-up visit. If there is more time to intervene (up to one hour) the previous techniques can be expanded on and supplemented with nicotine replacement and discussion of methods for dealing with high-risk situations. Longer interventions would use all of these methods, presenting them in more detail, and may also address stress management and minimization of weight gain.

Australian Psychologist, 2011

... Correspondence: Andrew J Baillie,. *Correspondence: Andrew Baillie, Centre for Emotional Heal... more ... Correspondence: Andrew J Baillie,. *Correspondence: Andrew Baillie, Centre for Emotional Health, Psychology Department, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia. Fax: +61 2 9850 8062; email: andrew.baillie@mq.edu.au. Publication History. ...

The Journal of Sex Research, 2015

Sexual dysfunctions are related to depressive and anxiety disorders, but the nature of these rela... more Sexual dysfunctions are related to depressive and anxiety disorders, but the nature of these relationships remains unclear. This study examined the relationship among symptoms of these disorders over time by comparing (a) a model that included causal relationships, (b) a model that accounted for change over time with a shared underlying factor (or latent liability) among all the disorders, and (c) a model that conceptualized sexual dysfunctions as unrelated to depressive and anxiety disorders over time. Participants (n = 1,012) completed online self-report measures of sexual dysfunctions and depressive and anxiety disorders across six time points at either weekly or monthly intervals. Models 1 and 2 provided equal best fit for men and women based on data collected four weeks apart, but there were no evident causal relationships in Model 1. Subsequent analyses using data collected one week and six months apart found Model 2 provided robust fit for women, but these data were not examined for men due to inadequate sample sizes. The results are consistent with a shared latent liability of internalizing psychopathology driving the change in these disorders over time, which provides a clear direction for an empirically driven nosology and for future research into transdiagnostic treatments.

Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2015

Sexual dysfunctions have not been included in research on the broad structure of psychopathology ... more Sexual dysfunctions have not been included in research on the broad structure of psychopathology to date, despite their high prevalence and impact on quality of life. Preliminary research has shown that they may fit well in an internalizing spectrum, alongside depressive and anxiety disorders. This study compared dimensional and categorical models of the relationships between depression, anxiety, and sexual problems with "hybrid" models (i.e., factor mixture analyses), which combine dimensional and categorical components simultaneously. Participants (n = 1000) were selectively recruited to include a range of symptom levels, and completed a series of self-report measures online. A hybrid model that combined dimensional and categorical components fit best for men and women. Taken together, the results are consistent with a nosology that explicitly recognizes the relationships between the diagnostic chapters of depressive and anxiety disorders and sexual dysfunctions, but still maintains discrete diagnoses, which is compatible with the structure of the DSM-5 and upcoming ICD-11.

The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science, Jan 17, 2015

BackgroundAutism research has previously focused on either identifying a latent dimension or sear... more BackgroundAutism research has previously focused on either identifying a latent dimension or searching for subgroups. Research assessing the concurrently categorical and dimensional nature of autism is needed.AimsTo investigate the latent structure of autism and identify meaningful subgroups in a sample spanning the full spectrum of genetic vulnerability.MethodFactor mixture models were applied to data on empathy, systemising and autistic traits from individuals on the autism spectrum, parents and general population controls.ResultsA two-factor three-class model was identified, with two factors measuring empathy and systemising. Class one had high systemising and low empathy scores and primarily consisted of individuals with autism. Mainly comprising controls and parents, class three displayed high empathy scores and lower systemising scores, and class two showed balanced scores on both measures of systemising and empathy.ConclusionsAutism is best understood as a dimensional constru...

Anxiety, stress, and coping, 2015

The prevalence of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is frequently higher in younger age groups and pe... more The prevalence of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is frequently higher in younger age groups and people with other anxiety or mood disorders; however, it is unclear whether these groups have a higher risk for developing SAD or are simply more likely to endorse diagnostic criteria than other people with similar levels of social anxiety. Explicitly testing the assumption all people respond to structured diagnostic interviews in comparable ways (measurement invariance) is essential in ensuring systematic response biases do not create spurious group differences. This research aims to systematically test whether age, comorbidity status, or types of social fears affect responses to a structured diagnostic interview. Responses from 1755 participants in a large-scale survey of mental health in Australia screening into the social phobia/SAD section of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview were used. Three series of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses for categorical data systema...

Journal of anxiety disorders, 2014

Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental disorders, and is associated with long t... more Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental disorders, and is associated with long term impairment, distress and vulnerability to secondary disorders. Certain types of social fears are more common than others, with public speaking fears typically the most prevalent in epidemiological surveys. The distinction between performance- and interaction-based fears has been the focus of long-standing debate in the literature, with evidence performance-based fears may reflect more mild presentations of social anxiety. This study aims to explicitly test whether different types of social fears differ in underlying social anxiety severity using item response theory techniques. Different types of social fears were assessed using items from three different structured diagnostic interviews in four different epidemiological surveys in the United States (n=2261, n=5411) and Australia (n=1845, n=1497); and ranked using 2-parameter logistic item response theory models. Overall, patterns of...

Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 2014

Molecular Autism, 2014

Background: Empathy is a vital component for social understanding involving the ability to recogn... more Background: Empathy is a vital component for social understanding involving the ability to recognise emotion (cognitive empathy) and provide an appropriate affective response (emotional empathy). Autism spectrum conditions have been described as disorders of empathy. First-degree relatives may show some mild traits of the autism spectrum, the broader autism phenotype (BAP). Whether both cognitive and emotional empathy, rather than cognitive empathy alone, are impaired in autism and the BAP is still under debate. Moreover the association between various aspects of empathy is unclear. This study aims to examine the relationship between different components of empathy across individuals with varying levels of genetic vulnerability to autism.

Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 2014

Preliminary research has suggested that sexual problems should be included in the internalizing s... more Preliminary research has suggested that sexual problems should be included in the internalizing spectrum alongside depressive and anxiety disorders. This study aimed to empirically examine and compare an extended internalizing spectrum model with a categorical framework model implied by the current nosological structure. Responses to an online survey from a community sample (n = 518) were analyzed to compare the fit of six alternative models of the relationship between sexual problems and depressive and anxiety disorders, separately for men and women. The best model for women (n = 336) was a dimensional spectrum model that included sexual arousal, orgasm, and pain difficulties in the internalizing spectrum. The results for men (n = 182) were less clear-cut: there were apparent categorical relationships for a small group (n = 8), and the spectrum model showed a good fit for 96% of the sample. These findings are consistent with a nosology that maintains discrete disorders and diagnostic chapters while recognizing the relationships between them, as in the new structure of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. As such, this study offers further evidence that there are dimensional relationships between sexual problems and depressive and anxiety disorders, which should be explicitly recognized in diagnostic systems.

International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2012

Family-based treatment for anorexia nervosa (FBT) has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of a... more Family-based treatment for anorexia nervosa (FBT) has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) in a number of randomized control trials (RCT). The aim of the current research was to determine whether adherence to the key components of the model as outlined in the treatment manual predict weight gain or dropout. The 59 participants were under 19 years and had AN for less than 3 years. Five core treatment objectives and working alliance were measured across 20 sessions of FBT. The core objectives of parents taking control, being united, not criticizing the patient and externalizing the illness predicted greater weight gain. Sibling support did not predict weight gain. The relationship between therapeutic alliance and weight gain was positive for mothers but negative for fathers. Dropout was predicted by low control and poor maternal-therapeutic alliance. The results of this study lend further support for the efficacy of the FBT, demonstrating that the principles guiding clinical practice are those which lead to weight gain. The finding that parental control is the central predictor of change can also support the development of augmentations to the model.

Impact, Policy, Prevention, Treatment, 2011

The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry, Jan 13, 2014

Current and accurate estimates of prevalence, correlates, comorbid concerns and treatment-seeking... more Current and accurate estimates of prevalence, correlates, comorbid concerns and treatment-seeking behaviours associated with disorders are essential for informing policy, clinical practice and research. The most recent snapshot of social anxiety disorder in Australia was published more than a decade ago, with significant changes to the accessibility of mental health treatment services and diagnostic measures occurring during this period. This paper aims to (i) update the understanding of social anxiety disorder, its associations and patterns of treatment-seeking behaviours in the Australian population, and (ii) explore the impact of revised diagnostic criteria detailed in the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) on prevalence estimates. The National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) was conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2007, collecting information from a nationally representative random sample of 8841 Aust...

Background: Alcohol use disorders and social anxiety disorder are common and disabling conditions... more Background: Alcohol use disorders and social anxiety disorder are common and disabling conditions that frequently co-exist. Although there are efficacious treatments for each disorder, only two randomized controlled trials of interventions for these combined problems have been published. We developed a new integrated treatment for comorbid Social Anxiety Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder based on established Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) interventions for the separate disorders. Compared to established MI/CBT for alcohol use disorders this new intervention is hypothesised to lead to greater reductions in symptoms of social anxiety and alcohol use disorder and to produce greater improvements in quality of life. Higher levels of alcohol dependence will result in relatively poorer outcomes for the new integrated treatment. Methods/design: A randomised controlled trial comparing 9 sessions of individual integrated treatment for alcohol and social phobia with 9 sessions of treatment for alcohol use problems alone is proposed. Randomisation will be stratified for stable antidepressant use. Post treatment clinical assessments of alcohol consumption and diagnostic status at 3 and 6 month follow-up will be blind to allocation.

Substance Use & Misuse, 2012

Alcohol, tobacco, prescription drug, and illicit drug use frequently co-occur. This paper reviews... more Alcohol, tobacco, prescription drug, and illicit drug use frequently co-occur. This paper reviews the extent of this co-occurrence in both general population samples and clinical samples, and its impact on treatment outcome. We argue that the research base for understanding comorbidity among tobacco, alcohol, prescription, and illicit drugs needs to be broadened. We specifically advocate for: (1) more epidemiological studies of relationships among alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit drug use; and (2) increased research on treatment options that address the problematic use of all of these drugs.

Psycho-Oncology, 2013

Background: Bodily changes after breast cancer treatment can lead to long-term distress. Self-com... more Background: Bodily changes after breast cancer treatment can lead to long-term distress. Self-compassion, the ability to be kind to oneself, is an internal resource that may enhance a woman's ability to adjust to cancer-related bodily changes. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that self-compassion mediates the relationship between body image and distress, controlling for alternate plausible mediators.