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A high level of parental involvement is widely considered to be essential for optimal child and adolescent development and wellbeing, including academic success. However, recent consideration has been given to the idea that extremely high levels of parental involvement (often called ‘overparenting’ or ‘helicopter parenting’) might not be beneficial. This study used a newly created overparenting measure, the Locke Parenting Scale (LPS), to investigate the association of overparenting and children's homework. Eight hundred and sixty-six parents completed online questionnaires about their parenting beliefs and intentions, and their attitudes associated with their child's homework. Parents with higher LPS scores tended to take more personal responsibility for the completion of their child's homework than did other parents, and ascribed greater responsibility for homework completion to their child's teacher. However, increased perceived responsibility by parents and teachers was not accompanied by a commensurate reduction in what they perceived was the child's responsibility. Future research should examine whether extreme parental attitudes and reported behaviours translate to validated changes in actual homework support.

Mental imagery refers to the experience of perception in the absence of external sensory input. Deficits in the ability to generate mental imagery or to distinguish it from actual sensory perception are linked to neurocognitive conditions such as dementia and schizophrenia, respectively. However, the importance of mental imagery to psychiatry extends beyond neurocognitive impairment. Mental imagery has a stronger link to emotion than verbal-linguistic cognition, serving to maintain and amplify emotional states, with downstream impacts on motivation and behavior. As a result, anomalies in the occurrence of emotion-laden mental imagery has transdiagnostic significance for emotion, motivation, and behavioral dysfunction across mental disorders. This review aims to demonstrate the conceptual and clinical significance of mental imagery in psychiatry through examples of mood and anxiety disorders, self-harm and suicidality, and addiction. We contend that focusing on mental imagery assessment in research and clinical practice can increase our understanding of the cognitive basis of psychopathology in mental disorders, with the potential to drive the development of algorithms to aid treatment decision-making and inform transdiagnostic treatment innovation.

Benzodiazepines are widely prescribed to manage sleep disorders, anxiety and muscular tension. While providing short-term relief, continued use induces tolerance and withdrawal, and in older users, increases the risk of falls. However, long-term prescription remains common, and effective interventions are not widely available. This study developed a self-managed cognitive behaviour therapy package for cessation of benzodiazepine use delivered to participants via mail (M-CBT) and trialled its effectiveness as an adjunct to a general practitioner (GP)-managed dose reduction schedule. In the pilot trial, participants were randomly assigned to GP management with immediate or delayed M-CBT. Significant recruitment and engagement problems were experienced, and only three participants were allocated to each condition. After immediate M-CBT, two participants ceased use, while none receiving delayed treatment reduced daily intake by more than 50%. Across the sample, doses at 12 months remained significantly lower than baseline, and qualitative feedback from participants was positive. While M-CBT may have promise, improved engagement of GPs and participants is needed for this approach to substantially impact on community-wide benzodiazepine use.

Is there a point where parental effort can be too much? While the link between parenting effort and the wellbeing of children has been firmly established, contemporary discussion has proposed that extreme levels of parental protection of and responsiveness to children could be counterproductive. Research has not yet addressed this phenomenon to ascertain if overparenting is a genuinely different type of parenting approach. The purpose of the present study was to gain insight into the parenting actions considered by parenting professionals (psychologists and school guidance counsellors) to be overparenting. One hundred and twenty-eight professionals responded to an online survey about their observations of overparenting, with eighty-six respondents providing lists of the types of actions they believed were behavioural examples of the term. The survey data revealed that certain types of actions were considered to be indicative of overparenting, and that particular beliefs and outcomes may be involved in this parenting approach. Implications for parenting advice and education programs, and further research are discussed.

Substance abuse in schizophrenia is a significant management problem for both clients and treatment agencies, impacting on psychotic symptoms, medication adherence, and participation in training and employment. However, there is little published work on the treatment of drug abuse in this population. This paper describes a cognitive-behavioural intervention for alcohol and cannabis abuse which integrates substance abuse treatment with other aspects of psychosis management.

Behaviour therapists have always been optimists, and interdisciplinary involvement is a strong tradition in the behaviour therapy movement. While this increases the potential application of behavioural methods, it poses a substantial challenge for behaviour therapy trainers. This paper contends that if brief workshop training is used as the primary method of disseminating behaviour therapy skills across professions, it will provide an inadequate preparation, especially for higher levels of behavioural practice. In some circumstances, brief training may lead to an overestimation of behavioural skills by the trainees. The issues are discussed in the context of current moves toward multiskilling within health services. The paper contends that there is no substitute for ongoing training and consultation by senior clinical psychologists who are expert in behaviour therapy.

The movement towards evidence-based practice in psychology and medicine should offer few problems in cognitive-behaviour therapies because it is consistent with the principles by which they have been developed and disseminated. However, the criteria for assessing empirical status, including the heavy emphasis on manualised treatments, need close examination. A possible outcome of the evidence-based movement would be to focus on the application of manualised treatments in both training and clinical practice; problems with that approach are discussed. If we are committed to evidence-based treatment, comparisons between psychological and pharmacological interventions should also be included so that rational health care decisions can be made. We should not be afraid of following the evidence, even when it supports treatments that are not cognitive-behavioural in stated orientation. Such results should be taken as an opportunity for theoretical development and new empirical inquiry rather than be a cause for concern.

Introduction Data from the American National Comorbidity Survey Replication (Martin et al., 2013; JAMA Psychiatry) - a nationally represented mental health survey - provides evidence that current diagnostic criteria for depression in men may be incomplete. Objectives To conduct and present findings of a systematic review of the biological, psychological and social depression research literature relating to men. Aims (1) To provide a comprehensive summary of current knowledge about the expression of depression in men; (2) To examine the accuracy of current diagnostic criteria for identifying depression in men. Methods The PRISMA statement was used to guide a multiple database search in February and July 2012 and June 2013. Search terms included: ‘men’, ‘depression’, ‘signs’ or ‘symptoms’, ‘gender’, and ‘sex differences’. Initial database searches together with forward and backward searches found 15,966 studies that were assessed for eligibility. Thirty studies met selection criteria and were included in the review. Results The review challenges findings that are commonly reported in the depression literature. The majority of studies in the review did not find significant differences between males and females in global depression rates, but instead, found significant differences between males and females in specific depressive symptoms that are expressed. Depressed men commonly reported alternative symptoms, including social withdrawal, functional impairment and sexual disturbance, together with maladaptive coping mechanisms. Conclusions Current diagnostic criteria may not accurately identify depression in men. Targeted research needs to further clarify which symptoms are required to accurately detect depression in men.

Past research on interpersonal relationships and schizophrenia has typically focused on the relationships between clients and their families. However, many ex-patients live in other settings, such as boarding houses and hostels, where their main contact is with other residents. This paper represents a preliminary demonstration of a program to reduce levels of negative communication within two hostels, using a multiple baseline design. The intervention comprised a seven-session group program that was adapted from a psychoeducational family approach. Negative communication within hostels was measured in a brief interview with each resident. Results showed a marginally significant effect of the program on critical comments within the interviews.

Describes a brief intensive program of cognitive therapy for depression that was designed for 4 adult residents of country towns in Australia, who resided some distance from treatment centers. Ss were assessed prior to treatment, at posttreatment, and at 4-wk, 8-wk, and 20-mo follow-ups. Treatments took place over 3 consecutive days for a total period of 15 hrs. Effects were highly consistent with the impact of group treatments delivered on a more traditional schedule. If confirmed in a controlled group study, these results suggest that cognitive therapy may be applied more economically and more widely than was previously realized.

Describes case studies of 2 males (aged 28 and 30 yrs) in which in vivo practice was applied to needle phobia and associated vasovagal fainting. In vivo practice combines skill acquisition with an opportunity to disconfirm negative expectations. Substantial improvements in self-efficacy, anxiety, and performance were obtained. Treatment gains generalized to other settings and were maintained at 3–6 mo follow-up. In vivo practice is recommended for further research into needle phobias.