This retrospective study explores, through quantitative and qualitative methods, the relationship... more This retrospective study explores, through quantitative and qualitative methods, the relationship of two variables (perpetrator relationship and perpetrator methodology) to posttraumatic and dissociative symptomatology. The quantitative sample comprised a nonpsychiatric group (N = 39) of Australian adults reporting sexual abuse histories. A MANOVA revealed that current levels of posttraumatic and dissociative symptomatology were significantly higher in the group reporting sexual abuse by a perpetrator in a relationship of trust, guardianship, or authority. The qualitative sample comprised a purposively selected subgroup of the quantitative sample (n = 20). Thematic content analyses of perpetrator methodology suggest that perpetrator strategies involving emotional manipulation, rather than the perpetrator relationship per se, appear to differentiate between groups with clinical or nonclinical levels of post traumatic and dissociative symptomatology. The combination of qualitative and quantitative methods provides integrated, contextualized data with implications for future research and clinical practice.
In Hong Kong, counseling psychology is a psychological specialisation that is in a formative stag... more In Hong Kong, counseling psychology is a psychological specialisation that is in a formative stage of development. For decades, the field of mental health in Hong Kong has been occupied by social workers, clinical and educational psychologists, and there is not much ...
This paper presents a secondary analysis of supporting documents from the UN Study on Violence ag... more This paper presents a secondary analysis of supporting documents from the UN Study on Violence against Children. The purpose of the analysis is to identify sport-related material in the documents and gaps in research knowledge about the role of sport in both preventing and facilitating violence against children. This is a complementary document to the IRC study "Protecting Children from Violence in Sport: A review with a focus on industrialized countries" (forthcoming in 2010), developed by the same research team. Discussion Papers are signed pieces by researchers on current topics of relevance to children"s rights and social policies. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policies or the views of the United Nations Children"s Fund (UNICEF).
Narrative therapy is a form of therapeutic intervention underpinned by a philosophy of language p... more Narrative therapy is a form of therapeutic intervention underpinned by a philosophy of language proposing that meaning is socially constructed through language. Power relations and social and personal contexts are understood as central to the construction of meaning. Narrative therapy represents an approach to therapeutic practice that assumes that people experience problems in their lives when the dominant stories, which they or others have constructed of their lives, do not sufficiently represent their lived experience. In this article we provide an exposition of narrative therapy, its philosophical influences and key processes. We demonstrate key tenets in action via a psychoeducational intervention attempting to facilitate positive body image with a team of 15 elite young women athletes. Anonymous, written, evaluative feedback of the seven-session program suggests a generally positive outcome. Narrative therapy can be a useful addition to the repertoire of clinical skills of spo...
dynamometer, waUdng, and running. Once calibrated, the model was then used to predict flexion/ext... more dynamometer, waUdng, and running. Once calibrated, the model was then used to predict flexion/extension moments for over 200 running and sidestepping tasks without any further optimisation. To validate the model, predicted flexion/extension moments were compared to those measured via inverse dynamics using a Vicon motion analysis system (Oxford Metrics). The model was able to accurately predict the flexion/extension joint moments with an average i-2 of 0.91 ((8 Nm or-8% error). This was considered exceptional considering the nature of the dynamic tasks and range of joint moments measured. Using a single calibration, the model was also able to predict joint moments for individuals across different weeks, which gives us confidence in the accuracy of the muscle model parameters. The load placed on soft tissues in vivo was determined by comparing the varus/valgus muscle moments of the model with varus/valgus external moments measured via inverse dynamics. The model is currently being used to investigate the load shining properties of muscles and soft tissues in an effort to reduce knee ligament injuries. The model ~ also be used as a clinical tool to estimate joint articular loads to better understand mechanisms of certain pathologies including osteoarthritis. We would like to acknowledge Drs. Thomas Buchanan and Roger GonzaIez for their input and Musculographics Inc. for the use of S1MM.
In Hong Kong, counseling psychology is a psychological specialisation that is in a formative stag... more In Hong Kong, counseling psychology is a psychological specialisation that is in a formative stage of development. For decades, the field of mental health in Hong Kong has been occupied by social workers, clinical and educational psychologists, and there is not much ...
International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2008
... TRISHA LEAHY1, GRACE PRETTY2, AND GERSHON TENENBAUM3 ... with those researchers who emphasize... more ... TRISHA LEAHY1, GRACE PRETTY2, AND GERSHON TENENBAUM3 ... with those researchers who emphasize the impor-tance of sex-disaggregated analyses, rather than simply entering sex as a categorical variable into any analysis (Horowitz, Widom, McLaughlin, & White ...
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2003
Understanding the complex dynamics involved in sexual abuse trauma is of central importance to cl... more Understanding the complex dynamics involved in sexual abuse trauma is of central importance to clinicians working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. In this study 20 volunteer participants formed 2 gender-balanced groups differentiated by clinical (vs. nonclinical) levels of distress. A negative case analysis revealed group differences in participants' perceptions of the impact of the abuse, meaning attributions for the abuse, and social support experiences. Resolving traumatic attachment to the perpetrator may be the core therapeutic task complicating the process of reclaiming trust, expressing grief and anger, and developing empowered meaning attributions. Successful negotiation of the complex pathways to recovery requires a therapeutic environment free from countertransferential errors.
This retrospective study explores, through quantitative and qualitative methods, the relationship... more This retrospective study explores, through quantitative and qualitative methods, the relationship of two variables (perpetrator relationship and perpetrator methodology) to posttraumatic and dissociative symptomatology. The quantitative sample comprised a nonpsychiatric group (N = 39) of Australian adults reporting sexual abuse histories. A MANOVA revealed that current levels of posttraumatic and dissociative symptomatology were significantly higher in the group reporting sexual abuse by a perpetrator in a relationship of trust, guardianship, or authority. The qualitative sample comprised a purposively selected subgroup of the quantitative sample (n = 20). Thematic content analyses of perpetrator methodology suggest that perpetrator strategies involving emotional manipulation, rather than the perpetrator relationship per se, appear to differentiate between groups with clinical or nonclinical levels of post traumatic and dissociative symptomatology. The combination of qualitative and...
Challenging environmental conditions, including heat and humidity, cold, and altitude, pose parti... more Challenging environmental conditions, including heat and humidity, cold, and altitude, pose particular risks to the health of Olympic and other high-level athletes. As a further commitment to athlete safety, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical Commission convened a panel of experts to review the scientifi c evidence base, reach consensus, and underscore practical safety guidelines and new research priorities regarding the unique environmental challenges Olympic and other international-level athletes face. For non-aquatic events, external thermal load is dependent on ambient temperature, humidity, wind speed and solar radiation, while clothing and protective gear can measurably increase thermal strain and prompt premature fatigue. In swimmers, body heat loss is the direct result of convection at a rate that is proportional to the effective water velocity around the swimmer and the temperature difference between the skin and the water. Other cold exposure and conditions, such as during Alpine skiing, biathlon and other sliding sports, facilitate body heat transfer to the environment, potentially leading to hypothermia and/ or frostbite; although metabolic heat production during these activities usually increases well above the rate of body heat loss, and protective clothing and limited exposure time in certain events reduces these clinical risks as well. Most athletic events are held at altitudes that pose little to no health risks; and training exposures are typically brief and well-tolerated. While these and other environment-related threats to performance and safety can be lessened or averted by implementing a variety of individual and event preventative measures, more research and evidence-based guidelines and recommendations are needed. In the mean time, the IOC Medical Commission and International Sport Federations have implemented new guidelines and taken additional steps to mitigate risk even further.
International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2008
During the past few years, the occurrence of sexual harassment and abuse in sport has been system... more During the past few years, the occurrence of sexual harassment and abuse in sport has been systematically documented by researchers in a number of countries in Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States. Many of the leading researchers in this area are represented in this special issue of the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, which provides an overview of international research, practice, and policy in the area. At the highest level of elite sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recently issued a Consensus Statement regarding sexual harassment and abuse in sport (see p. 442 in this issue). The IOC has stated that its aim is to improve the health and protection of all athletes through the promotion of effective preventative policy and to increase awareness of these problems among the athlete’s entourage. UNICEF has now taken up the issue under its mandate, defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, of preventing violence against children, whom it defines as those under the age of 18. Both human rights frameworks and the scientific biopsychosocial paradigm are being brought to bear in the development of preventative policy and practice. Many of our international elite sports’ support systems are underpinned by this biopsychosocial model with centralized, integrated support systems targeting all aspects of athletes’ medical and physiological, psychological, and social support needs. However, when it comes to the “psychological” element of the model in relation to abuse and harassment in sport, contributions from within the sport psychology literature on research and practice have been noticeably absent. The sport psychologist, as part of the biopsychosocial, multi-disciplinary support system, is in a key position to monitor the maintenance of a psychologically, physically, and sexually safe sporting environment for athletes. Sport psychologists, because of their close involvement with the team, are often the first point of contact for athletes in distress, and therefore, need to be aware of the potential for these forms of harm and the relevant social policy and procedures for reporting and referring. Our goal with this special issue is to provide a platform to generate impetus for the engagement of the sport psychology profession in identifying, intervening, and acting to prevent the sexual exploitation of athletes in sport systems. The articles in this edition represent a number of different approaches to the issue with multi-disciplinary perspectives ranging from sociological analysis to clinical assessment. What unites them is the unanimous call for multi-disciplinary engagement of all
This retrospective study explores, through quantitative and qualitative methods, the relationship... more This retrospective study explores, through quantitative and qualitative methods, the relationship of two variables (perpetrator relationship and perpetrator methodology) to posttraumatic and dissociative symptomatology. The quantitative sample comprised a nonpsychiatric group (N = 39) of Australian adults reporting sexual abuse histories. A MANOVA revealed that current levels of posttraumatic and dissociative symptomatology were significantly higher in the group reporting sexual abuse by a perpetrator in a relationship of trust, guardianship, or authority. The qualitative sample comprised a purposively selected subgroup of the quantitative sample (n = 20). Thematic content analyses of perpetrator methodology suggest that perpetrator strategies involving emotional manipulation, rather than the perpetrator relationship per se, appear to differentiate between groups with clinical or nonclinical levels of post traumatic and dissociative symptomatology. The combination of qualitative and quantitative methods provides integrated, contextualized data with implications for future research and clinical practice.
In Hong Kong, counseling psychology is a psychological specialisation that is in a formative stag... more In Hong Kong, counseling psychology is a psychological specialisation that is in a formative stage of development. For decades, the field of mental health in Hong Kong has been occupied by social workers, clinical and educational psychologists, and there is not much ...
This paper presents a secondary analysis of supporting documents from the UN Study on Violence ag... more This paper presents a secondary analysis of supporting documents from the UN Study on Violence against Children. The purpose of the analysis is to identify sport-related material in the documents and gaps in research knowledge about the role of sport in both preventing and facilitating violence against children. This is a complementary document to the IRC study "Protecting Children from Violence in Sport: A review with a focus on industrialized countries" (forthcoming in 2010), developed by the same research team. Discussion Papers are signed pieces by researchers on current topics of relevance to children"s rights and social policies. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policies or the views of the United Nations Children"s Fund (UNICEF).
Narrative therapy is a form of therapeutic intervention underpinned by a philosophy of language p... more Narrative therapy is a form of therapeutic intervention underpinned by a philosophy of language proposing that meaning is socially constructed through language. Power relations and social and personal contexts are understood as central to the construction of meaning. Narrative therapy represents an approach to therapeutic practice that assumes that people experience problems in their lives when the dominant stories, which they or others have constructed of their lives, do not sufficiently represent their lived experience. In this article we provide an exposition of narrative therapy, its philosophical influences and key processes. We demonstrate key tenets in action via a psychoeducational intervention attempting to facilitate positive body image with a team of 15 elite young women athletes. Anonymous, written, evaluative feedback of the seven-session program suggests a generally positive outcome. Narrative therapy can be a useful addition to the repertoire of clinical skills of spo...
dynamometer, waUdng, and running. Once calibrated, the model was then used to predict flexion/ext... more dynamometer, waUdng, and running. Once calibrated, the model was then used to predict flexion/extension moments for over 200 running and sidestepping tasks without any further optimisation. To validate the model, predicted flexion/extension moments were compared to those measured via inverse dynamics using a Vicon motion analysis system (Oxford Metrics). The model was able to accurately predict the flexion/extension joint moments with an average i-2 of 0.91 ((8 Nm or-8% error). This was considered exceptional considering the nature of the dynamic tasks and range of joint moments measured. Using a single calibration, the model was also able to predict joint moments for individuals across different weeks, which gives us confidence in the accuracy of the muscle model parameters. The load placed on soft tissues in vivo was determined by comparing the varus/valgus muscle moments of the model with varus/valgus external moments measured via inverse dynamics. The model is currently being used to investigate the load shining properties of muscles and soft tissues in an effort to reduce knee ligament injuries. The model ~ also be used as a clinical tool to estimate joint articular loads to better understand mechanisms of certain pathologies including osteoarthritis. We would like to acknowledge Drs. Thomas Buchanan and Roger GonzaIez for their input and Musculographics Inc. for the use of S1MM.
In Hong Kong, counseling psychology is a psychological specialisation that is in a formative stag... more In Hong Kong, counseling psychology is a psychological specialisation that is in a formative stage of development. For decades, the field of mental health in Hong Kong has been occupied by social workers, clinical and educational psychologists, and there is not much ...
International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2008
... TRISHA LEAHY1, GRACE PRETTY2, AND GERSHON TENENBAUM3 ... with those researchers who emphasize... more ... TRISHA LEAHY1, GRACE PRETTY2, AND GERSHON TENENBAUM3 ... with those researchers who emphasize the impor-tance of sex-disaggregated analyses, rather than simply entering sex as a categorical variable into any analysis (Horowitz, Widom, McLaughlin, & White ...
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2003
Understanding the complex dynamics involved in sexual abuse trauma is of central importance to cl... more Understanding the complex dynamics involved in sexual abuse trauma is of central importance to clinicians working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. In this study 20 volunteer participants formed 2 gender-balanced groups differentiated by clinical (vs. nonclinical) levels of distress. A negative case analysis revealed group differences in participants' perceptions of the impact of the abuse, meaning attributions for the abuse, and social support experiences. Resolving traumatic attachment to the perpetrator may be the core therapeutic task complicating the process of reclaiming trust, expressing grief and anger, and developing empowered meaning attributions. Successful negotiation of the complex pathways to recovery requires a therapeutic environment free from countertransferential errors.
This retrospective study explores, through quantitative and qualitative methods, the relationship... more This retrospective study explores, through quantitative and qualitative methods, the relationship of two variables (perpetrator relationship and perpetrator methodology) to posttraumatic and dissociative symptomatology. The quantitative sample comprised a nonpsychiatric group (N = 39) of Australian adults reporting sexual abuse histories. A MANOVA revealed that current levels of posttraumatic and dissociative symptomatology were significantly higher in the group reporting sexual abuse by a perpetrator in a relationship of trust, guardianship, or authority. The qualitative sample comprised a purposively selected subgroup of the quantitative sample (n = 20). Thematic content analyses of perpetrator methodology suggest that perpetrator strategies involving emotional manipulation, rather than the perpetrator relationship per se, appear to differentiate between groups with clinical or nonclinical levels of post traumatic and dissociative symptomatology. The combination of qualitative and...
Challenging environmental conditions, including heat and humidity, cold, and altitude, pose parti... more Challenging environmental conditions, including heat and humidity, cold, and altitude, pose particular risks to the health of Olympic and other high-level athletes. As a further commitment to athlete safety, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Medical Commission convened a panel of experts to review the scientifi c evidence base, reach consensus, and underscore practical safety guidelines and new research priorities regarding the unique environmental challenges Olympic and other international-level athletes face. For non-aquatic events, external thermal load is dependent on ambient temperature, humidity, wind speed and solar radiation, while clothing and protective gear can measurably increase thermal strain and prompt premature fatigue. In swimmers, body heat loss is the direct result of convection at a rate that is proportional to the effective water velocity around the swimmer and the temperature difference between the skin and the water. Other cold exposure and conditions, such as during Alpine skiing, biathlon and other sliding sports, facilitate body heat transfer to the environment, potentially leading to hypothermia and/ or frostbite; although metabolic heat production during these activities usually increases well above the rate of body heat loss, and protective clothing and limited exposure time in certain events reduces these clinical risks as well. Most athletic events are held at altitudes that pose little to no health risks; and training exposures are typically brief and well-tolerated. While these and other environment-related threats to performance and safety can be lessened or averted by implementing a variety of individual and event preventative measures, more research and evidence-based guidelines and recommendations are needed. In the mean time, the IOC Medical Commission and International Sport Federations have implemented new guidelines and taken additional steps to mitigate risk even further.
International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2008
During the past few years, the occurrence of sexual harassment and abuse in sport has been system... more During the past few years, the occurrence of sexual harassment and abuse in sport has been systematically documented by researchers in a number of countries in Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States. Many of the leading researchers in this area are represented in this special issue of the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, which provides an overview of international research, practice, and policy in the area. At the highest level of elite sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recently issued a Consensus Statement regarding sexual harassment and abuse in sport (see p. 442 in this issue). The IOC has stated that its aim is to improve the health and protection of all athletes through the promotion of effective preventative policy and to increase awareness of these problems among the athlete’s entourage. UNICEF has now taken up the issue under its mandate, defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, of preventing violence against children, whom it defines as those under the age of 18. Both human rights frameworks and the scientific biopsychosocial paradigm are being brought to bear in the development of preventative policy and practice. Many of our international elite sports’ support systems are underpinned by this biopsychosocial model with centralized, integrated support systems targeting all aspects of athletes’ medical and physiological, psychological, and social support needs. However, when it comes to the “psychological” element of the model in relation to abuse and harassment in sport, contributions from within the sport psychology literature on research and practice have been noticeably absent. The sport psychologist, as part of the biopsychosocial, multi-disciplinary support system, is in a key position to monitor the maintenance of a psychologically, physically, and sexually safe sporting environment for athletes. Sport psychologists, because of their close involvement with the team, are often the first point of contact for athletes in distress, and therefore, need to be aware of the potential for these forms of harm and the relevant social policy and procedures for reporting and referring. Our goal with this special issue is to provide a platform to generate impetus for the engagement of the sport psychology profession in identifying, intervening, and acting to prevent the sexual exploitation of athletes in sport systems. The articles in this edition represent a number of different approaches to the issue with multi-disciplinary perspectives ranging from sociological analysis to clinical assessment. What unites them is the unanimous call for multi-disciplinary engagement of all
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