Assessment of Fitness to Practise (FTP) guidelines within clinical psychology training programmes... more Assessment of Fitness to Practise (FTP) guidelines within clinical psychology training programmes requires balancing the individual student’s right to pursue their vocation of interest and the rights of others with whom that person comes in contact, most especially clients. The past decade has seen an international growth in policies related to formal FTP assessment built into clinical training programmes leading to professional qualifications. We draw on data from a large Australian research project on clinical psychology training in Australia. This national survey of 35 clinical psychology programmes explored views from both clinical directors and clinical students. Recommendations on realistic ways to move forward in this area are offered.
Clinical psychology training programs in Australia are under pressure to increase the number of g... more Clinical psychology training programs in Australia are under pressure to increase the number of graduates they produce and to ensure that these graduates meet professional competencies. This Australian Learning and Teaching Council funded project aimed to better align clinical psychology training curriculums to competencies in several key areas: competency assessment, problem-based learning, fitness to practice protocols, e-therapy training models and models of university-based clinic operation, distance (especially rural) training concerns and clinical supervision issues and strategies. The project team has drawn together an advisory board of relevant stakeholders, scoped the relevant empirical literature, surveyed current students and program directors, and is in the process of transferring innovations developed in one university to others across the country. This paper provides a summary of important structural components of the proposal, key process issues, and important outcomes to date, as well as overarching future considerations. Taking clinical psychology postgraduate training into the next decade: Aligning competencies to the curriculum and International Advisory Panel members
Research in Developmental Disabilities, May 1, 2018
is developed and owned by The University of Queensland (UQ). Royalties from the program are also ... more is developed and owned by The University of Queensland (UQ). Royalties from the program are also distributed to the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences at UQ and contributory authors of Triple P programs. Triple P International (TPI) Pty Ltd is a private company licensed by Uniquest, Pty Ltd, a commercialization company of UQ, to publish and disseminate Triple P worldwide. T.G.M. and K.S. are employees of, or hold honorary positions at, the University of Queensland. T.G.M. and K.S., have received, receives, or may in the future receive royalties and/or consultancy fees from TPI. M.J. has no conflicts to declare. Author Contributions T.G.M., M.J. and K.S. conceived of the study; M.J. and T.G.M. curated and analysed the data; T.G.M. and M.J. acquired the funding; M.J. and T.G.M. conducted the research process; M.J. and T.G.M. wrote the original draft; T.G.M., K.S., and M.J. reviewed and edited the manuscript.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Jan 3, 2021
Families often face financial and geographical barriers to services for children with autism. The... more Families often face financial and geographical barriers to services for children with autism. The current study explored the effectiveness of a parent-supported adaptation of the computer game-based social skills program Secret Agent Society (SAS). Seventy child-parent dyads were randomized to SAS (n = 35) or a caregiver-supported cognitive skills training game (CIA-control comparison; n = 35), both completed over 10 weeks. Child participants were on the autism spectrum and aged seven to 12 years (60 boys, 10 girls). SAS participants improved more than CIA participants on parent-rated social skills and problem behaviors and teacher-rated social skills. Findings suggest the intervention may be a convenient, cost-effective therapeutic approach, especially during times of restricted face-to-face service access, such as COVID-19.
This book tackles an area of adolescent behavior that presents a significant challenge for parent... more This book tackles an area of adolescent behavior that presents a significant challenge for parents, teachers, and professionals the world over. Although much has been written on the topic of adolescent suicide, we see continued high rates throughout industrialized nations. The overlap between suicidal behaviors and other forms of serious risk-taking is a relatively new avenue of research and gives insight into the motivations of some adolescents. The cognitive model developed and evaluated in this book provides further insight into the progression from early problems faced by young people to the serious outcomes of suicide and risk-taking. The model allows us to suggest points of intervention for young people and to demonstrate that, although there are overlapping features between suicidal and risk-taking behaviors, attempts to intervene would target different problem areas for suicidal adolescents than for risk-taking adolescents."--BOOK JACKET.
Supporting staff and students on the autism spectrum in tertiary settings: The development of an ... more Supporting staff and students on the autism spectrum in tertiary settings: The development of an interactive website. Full
Evidence, both anecdotal and in the literature, would indicate that there are an increasing numbe... more Evidence, both anecdotal and in the literature, would indicate that there are an increasing numbers of students on the autism spectrum attending tertiary institutions (Fleischer, 2012; VanBergeijk & Cavanaugh, 2012). Students on the autism spectrum who were diagnosed before starting tertiary education will typically have had significant support and scaffolding from family and teachers in high school. These students will be accustomed to this high level of support and may experience difficulties without similar support in the tertiary education environment. Other students may enter tertiary education without a formal diagnosis, however in the less structured tertiary setting their life may break down, leading to an eventual diagnosis. Regardless of their diagnostic history, when students on the autism spectrum transition into tertiary settings (where there are not as many support structures) the transition period can be extremely challenging – not only for the student and their famil...
Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Jul 26, 2016
This study evaluated a parent-delivered social and emotional skills intervention—the Secret Agent... more This study evaluated a parent-delivered social and emotional skills intervention—the Secret Agent Society (SAS) for children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HF-ASD). The study was a pre–post follow-up design with an 8-week baseline period and 6-week follow-up period. Participants were 38 parents and 41 children recruited from regional/rural Queensland and metropolitan Brisbane, Australia. Child participants completed measures of social skills and emotion management, and parents completed measures related to child behavioral problems, parent self-efficacy, child anxiety, and parent emotional distress at pre-intervention, post intervention, and 6-week follow-up. Analyses of outcomes were conducted with a series of repeated-measures MANOVAs and one-way ANOVAs at post intervention and 6-week follow-up. There were significant improvements in child social skills reported by parents with gains maintained at 6-week follow-up with large effect sizes. Parent self-efficacy, child behavior, and child anxiety levels also improved significantly. In addition, outcomes from the SAS self-directed program were compared with the original clinic-based program conducted by Beaumont and Sofronoff. Results indicated greater changes in social skills outcomes in the clinic-based program and no difference between groups on emotional management strategies. The limitations of the study and clinical implications are discussed.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Nov 3, 2006
The purpose of the study described was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural i... more The purpose of the study described was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural intervention for anger management with children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Forty-five children and their parents were randomly assigned to either intervention or wait-list control conditions. Children in the intervention participated in six 2-h weekly sessions while parents participated in a larger parent group. Parent reports indicated a significant decrease in episodes of anger following intervention and a significant increase in their own confidence in managing anger in their child. Qualitative information gathered from parents and teachers indicated some generalization of strategies learned in the clinic setting to both home and school settings. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also discussed.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Dec 14, 2013
The current study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Emotion Regulation and Soci... more The current study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Emotion Regulation and Social Skills Questionnaire (ERSSQ), a rating scale designed specifically to assess the social skills of young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The participants were 84 children and young adolescents with ASD, aged between 7.97 and 14.16 years with a mean IQ score of 90.21 (SD = 18.82). The results provide evidence for the concurrent and criterion validity of the ERSSQ Parent form, and the concurrent validity of the ERSSQ Teacher form. The clinical and theoretical implications are discussed, including the necessity of ratings across multiple contexts and the potential use of the ERSSQ in identifying individuals most in need of intervention and for planning and assessing the outcomes of social skills interventions.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Nov 1, 2005
Interventions.-Within-family tests of association using 2 repeat polymorphisms in the 3' untransl... more Interventions.-Within-family tests of association using 2 repeat polymorphisms in the 3' untranslated region and intron 8 plus additional markers in the English sample. Main Outcome Measures.-Transmission ratios of risk alleles from heterozygote parents to affected offspring and comparison of the transmission ratios in high-and low-exposure groups for the environmental variables. Results.-A novel association was identified between ADHD, the intron 8 polymorphism, and a specific risk haplotype in both English and Taiwanese samples. The risk haplotype showed significant interactions with maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy. Conclusions.-The identification of a common haplotype in 2 independent populations is an important step toward identifying functionally significant regions of DAT1. Interaction between DAT1 genotypes and maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy suggests that DAT1 moderates the environmental risk and has implications for the prevention of ADHD. Further studies are required to delineate the precise causal risk factor involved in this interaction.
Assessment of Fitness to Practise (FTP) guidelines within clinical psychology training programmes... more Assessment of Fitness to Practise (FTP) guidelines within clinical psychology training programmes requires balancing the individual student’s right to pursue their vocation of interest and the rights of others with whom that person comes in contact, most especially clients. The past decade has seen an international growth in policies related to formal FTP assessment built into clinical training programmes leading to professional qualifications. We draw on data from a large Australian research project on clinical psychology training in Australia. This national survey of 35 clinical psychology programmes explored views from both clinical directors and clinical students. Recommendations on realistic ways to move forward in this area are offered.
Clinical psychology training programs in Australia are under pressure to increase the number of g... more Clinical psychology training programs in Australia are under pressure to increase the number of graduates they produce and to ensure that these graduates meet professional competencies. This Australian Learning and Teaching Council funded project aimed to better align clinical psychology training curriculums to competencies in several key areas: competency assessment, problem-based learning, fitness to practice protocols, e-therapy training models and models of university-based clinic operation, distance (especially rural) training concerns and clinical supervision issues and strategies. The project team has drawn together an advisory board of relevant stakeholders, scoped the relevant empirical literature, surveyed current students and program directors, and is in the process of transferring innovations developed in one university to others across the country. This paper provides a summary of important structural components of the proposal, key process issues, and important outcomes to date, as well as overarching future considerations. Taking clinical psychology postgraduate training into the next decade: Aligning competencies to the curriculum and International Advisory Panel members
Research in Developmental Disabilities, May 1, 2018
is developed and owned by The University of Queensland (UQ). Royalties from the program are also ... more is developed and owned by The University of Queensland (UQ). Royalties from the program are also distributed to the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences at UQ and contributory authors of Triple P programs. Triple P International (TPI) Pty Ltd is a private company licensed by Uniquest, Pty Ltd, a commercialization company of UQ, to publish and disseminate Triple P worldwide. T.G.M. and K.S. are employees of, or hold honorary positions at, the University of Queensland. T.G.M. and K.S., have received, receives, or may in the future receive royalties and/or consultancy fees from TPI. M.J. has no conflicts to declare. Author Contributions T.G.M., M.J. and K.S. conceived of the study; M.J. and T.G.M. curated and analysed the data; T.G.M. and M.J. acquired the funding; M.J. and T.G.M. conducted the research process; M.J. and T.G.M. wrote the original draft; T.G.M., K.S., and M.J. reviewed and edited the manuscript.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Jan 3, 2021
Families often face financial and geographical barriers to services for children with autism. The... more Families often face financial and geographical barriers to services for children with autism. The current study explored the effectiveness of a parent-supported adaptation of the computer game-based social skills program Secret Agent Society (SAS). Seventy child-parent dyads were randomized to SAS (n = 35) or a caregiver-supported cognitive skills training game (CIA-control comparison; n = 35), both completed over 10 weeks. Child participants were on the autism spectrum and aged seven to 12 years (60 boys, 10 girls). SAS participants improved more than CIA participants on parent-rated social skills and problem behaviors and teacher-rated social skills. Findings suggest the intervention may be a convenient, cost-effective therapeutic approach, especially during times of restricted face-to-face service access, such as COVID-19.
This book tackles an area of adolescent behavior that presents a significant challenge for parent... more This book tackles an area of adolescent behavior that presents a significant challenge for parents, teachers, and professionals the world over. Although much has been written on the topic of adolescent suicide, we see continued high rates throughout industrialized nations. The overlap between suicidal behaviors and other forms of serious risk-taking is a relatively new avenue of research and gives insight into the motivations of some adolescents. The cognitive model developed and evaluated in this book provides further insight into the progression from early problems faced by young people to the serious outcomes of suicide and risk-taking. The model allows us to suggest points of intervention for young people and to demonstrate that, although there are overlapping features between suicidal and risk-taking behaviors, attempts to intervene would target different problem areas for suicidal adolescents than for risk-taking adolescents."--BOOK JACKET.
Supporting staff and students on the autism spectrum in tertiary settings: The development of an ... more Supporting staff and students on the autism spectrum in tertiary settings: The development of an interactive website. Full
Evidence, both anecdotal and in the literature, would indicate that there are an increasing numbe... more Evidence, both anecdotal and in the literature, would indicate that there are an increasing numbers of students on the autism spectrum attending tertiary institutions (Fleischer, 2012; VanBergeijk & Cavanaugh, 2012). Students on the autism spectrum who were diagnosed before starting tertiary education will typically have had significant support and scaffolding from family and teachers in high school. These students will be accustomed to this high level of support and may experience difficulties without similar support in the tertiary education environment. Other students may enter tertiary education without a formal diagnosis, however in the less structured tertiary setting their life may break down, leading to an eventual diagnosis. Regardless of their diagnostic history, when students on the autism spectrum transition into tertiary settings (where there are not as many support structures) the transition period can be extremely challenging – not only for the student and their famil...
Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Jul 26, 2016
This study evaluated a parent-delivered social and emotional skills intervention—the Secret Agent... more This study evaluated a parent-delivered social and emotional skills intervention—the Secret Agent Society (SAS) for children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HF-ASD). The study was a pre–post follow-up design with an 8-week baseline period and 6-week follow-up period. Participants were 38 parents and 41 children recruited from regional/rural Queensland and metropolitan Brisbane, Australia. Child participants completed measures of social skills and emotion management, and parents completed measures related to child behavioral problems, parent self-efficacy, child anxiety, and parent emotional distress at pre-intervention, post intervention, and 6-week follow-up. Analyses of outcomes were conducted with a series of repeated-measures MANOVAs and one-way ANOVAs at post intervention and 6-week follow-up. There were significant improvements in child social skills reported by parents with gains maintained at 6-week follow-up with large effect sizes. Parent self-efficacy, child behavior, and child anxiety levels also improved significantly. In addition, outcomes from the SAS self-directed program were compared with the original clinic-based program conducted by Beaumont and Sofronoff. Results indicated greater changes in social skills outcomes in the clinic-based program and no difference between groups on emotional management strategies. The limitations of the study and clinical implications are discussed.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Nov 3, 2006
The purpose of the study described was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural i... more The purpose of the study described was to evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural intervention for anger management with children diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Forty-five children and their parents were randomly assigned to either intervention or wait-list control conditions. Children in the intervention participated in six 2-h weekly sessions while parents participated in a larger parent group. Parent reports indicated a significant decrease in episodes of anger following intervention and a significant increase in their own confidence in managing anger in their child. Qualitative information gathered from parents and teachers indicated some generalization of strategies learned in the clinic setting to both home and school settings. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are also discussed.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Dec 14, 2013
The current study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Emotion Regulation and Soci... more The current study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Emotion Regulation and Social Skills Questionnaire (ERSSQ), a rating scale designed specifically to assess the social skills of young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The participants were 84 children and young adolescents with ASD, aged between 7.97 and 14.16 years with a mean IQ score of 90.21 (SD = 18.82). The results provide evidence for the concurrent and criterion validity of the ERSSQ Parent form, and the concurrent validity of the ERSSQ Teacher form. The clinical and theoretical implications are discussed, including the necessity of ratings across multiple contexts and the potential use of the ERSSQ in identifying individuals most in need of intervention and for planning and assessing the outcomes of social skills interventions.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Nov 1, 2005
Interventions.-Within-family tests of association using 2 repeat polymorphisms in the 3' untransl... more Interventions.-Within-family tests of association using 2 repeat polymorphisms in the 3' untranslated region and intron 8 plus additional markers in the English sample. Main Outcome Measures.-Transmission ratios of risk alleles from heterozygote parents to affected offspring and comparison of the transmission ratios in high-and low-exposure groups for the environmental variables. Results.-A novel association was identified between ADHD, the intron 8 polymorphism, and a specific risk haplotype in both English and Taiwanese samples. The risk haplotype showed significant interactions with maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy. Conclusions.-The identification of a common haplotype in 2 independent populations is an important step toward identifying functionally significant regions of DAT1. Interaction between DAT1 genotypes and maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy suggests that DAT1 moderates the environmental risk and has implications for the prevention of ADHD. Further studies are required to delineate the precise causal risk factor involved in this interaction.
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Papers by Kate Sofronoff