Publications by authors named "L F Staples"

Surface chemical cues from prey elicit elevated levels of tongue-flicking and striking behavior in many species of snakes and lizards. These responses are mediated by the vomeronasal system, and they may even occur in the absence of other sensory cues. How individuals of a species respond to prey chemical cues can reflect developmental, ecological, and evolutionary processes.

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Background: Specific daily actions (eg, goal setting, meaningful activities) are associated with mental health. Performing specific daily actions at a higher frequency is associated with significantly lower baseline symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as better psychological treatment outcomes for depression and anxiety.

Objective: This study explored how the frequency of specific daily actions associated with mental health may differ prior to, during, and following treatment according to demographic and clinical characteristics.

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Background: A large number of modifiable and measurable daily actions are thought to impact mental health. The "Things You Do" refers to 5 types of daily actions that have been associated with mental health: healthy thinking, meaningful activities, goals and plans, healthy habits, and social connections. Previous studies have reported the psychometric properties of the Things You Do Questionnaire (TYDQ)-21-item (TYDQ21).

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Objective: Describe patterns of substance use and comorbid conditions among clinic attenders in homeless shelters in Sydney.

Method: Retrospective cohort study of 2498 people who attended a psychiatric clinic at one of three homeless hostels between February 2008 and May 2020. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with self-reported substance use, psychiatric diagnosis and measures of social function.

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The 'Things You Do' encompass five types of actions that are strongly associated with good mental health: Healthy Thinking, Meaningful Activities, Goals and Plans, Healthy Habits, and Social Connections. Ultra-brief interventions which increase how often people perform these actions may decrease depression and anxiety. A two-arm randomized controlled trial (N = 349) compared an unguided ultra-brief intervention based on the 'Things You Do' against a waitlist control.

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