Research
Our research is designed to promote understanding of how to enable children, adolescents and their families who interact with the hospital to thrive.
Our research has focused on promoting mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents in many different contexts (hospital and community settings) and among many varied groups (those with Covid, those who have chronic medical conditions, transgender youth).
The mental health strategy has provided funding support to varied research projects. More details on some of the projects that have already been completed are available via the following links.
Examples of our research
The ‘Take A Breath’ (TAB) group program is an online, group mental health intervention for parents of very sick children. It provides parents with the skills to manage the distress and psychological challenges presented by their child’s illness, with the aim of preventing more serious long-term mental health difficulties.
A decline in adult and child quality of life (QOL) occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about adult or child QOL during the height of the pandemic in Australia and the impact of government-imposed restrictions, specifically attending school on-site versus home schooling. This study assessed parent-reported quality of life (QOL) for children and their parents during COVID-19 public health restrictions.
Children and young people with medical conditions have an elevated risk of mental health problems and may have been disproportionately affected by the distress associated with the COVID-19 restrictions. This study was based in Victoria, Australia, where some of the strictest lockdowns in the world occurred.
Transgender and gender diverse people (referred to collectively as 'trans' people here) are those whose gender is different from their sex assigned at birth. Trans people are often at a higher risk for poorer mental health outcomes than their non-trans peers, including higher than expected rates of psychological distress and suicidality (e.g., 48% of Australian trans youth report having attempted suicide). While some relevant mental health programs have recently been developed for trans young people overseas, currently there is limited evidence to support whether they are acceptable and effective for trans youth, and they have not yet been tested in an Australian context.
The prevalence of mental health concerns in children and adolescents with chronic medical conditions is thought to be 2–3 times higher than in the general population. In the absence of routine screening processes, medical and nursing staff do not consistently identify mental health concerns during routine clinical interactions. This can lead to delays in access to appropriate assessment and treatment. The objective was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a single mental health surveillance question to carers of children with chronic disease in the inpatient setting.
Children and young people with chronic medical conditions (CMC) are 30% more likely to develop an anxiety disorder than children and young people without chronic illness. Comorbid mental health conditions and chronic medical conditions are associated with poorer medication adherence, longer hospital stays, worse hospital outcomes and increased risk of self-harm. Referrals for children and adolescents (7-16 years) with chronic medical conditions to Psychology Service are commonly for anxiety and problematic emotional behaviours that negatively impact treatment.