Rural Psychology and Supervision in North Australia: An unnecessary obstacle.
John H. Court (Posted January 2002)
Refereed Articles Members Only
Abstract
Psychological services are sparse and under-developed in rural Australia. The difficulty for emerging practitioners in finding adequate supervision is an obstacle to developing accessible services. Supervision is required by State Registration Boards, who look to the Australian Psychological Society (APS) for direction regarding acceptable standards. This paper addresses the ethical issues arising from the APS adopting a position that supervision by a family member is always unacceptable. Registration Boards that might otherwise have allowed flexibility to accommodate the special needs of rural Australia are guided by this policy. The paper questions the basis for making such a determination without scientific support, and implementing an ethical principle in an absolute manner, without support from the Society’s Code of Ethics. Evidence from other jurisdictions shows this stance is not universally supported, and the present policy is working to disadvantage individuals and rural Australians.

Predictors of Depression and Attitudes to Risk Taking among Rural Adolescents
Christine Barallon & David Harvey (Posted January 2002)
Refereed Research Notes Members Only
Abstract
The following study investigated the predictors of depression and risk-taking attitudes among Australian rural adolescents in terms age, self-esteem and social support. The sample comprised 80 female adolescents ranging from 11 to 16 years (M = 13.7 years) in Years 7, 9 and 11. All were attending rural secondary schools in the Western-Barwon region of Victoria. Participants completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, Social Support Appraisals Scale and a list of risk taking behaviours. Risk taking attitudes were positively correlated with social support to a low degree; depression was positively correlated with negative self-esteem at a moderate level but was also negatively correlated with social support at a high level. Social support was negatively correlated with negative self-esteem at a moderate level. A regression analysis indicated that family support, self-esteem and peer support were significant predictors of depression, accounting for 63.7% of the variance. In comparison, significant predictors were not found for risk taking attitudes.

A major concern for mental health professionals is the increase in the suicide rate of adolescents over the past two decades. On average, eight young people commit suicide a week in Australia (Burdekin, 1994; Carr-Gregg, 2000). In addition, many adolescents contemplate or engage in deliberate self-harm (Graham, Reser, Scuderi, Zubrick, Smith & Turley, 2000) and there is an apparent increase in accident or injury rates among adolescents (Blum & Rinehart, 1997). It is postulated that the high rate of suicide is related to depressive illness while the high accident rate is related to aspects of risk taking behaviour. In particular, adolescents living in rural or remote areas are over represented in suicide and a number of risk taking behaviours (Blum & Reinehart, 1997; Shanahan & Hewitt, 1999). With more than five million Australians living outside major metropolitan centres it is imperative that predictors of psychological health of rural youth are thoroughly explored (Burdekin, 1994

This tour is meant as a study trip. An exploration into how ideas of mental illness and rurality come together. We will see who the major tour designers are and what their promotional material looks like. As with any tour, there can be surprises along the way and also questions that remain unanswered. Hopefully, you will find a location that you like and choose to spend a while there. This is a difficult trip. The vistas challenge us, as visitors, to look past the glossy promotional material to the reality of life underneath. To fully expose the intricacies of rural geography and mental illness, we need to appreciate the tour as presented by the guides but to also ask what is being left out.

I prepared for this trip like any other. I packed my bags full of the literature, prepared my itinerary (outline), and proceeded to travel as a tourist through the geography of mental illness. Being a tourist, I needed no attachment to the landscape, only a sense of wonder and willingness to be led by the tour guide. The guides each have their own interpretation of the particular highlights of the tour. I am willing to be led, like most tourists, and am comfortable that the tour guides will not allow me to come to any harm. I am, after all, a paying customer.