Health promotion addresses issues from the simple (with well-known cause/effect links) to the highly complex (webs and loops of cause/effect with unpredictable, emergent properties). Yet there is no conceptual framework within its theory base to help identify approaches appropriate to the level of complexity. The default approach favours reductionism--the assumption that reducing a system to its parts will inform whole system behaviour. Such an approach can yield useful knowledge, yet is inadequate where issues have multiple interacting causes, such as social determinants of health. To address complex issues, there is a need for a conceptual framework that helps choose action that is appropriate to context. This paper presents the Cynefin Framework, informed by complexity science--the study of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS). It introduces key CAS concepts and reviews the emergence and implications of 'complex' approaches within health promotion. It explains the framework and its use with examples from contemporary practice, and sets it within the context of related bodies of health promotion theory. The Cynefin Framework, especially when used as a sense-making tool, can help practitioners understand the complexity of issues, identify appropriate strategies and avoid the pitfalls of applying reductionist approaches to complex situations. The urgency to address critical issues such as climate change and the social determinants of health calls for us to engage with complexity science. The Cynefin Framework helps practitioners make the shift, and enables those already engaged in complex approaches to communicate the value and meaning of their work in a system that privileges reductionist approaches.

BackgroundMovement skill competence (e.g. the ability to throw, run and kick) is a potentially important physical activity determinant. However, little is known about the long-term impact of interventions to improve movement skills in early childhood. This study aimed to determine whether intervention preschool children were still more skill proficient than controls three years after a 10 month movement skill focused intervention: ‘Tooty Fruity Vegie in Preschools’.MethodsChildren from 18 intervention and 13 control preschools in NSW, Australia were assessed at ages four (Time1), five (T2) and eight years (T3) for locomotor (run, gallop, hop, leap, horizontal jump, slide) and object control proficiency (strike, bounce, catch, kick, overhand throw, underhand roll) using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Multi-level object control and locomotor regression models were fitted with variables time, intervention (yes/no) and a time*intervention interaction. Both models added sex of child and retained if significant, in which case interactions of sex of child with other variables were modelled and retained. SPSS (Version 17.0) was used.ResultsOverall follow-up rate was 29% (163/560). Of the 137 students used in the regression models, 53% were female (n = 73). Intervention girls maintained their object control skill advantage in comparison to controls at T3 (p = .002), but intervention boys did not (p = .591). At T3, there were no longer intervention/control differences in locomotor skill (p = .801).ConclusionEarly childhood settings should implement movement skill interventions and more intensively target girls and object control skills.

and counselling, university of southern Queensland, toowoomba, australia; b university centre for rural health north coast, school of Public health, university of sydney, lismore, australia; c health Promotion unit, northern new south Wales local health district, lismore, australia; d school of health and human sciences, southern cross university, lismore, australia; e Melbourne school of Psychological sciences, university of Melbourne, Parkville, australia Background Life meaning The concept of life meaning is increasingly the focus of psychological research studies. The importance of having a sense of life meaning and purpose is summed up by Pinquart (2002, p. 90) who stated 'purpose in life is a defining feature of mental health. ' In the literature, the terms meaning and purpose are often used interchangeably. In this paper, we utilize Steger's (2009) definition of life meaning to examine the psychometrics of a life meaning measure with a sample of Australian adolescents. Steger's definition posits that life meaning involves two key components-comprehension and purpose. Comprehension relates to making sense of one's life, while purpose relates to having an overall life mission (Steger, 2009). Life meaning has been the focus of research in both sub-disciplines of existential and positive psychology. From an existential perspective, Frankl (1963) proposed that finding meaning is a primary human drive. With this premise, he created logotherapy to assist people to find meaning in their lives. Hoffman, Vallejos, Cleare-Hoffman, and Rubin (2015) reported that while little empirical research exists for outcomes of existential therapy approaches, components of existential therapy (including relationships, emotions and meaning) are backed by empirical research. From a different perspective, positive psychology is concerned with the good life or what makes life worth living (Ryff & Singer, 1998). Life meaning has emerged in this context as one of many variables ABSTRACT This study examined the psychometric properties of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) using an Australian adolescent sample (n = 135). The MLQ is made up of two, five-item subscales-Presence (how meaningful one considers his/her life to be) and Search (a desire to discover more or new meaning in one's life). A convenience sample of 135 high school students aged 12-18 years (M = 15.18 years, SD = 1.42) completed the questionnaire. Scale analysis results indicated the measure had satisfactory internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis results showed support for the proposed two-factor model. The MLQ appears to be a valid instrument for measuring life meaning in Australian adolescents. The key implications are discussed.