Christopher A. Pepping

Christopher A. Pepping
La Trobe University · School of Psychology and Public Health

PhD (Clinical Psychology)

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81
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2,646
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Publications

Publications (81)
Article
Full-text available
Sexual and gender minority (SGM) people experience elevated rates of suicidal ideation and attempts. This scoping review examines the effectiveness of suicide prevention programs for SGM people. Eligibility criteria included: the intervention was specifically designed for SGM people or specific analysis of SGM (sub)samples; reported suicide or suic...
Article
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Objective Relationship science has developed several theories to explain how and why people enter and maintain satisfying relationships. Less is known about why some people remain single, despite increasing rates of singlehood throughout the world. Using one of the most widely studied and robust theories—attachment theory—we aim to identify distinc...
Article
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Objective: Same-sex couples face unique minority stressors that affect relationship functioning, yet remarkably little research has examined the mechanisms by which individual and partner experiences of internalized stigma affect relationships over time. Using actor-partner interdependence models, the present study examined the effects of internal...
Article
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Background Gender and sexual minority adults have significant unmet mental health care needs and are often faced with barriers to accessing appropriate services. In this context, LGBTQ individuals often turn to each other for mental health support. Methods In a sample of 326 LGBTQ adults (M age = 37.64) who were providing mental health support to...
Article
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Background: Transgender and gender diverse young people (TGDY) are at higher risk of psychosocial distress relative to their cisgender counterparts. TGDY rely heavily on their parents to support their desired affirmation and to facilitate access to legal and medical affirmation. While it is well understood that parent conflict negatively impacts th...
Article
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Many members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, and queer (LGBTQ) communities provide informal mental health support to peers. This type of support is valuable for people who receive it - even helping to prevent suicide. It is also meaningful to those who provide it. In this article, we focus on how LGBTQ people derive meaning fro...
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Introduction Transgender, gender diverse, and non-binary people (TGDNB) access mental health services more frequently compared to the cisgender population, yet they continue to experience significant unmet mental health needs. The present study examined rates of mental health service use, satisfaction with services, barriers to service access, and...
Chapter
This chapter provides an overview of the prevalence of data reported on the mental health and well-being of LGBTIQA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Gender Diverse, Intersex, Queer, Asexual, Plus other gender identities and sexual orientations) people using Australia as a case study while also comparing it to other Western nations. This data not...
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Conventional mental health treatments do not meet the needs of all who seek help: some consult informal and alternative providers. Researching the use and perceived benefits of these non-conventional sources of help may contribute to understanding help-seeking behavior and inform mental health policy. We explored the experiences of people consultin...
Article
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Background Research shows that LGBTQ communities experience high levels of suicidality and mental ill health. They also face significant barriers to accessing adequate mental health treatment in service settings. In response to these factors, it is likely that LGBTQ community members turn to their peers for informal mental health-related support. S...
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IntroductionSexual minority adults have more unmet mental health care needs than their heterosexual counterparts. There is widespread acknowledgment that clinical interventions need to be tailored and inclusive to effectively meet the needs of sexual minority adults, yet remarkably little research has examined this issue empirically.Methods In a sa...
Article
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Introduction Recent evidence suggests that individual differences in attachment may be differentially associated with relationship status among heterosexual adults. However, sexual minority individuals face unique challenges, such as minority stress, that can impact relationship development, and thus research is needed to investigate singlehood amo...
Article
Perinatal depression is associated with wide‐ranging negative outcomes for women and their families, though little research has examined perinatal depression in sexual minority women. We examined depression in sexual minority women in the perinatal period, and whether there were unique minority stress‐related risk and protective factors that predic...
Article
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 a...
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IntroductionIndividual differences in attachment differentially predict dating motivations and behaviors among heterosexual individuals. Remarkably, little research has examined such topics in men who have sex with men (MSM).Methods In a sample of 118 MSM, we examined whether individual differences in attachment were differentially associated with...
Article
Available evidence affirms the effectiveness- of crisis helpline services in providing appropriate short-term intervention for many groups, but the unique needs of sexual minority adult callers may prevent them from deriving similar therapeutic benefit. Two hundred and forty-eight sexual minority adults from across Australia were asked about a prev...
Article
Objective: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals are at higher risk of poor mental health, and have more unmet mental health needs, compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Few studies have examined predictors of mental health service use amongst LGB Australians, and barriers to accessing these services Method: Participants were 592 LGB...
Article
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals are at higher risk for poor mental health than their heterosexual counterparts, and these disparities are largely accounted for by minority stressors. Less is known about the mechanisms underlying associations between minority stress and mental health. In a sample of 592 LGB adults (M age = 29.39), we te...
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Terror management theory posits that close relationships assuage existential mortality concerns because they foster attachment-based felt security, enhance self-esteem, and validate shared cultural worldviews. However, the relative buffering influence of these mechanisms remains relatively unknown and has sparked theoretical debate. Some theorists...
Article
Being comfortable in disclosing one’s sexual orientation to health and aged care providers is important for older lesbian and gay adults, given that nondisclosure is associated with poorer health and well-being outcomes. In a sample of 752 lesbian and gay adults aged 60 years and older living in Australia, we found only 51% of lesbian women and 64%...
Article
Relationship education (RE) enhances couple functioning in different-sex couples, though less is known about the effects of RE for same-sex couples. This study investigates the preliminary effects of RE tailored for same-sex couples on couple relationship functioning and individual mental health. Twelve same-sex couples participated in a RE interve...
Chapter
Over the past three decades, there has been increasing recognition and acceptance of same-sex couples and families in high-income countries. In this chapter, we review research pertaining to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) families across the globe. The first section of the chapter will review important terminology in relation to LGB...
Article
Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people experience poorer well-being compared to the general population, and internalized transphobia is a well-established risk factor. Less is known about potential individual difference factors that may buffer these effects. This study examined whether individual differences in attachment moderated the associa...
Article
This invited paper is a review of the significance of couple relationships to the practice of all therapists. The article begins with a summary of the evidence on the centrality of committed couple relationships to the lives and wellbeing of adults, and the association of the quality of the parents’ couple relationship on the wellbeing of children....
Article
The Handbook of Evidence-Based Mental Health Practice with Sexual and Gender Minorities represents the first compendium of evidence-based approaches to sexual and gender minority (SGM)-affirmative mental health practice. In the past several years, clinical researchers have begun developing and adapting evidence-based mental health treatment approac...
Article
This chapter reviews the emerging field of couple interventions for same-sex couples. It outlines the evidence base for couple relationship education and couple therapy based on research with heterosexual couples. It reviews data pertaining to relationship stability and relationship satisfaction of same-sex couples and also the similarities and dif...
Article
Objective Recent evidence suggests that individuals higher in dispositional mindfulness display less rejection sensitivity. However, less is known about the potential influence of dispositional mindfulness on behavioural responses to implied rejection, and the mechanisms underlying these associations. The present research was designed to address th...
Article
The number of people who remain single for long periods of time is sizeable and growing in the Western world, yet they are largely ignored in psychological theory and research. In this article, we review psychological and sociological evidence that long-term singles are a heterogeneous group of individuals, outline an attachment-theoretical model o...
Article
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Individuals higher in dispositional mindfulness, a quality of non-judgmental attention to the present moment, fare better than their less mindful counterparts on a wide range of psychological and interpersonal outcomes. However, remarkably little is known about the potential influence of dispositional mindfulness on sexual outcomes. Here we investi...
Article
Background Attachment insecurity is associated with poor mental health across the life span, and increasing evidence suggests that emotion regulation difficulties are implicated in these associations. To date, research has focused largely on adult attachment in the context of romantic relationships; however, close friendships are well‐established p...
Article
Most lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people want a stable, satisfying romantic relationship. Although many of the predictors of relationship outcomes are similar to those of heterosexual couples, same-sex couples face some additional challenges associated with minority stress that also impact upon relationship quality. Here, we investigate the ass...
Article
Rates of singlehood are increasing rapidly in the Western World. In the current paper, we discuss the phenomenon of long-term singlehood from an attachment perspective, outline three distinct sub-groups of singles (anxious, avoidant, and secure), and demonstrate the utility of these groups by highlighting their unique characteristics and possible l...
Article
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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people seek psychotherapy at high rates, and the importance of providing culturally appropriate and LGBT-affirmative psychotherapy has been widely acknowledged. Despite this, remarkably little research has investigated the effects of therapist training in LGBT-affirmative psychotherapy. Here we examine...
Article
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Terror management theory outlines how humans seek self-esteem and worldview validation to manage death-related anxiety. Accumulating evidence reveals that close relationships serve a similar role. However, to date, there has been no synthesis of the literature that delineates when close relationships buffer mortality concerns, under what conditions...
Article
The present article examined couple service utilization in adults in same-sex relationships, as well as satisfaction with couple services, and preferences regarding content, delivery, and tailoring of services. Couples accessed services relatively infrequently and were generally dissatisfied with the usefulness of such services. Most participants (...
Article
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Objective: Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) has demonstrated effectiveness in improving social cognition and functioning of people with schizophrenia. This pilot study examines the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of SCIT with individuals who have schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and are receiving care through a public...
Article
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This longitudinal study prospectively examined the impact of social support and dispositional mindfulness on 12-month follow-up psychological distress among older gay men. A sample of 186 gay men in Australia aged 42 years and older completed measures of 3 types of social support (appraisal, belonging, and tangible), dispositional mindfulness, and...
Article
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Background and objectives: Middle-aged and older gay men experience higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to their heterosexual counterparts, with internalized homonegativity and sexual identity concealment known to be major stress-related contributors. This study examined the prospective effect of different types and sources of social s...
Article
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Attachment insecurity is generally associated with low romantic attraction from prospective partners. However, no research has examined the pan-cultural applicability of attachment and initial romantic attraction, referring to the extent to which attachment processes are implicated in romantic attraction across cultures. We examined if attachment i...
Article
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Background Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) men and women represent one of the highest-risk populations for depressive symptomatology and disorders, with young LGB adults being at greatest risk. To date, there have been no randomized controlled trials (RCT) to specifically target depressive symptoms in young LGB adults. This is despite research hig...
Article
Couple Relationship Education (RE) seeks to enrich couples' relationships, and assist them to manage stressful life events [1]. In the current paper we present an ecological model of couple relationships intended to guide the practice of RE, analyze the mediators of RE effects, and suggest future research needs to assess moderators and mediators of...
Article
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Recent evidence indicates that mindfulness is associated with adult attachment, such that individuals with a secure attachment style also tend to be more mindful. In the present experiment, we extend prior cross-sectional research by examining whether priming attachment insecurity (anxiety and avoidance) leads to a decrease in state mindfulness and...
Article
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A large and coherent body of evidence reveals that individuals higher in dispositional mindfulness fare better than their less mindful counterparts on a range of psychosocial outcomes. However, few studies have examined the effects of dispositional mindfulness on adolescent mental health, and potential mechanisms underlying its salutary effects. Th...
Article
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Mindfulness meditation leads to a range of positive outcomes, yet little is known about the motivation behind choosing to practice meditation. This research investigated reasons for commencing and continuing mindfulness meditation. In both qualitative and quantitative analyses, the most frequently cited reason for commencing and continuing meditati...
Chapter
Being in a satisfying romantic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of overall life satisfaction and well-being. In the present chapter, we examine the possibility that mindfulness may be beneficial to romantic relationships. To date, most of the scientific literature has examined whether mindfulness enhances individual well-being and fu...
Chapter
Self-esteem is said to be a fundamental and pervasive human need. Humans are motivated to maintain high self-esteem and engage in efforts to protect their self-esteem when it comes under threat. High self-esteem is a positive personal resource and is generally related to a wide range of positive life outcomes. It is therefore important to consider...
Article
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Attachment theorists have described the parent–child attachment relationship as a foundation for the emergence and development of children's capacity for emotion regulation and coping with stress. The purpose of this review was to summarize the existing research addressing this issue. We identified 23 studies that employed validated assessments of...
Article
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Initial romantic attraction has important implications for the development of romantic relationships. Much research demonstrates that physical attractiveness predicts initial romantic attraction. However, less is known about the influence of individual difference characteristics on initial romantic attraction. Here we examined whether dispositional...
Article
A large and coherent body of evidence reveals that high dispositional mindfulness is a positive personal resource, yet remarkably little is known about the origins of individual differences in mindfulness. Attachment theory describes how early experiences with caregivers shape psychosocial development across the lifespan. Drawing from attachment th...
Article
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Recent research suggests that attachment and mindfulness are related, though the nature of this association is unclear. Here we present two studies examining whether there is a causal relationship between state attachment and state mindfulness. Study 1 investigated the effects of experimentally increasing state mindfulness on state attachment secur...
Article
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Much research attests to the beneficial effects of equine interventions on physical development and ability. However, less is known about the possible psychological benefits of horse activities, such as therapeutic riding or interactions with horses. Although there is public consensus that horses can have psychological benefits, it is an under-rese...
Article
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The use of animal-assisted interventions (aaIs) to achieve psychological benefits has expanded rapidly over the last few years. However, this is a vastly under-researched area, and the research to date has been largely descriptive, in the form of case studies, or has used only small groups of participants with no control condition. Remarkably few s...
Article
Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of couple therapy find large improvements in couple adjustment, but published evaluations of the effectiveness of couple therapy in routine practice find only small-to-moderate effects. The current study analyzes possible explanations for the research-efficacy to practice-effectiveness gap and offers su...
Article
Couple relationship education (RE) usually is conceived of as relationship enhancement for currently satisfied couples, with a goal of helping couples sustain satisfaction. However, RE also might be useful as a brief, accessible intervention for couples with low satisfaction. Two studies were conducted that tested whether couples with low relations...
Chapter
Full-text available
Over the past twenty-five years, terror management theory has become one of the most influential frameworks for understanding the emotion regulation strategies individuals use to manage the fear of personal death, and the associated social consequences of these strategies. Terror management theory proposes that individuals engage in defensive strat...
Article
Feedback to therapists based on systematic monitoring of individual therapy progress reliably enhances therapy outcome. An implicit assumption of therapy progress feedback is that clients unlikely to benefit from therapy can be detected early enough in the course of therapy for corrective action to be taken. To explore the possibility of using feed...
Article
The gay and lesbian community suffers higher rates of discrimination, mental health problems, and relationship break-up than their heterosexual counterparts. In this paper we analyse the challenges confronting same-sex couples, and the implications for couple education and therapy with same-sex couples. We describe some similarities in the challeng...
Article
Full-text available
Attachment insecurity is related to many forms of psychopathology, including eating pathology. However, remarkably little is known as to the more specific underlying cognitive and emotional processes that may explain why attachment insecurity places individuals at greater risk of eating pathology. In the present research, we examined whether mindfu...
Article
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Much evidence indicates that self-compassion is related to a wide range of positive outcomes, yet remarkably little is known as to the origins of self-compassion. Here we present two studies that investigate the potential origins of individual differences in self-compassion. In Study 1, participants' (N = 329) recall of high parental rejection and...
Article
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Emotion regulation deficits are implicated in many forms of psychosocial distress. The aim of the present research was to investigate whether emotion regulation was the process underlying the well-established association between low dispositional mindfulness and greater psychosocial distress. Two studies are presented that examined whether non-acce...
Article
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This review article examines current knowledge about the efficacy of art therapy based on the findings of 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted with adult populations from 2008–2013 that met a high standard of rigor. Of these studies, all but one reported beneficial effects of art therapy. Review findings suggest that art therapy may bene...
Article
Grounded in Fredrickson’s (Rev Gen Psychol 2(3):300-319, 1998) broaden and build model of positive emotions, the current study examines the efficacy of 2-week self-administered gratitude and kindness interventions within a clinical sample on a waiting-list for outpatient psychological treatment. Results demonstrate that we can reliably cultivate th...
Article
Abstract: The adoption of evidence-based practice in social work has been widely promoted in recent years and with this, a growing emphasis on the evaluation of practice using well validated and reliable measurement processes. The Department of Health’s “Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families” in the United Kingdom incl...
Article
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Positive psychological research has clearly highlighted the importance of investigating factors that contribute to well-being. One factor contributing greatly to psychological well-being is mindfulness, which has been related to a wide range of positive outcomes, including healthy self-esteem. Here, we present two studies that aim to extend prior r...
Article
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Several recent studies have examined the association between mindfulness and attachment. However, close inspection of these studies suggests that the strength of this association may differ based on participants’ experience in mindfulness meditation. The aim of the present research was to examine a possible differential relationship between mindful...
Article
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Recent interest in the relationship between individual differences in attachment and dispositional mindfulness has led to empirical investigations into this association. Although several studies have demonstrated an association between attachment and mindfulness, little is known as to why these two seemingly distinct constructs are related. In a sa...
Article
Background: In the last few decades, therapeutic horse-riding has become recognized as a progressive form of therapy, particularly for people with disabilities. Although there is a substantial amount of literature that supports the physical benefit of therapeutic riding, only anecdotal evidence exists in relation to its psychological benefits. Ob...
Article
Full-text available
Positive psychological research has clearly highlighted the importance of investigating factors that contribute to well-being. One factor contributing greatly to psychological well-being is mindfulness, which has been related to a wide range of positive outcomes, including healthy self-esteem. Here, we present two studies that aim to extend prior r...
Article
Individual differences in attachment are well established as a correlate of couple relationship satisfaction. However, less is known about the role of attachment in predicting satisfaction at specific milestone points in couple relationships. The present study explored the role of attachment in predicting relationship satisfaction during couples’ f...

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