Past Projects

Title: The Impact of Huntington's Disease on the Quality of Life of Family Caregivers

Researchers: Aimee Aubeeluck (University of Derby), supervised by Dr. Heather Buchanan

a.aubeeluck@derby.ac.uk

Postal address: Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Derby, Mickleover, Derby, DE3 5GX, United Kingdom.

Project commencement and anticipated completion dates: Project commenced in September 2001 and due for completion in August 2003.

Nature of the project: Thesis research at Doctoral level (Health Psychology)

Brief project description: Huntington's Disease (HD) is a progressive disorder of the brain that causes movement abnormalities, cognitive deterioration and affective disturbances. Symptoms typically begin around the age of 40 and patients become severely demented, motorially dilapidated, unable to care for themselves and eventually bedridden. There is no cure for Huntington's Disease and death occurs on average 15-17 years after onset. Moreover, HD is a genetic condition with each child of an affected person having a 50% chance of inheriting the gene.

Research has established that family caregivers experience considerable emotional distress in dealing with the depression, anxiety, reduced motivation and rapid mood swings of the HD sufferer (e.g. Johannes et al, 1993; Michie et al, 1997). As there is no known cure, increased knowledge on how to maximise carer quality of life is especially important. However, there is no disease specific measure to quantify quality of life experienced by family caregivers living with these unique and distressing symptoms. The aim of my research is to develop and validate a disease specific HD Quality of Life measure which can be applied to therapeutic intervention programmes in order to assess their efficacy on the quality of life of HD family caregivers.

Title: The impact of various forms of insecurity on personal well-being in the Australian population

Researcher(s):Professor Alan Black (Edith Cowan University), Professor Robert A. Cummins (Deakin University), Dr Peter Kaldor ( NCLS Research), Keith Castle (Anglicare NSW), and Rev DR Philip J. Hughes (Christian Research Association)

Period of Grant:2000-2002

Funding Source: SPIRT

Funding: $172,000

Brief project description: This project will examine the characteristics, causes and correlates of various forms of insecurity in contemporary Australian society and will assess the extent to which insecurity impacts negatively on personal well-being. It will examine whether experiences of insecurity are subject to processes of homeostasis comparable to those found to operate in subjective well-being. It will also determine whether, and in what form, insecurity is a major factor in requests for assistance from non-government welfare agencies. The findings will inform the provision of welfare services and provide a basis for recommendations on public policy.

Title: A new direction for Quality of Life: Evaluating the Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale as a measure of satisfaction and depression

Researcher(s): Vanessa Cook, supervised by Professor Robert Cummins (Deakin University)

vlcook@hotmail.com

Postal address: 138 High St Rd, Ashwood, 3147

Project commencement and anticipated completion dates: Sept 2001 to Nov 2002

Nature of the project: Doctoral Thesis

Brief project description: This thesis aims to compare the Comprehensive Quality of Life scale, an Australian QoL measure, with a depression inventory yet to be determined in screening for depression within a general population. Current research indicates that there is a recognised need for a holistic instrument capable of measuring both depression and satisfaction. It is hypothesised that the ComQol scale has the ability to indicate depression within the community as well as indicating the domain or area of life that is linked with the depression in the individual. Therefore, this research has important implications for the treatment of depression in that the ComQol may prove important in planning and evaluating treatment strategies.

Title: Subjective Quality of Life and Perceived Control in Carers of people with mental illness: Pre and post participation in an educational course

Researchers: Rachel Cousins (Deakin University), supervised by Professor Robert Cummins

rlcousin@deakin.edu.au

Postal Address: School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Rd, Burwood 3125.

Completion Date: March 2001

Nature of project: A research collaboration between Schizophrenia Fellowship of Victoria and Deakin University.

Brief project description: This research investigated the subjective quality of life and perceived control of carers of people with mental illness participating in educational courses run by the Schizophrenia Fellowship of Victoria. The research aimed to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate and compare two different educational courses, 'Journey of Hope' and '14 Principles of Coping'. The results of the qualitative analysis showed that carers in both courses found the opportunity to share their experiences with others in similar situations was helpful.

However, more feedback was provided on the helpfulness of information about mental illness by participants in the Journey of Hope course, and more feedback was provided on the helpfulness of techniques for dealing with mental illness by participants in the 14 Principles course. The quantitative analysis showed no differences between the two courses. Pre and post course measures showed that both courses were found to significantly improve carers' knowledge about a range of issues related to mental illness. Furthermore, those carers with low subjective quality of life showed significant improvement in their quality of life following participation in an educational course. No significant changes in perceived control were found pre and post participation in an educational course.

"Subjective Quality of Life and Perceived Control in Carers of people with mental illness: Pre and post participation in an educational course" (Word doc ~ 333K)

Title: Relationships between self-esteem, control and optimism

Researcher: Catherine Croft (Deakin University)

cmcroft@deakin.edu.au

Address: 5/ 266 Neerim Rd, Carnegie 3163

Project timeline: Commencement date-July 2000, Anticipated completion date-November 2001

Nature of project: Thesis research as part of Masters of Arts (Psychology)

Brief project description: Self-esteem, perceived control and optimism are often seen as three interrelated constructs due to each being a positively biased cognition that contributes to a sense of subjective well-being. Surprisingly however, few studies have empirically examined the relationships between these constructs. The current research was designed to assess the validity of the assumption that self-esteem, perceived control and optimism form three distinct well-being constructs. To achieve this end a factor analysis was performed on scale items that were rendered equivalent in terms of Likert scale construction and response mode. Participants consisted of 309 adults aged between 18 and 90 years who were randomly selected from the general population. It was hypothesized that self-esteem, perceived control, and optimism, would form one underlying factor representing a general positive perspective towards life. The results support this hypothesis. Implications of these results for self-esteem, perceived control and optimism measurement and theory will be discussed.

Title: The role of the homeostatic model of subjective well being in individual's participating in a community-based methadone program

Researcher: Rachael Freeland (Deakin University)

rachie_56@hotmail.com

Project commencement and completion dates: The project began in March and completion is anticipated to be October 2001.

Nature of the project: This is thesis research to be conducted for partial completion of Honours.

Brief project description: Three groups will be tested on their level of subjective well-being (SWB), personality characteristics, self-esteem, optimism, and perceived control. There will be, a control group of non-drug users, one group comprising individuals who have been on the methadone program for less than one year (ST), and the other group comprising individuals who have been on the methadone program for more than one year (LT). Essentially, the ST group will be expected to have lower levels of SWB, self-esteem, optimism and control. They are not expected to have adapted to their treatment regime yet, and as such the restricted freedom and control would defeat the homeostatic mechanism regulating SWB, thus reducing the individual's level of SWB. The LT group, are expected to have adapted to their circumstances, and be benefiting from the methadone. Therefore, their levels of SWB should be returning to the set-point range. However, in comparison to non-users, heroin users are reported to be more neurotic. Neuroticism is responsible for delivering negative affect to the system. Subsequently, their set-point range, and resulting level of SWB is expected to be lower than the controls.

Title: Off to a Healthy Start: A longitudinal ethnographic study of health and settlement amongst newly arrived refugee youth

Researchers: Professor Sandy Gifford (Deakin University), DR Ida Kaplan (Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture), and Dr. Daniel Reidpath (Deakin University)

Period of Grant: 2000-2001

Funding Source: Victorian Health promotion Foundation

Funding: $50,000

Brief project description:This is a feasibility study that combines the methods of ethnography and social epidemiology to examine the contexts and processes that promote health and well being amongst newly arrived young refugees. The aim of this study is twofold. (a) To identify the key factors (or social determinants) that assist young people in making a healthy start in their new country. (b) To describe in-depth, the factors, contexts, settings and social processes that support, enhance and facilitate health and well being amongst this dislocated and traumatized population of youth.

Title: The Quality of Life of People with MS and their Partners

Researchers: Kylie King (Deakin University), supervised by Professor Robert Cummins.

kking@deakin.edu.au

Postal Address: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, 3125, Victoria, Australia.

Project commencement and anticipated completion dates: Commenced March 1999, anticipated completion date is end of this year (2001).

Nature of the project: Thesis research for completion of Doctorate of Psychology (Health).

Brief project description: This project explores the validity of a model proposed for the maintenance of subjective quality of life with people with MS, partners of people with MS, and people unaffected by chronic illness. This model proposes that a combination of cognitive variables and processes maintain subjective quality of life in the adaptive range, and that the relative contribution to subjective quality of life varies between subject groups. The project is also interested in a comparison between people with partners and people without partners.

The project explores this model through two linked studies. The main study explores the variables of the proposed model through a self-administered set of questionnaires. As these questionnaires have not before been used with people with MS, the first study assesses the validity and utility of a set of questionnaires for people with MS through a technique called 'photovoice'. Nine people with MS were provided with disposal cameras and asked to take photographs of things that positively and negatively affected their quality of life. These photographs were then used as a starting point for a discussion with the participants about their quality of life. The discussions focused on the factors identified in the photographs and the way in which participants coped with life difficulties. This first study is complete, and the second study is currently underway.

Title: Rating Quality of Life in yound children (3-8 years): evaluating the appropriate presentation and response formats

Postal Address: Room 1.7, department of Psychology, Western Bank, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TP. Office Ph. 0114 2226641

Brief project description: My research is centred on measuring Quality of Life (QoL) in young children (aged 3-8 years). I am interested in establishing a lower age limit for accurate and reliable self-reported QoL in children. Currently, I am examining which methods/formats are most helpful in enabling young children to understand and use self-report measures. I have been working on a variety of different ways to assess children's opinions about their lives. I have developed a storybook that uses child friendly language to ask children about their lives and abilities - Bruce's story. The interview consists of reading the story of Bruce the dog (his life, family, and interests) with each child, and asking them to respond by telling me about their own lives, thoughts and feelings.

I am also developing a self-report QoL measure for use with 3-8 year olds. This measure uses teddy bears and innovative response scales in order to help children understand the items and respond accurately to the questions asked.
http://www.shef.ac.uk/childfamilyresearch/jo.htm

Title: The relationship between primary and secondary control strategies and job satisfaction for people with low and high job control

Researcher: Elise Maher (Deakin University)

elisem@deakin.edu.au

Postal address: School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, 3125, Victoria, Australia

Project commencement and anticipated completion dates: Study 1- Commenced Jan 2000- Dec 2000

Nature of the project: Ph.D Thesis (Study 1)

Brief project description: Within the field of industrial and organisational psychology, job satisfaction is one of the most extensively researched topics. Several theories of job satisfaction have demonstrated that job control is a predictor of job satisfaction. The most widely citied theory of job control is the job demand-control model (Karasek, 1979). This theory postulates that job control buffers the effects of job demands. This theory is criticised however, for its measurement of job control, and its explanation of the buffering effect. In regards to the former, the job control measure confounds job control with skill variety. Although a revised measure of 'instrumental job control' (Ganster, 1989) has been developed, few researchers have examined this scale. In regards to the latter, the model proposes that job control buffers job demands by allowing the employee to redirect the physiological arousal created from job demands into an appropriate response. This explanation is criticised however as it fails to specify how the arousal produced from job demands is 'redirected', and fails to define what is meant by an 'appropriate response'. Hence, we still do not know how an employee with low job control handles a job demand as compared with an employee with high job control.

In response to this, a more detailed explanation of how instrumental job control buffers job demands is developed. This explanation proposes that instrumental job control buffers job demands by influencing the way employees respond to their demands (i.e., primary control strategies or secondary control strategies; Rothbaum, Weisz & Snyder, 1982). Based on the life span theory of control (Heckhausen & Schulz, 1995), it is expected that employees with high instrumental job control will rarely experience primary control failure, and hence will rely little on secondary control strategies. Employees with low instrumental job control however are expected to experience primary control failure more, and need to implement more secondary control strategies to compensate for this failure.

These propositions concerning instrumental job control, primary control strategies, and secondary control strategies, were developed into a theory of job satisfaction, which also examined the influence of personality and quality of life. The model was tested with a low instrumental job control group (i.e., supermarket register operators) and a high instrumental job control group (i.e., academics). Although the two groups did not report different levels of job satisfaction, the academic group reported higher levels of instrumental job control, higher levels of primary control, and lower levels of secondary control, than the supermarket operators. The predictors of job satisfaction were instrumental job control and primary control for the academics, and quality of life and primary control for the supermarket operators. The implications of these findings, both theoretical and practical, are discussed.

References:
Ganster, D.C. (1989). Measurement of worker control. Final Report to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Report no 88-79187.

Heckhausen, J., & Schulz, R. (1995). A life-span theory of control. Psychological Review, 102, 284-304.
Karasek, R. (1979). Job demands, job decision latitude and mental strain: Implications for job design. Administrative Science Quarterly, 24, 285-307.

Rothbaum, F., Weisz, J.R., & Snyder, S.S. (1982). Changing the world and changing the self: A two process model of perceived control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 42, 5-37.

Title: Spirituality and well-being: A comparative study between university and theological college students

Researcher: Wenda McPherson (Deakin University), supervised by Professor Robert Cummins

themacs@web.solutions.net.au

Project Timeline: Commencement date: March 2001, Anticipated completion date: November 2001

Nature of project: Thesis research as part of Honours degree in Psychology

Brief project description: Although the contribution of spirituality to subjective well-being has become a growing area of interest to researchers examining well-being in the human sciences, few studies have empirically examined the relationships between the constructs. The few studies that have considered the relationship have reported contradictory findings with several of the studies concluding that no apparent relationship is evident. The suggestion that personality as a significant predictor of subjective well-being and a major component in the system that maintains subjective well-being is explored. It is proposed that personality may not have been taken into consideration in previous studies and may well be an explanation for the inconsistent findings of the relationship. This cross-sectional study is investigating how well reported levels of spirituality in a population of mainstream university students as compared to a population of theological college students, can predict subjective well-being when the effects of personality are held constant.

Title: Determinants to the employment and retention of people with disabilities in the Western Australian Public Sector

Researcher: Tulip Penney

PenneyT@cbs.curtin.edu.au (until 28 May 2004)

Postal address: IRIC, Curtin Business School, GPO Box U1987, PERTH WA 6845 (until 28 May 2004)

Project commencement and anticipated completion dates: 13 week research project (1 academic semester) started on 2/3/04 and completing on 28 May 2004.

Nature of the project: I have been awarded the Public Sector Fellowship from the three sponsors: Curtin University, Western Australian Department of the Premier and Cabinet and IPAA.

Brief project description: The research project will involve surveys of public sector employers, employees with disabilities in the Western Australian public sector and specialist disability recruitment agencies to identify barriers to the employment and retention of people with disabilities and develop strategies to overcome these challenges.

Title: Quality of life and health: A comparative study on Australian and Croatian people

Researcher: Gorka Vuletic (Deakin University), supervised by Professor Robert Cummins

gvuletic@andrija.snz.hr

Postal address: School of Psychology, Deakin University
221 Burwood Hwy.
Burwood 3125 Victoria/p>

Commencement: April 26th 2001
Anticipated completion:December 2003

Nature of the project: Thesis research - Doctoral

This research was founded by the Australian Government through the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs through Australia-Europe Scholarship and promoted by Australian Education International.

Brief project description: The aim of the research is assessment of the impact of received social support on functional health status and life satisfaction in Croatian emigrants in Australia (Melbourne). To determine their major sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and to discover links between such factors and health. I will be comparing results from Croatian immigrants in Melbourne with normative data for Croatian population. Findings from this research may further our understanding about the factors which impact upon subjective quality of life, particularly for those who experience significant changes in life circumstances as, through immigration.

I will also investigate the subjective quality of life and self perceived health status of students at Deakin University and students in Croatia from the University of Zagreb. The effects of perceived control and social support on subjective quality of life will be compared.

Title: Development of a quality of life scale for dogs

Postal Address:Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre, Atlantic Veterinary College, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A4P3

Brief project description: When animal caregivers are deciding about treatment of a sick animal or about euthanasia, they ask their veterinarian "Is this animal suffering?" The veterinarian's response may be biased by their focus on physical health, by their personality-type and by their social and cultural values. In addition, neither the veterinarian nor the owner may take fully into account the animal's mind and its nature (- its individual make-up, breed and temperament). For these reasons, we need a more systematic and objective method of assisting animals' quality of life (QoL). This research will examine one method: a scale for assessment of the QoL of dogs. We are currently developing the scale and will then examine its validity and reliability.