This study explored the influence of personality traits on injured workers' interaction with workers' compensation systems. Data were collected from 89 participant claimants (males, 41; females 48, mean age = 45 years, SD = 10.67 years) at various levels of involvement with the workers' compensation system: previous claimants (n = 39), current claimants (n = 28), and nonclaimant workers (n = 22). Significant differences in personality traits were found between these groups of compensation claimants. Current compensation claimants displayed greater emotional instability and introversion compared with those less acutely involved in the compensation system. Current claimants also experienced clinically significant levels of symptoms of depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and reported reduced social functioning, relative to previous and nonclaimants, respectively. Overall, subtle differences were found to exist in personality and psychological health between groups of workers at different levels of involvement with the workers' compensation system.

The efficacy of institutional and community-based treatment services is crucial in maintaining the health, safety, and quality of life of persons with psychiatric illness. A factor limiting the success of community interventions is the rehospitalisation of persons with mental health disorders due to behavioural concerns, particularly aggression toward self and others. Understanding impulse control, a construct commonly thought to have a relationship to aggressive behaviour, may provide psychologists with insights into individual behaviour in novel or unpredictable environments. This study examines the validity of biopsychosocial assessment of impulsivity in understanding inpatient behaviour in 53 individuals currently residing in a State psychiatric facility. Using three separate measures of impulsivity, a regression analysis was used to determine the predictive value of these measures in relation to institutional behaviour. Support was found for using impulsivity assessment as a predictor of institutional behaviour. Discussion and suggestions for utilising biopsychosocial assessment of impulsivity in inpatient and community settings is provided.

Research on managing challenging behaviour in children and young people with disabilities is becoming increasingly complex as a guide to best practice. There continues to be an outpouring of single-case studies conducted in the traditional research methods and conceptual models of applied behaviour analysis. In contrast, there is growing recognition of the importance of context, social systems, and cultural values, not only in understanding the causes of challenging behaviour, but in the design of interventions and the evaluation of rehabilitative treatments. A ‘third wave’ of educative intervention approaches attempts to integrate these two perspectives within concepts of positive behaviour support. We offer practitioners some guidance to the extant empirical literature by bringing together the most promising themes within this rapprochement.

This study examined the efficacy of an evidence-based supportive leadership program to address psychosocial hazards identified in an organisational health review of a government department. Participants were employees identified as having supervisory and management roles (N = 57; males = 30, females = 27; age range 22 to 63). The program was implemented systematically over a 6-month period using 2 × 2 day intensive workshops, interim 360 peer review assessment and 1-day follow-up. The program used a variety of behavioural learning approaches with individual and group feedback from professional, peer and self-review. The results showed a major improvement in organisational health with significant changes in risk status across the domains of Relationship, Manager and Peer Support. Improvements in organisational health made within the leadership group had generalised across the entire workforce and continued to be maintained at the 18-month follow-up.