Patricia L. Obst

Patricia L. Obst
Queensland University of Technology | QUT · School of Psychology and Counselling

BSSc(hons), PhD

About

92
Publications
50,315
Reads
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3,409
Citations
Introduction
I am social and community Psychologist working as a researcher and lecturer in the School of Psychology and Counselling at QUT. I have a passion for making and understanding connections in both my teaching and research. I believe that a sense of belonging and community are strongly linked to our wellbeing. I strive to engage in quality research which can provide ways to enhance people’s sense of connectedness with the groups, organisations and communities to which they belong.
Additional affiliations
January 2006 - present
Queensland University of Technology
Position
  • Professor (Associate)
Education
January 2000 - January 2005
Queensland University of Technology
Field of study
  • Community Psychology
February 1994 - November 1997
Queensland University of Technology
Field of study
  • Psychology

Publications

Publications (92)
Article
This study aims to understand the effects that role‐diverse online communities have on informal carers, particularly in providing support. Australian Facebook communities used to support those involved in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) were explored. Social network analysis of an NDIS‐centred community was conducted, based on 909 p...
Article
Male body hair removal has implications for men’s mental health such as anxiety about body image. Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour and relevant additional constructs, this research examined factors associated with young men’s upper body and pubic hair removal. Young men residing in Australia completed a pilot survey, online survey ( N = 655...
Article
Research has documented the harms associated with performance and image enhancing drug (PIED) use and lack of disclosure of use to healthcare providers (HCPs). Given that the relationship between HCPs and PIED consumers plays an important role in harm reduction, research is required to understand the barriers and facilitators for consumers to engag...
Article
Objective Given that a high drive for muscularity (DM) has been found to be associated with negative mental health outcomes for men, this research examined pathways involving social influence which may explain why some men are more susceptible to a DM than others. Method Building on previous qualitative research, this study examined psychosocial f...
Article
Full-text available
World of Warcraft ( WoW ) is one of the most popular massively multiplayer online games. Previous studies have found evidence of in-game and offline social support among WoW players; however, the interplay of different types of social support such as informational and emotional support among this cohort has not been examined. This study used a reci...
Article
Evidence suggests young men who use performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs) in Australia also engage in alcohol and party drug use. Such polysubstance use is concerning as it could exacerbate the harms that come from using either PIEDs or other drugs alone. The present study employed semi-structured interviews with 12 young men which aimed to...
Article
Full-text available
Although research shows that videogames have a positive impact on the majority of players, concerns remain about the situations in which videogame play becomes disordered and harmful. Drawing on self-determination theory and the dualistic model of passion and based on previous research in non-videogame domains, we sought to explore the extent to wh...
Article
This paper describes an innovative approach combining a content analysis of commentary and images on a Facebook page with a thematic analysis of the subjective experience expressed in interviews of those impacted by the text and images. Interview participants were asked about their perceptions of the representation of the muscularity‐focused identi...
Article
The current study examined a predictive model of both universal factors (socioeconomic, neuroticism, and extraversion) and culturally specific factors (sense of community, trust, and self-construal) towards the well-being of Indonesians. A nationally representative sample (N = 929) was recruited across the nation to complete a survey in either onli...
Article
Caregivers for family or friends who are elderly people or have a disability provide critical supports, with a range of positive and negative consequences associated with their role. This research explores the positive and negative aspects of care‐giving, including the experience of abuse within the caring relationship, through an anonymous online...
Article
Full-text available
Background: Research indicates that young women are being exposed to increasing pressures to remove pubic hair from their bodies, which has the potential for both negative physical and psychological consequences. Women's personal choice and reasoning for partaking in pubic hair removal is influenced by broader social influences; however, there is...
Article
Increasing numbers of young Australian men are training and dieting to attain high muscle mass and low body fat and using steroids and performance and image enhancing drugs to expedite this process. This study explored men's identification with a muscularity‐centred subculture and what contributes to the pursuit of masculine body image defined by m...
Article
Much research has sought to understand factors that predict both positive and negative posttrauma outcomes. Social support is one factor that has been widely investigated, primarily as a buffer against the negative effects of stressful life events. While receiving social support has claimed much empirical attention attesting to its positive impact...
Article
Research investigating the impacts of raising children with various disabilities has predominantly been cross-sectional and deficit focused. This one-year project used a salutogenic framework to investigate how parents may personally grow from raising their child, without ignoring the role that distress plays in the development of growth. Interpret...
Article
Full-text available
The present study describes the development and validation of a new instrument to measure the well‐being of Indonesian people. Items were generated by taking into account the recent cross‐cultural developments in the literature. Participants (N = 1,028) from a number of provinces in Indonesia completed an online or a paper questionnaire containing...
Article
Full-text available
Objectives This study aimed to explore the relationship between well-being and perceived stress, and the functional dimensions of social support in older adults. Method Data from 306 older adults were obtained in a survey containing the two-way Social Support Scale (2-Way SSS). Also, a subset of the sample (N = 165) was filled out with measures of...
Data
Appendix – Supplemental material for Reliability and validity of the Brief 2-Way Social Support Scale: an investigation of social support in promoting older adult well-being
Article
Full-text available
Cross-cultural research suggests that wellbeing may be experienced differently by distinct populations. While research on wellbeing in non-Western populations has increased, there is limited empirical evidence regarding wellbeing in Indonesia. As the fourth largest country in the world, and with its unique socio-cultural characteristics, the potent...
Article
Previous studies have found that playing massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) such as World of Warcraft (WoW) can lead to socializing and enhanced connectedness as well as negative well-being outcomes. Motivations for achievement and socializing play central roles in playing MMOGs. Using data from a survey of 181 WoW players, this study exami...
Article
As research examining what constitutes Facebook false self-presentation is lacking, the aim of this study was to develop a preliminary inventory of Facebook false self-presentation behaviors, as well as identify predictors and possible outcomes. Participants (N = 211) completed questions regarding frequency of engagement in Facebook false self-pres...
Article
Background: Changing trends demonstrate that women, in several economically developed countries, are drinking at higher levels than ever before. Objective: This study applied an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), including self-identity, to examine women's intentions to consume alcohol. Methods: Women (N = 1069) aged 18-87 years, compl...
Article
This study investigates the role of online social connectedness as a buffer against depression in older adults who cease driving. A survey of 108 over-65 year olds (M = 73.7, SD = 7.37) was conducted. Measures included online and offline social connectedness; depression; online activities; and general health. The online activities in which older ad...
Article
Introduction: China has the world's greatest number of smokers but theory-based smoking interventions are rare. To develop an effective intervention, understanding the determinants of Chinese adolescent smoking is crucial. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is empirically supported to predict and assist in informing intervention strategies to ch...
Article
Full-text available
The Multidimensional State Boredom Scale (MSBS) is a promising new self-report measure of state boredom. Two condensed versions of the scale have also been introduced. This study helped explore the psychometric qualities of these scales, using a large sample of Australian adults (N = 1,716), as well as two smaller samples (N = 199 and N = 422). Dat...
Article
Full-text available
Background Changing trends demonstrate that women, in a number of economically-developed countries, are drinking at higher levels than ever before. Exploring key targets for intervention, this study examined the extent to which underlying beliefs in relation to alcohol consumption predicted intentions to drink in three different ways (i.e. low risk...
Article
This conceptual paper explored the purposes of using culture in the process of coping with stress by looking how first year undergraduate students used cultural elements and activities to aid their transition into university. Results supported two key conceptualisations of the use of culture. Firstly, results indicated that students used culture ei...
Article
Microvolunteering is bite-size volunteering with no commitment to repeat and minimum formality, involving short and specific actions. Online microvolunteering occurs through an internet-connected device. University students' online microvolunteering decisions were investigated using an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) comprising attitudes...
Article
The current study explored underlying beliefs regarding work safety among a sample of experienced Australian electrical workers. A qualitative research methodology using the theory of planned behavior as a framework was employed. A series of interviews and focus groups with licensed electrical workers (N= 46) were analyzed using thematic content an...
Article
This conceptual paper explored the purposes of using culture in the process of coping with stress by looking how first year undergraduate students used cultural elements and activities to aid their transition into university. Results supported two key conceptualisations of the use of culture. Firstly, results indicated that students used culture ei...
Article
The majority of research examining massively multiplayer online game (MMOG)-based social relationships has used quantitative methodologies. The present study used qualitative semi-structured interviews with 22 Australian World of Warcraft (WoW) players to examine their experiences of MMOG-based social relationships. Interview transcripts underwent...
Chapter
Reflective thinking is an important skill in psychology, both as a tool in the therapeutic process and in professional development. The adapted 4Rs Model provides reflective writing structure and highlights the importance of Reporting Responding, Relating, Reasoning and Reconstructing to students who are new to writing reflections. This chapter pre...
Article
Full-text available
Objective: Driver sleepiness is a major crash risk factor, but may be under-recognized as a risky driving behavior. Sleepy driving is usually rated as less of a road safety issue than more well-known risky driving behaviors, such as drink driving and speeding. The objective of this study was to compare perception of crash risk of sleepy driving, d...
Article
Postnatal depression is consistently associated with couple relationship qualities. Substantial infant care requirements in early weeks may highlight differences in parenting beliefs between mother and father. We calculated difference scores in parenting beliefs (disparity) in a community sample of 209 parent dyads. Contrary to previous research re...
Article
Full-text available
Improving hand hygiene among health care workers (HCWs) is the single most effective intervention to reduce health care associated infections in hospitals. Understanding the cognitive determinants of hand hygiene decisions for HCWs with the greatest patient contact (nurses) is essential to improve compliance. The aim of this study was to explore ho...
Article
Objective The research investigated whether a stronger predictive model of volunteering behaviour prevails when the functions of the volunteer functions inventory are combined with the constructs of the theory of planned behaviour. The study advances on prior research which either examined the predictive capacity of each model or compared their exp...
Article
Abstract Paternal postnatal depression (PND) is now recognized as a serious and prevalent problem, associated with poorer well-being and functioning of all family members. Aspects of infant temperament, sleeping and feeding perceived by parents as problematic are associated with maternal PND, however, less is known about paternal PND. This study in...
Article
Belongingness has been linked to depression. Prior studies have been crosssectional with few addressing distinct belongingness contexts. This study used structural equation modelling to investigate cross-lagged longitudinal relationships between general belonging, workplace belonging, and depressive symptoms in a community sample of 221 working adu...
Article
Full-text available
Young infants may have irregular sleeping and feeding patterns. Such regulation difficulties are known correlates of maternal depressive symptoms. Parental beliefs about their role in regulating infant behaviors also may play a role. We investigated the association of depressive symptoms with infant feeding/sleeping behaviors, parent regulation bel...
Article
The current study examined the structure of the volunteer functions inventory within a sample of older individuals (N = 187). The career items were replaced with items examining the concept of continuity of work, a potentially more useful and relevant concept for this population. Factor analysis supported a four factor solution, with values, social...
Article
Research has shown that a strong relationship exists between belongingness and depressive symptoms; however, the contribution of specific types of belongingness remains unknown. Participants (N=369) completed the sense of belonging instrument, psychological sense of organizational membership, and the depression scale of the depression anxiety stres...
Article
Childhood sexual assault (CSA) is one of the most devastating of all traumatic experiences, with population studies documenting survivors experiencing higher levels of pathology than survivors of other traumatic experiences. Yet, recent research has demonstrated that far from being permanently crippled by their experiences, many adult survivors of...
Article
Annually, in Australia, 10–15% of all road-related fatalities involve pedestrians. Of those pedestrians fatally injured, approximately 45% were walking while intoxicated or ‘drink walking’. Drink walking is increasing in prevalence and younger persons may be especially prone to engage in this behaviour and, thus, are at heightened risk of being inj...
Article
Objectives: A number of studies have examined the relationship between disconfirmed expectations about early parenthood and postnatal depressive symptoms. Most have focused on primiparous women, yet new fathers and multiparous parents also develop depressive symptoms following childbirth. The current study examined whether primiparous and multiparo...
Article
Full-text available
Every day we are confronted with social interactions with other people. Our social life is characterised by norms that manifest as attitudinal and behavioural uniformities among people. With greater awareness about our social context, we can interact more efficiently. Any theory or model of human interaction that fails to include social concepts co...
Article
This study assessed the validity of a scale measuring psychologists' attitudes towards complementary and alternative therapies and compared the attitudes of psychologists with a previous sample of psychology students. The scale, derived from existing measures for medical professionals and previously tested on a sample of psychology students, was co...
Article
To assist road safety professionals in developing effective strategies to combat the risk associated with driving while fatigued, a survey was administered to 1000 Australian drivers. Participants reported their past behaviours in regards to driving while sleepy and their perceptions of risk associated with driving fatigued as compared to speeding...
Article
A number of studies support the refinement of various types of social support into 2 primary dimensions: emotional support and instrumental support. There is increasing recognition of benefits aligned with giving as well as receiving social support, yet there has been no single measure published that incorporates all of these elements. This study p...
Article
Full-text available
Cameron (2004) proposed a three-dimensional model and measure of social identification consisting of cogni-tive centrality, in-group affect, and in-group ties. This approach has received growing theoretical and empirical support; however, little research has examined how these dimensions of social identification may relate differen-tially to interg...
Article
People with a physical disability are a population who for a number of reasons may be vulnerable to social isolation. Research into Internet-based support sites has found that social support and an online sense of community can be developed through computer mediated communication channels. This study aims to gain an understanding of the benefits th...
Article
Full-text available
Fatigue has been recognised as the primary contributing factor in approximately 15% of all fatal road crashes in Australia. To develop effective countermeasures for managing fatigue, this study investigates why drivers continue to drive when sleepy, and driver perceptions and behaviours in regards to countermeasures. Based on responses from 305 Aus...
Article
Full-text available
In Australia, research suggests that up one quarter of child pedestrian hospitalisations result from driveway run-over incidents, with the parent or family member of the child being most likely the driver of the vehicle at the time of the incident. As such, driveway run-over incidents are an important issue that need to be addressed through public...
Article
Full-text available
Measures of 'social identity' and 'psychological sense of community' were included within a broader formative research inquiry to gain insight into the identity characteristics and level of connectedness among older recreational road travellers (commonly known as Grey Nomads). The research sought to gain insights on how best to reach or speak to th...
Article
Full-text available
Previous research examining players of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) suggests that players form meaningful relationships with each other. Other research indicates that people may derive social support from online sources, and this social support has been associated with greater well-being. This study used an online survey of players (N...
Article
There has been little research examining the use of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) as a work-place screening tool. In the current study a large scale sample ( n = 4193) of police personnel completed the 10 AUDIT questions and two readiness-to-change questions. The sample represented 67% of all members of an Australian State P...
Article
While previous research attests to the importance of psychological sense of community (PSOC) to individuals' well-being, little research has examined this relationship for the four proposed dimensions of PSOC: membership, influence, integration and fulfillment of needs, and shared emotional connection (McMillan & Chavis, 1986). Further, little rese...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Our social life is characterised by norms that manifest as attitudinal and behavioural uniformities among people. With greater awareness about our social context, we can interact more efficiently. Any theory or account of human interaction that fails to include social concepts could be suggested to lack a critical element. This paper identifies soc...
Article
Full-text available
Fatigue in the postnatal period is such a common experience for most mothers that the term ‘postpartum fatigue’ (PPF) has been coined to describe it. When new mothers experience extreme fatigue, it follows that their physical health, mental health, and social-wellbeing is negatively affected. It is interesting to note that there is a distinct lack...
Article
Full-text available
The Australian population is ageing, and an increasing number of older Australians are becoming "grey nomads", driving long distances on high speed rural roads. While many drivers in this age range are engaging in self regulation and limiting their driving to known roads, this population are driving on highly unfamiliar roads, and possibly engaging...
Article
The influence of choice on individuals’ social identification and Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC) with their group memberships is a little examined area. The current study examined participants’ (N = 219) level of social identification and PSOC across multiple group memberships that differ in the degree of choice associated with membership....
Article
Full-text available
Volunteer work plays a key role in the functioning of social services within our communities. Younger volunteers now comprise a major component of the volunteer population. However, little work on the volunteerism of younger people, especially students, has been conducted in an Australian context. The present study investigated the psychological fu...
Article
The present study aimed to gather information on drug and alcohol use, the prevalence of drink and drug driving and attitudes to both in an undergraduate university cohort (n = 275). Further, the study aimed to contribute information to aid intervention program development by determining predictors of drink and drug driving behavior. The study exam...
Article
Past research indicates that there is a strong relationship between the constructs of Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC) and social identification. The current study draws on data (N = 219) examining participants’ membership in a number of different communities to present an examination of the relationship between these constructs. In particul...
Article
Full-text available
The current research aimed to examine evidence for the construct validity of the three-factor model of social identity as measured by the Three Dimensional Strength of Group Identification Scale proposed by Cameron (2004). The 12 item version of the Three Dimensional Strength of Group Identification Scale was used to collect data from an undergradu...
Article
The Sense of Community Index (SCI) is one of the most commonly used measures of Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC). There is much discussion in the literature as to the validity of the scale as a measure not only of overall PSOC, but of the dimensions (Membership, Influence, Needs Fulfillment and Emotional Connection) theorized by McMillan and...
Article
Full-text available
This thesis examines the construct of Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC). Within the discipline of community psychology, there is debate as to the dimensions underlying the construct PSOC. One of the few theoretically proposed structures is that put forward by McMillan and Chavis (1986), who hypothesized four dimensions: Belonging; Fulfilment...
Article
Full-text available
The current study tracks the social behaviour of new police recruits from pre-Academy, after six months' Academy training, through to one year into police training (N = 177). The results showed that recruits socialise and drink more with colleagues after entering the Academy than they did pre-Academy. The way recruits drank also changed during trai...
Article
Full-text available
The current study tracks the social behaviour of new police recruits from pre Academy, after six months Academy training, through to one year into police training (N = 177). The results showed that recruits socialise and drink more with colleagues after entering the Academy than they did pre Academy. The way recruits drank also changed during train...
Article
In the present study a sample of male, shift-working, operational ambulance officers, were compared to a group of male shift-workers from a range of occupations in which exposure to traumatic events is not inherent in the role (N=71). Three dimensions of family functioning were examined: intimacy, conflict, and parenting styles, with respect to occ...
Article
Within the discipline of community psychology there is debate as to the dimensions underlying the construct psychological sense of community (PSOC). One of the few theoretical discussions is that of McMillan and Chavis (1986), who hypothesized four dimensions: Belonging; Fulfillment of Needs; Influence; and Shared Connections. Discussion has also e...
Article
There is much debate in community psychology literature as to the dimensions underlying the construct psychological sense of community (PSOC). One of the few theoretical discussions is that of McMillan and Chavis (1986), who hypothesized four dimensions: Belonging; Fulfillment of Needs; Influence; and Shared Emotional Connection. Debate has also em...
Article
Full-text available
Within the discipline of community psychology there remains considerable debate as to the latent structure of psychological sense of community (PSOC). One of the few theoretical discussions is that of McMillan and Chavis (1986), who hypothesized four dimensions: Belonging; Fulfillment of Needs; Influence; and Shared Connections. Discussion has also...
Article
Studies of drug use by Australian students have focused on school students rather than university students although overseas research has linked illicit drug use by university students with high-risk characteristics and behaviours. This ground-breaking study of substance use in a sample of Australian university students found that significant propo...
Article
Full-text available
The current study tracks the drinking behaviour of new police recruits from their first day in the academy, after six months training, through to one year into training (N = 177). Drinking behaviour was assessed with the AUDIT, a well researched instrument for assessing risk of harm from drinking behaviour. The results showed that recruits risk of...
Article
Full-text available
The current study surveyed members of an Australian state police service (N = 749), in order to assess what officers felt were the major contributing factors to alcohol consumption within the policing occupation. The study further examined which of these factors were actually predictive of risk of harmful drinking as measured by the Alcohol Use Dis...
Article
Full-text available
Much research has been conducted into aspects of the police workplace that contribute to stress for individual officers. The current paper examines the influence of worksplace and job characteristics on both officers' stress and their job satisfaction. Police officers recruited from two divisions of an Australian state police service (n=749) were s...
Article
Full-text available
The current study aimed to examine the prevalence of alcohol use within a large sample (n = 4,193) of Australian police offers. Prevalence and at risk behaviour was measured through the use of a self-report survey containing the AUDIT and standard frequency and quantity questions. Results indicated that although police did not report drinking with...
Article
The current study tracks the drinking behaviour of new police recruits from their first day in the academy, after 6 months of training, through to one year into training (n = 177). Drinking behaviour was assessed with the AUDIT, a well-researched instrument for assessing risk of harm from drinking behaviour. The results showed that recruits' risk o...
Article
There has been little research examining the use of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) as a work-place screening tool. In the current study a large scale sample (n = 4193) of police personnel completed the 10 AUDIT questions and two readiness-to-change questions. The sample represented 67% of all members of an Australian State Po...
Article
This study examined aspects of the work environment, which may impact on individual police officers' risk of harm from alcohol consumption. A self report survey containing demographic questions, the AUDIT and questions relating to perceived control over the job, overtime, pressure, boredom and job satisfaction was completed by 67 per cent of office...
Article
There has been little research examining the use of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) as a work-place screening tool. In the current study a large scale sample (n = 4193) of police personnel completed the 10 AUDIT questions and two readiness-to-change questions, The sample represented 67% of all members of an Australian State Po...
Article
Full-text available
The current study surveyed employees of an Australian state railway (N = 4979), in order to assess perceptions of alcohol as a problem in the workplace, and employee support for alcohol intervention strategies. Of the sample, 13% reported having seen an alcohol-related accident. Eighty-four percent felt that alcohol affected the railway workplace,...
Article
Full-text available
Little research has been done that examines the impact of routinely dealing with alcohol-related incidents on police drinking patterns. This study examined the drinking patterns of a sample of employees from an Australian State police service (n = 4193) through the use of a survey (which included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Within the railway industry, alcohol misuse has the potential to affect productivity and also to endanger the lives of the public and employees. This paper will outline the findings of a survey of 4979 railway employees and their use of alcohol and perceptions of alcohol as a problem in the workplace. Of the sample, 13% reported having seen an alco...
Article
Full-text available
There has been little research examining the use of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification test (AUDIT) as a workplace screening tool. In the current study a large scale sample (n = 4193) of police personnel completed the 10 AUDIT questions and two readiness to change questions. The sample represented 67% of all members of an Australian State Pol...
Article
Full-text available
In the present study, employees (N=4,979) of an Australian state railway were surveyed in order to determine self-reported employee alcohol use and the influence of work-related risk factors on this use. Male employees reported drinking more frequently than did female employees, with younger employees drinking more often than older ones. In compari...
Article
This study examined aspects of the work environment, which may impact on individual police officers' risk of harm from alcohol consumption. A self report survey containing demographic questions, the AUDIT and questions relating to perceived control over the job, overtime, pressure, boredom and job satisfaction was completed by 67% of officers in an...
Article
Full-text available
There is consensus among community and road safety agencies that driver fatigue is a major road safety issue and it is well known that excessive fatigue is linked with an increased risk of a motor vehicle crash. Previous research has implicated a wide variety of factors involved in fatigue-related crashes and the effects of these various factors in...

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