School psychologists who contribute to the assessment of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are required by various Australian state government authorities to use standardised testing of cognitive skills, adaptive behaviour and some autism-based symptomatology to demonstrate the eligibility of those children for support funding in the school environment. However, this process does not always address the needs of parents and teachers for detailed and particular analysis of the reasons for the pervasive behavioural difficulties often shown by children with an ASD. Such difficult behaviour has been shown to contribute to high levels of stress among caregivers and often prevents the child with an ASD from successful school inclusion. Therefore, it would be advantageous for parents and teachers to have access to information obtained from an analysis of the child's behavioural difficulties as one outcome of the formal testing process that is conducted to examine the possible presence of an ASD. This paper presents a brief example of how a basic behavioural investigation might be incorporated into the assessment of children with a suspected ASD.

Life satisfaction is an important component of psychological health and wellbeing. Although personality is consistently linked to life satisfaction, its ‘innate’ and stable nature can make it a difficult target for intervention by practitioners. More malleable and context-specific factors such as multidimensional self-concept may prove to be better targets for such intervention. However, the extent to which multidimensional self-concept predicts life satisfaction over and above personality is unclear. The present study, then, examines the extent to which these two factors predict life satisfaction with a view to ascertaining their relative salience for subsequent research and practice. Among a sample of 523 (predominantly young) adult students from two universities/colleges in Sydney, structural equation modelling using LISREL examined a process model of personality, multidimensional self-concept, and life satisfaction. Results suggest a strong direct role for the personality traits of extraversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness but also an important mediating role for parent, same-sex peer, physical ability, and appearance self-concepts. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

In this study international and domestic students were compared on variables such as accommodation and financial satisfaction, social support, mismatched expectations, academic stress, dysfunctional coping, and psychological distress. International and domestic students (N = 86 for each group), enrolled at a large Australian university based in a capital city, completed a battery of questionnaires. Results demonstrate that in comparison to domestic students, international students had less social support, used more dysfunctional coping strategies and had greater incongruence between their expectations and experiences of university life. The results endorse the significance of providing high quality supportive and orientation programs to international students, to enhance their social support and coping strategies, which, as demonstrated, are lacking.

From Freud through to modern times researchers have aimed to develop a clearer understanding of therapeutic processes and outcomes. Despite this continued interest in the field, the representation of psychotherapy processes and the applicability of research findings and recommendations to the therapeutic field continue to prove difficult. Quantitative and qualitative studies each purport to provide answers, however, they differ greatly in their research methods and underlying ontological and epistemological views. Efficacy and effectiveness studies and the measures of statistical significance and clinical significance are explored with their inherent strengths and weaknesses highlighted. This paper presents the view that research into psychotherapy should enhance the experiences of both the therapist and client. For this to be achieved it is recommended that quantitative and qualitative data, or objective and subjective experiences, should collude rather than collide.

Cyber bullying or bullying via information and communications technology tools such as the internet and mobile phones is a problem of growing concern with school-aged students. Cyber bullying actions may not take place on school premises, but detrimental effects are experienced by victims of cyber bullying in schools. Tools used by cyber bullies are presented and the impact on victims is discussed. Intervention strategies for school counsellors, guidance officers, and school personnel to adopt with students and parents are presented.

Beginning with a discussion of current legislation in Australia around inclusion, this paper highlights recent research into the school experience of Same Sex Attracted Youth (SSAY), including the issues faced by students, and the negative outcomes of such experiences. The school experiences of SSAY youth is positioned within a social justice framework. The critical role that school counsellors can play in determining school culture is examined. The role of a school counsellor as part of a pastoral care team within school management is also highlighted. Factors that may influence a more supportive and inclusive school culture are discussed.

Although schools are meant to be safe learning environments for all children, some children are not afforded equal access to the protection of their safety and security. Every day, children who might be same-sex attracted are confronted with a unique set of challenges that are not being adequately addressed by the administrators of educational institutions. Despite increasingly positive shifts in Western societal feelings about homosexuality, educators continue to fail to implement inclusive practices and social justice for children who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT).