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Introduction and purpose: Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric condition following an extreme event that causes a near death of an involved individual. Since conventional treatments using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors do not consistently yield therapeutic success, alternative substances are being explored as potential solutions. This study aims to compile information regarding the outcomes of utilizing psychedelics in individuals diagnosed with PTSD. Brief description of the state of knowledge: In July 2023, after a number of clinical trials and 20-year-long efforts to overturn the impact of a prohibition, Australia became the first country to allow doctors, in clinical development and under strict control, to use the 3,4-methyl enedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) commonly known as ecstasy, as well as psylocybin in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder or depression [1]. There is a noticeable annual growth of inquiries on PubMed involving the keywords "psychedelics" and "therapeutic", amounting to 92 in 2000 and topped by 738 searches in 2023, whereas the total number of results consists of 8415 positions. Therapeutic effects of psychedelics are becoming more recognized over time. Summary: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex condition that affects both the psychological and somatic aspects of the body. Thus, a multidimensional intervention is indicated. The use of psychedelics might contribute to improvements not only in the severity of PTSD but also in depression or pain. Further research on a larger group of participants should be carried out to assess the potential role of psychedelics in conventional medicine in the future, alongside psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development and initial chaplaincy user evaluation of 'Pastoral Narrative Disclosure' (PND) as a rehabilitation strategy developed for chaplains to address moral injury among veterans. PND is an empirically informed and integrated intervention comprising eight stages of pastoral counselling, guidance and education that was developed by combining two previously existing therapeutic techniques, namely Litz et al's (2017) 'Adaptive Disclosure' and 'Confessional Practice' (Joob & Kettunen, 2013). The development and results of PND can be categorized into five phases. Phase 1: PND Strategy Formation—based upon extensive international research demonstrating that MI is a complex bio-psycho-social-spiritual syndrome with symptoms sufficiently distinct from post-traumatic stress disorder. The review also provided evidence of the importance of chaplains being involved in moral injury rehabilitation. Phase II: Development and Implementation of 'Moral Injury Skills Training' (MIST)—which involved the majority of available Australian Defence Force (ADF) Chaplains (n = 242/255: 94.9%) completing a basic 'Introduction to Moral Injury' (MIST-1) as well as an 'Introduction to PND' (MIST-2). Phase III: MIST-3-PND-Pilot evaluation—involved a representative chaplaincy cohort (n = 13) undergoing the PND eight-stage strategy to ensure the integrity and quality of PND from a chaplaincy perspective prior to wider implementation. The pilot PND evaluation indicated a favourable satisfaction rating (n = 11/13: 84.6%; M = 4.73/5.0 satisfaction). Phase IV: MIST-3-PND Implementation—involved a larger cohort of ADF Chaplaincy participants (n = 210) completing a revised and finalized PND strategy which was regarded favourably by the majority of ADF Chaplains (n = 201/210: 95.7%; M = 4.73/5.0 satisfaction). Phase V: Summation. In conclusion the positive satisfaction ratings by a significant number of ADF chaplaincy personnel completing MIST-3-PND, provided evidence that chaplains evaluated PND as a suitable counselling, guidance and education strategy, which affirmed its utilisation and justifies further research for using PND to address MI among veterans, that may also prove valuable for other chaplains working in community health and first responder contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Psychotraumatology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterised by a range of symptoms including acute stress, flashbacks and avoidance of situations that trigger trauma. Women from Arabic-speaking backgrounds have been shown to have a higher likelihood of developing PTSD due to life stressors experienced. This paper aimed to provide an overview of the experiences and social circumstances of Arab women experiencing PTSD in Australia. Family, gender roles, religion, mental health stigma, trauma, re-settlement challenges, acculturation and discrimination were some of the factors explored in this review. The paper also aimed to review evidence-based treatment for PTSD such as cognitive behavioural therapy, narrative exposure and eye movement desensitisation therapy and whether these westernised approaches can extend to women from Arab backgrounds. Directions for culturally appropriate interventions and how to adapt treatments to suit the needs of individuals from the Arab community experiencing PTSD are discussed as well as considerations for specifically supporting women from Arab backgrounds who need treatment. Future avenues for research are canvassed and discussed within. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: (1) Women from Arabic speaking backgrounds in Western countries have been shown to have a higher likelihood of developing PTSD due to the life stressors that they have experienced. (2) Particular life stressors include migration and acculturation stressors, marginalisation, financial concerns, family responsibilities and for some, family violence which can exacerbate distress and contribute to the expression of PTSD symptoms. (3) No effective PTSD treatments for Arab populations in general, let alone Arab women have been identified in research. What this topic adds: (1) Effective mental health treatment for Arab women must take into consideration certain cultural values such as family, women's role/status and stigmas around mental health. (2) Some of the main factors to consider include beliefs and values, communication and language, shame, strict gender roles and religious healing. (3) There is a significant need for immediate future research to be conducted for this community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Following the 2010-2011 floods and cyclones that affected 78% of Queensland, Australia, a State-wide mental health response was established. The response plan included a 24-hour access line. This study examines the effectiveness of the mental health screening program conducted via the State-wide health call center (13HEALTH) in 2012. Methods: Callers to the 13HEALTH line were screened to assess the impact of the disaster. The 13HEALTH clinicians administered the Primary Care-Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Scale (PC-PTSD) screening measure. Those scoring more than two on the PC-PTSD Scale were provided information on the emotional impact of disasters and a referral to the post-disaster specialist mental health program (SMHP). For calls related to those under 18, a single-item question assessed behavioral or emotional changes since the natural disasters. Those with identified changes were offered a referral to a post-disaster SMHP. The study evaluates the relationship between disaster exposure and the likelihood of 13HEALTH callers experiencing physical health concerns and unacknowledged mental health symptoms. The program's cost for the 12 months of 2012 was assessed using data from the financial contract. Results: In 2012, there were 205,064 calls to 13HEALTH: 19,708 identified as residing in a flood or cyclone-affected area, 7,315 adults indicated they were personally affected, and 907 scored more than two on the PC-PTSD Scale. Only 700 agreed to a referral to the SMHP. There were 290 children under 18 assessed as at risk; 207 accepted a referral to a SMHP. Regions that experienced a greater impact from the floods and cyclones were 1.3-2.3 times more likely to report being personally affected by the floods and cyclones. Similarly, these regions had more callers scoring more than two on the PC-PTSD Scale. The total cost of the 13HEALTH program for 2012 was $53,284 (AU) across all age groups. Conclusion: The 13HEALTH general health post-disaster screening program demonstrates opportunistic screening may assist identification of those with unmet mental health needs. The data indicate an increased likelihood of personal exposure in the more affected regions with an increased risk of unrecognized psychological symptoms as assessed by the PC-PTSD Scale. However, more than 20% declined referral to a SMHP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Psychotraumatology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Epidemiological evidence suggests that regular physical activity (PA) positively impacts individuals' mental health (MH). The PA-MH relationship may be critical among immigrants owing to psycho-social-cultural influences. This scoping review of 61 studies employed a holistic bio-psycho-socio-cultural framework to thoroughly investigate the complex relationship between PA (across life domains) and immigrants' MH in Western countries. A systematic search of five electronic databases (Medline, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and Anthropology Plus) was conducted to locate relevant articles. No limitations were applied to study design, age, gender, home country, MH condition or PA type. A bio-psycho-socio-cultural-informed conceptual model guided the analysis of the multi-domain PA-MH relationship. Immigrant PA-MH studies were conducted and reported most commonly in the USA (38%), Australia (18%), and Canada (11%). Overall, PA was positively related to MH. Each domain-specific PA appeared to be associated with unique MH-promoting pathways/mechanisms. Leisure-related PA may support MH by enhancing self-agency and minimizing risky behaviors, whilst travel- and domestic-related PA may promote self-accomplishment and physical engagement. Ethnic sports appeared to enhance resilience. Occupational-related PA was associated with either positive or negative MH, depending on the type of occupation. A bio-psycho-socio-cultural-informed model is required to gain an encompassing and integrated understanding of immigrants' health. The first iteration of such a model is presented here, along with an illustration of how the model may be used to deepen analysis and understanding of the multi-domain PA-MH relationship among immigrants and inform public health planners and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paramedic role carries inherent risk to practitioner health, due to a combination of work characteristics and the employment practices of different organizations. Emerging evidence suggests that paramedics worldwide may face a range of negative health outcomes. The purpose of this article was to systematically review the literature of paramedic health outcomes in the Australian and New Zealand context. A systematic search of key databases and gray literature was conducted to identify all available studies reporting on quantitative health outcomes for paramedics working in Australia or New Zealand. The review was conducted using the JBI methodology for prevalence studies and uses a narrative synthesis approach to reporting. There were k = 20 studies that met inclusion criteria, and most used Australian samples. Results indicated between 57.3–66.5% of paramedics studied were classified as overweight or obese, while up to 80% reported poor sleep, and 55.6% reported fatigue. Incidence rates per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) included 26.62 for completed suicide, 5.46 for drug-caused death, and 9.3 for workplace fatalities. The most recent incidence per 1,000 FTE for injury compensation claims was 141.4. Australian and New Zealand paramedics demonstrate poor health according to several metrics. Our sample demonstrated considerably worse health than the general population or similar occupations. There is a minimal amount of trend data available; therefore, it was difficult to ascertain if rates are changing. The range of health outcomes studied was limited, and correlations between different health outcomes were rarely considered by authors. Data relating to specific rates for gender and sexuality, location of work, and First Nations status or ethnicity was often not available. CRD42021232196 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the impact of stressors and the strategies staff use to cope with these at a detention facility. It documents through case studies some of the triggers of trauma, possible coping mechanisms that might assist in navigating the associated stressors in a workplace and recommendations as to what might assist staff. Design/methodology/approach: A naturalist approach was used in this research, using an ethnographic qualitative methodology. Grounded theory assisted in the analysis of the data to capture naturalistically the subjective experience of the participants of the study. Conversations occurred with staff who had worked in a detention facility using face to face semi-structured interviews. The structure was open-ended to allow the staff to discuss and share their experiences freely. Findings: Stressors that impacted staff working in a detention facility resulted from areas such as heightened reactions from detainees because of the length of their detainment, detainee self-harm, dealing with the effects of an increase of substance abuse through detainees obtaining contraband and the associated violent reactions that can occur as a result. Adverse symptoms noted within the lives of staff included acute anxiety, sleeplessness, depression and tension within impersonal relationships, including family. What compounded the issue was staffs' reluctance to talk about work stressors. Research limitations/implications: The research used nine participants for case studies of staff who had formerly experienced various adverse impacts of stressors. This is not a comprehensive study, however, of the broader experiences of staff at an Australian detention facility. It does provide, however, a snapshot of the experiences of a small group who had significantly been impacted by the stressors of the workplace. Practical implications: This paper provides fresh perspectives or initiatives that are needed to assist staff to navigate the changing environment of working in a detention facility. In particular, some support mechanisms and protective factors that could be put in place to curb the negative impact of stressors in the workplace and to mitigate against long term stress disorders developing in the personal lives of staff. Social implications: Many staff are not getting the help they need to cope with the emotional distress they experience in their workplace. However, there are practical interventions to support staff in managing the stressors they face. These will be outlined in this article. Originality/value: This study was carried out with the goal of giving staff a voice and to capture their former experiences in their vocational responsibilities in a venue that has had very limited research attention. This study has presented the challenges staff faced in a unique venue of working in a detention facility. It has documented some of the common stressors staff faced, the impact of such and some coping mechanisms used to handle them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mental health impact of the initial years of military service is an under-researched area. This study is the first to explore mental health trajectories and associated predictors in military members across the first 3–4 years of their career to provide evidence to inform early interventions. Methods: This prospective cohort study surveyed Australian Defence personnel (n = 5329) at four time-points across their early military career. Core outcomes were psychological distress (K10+) and posttraumatic stress symptoms [four-item PTSD Checklist (PCL-4)] with intra-individual, organizational and event-related trajectory predictors. Latent class growth analyses (LCGAs) identified subgroups within the sample that followed similar longitudinal trajectories for these outcomes, while conditional LCGAs examined the variables that influenced patterns of mental health. Results: Three clear trajectories emerged for psychological distress: resilient (84.0%), worsening (9.6%) and recovery (6.5%). Four trajectories emerged for post-traumatic stress, including resilient (82.5%), recovery (9.6%), worsening (5.8%) and chronic subthreshold (2.3%) trajectories. Across both outcomes, prior trauma exposure alongside modifiable factors, such as maladaptive coping styles, and increased anger and sleep difficulties were associated with the worsening and chronic subthreshold trajectories, whilst members in the resilient trajectories were more likely to be male, report increased social support from family/friends and Australian Defence Force (ADF) sources, and use adaptive coping styles. Conclusions: The emergence of symptoms of mental health problems occurs early in the military lifecycle for a significant proportion of individuals. Modifiable factors associated with wellbeing identified in this study are ideal targets for intervention, and should be embedded and consolidated throughout the military career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Refugees and asylum-seekers are typically exposed to multiple potentially traumatic events (PTEs) in the context of war, persecution and displacement, which confer elevated risk for psychopathology. There are significant limitations, however, in extant approaches to measuring these experiences in refugees. The current study aimed to identify profiles of PTE exposure, and the associations between these profiles and key demographics, contextual factors (including ongoing stressors, method of travel to Australia and separation from family), mental health and social outcomes, in a large sample of refugees resettled in Australia. Methods: Participants were 1085 from Arabic, Farsi, Tamil and English-speaking refugee backgrounds who completed an online or pen-and-paper survey in their own language. Constructs measured included PTE exposure, demographics, pre-displacement factors, ongoing stressors, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, depression symptoms, anger reactions, plans of suicide and social engagement. Results: Latent class analysis identified four profiles of PTE exposure, including the torture and pervasive trauma class, the violence exposure class, the deprivation exposure class and the low exposure class. Compared to the low exposure class, participants in the trauma-exposed classes were more likely to be male, highly educated, from Farsi and Tamil-speaking backgrounds, have travelled to Australia by boat, experience more ongoing stressors and report both greater psychological symptoms and social engagement. Conclusions: This study found evidence for four distinct profiles of PTE exposure in a large sample of resettled refugees, and that these were associated with different demographic, psychological and social characteristics. These findings suggest that person-centred approaches represent an important potential avenue for investigation of PTE exposure in refugees, particularly with respect to identifying subgroups of refugees who may benefit from different types or levels of intervention according to their pre-migration PTE experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1997, Professor Kevin Ronan published a paper in the first ever edition of the Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, titled "The Effects of a "Benign" Disaster: Symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress in Children Following a Series of Volcanic Eruptions". Over the next 23 years, Kevin and his many colleagues pursued aspects of children and disasters to both improve practice and advance scholarship in this area. In March 2020 we were saddened by the untimely passing of Kevin. As a tribute to Professor Ronan this special issue of the Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies brings together accounts of current research and practice initiatives inspired by, building upon, and directly influenced by Professor Ronan's work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor mental health has become rampant in the construction industry globally, causing productivity and profit losses for organizations as well as disabilities and diminished quality of life for workers. Addressing the challenge is critical for a progressive industry and healthy workforce. Existing literature discusses the causes and effects of poor mental health among construction workers. Yet, it does not, based on real-world incident data, explain vulnerable trades, common incident mechanisms, and recurring psychological injuries, nor does it examine variations of lost time within the incident severity outcome due to psychological injuries. The present study addresses these gaps by analyzing workers' compensation offered to construction trades workers from 2008 to 2019 for psychological injuries in the Australian construction industry. Carpenters and joiners, electricians, plant operators, structural steel workers, and construction and plumbing laborers suffered more permanently incapacitating psychological injuries than other trades. Workers in projects located in metro, small rural towns, and very remote regions were more heavily represented in permanently incapacitating psychological injuries than workers in other locations. The worst psychological injury, which resulted in a combination of permanent incapacity and an extended period of lost time (over 3,000 h), was caused by anxiety combined with depression or stress, or posttraumatic stress disorder from experiencing traumatic incidents, workplace violence and bullying, or vehicle incidents. Age and gender of workers did not show a statistically significant association with psychological injuries. The findings offer practical insights for developing optimized occupational health and safety management programs for improving the mental health of construction workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moral injury (MI) has become a significant area of study and debate with regard to veterans' mental health and general well-being. Due to the nature and intensity of coalition operations in Iraq and Afghanistan over a prolonged period, MI has become one of the "signature wounds" of these conflicts. Spiritual damage is a critical aspect of the MI paradigm. For some people, exposure to complex and demanding environments and situations creates threats to their spiritual understanding and belief systems. These threats may be expressed through doubt about their beliefs surrounding the concept of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent divine creator. Such doubt, uncertainty and distress can negatively affect an individual's overall mental health and well-being. This article seeks to achieve two objectives. The first is to introduce some of the history, language and concepts regarding MI, in order to enable spiritual care practitioners to participate in this crucial area of veterans' health and well-being. This participation may include, but is not limited to, definitional research, language analysis, treatment and management. This study also serves as a starting point for a deeper discussion on whether spiritual damage is best described in a MI context, or whether a deeper analysis is needed independent of MI syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dementia is currently incurable, irreversible and a major cause of disability for the world's older population. The association between mental health difficulties, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), and dementia has a long history within the civilian population. Despite the increased importance of this link within the military veteran population, who suffer a greater propensity of mental health difficulties and consist largely of over 65s, attention is only recently being paid to the salience of such an association for this group. This paper aims to explore the relationship between PTSD and MDD with dementia within the military veteran population. Method: A systematic review was conducted on articles from 1990 to July 2016 on MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBSCO and Web of Science electronic databases with an update conducted in February 2017. Results: Six empirical studies were identified from the review, the majority of which originated from the USA. Five of the studies asserted that veterans with a diagnosis of either PTSD or MDD are at a significantly greater risk of developing dementia than ‘healthy’ controls. The final study, conducted in Australia, found only a small, but non-significant, correlation between earlier MDD and future dementia, but no concurrent correlation. Conclusions: While causality cannot be determined, it is likely that PTSD and depressive disorders are related to an increased risk of dementia in military veterans. Potential pathological explanations and risk factors are reviewed and the clinical and neuroscience implications of these findings are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review synthesized current knowledge about the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among young people known to have offended and examined evidence of associations between ACEs, trauma symptoms, and offending behavior. A systematic search of English-language, peer-reviewed studies published from the year 2000 onwards was conducted. A final pool of 124 studies that reported quantitative data were included in the review. The Cambridge Quality Checklist for the assessment of studies on offending was used to assess methodological quality of included studies. Pooled data indicated that almost 87% of justice-involved young people across 13 countries experienced at least one traumatic event. The odds of experiencing at least one ACE were over 12 times greater for justice-involved young people compared with nonjustice-involved young people. Prevalence of individual ACEs ranged from 12.2% for childhood sexual abuse to 80.4% for parental separation among justice-involved young people. Those who reported both a higher number and multiple types of ACEs were more likely to be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress symptoms. However, when considering only high-quality studies, there was minimal evidence to suggest that a higher incidence of ACEs predicted trauma symptoms or that trauma symptoms mediated the association between ACEs and offending behavior. Further research is needed to elucidate factors that differentiate young people exposed to ACEs who go on to offend from those who do not. This research is essential to understanding whether ACEs and trauma are drivers of offending behavior and for informing prevention and intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this phenomenological study was to describe families' experiences of supporting veterans and emergency service first responders (ESFRs) (known also as public safety personnel) to seek help for a mental health problem. In‐depth semi‐structured open‐ended interviews were undertaken with 25 family members of Australian veterans and ESFRs. Fourteen participants were family members of police officers. Data were analysed thematically. Participants described a long and difficult journey of supporting the person's help‐seeking across six themes. Traumatic exposures, bullying in the workplace and lack of organisational support experienced by veterans/ESFRs caused significant family distress. Families played a vital role in help‐seeking but were largely ignored by veteran/ESFR organisations. The research provides a rich understanding of distress and moral injury that is experienced not only by the service members but is transferred vicariously to their family within the mental health help‐seeking journey. Veteran and ESFR organisations and mental health services need to shift from a predominant view of distress as located within an individual (intrapsychic) towards a life‐course view of distress as impacting families and which is more relational, systemic, cultural and contextual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is broad evidence that social connectedness is a significant factor contributing to mental health and wellbeing. Research on first responders in Australia has demonstrated that social connectedness moderates various aspects of psychological health. For first responders, social connectedness exerts a protective influence on the harmful effects of trauma exposure, such as psychological distress in the form of anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and increased suicide risk. Furthermore, first responders' social support, team cohesion, engagement with workplace support programs and work-life balance are all associated with higher resilience. The research also identified barriers to seeking help among first responders who may be struggling. These included poor mental health literacy, stigma and delayed help-seeking due to a lack of confidence in psychological treatments.1 These barriers increase the potential for mental health issues to develop into larger and debilitating problems that adversely affect workplace functioning and people's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate coping styles, posttraumatic stress, and mental health symptoms among a sample of community members affected by 2019–20 Australian bushfires. Using a convenience sampling approach, an online survey was used to assess a range of coping strategies, posttraumatic stress and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among the affected community members of Black Summer bushfires. The results revealed that study participants reported moderate symptoms of depression and stress, and severe levels of anxiety. Additionally, participants reported use of both approach and avoidance coping strategies following the bushfire event as well as experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress, such as having intrusive thoughts and symptoms of avoidance and hyperarousal. Despite the durability of many individuals, others remain affected by the event and there is evidence there may be longer term mental health consequences of the bushfires for some people. Given these findings, it is imperative that mental health services be readily available for people in the bushfire‐affected areas. Mental health nurses have an important role to play in supporting individuals affected by disasters. Awareness of the short‐ and long‐term impacts of disasters on the mental health of people is paramount for mental health nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe key practical knowledge and skill components required for clinicians involved with the assessment of military personnel and veterans.Conclusions: Assessment of military and veterans' mental health issues involves a tailored history-taking process that includes specific aspects of service, transition and reporting requirements. Recommendations for the detailed assessment of military personnel and veterans are provided. Comorbid conditions, chronic pain and the needs of both women and older veterans are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest in English-speaking jurisdictions, including Australia, North America, Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, about the prevention of sexual abuse perpetrated by children against other children. The aim of this review was to identify opportunities for research, policy and practice which could enhance the prevention agenda relating to the perpetration of sexual abuse by children through conducting a Critical Interpretive Synthesis. Eleven electronic databases were searched in the period from 22 April to 23 May 2013 and included: SocINDEX, Social Services Abstracts, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, Family and Society Studies Worldwide, Project Muse, PsychINFO, Family and Society Plus, Jstor, Expanded Academic ASAP, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Key individual journals were also searched, including Child Abuse and Neglect and the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, as well as the grey literature. The search was guided by the research question: How could the prevention agenda relating to sexual abuse perpetrated by children be enhanced? The systematic literature search yielded 3323 titles, and 34 of these papers were included in the final synthesis. The authors identified five domains operating in the evidence base: characteristics, causes, communications, interventions and treatments. A synthesising construct emerged from the review: prevention-enhancing interactions. This construct referred to the potential for enhancing the prevention agenda which exists as the evidence domains interact with one another, and with the public health model of prevention. The authors consider this review to be a timely contribution to the current agenda pertaining to sexual abuse perpetrated by children. It provides researchers, policy makers and practitioners in the field with an evidence-informed conceptualisation of opportunities for enhancing prevention work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Answering the Call, the Australian National Police and Emergency Services Mental Health and Wellbeing Study, surveyed 14,868 Australian ambulance, fire and rescue, police, and state emergency service employees. Emergency services personnel had lower rates of mental wellbeing and higher rates of psychological distress and probable PTSD than the general adult population. Overall 30% had low wellbeing, 21% had high and 9% had very high psychological distress, and 10% had probable PTSD. An estimated 5% had suicidal ideation and 2% had a suicide plan in the past 12 months, while 16% binge drink at least weekly. Only one in five of those with very high psychological distress or probable PTSD felt they received adequate support for their condition. These findings highlight the risk of mental health conditions associated with work in the emergency services sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to suicide and the associated impacts for those left behind can be long lasting and traumatic. Literature has predominantly examined the experience of suicide and impact from the perspective of those closest to the deceased—with studies primarily focused on kin relationships. Appropriate and timely support delivered by skilled professionals, through the provision of postvention support, has been suggested as a way to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with exposure to suicide. The evidence regarding what support, for whom, and the timing of support is scarce. As an extension of this scarcity, there is minimal research examining the ways in which provision of this postvention (that is, support following exposure to suicide) support impacts workers. This paper explores service use data gathered to evaluate a nation‐wide Australian suicide postvention service, in conjunction with qualitative data from those providing postvention support to those exposed to suicide to understand who accesses support and the impact of providing such support on service providers. Postvention workers provide insight into the demands of responding to suicide, the pressure of being on call, and the ways in which they are able to maintain their well‐being through external supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues for a re-examination of mental health responses to refugee youth seeking asylum in high-income countries. Reviewing international literature related to mental health and social care services for refugee children and youth and drawing upon Foucault's concepts of power, truth and discourse, we explore and question the predominance of the bio-medical model in responding to refugee children's distress. We demonstrate that, despite notable initiatives and developments in social work theory and practice, the bio-medical model has, in many ways, become a 'regime of truth', with the power to define refugees' problems and thus shape the policies and services that affect their lives. While not denying that many refugee youth and their families may benefit from such therapeutic interventions, it is our contention that working with this population requires a significant expansion, diversification and transformation of the current paradigm informing social work practice to incorporate the multiple and unique cultures and contexts of this population. We conclude with a discussion of promising practices and interventions with refugee youth and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latent structure of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomology is the subject of ongoing deliberation. The cognitive vulnerabilities of Negative Affect, Anxiety Sensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty have been shown to explain symptoms clusters in multiple anxiety and mood disorders, and may be able to offer further insight to explain PTSD symptomology. Using structural equation modelling, this study examines whether a hierarchical model consisting of the general cognitive factor of Negative Affect and the transdiagnostic risk factors of Anxiety Sensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty can explain variability among PTSD symptom clusters as defined by the DSM-5 and/or Dysphoria models of PTSD. Anxiety Sensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty were tested as mid-level factors between Negative Affect and the PTSD symptom constructs. The hierarchical model fit the data well in both the DSM-5 and Dysphoria models. Negative Affect consistently showed significant direct effects on each symptoms cluster in both models. Anxiety Sensitivity served as a significant mediator of Negative Affect for several symptom clusters in both models. Intolerance of Uncertainty was non-significant either as a direct effect or as a mediator of Negative Affect in all analyses. This study demonstrates how the hierarchical model of Negative Affect, Anxiety Sensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty may fit upon multiple PTSD symptom constructs and offers new directions for conceptualizing this disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is associated with long-term impairments in military personnel. Diagnosis of the condition remains clinically challenging. Neurological examination and cognitive symptoms may not accurately map the nature and severity of underlying brain injury. Neuroimaging techniques, such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), show promise as an effective tool in delineating the microstructural neural changes and corresponding clinical consequences following mTBI. This paper discusses the diagnosis and management of concussion, in the military context, using two cases of veterans who suffered blast-related mTBI. Insights on an integrated approach to concussion in the military, incorporating thorough neurological and neuropsychological examination and application of advanced neuroimaging are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Figures from the Department of Veterans' Affairs indicate there may be over 30,000 Australian veterans that have or may yet develop some form of service-related mental illness. There is a growing body of evidence that there is a spiritual dimension to soldiers' wounds. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the causes, symptoms and healing pathways for spiritual wounds, Method and materials: Firstly, exploration of the nature of veteran spirituality, Secondly, how a veteran's spirit can be wounded and what form these wounds take will need to be understood, Finally, approaches to healing these spiritual wounds. Results: There is a strong and growing body of empirical evidence highlighting linkages between diminished spiritual functioning and mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Properly trained and accredited medical and psychological practitioners are required to deliver treatment in their space. Conclusion: There is limited evidence of any spiritual institution or facility of any nature making a significant contribution in the support of veterans whose Defence service has led to mental health issues with a spiritual or faith basis. Determining what role spiritual institutions or facilities should take will need to be a major area for further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When Australian servicemen returned from World War One, some were so severely mentally ill that they required hospitalisation. In Western Australia they were initially sent to the Claremont Hospital for the Insane, where they were housed in the same wards as civilian 'lunatics'. In early 1924 the father of one of these ex-servicemen began a campaign to force the Commonwealth Government to provide better care for them, in a segregated facility. In this paper, I highlight the role of emotions in that campaign. The emotional practices revealed in its public discourse suggest that the negotiations took place within a context best understood as an emotional community, within which particular affective responses were shared and understood. The most powerful of these was parental grief, which was used to recruit the support of the women's organisations of Western Australia. Wives and mothers were mobilised to put pressure on the Commonwealth Government, which eventually made considerable financial concessions to the State in order to build Lemnos, a new segregated mental hospital for ex-servicemen. The strategic mobilisation of women's grief, an emotion that carried unusual cultural weight in the post-war community, was a decisive factor in achieving this outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesbian women and gay men are at greater risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than heterosexual people, however few studies have examined PTSD in older lesbian women and gay men. This study examined predictors of having ever been diagnosed with PTSD, as well as relationships to current quality of life, among 756 lesbian women and gay men aged 60 years and older in Australia. Participants were surveyed on their sociodemographic characteristics, experiences of sexual orientation discrimination over their lifetime, whether they had ever been diagnosed with PTSD, whether they were currently receiving treatment for PTSD, and their current quality of life. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, participants who reported having a PTSD diagnosis (11.2%) had significantly more frequent experiences of discrimination over their lifetime and were significantly less likely to currently be in a relationship. Older lesbian women were significantly more likely than older gay men to report ever having had a PTSD diagnosis. Additionally, having ever been diagnosed with PTSD significantly predicted current poorer quality of life. These findings suggest that a history of PTSD among older lesbian women and gay men is linked to experiences of discrimination and other factors, with associated links to current quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review of literature reporting prevalence rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression amongst community samples of resettled Iraqi refugees was undertaken. A search of the electronic databases of Medline, PsychINFO, CINAHL, PILOTS, Scopus, and Cochrane, up to November 2013 was conducted. Following the application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, eight empirical papers were included in the review and analysis. Specifically, six studies reported on PTSD prevalence (total n = 1,912), which ranged from 8 to 37.2 % and seven studies reported on rates of depression (total n = 1,647) noted to be 28.3 to 75 %. The overall interobserver agreement for the methodological quality assessment was good to excellent with a Kappa coefficient of 0.64. Iraqi refugees continue to represent one of the largest groups being resettled worldwide. This systematic review indicates that prevalence of PTSD and depression is high and should be taken into consideration when developing mental health early intervention and treatment services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect anyone as the result of public or personal disaster, but is particularly associated with defence and emergency services personnel. Professor McFarlane's research has focused on the epidemiology and longitudinal course of PTSD, and the neuroimaging of cognitive deficits associated with this disorder. Professor McFarlane described how dysfunctional brain-stem arousal may disrupt basic cognitive processes and maintain pathological features of PTSD such as dissociation, and may also lead to novel treatments such as stellate ganglion block. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: Psychosocial trauma was associated with developing conversion disorder (also known as functional neurological disorder) before Freud, though why a particular symptom should arise is unknown. We aimed to determine if there was a relationship between trauma type and symptom.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients attending Australia's first functional neurology clinic, including referral, clinic letters and a clinic questionnaire.Results: There were 106 females, 43 males and five transgender patients. Sensory (51%), motor (47%) and seizures (39%) were the commonest functional symptoms. Most patients (92%) reported stressors associated with symptom onset. Multiple trauma/symptom type associations were found: patients with in-law problems experienced more cognitive symptoms (p = .036), for example, while expressive speech problems more commonly followed relationship difficulties (p = .021).Conclusion: Associations were found between type of traumatic events and type of symptoms in conversion disorder. This will require verification in a larger sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This quantitative study investigated self-reported sleep, mental health and trauma related nocturnal behaviours among South Sudanese Australians (SSA), examined sex differences in their responses, and sought to determine risk factors for insomnia in this population. Comparisons were also made to a general Australian (AUS) sample of 1,512 respondents, obtained in a previously published study using the same questions regarding sleep difficulties. Self-reports of sleep difficulties, psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, K10), and nocturnal post-traumatic stress symptoms (Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire Inventory-Addendum, PSQI-A) were obtained from 117 former refugees (aged 16–60 years) who had been resettled for a decade on average. A key finding was that SSA men (n = 62) reported many more problems compared to both SSA women and AUS men. These problems included high rates of clinical insomnia (32%), clinical-level nocturnal post-trauma symptoms (57%), restless legs (31%), daytime sleepiness (40%), fatigue (43%), and waking unrefreshed (55%). Nearly one in five SSA men had "very high psychological distress," a rate 10 times higher than that of men in Victoria and twice as high as SSA women. Analyses suggest that for many SSA men memories and dreams of past traumas may be affecting sleep health, with some improvement over time. It was concluded that men within the South Sudanese Australian community report hitherto unrecognised significant problems with their sleep. The findings are consistent with the interpretation that unresolved pre-migration trauma stress may be affecting the sleep of about half of the South Sudanese men in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a new online course developed for aged care nurses on how to prevent, respond to and manage unwanted sexual behaviour. It is noted unwanted sexual behaviour between residents is undeniably complex, often involving victim-survivors and perpetrators-exhibitors with cognitive impairments. Perhaps most alarming is that the aged care staff are misjudging the impact sexual violence has on survivors.

Objectives: The poor mental health of asylum seekers and refugees in immigration detention has consistently been reported in peer-reviewed literature internationally; however, data on the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees detained in Australian immigration has been very limited.Methods: We re-analysed mental health screening data obtained by the Human Rights Commission.Results: Longer time in detention was associated with higher self-reported depression scores, with female individuals being more vulnerable to time in detention than those of male gender. Approximately one-half of the refugee group who agreed to complete the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire had post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. On clinician-rated measures, one-third of the children, adolescents and adults suffered with clinical symptoms requiring tertiary outpatient assessment.Conclusions: This paper consolidates the findings of the 2014 Australian Human Rights Commission report and it provides an argument for public reporting of refugee data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine psychological distress in healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in April–May 2020. Methods: A cross-sectional survey examining demographic, employment and mental health characteristics of HCWs in a large metropolitan hospital in Australia. Results: HCWs showed significant symptoms of moderate-severe level depression (21%), anxiety (20%) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; 29%), associated with burnout, prior psychiatric history, profession and resilience. Conclusion: Despite low levels of COVID contact, moderate to high levels of psychological distress were reported. Continued monitoring and support for HCWs' mental well-being is warranted as the COVID-19 pandemic develops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Psychotraumatology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of European Journal of Psychotraumatology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Accurate recall of exposure to traumatic events is essential for diagnosis, treatment and compensation However, in the context of military combat, reports of trauma exposure may not be stable over time Increased reporting over repeated assessments has been associated with PTSD and its re-experiencing (B) symptoms Other competing explanations emphasise poorer health This study reports on 388 Australian Vietnam veterans who were interviewed 21 and 36 years after repatriation Combat exposure was assessed using a 21- item American scale PTSD and the symptom clusters were assessed with standardised psychiatric diagnostic interviews, and self-administered measures of health were included Although total combat scores were highly correlated across the two assessments (r = 865), stability of individual items differed widely Sixty-eight per cent of responses were stable, 17 5% were unstable increased reports, and 14 5% were unstable decreased reports In hierarchical regression analyses, combat was the strongest predictor of stable reports but a weaker predictor of increased and decreased reports Having a history of PTSD, particularly intrusion symptoms, significantly predicted stable reports A history of PTSD was a significant but weaker predictor of increased reports of combat exposure Suggestions of intrusive symptoms and poorer health as explanations of increased reports of exposure were not supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few reliable predictors of postarrival psychological adjustment have been identified with regard to refugees once they arrive in their host country. We investigated the association between family separation and psychological symptoms in refugees resettled in Australia from 2013 to 2016. Participants were 1,495 adult refugees (M = 38.9 years, SD = 12.7) who participated in the Building a New Life in Australia population-based study across 4 years. Participants were assessed for psychological distress and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder-8 (PTSD-8), respectively. We used latent class growth analysis (LCGA) to identify latent longitudinal trajectories and binary logistic regression to assess the contribution of family predictor variables toward PTSD-8 and K6 symptom trajectory class membership. The LCGA supported a four-class solution for PTSS, categorized as improving PTSS (18.4%), persistently high PTSS (11.5%), resilient PTSS (57.3%), and deteriorating PTSS (12.6%). For the K6, LCGA supported a four-class solution comprising classes categorized as persistently high psychological distress (PD; 7.0%), improving PD (17.3%), resilient PD (61.1%), and deteriorating PD (14.6%). Separation from family members did not independently predict the course of psychological symptoms; however, worry about family and friends contributed to the persistence of high PTSD-8 scores, OR = 1.75, and deteriorating K6 scores, OR = 1.57. The current findings suggest persistently high or worsening psychological symptom trajectories during the postsettlement phase may be marked by worry about family and friends, in addition to older age and female gender, rather than separation alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pharmacological management of complex psychological conditions and physical comorbidities in Vietnam veterans can be challenging, particularly when there are multiple prescribing clinicians. Purpose: To investigate the incidence of psychotropic polypharmacy in a cohort of Australian Vietnam veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: Subanalysis of data from a cross-sectional study of Vietnam veterans conducted at Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation from 2014-2015. Relationships between psychotropic polypharmacy and health outcomes were assessed, and anticholinergic burden scores calculated. Results: Of 160 participants with PTSD, 107 (66.9%) were treated with psychotropic medications, with 53 (33.1%) prescribed two or more. The most common combination was antidepressants with anxiolytics (21.5% of those treated). Polypharmacy was significantly associated with PTSD symptom severity (p<0.01), comorbid depression (p<0.05) and current suicidality (p<0.01). Anticholinergic burden scores ranged from 0--7, with 37.5% of participants classed as medium risk (score = 1--2) and 16-9% as high risk (≥3). Conclusion: Psychotropic polypharmacy prevalence in Australian Vietnam veterans with PTSD is high. This condition is commonly refractory to pharmacotherapeutic intervention, often leading to trials of combination therapy without supportive scientific evidence. Further research would be beneficial in evaluating potential efficacy versus harm of combination therapies to assist in rationalising prescription of multiple medications. Conflict of Interest: No conflicts of interest to declare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the multidimensional nature of experiences of being an intimate partner of an Australian veteran or emergency service first responder (ESFR) with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, inductive thematic analysis was undertaken on data collected in 2017–2018 through individual interviews with a purposive sample of 22 partners of veterans, paramedics, fire and police officers living in Australia. Analysis revealed that the key concern of the participants was to protect their family unit and the intimate relationship, highlighting the ways in which they adapted, managed and coped with the changes that PTSD brought to the relationship. However, lack of understanding by healthcare providers, government, military and emergency service organizations of their daily lives, and of the strength of commitment to their relationship, resulted in a sense of invisibility and was revealed as the key barrier to the support they crave. The findings underscore the importance of recognizing the significance of the intimate relationship in trauma recovery and of responding to the support needs of the intimate partner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Despite the frequency that refugees suffer bereavement, there is a dearth of research into the prevalence and predictors of problematic grief reactions in refugees. To address this gap, this study reports a nationally representative population-based study of refugees to determine the prevalence of probable prolonged grief disorder (PGD) and its associated problems. Methods: This study recruited participants from the Building a New Life in Australia (BNLA) prospective cohort study of refugees admitted to Australia between October 2013 and February 2014. The current data were collected in 2015–2016, and comprised 1767 adults, as well as 411 children of the adult respondents. Adult refugees were assessed for trauma history, post-migration difficulties, probable PGD, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mental illness. Children were administered the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results: In this cohort, 38.1% of refugees reported bereavement, of whom 15.8% reported probable PGD; this represents 6.0% of the entire cohort. Probable PGD was associated with a greater likelihood of mental illness, probable PTSD, severe mental illness, currently unemployed and reported disability. Children of refugees with probable PGD reported more psychological difficulties than those whose parents did not have probable PGD. Probable PGD was also associated with the history of imprisonment, torture and separation from family. Only 56.3% of refugees with probable PGD had received psychological assistance. Conclusions: Bereavement and probable PGD appear highly prevalent in refugees, and PGD seems to be associated with disability in the refugees and psychological problems in their children. The low rate of access to mental health assistance for these refugees highlights that there is a need to address this issue in refugee populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from military service can seriously impact quality of life. There is support for the use of service dogs amongst people with PTSD in managing symptoms by reducing anxiety and depression. To date, few studies have investigated this phenomenon comprehensively, particularly in relation to enhancing participation in daily occupations. Methods: We explored the experience of a group of ex‐serving members of the Australian military with PTSD, who had partnered with a service dog. We sought to understand the influence of the service dog on PTSD symptom management and participation in meaningful daily occupations. Seven participants who had been paired with a service dog were recruited from a Veterans' support organisation. Two semi‐structured focus group sessions were conducted, audio‐recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts from the focus group sessions and researcher field notes were analysed independently by two researchers using an inductive approach to generate codes and themes. Results: The themes that emerged from the data were: isolation, safety, lifeline, reconnection and challenges. Veterans in this study reported that partnering with a service dog helped them to feel safe, helped them to manage the symptoms and impact of PTSD, resulting in improved sleep quality, emotional regulation, reduced anxiety, enhanced anger management, and a reduction in the misuse of alcohol and prescription medication and suicidal ideation. These changes led to improved relationships and increased participation in meaningful daily occupations. Ongoing financial support for veterans who have partnered with a service dog needs to be more closely examined. Conclusion: These findings are important and highlight that a larger and more comprehensive, research project examining the impact of service dogs on the quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Migration is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) have consistently been shown to report elevated levels of anger and rates of violence perpetration. Given that heightened anger can increase risk for violence and also impede treatment for SUD, it is important to identify correlates of anger and violence among individuals in SUD treatment settings. While previous research has identified factors associated with anger and violence among individuals with SUD, these studies tend not to adequately address the role of comorbidity or trait aggression in their samples. This is particularly important given that comorbid mental health disorders, for example post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), have been shown to be associated with anger and violence perpetration among individuals with SUD. This paper aims to examine demographic and mental health correlates of anger and violence among individuals in treatment for SUD. Structured interviews were carried out with 58 participants recruited from a residential detoxification clinic. Findings indicate that individuals with comorbid mental health symptoms, particularly symptoms of anxiety, are also likely to present with elevated levels of anger. In addition, a history of childhood trauma exposure and high levels of trait aggression were significantly associated with violence perpetration in the sample. This information can assist clinicians in identifying individuals prone to anger and violence and aid in the development of interventions designed to reduce anger and the likelihood of violence among individuals entering substance use treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: As refugee numbers grow worldwide, understanding prevalence and determinants of mental illness in this population becomes increasingly important. Methods: We used longitudinal data to examine the initial years of resettlement in Australian refugees with a focus on ethnic-like social support. Three annual waves from a longitudinal, nationally representative cohort of 2,399 humanitarian migrants recently resettled in Australia were examined for two mental illness outcomes: post-traumatic stress disorder indicated by positive PTSD-8 screen and "high risk of severe mental illness" (HR-SMI) by Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) ≥19. Generalized linear mixed models examined demographic and resettlement factors. Findings: Contrary to predictions, high prevalence of positive screens for mental illness persisted over 3 years. At baseline, 30.3% (95% CI, 28.5–32.2) screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and 15.4% (95% CI, 14.0–16.9) had HR-SMI. Over the 3 years, 52.2% met screening criteria for mental illness. PTSD was associated with older age, females, Middle Eastern birthplace, increasing traumatic events, more financial hardships, having a chronic health condition, and poor self-rated health. HR-SMI was associated with females, Middle Eastern birthplace, unstable housing, more financial hardships, having a chronic health condition, poor self-rated health, and discrimination. Also contrary to predictions, like-ethnic social support was positively associated with PTSD (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.10–2.09). Interpretation: There is high prevalence of positive screens for mental illness throughout initial years of resettlement for refugees migrating to Australia. Our unexpected finding regarding like-ethnic social support raises future avenues for research. Predictors of mental illness in the post-migration context represent tangible opportunities for intervention and are likely relevant to similar resettlement settings globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]