Impact of Appointment Waiting Time on Attendance Rates at a Clinical Cancer Genetics Service

The increase in demand for clinical cancer genetics services has impacted the ability to provide services timeously. Given limited resources, this often results in extended appointment waiting times. Over the last 3 years, the Cancer Genetics Service at the National Cancer Centre Singapore has continued to experience a steady increase in demand for its service. Nevertheless, significant no-show rates have been reported. This study sought to determine whether an association exists between appointment waiting times and attendance rates. Data was gathered for all participants meeting inclusion criteria. Attendance rates and appointment waiting times were calculated. The relationship between mean waiting times for those who did and did not attend their scheduled appointments was evaluated using Welch’s t test and linear regression model. The results showed a significant difference in mean appointment waiting times between patients who did and did not attend (32.66 versus 43.50 days respectively; p?<?0.0001). Furthermore, patients who waited for longer than 37 days were significantly less likely to attend. No-show rates increased as the waiting time increased, at a rate of 19.60% per 20 days and 21.40% per 30 days. In conclusion, appointment waiting time is a significant predictor for patient attendance. Strategies to ensure patients receive an appointment within the necessary timeframe at the desired setting are important to ensure that individuals at increased cancer risk attend their appointments in order to manage their cancer risks effectively.     

The Impact of Participating in Suicide Research Online

The impact of participation in online mixed‐methods suicide research was investigated. Participants, who described feeling suicidal, completed an 18‐item questionnaire before and after taking part (n = 103), and answered open‐ended questions about participation (n = 97). Overall, participation reduced negative experiences and had no effect on positive experiences. Feelings of calm increased, but participants felt less supported. Some participants did experience distress, but some also reported this distress to be manageable. Anonymously sharing experiences of suicidality was viewed as important, had therapeutic benefits, and engendered hopes for recovery. The findings suggest a need to ensure vulnerable participants in online studies are well supported while protecting their anonymity.     

Legal and psychological perspectives on children’s competence to testify in court

Young children are often called as witnesses to crimes they were victims of or observed. Because of their immaturity, child witnesses are sometimes more heavily scrutinized than adult witnesses before being allowed to testify in court, for example, through competency screening. This review discusses the psychology and US law relevant to decisions about children’s testimonial competency. Legally, a child is competent to provide in-court testimony if the presiding judge finds that the child can understand and answer basic interview questions, observe and recall pertinent events, understand the difference between truths and lies, and be affected by the moral obligation to tell the truth on the stand. We review the legal foundation and current practice of testimonial competence standards and discuss issues in the current system. We then review developmental psychology literature on children’s capabilities and individual differences in each domain of testimonial competency as well as the limited body of literature on competency exams. Finally, we make empirically-based recommendations and conclusions and highlight the need for further research and policy reforms related to children’s testimonial abilities.     

More Than Meets the (Rationalistic) Eye: A Neophyte Sport Psychology Practitioner’s Reflections on the Micropolitics of Everyday Life within a Rugby League Academy

Despite the welcome contributions of the reflective practice literature, an understanding of the complexities, nuances, and dilemmas of applied sport psychology practice is in need of further development. For example, there remains a paucity of inquiry addressing how practitioners make sense of, and subsequently write themselves into, the (micro)political landscape of a sporting organization. Utilizing a reflective, ethnographic approach, this article examined the first author’s engagement with the sociopolitical dynamics of everyday life within a professional rugby league academy. Key themes identified were that (a) players simultaneously collaborate and compete with one another, (b) tensions exist between the coaches, and (c) most players end up being released. Micropolitical theorizing was used as the primary heuristic framework, thus promoting the utility of these theories to inform critical appreciation of the day-to-day realities of applied sport psychology practice. The article concludes by highlighting the potential benefits of researchers, educators, and practitioners better engaging with the contested, ambiguous, and professionally challenging demands of practice than that which has been achieved to date.

Lay Summary: This article discusses the first author's critical reflections on issues of practice as a sport psychologist working within a professional rugby league academy. The issues discussed illustrate how power, conflict, and vulnerability typified day-to-day interactions within this sporting context and impacted upon applied practice.