The Structure Of Negative Affective States In Youth: Identifying The Core Symptoms Of Depression, Anxiety And Tension/stress In Children And Adolescents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$241,016.00
Summary
This project will lead to improved knowledge about the symptoms that define depression and anxiety in children and adolescents. The results will also inform us about the development of tension/stress as a unique emotional state associated with excessive worrying. The publication of a new state-of-the-art self-report measure assessing all three negative emotional states in one brief instrument will benefit researchers and practitioners in a variety of health care and educational settings.
Prospective Study Of The Influence Of Social Networks & School Environments On Emotional Well-being Of Young Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$202,200.00
Summary
It has become clearer in recent years that the role of the social environment may be as important as individual or interpersonal factors in understanding the risk and protective factors associated with disease prevention. Adolescence is the time when many preventable causes of premature morbidity and mortality arise. It is likely that the social environments encountered during early adolescence will have an impact on the development of emotional and physical well being in early adulthood. This s ....It has become clearer in recent years that the role of the social environment may be as important as individual or interpersonal factors in understanding the risk and protective factors associated with disease prevention. Adolescence is the time when many preventable causes of premature morbidity and mortality arise. It is likely that the social environments encountered during early adolescence will have an impact on the development of emotional and physical well being in early adulthood. This study will prospectively research the impact of school environment and quality of social networks in early adolescence on the emotional well being and health risk behaviours of young adults through the continued surveillance of a cohort of 2,782 students participating in the Gatehouse Project. This cohort has been surveyed four times; twice in Year 8 1997; once in Year 9 1998 and Year 10 1999. In 2002 the cohort will be on average 18 years old and will be first year post-secondary school. The major aim of the study is to investigate the prospective relationships between school environment in early adolescence and the mental and behavioural outcomes for young people in young adulthood. The continued surveillance of this cohort will allow us to assess the long term effects of school environments and adequacy of social networks at early adolescence on the emotional well being and social connectedness of older adolescents. This will contribute to our understanding of risk and protective factors in school-social environments that impact the health and well being of young adults. It will also inform further preventive intervention work that needs to take place in schools and communities to improve health outcomes for young adults.Read moreRead less
Improving The Capacity Of Peers To Provide Guidance And Support For Adolescents With Mental Health Problems
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,196,608.00
Summary
Adolescents frequently look to peers for support when experiencing mental health problems. However, peers may lack the knowledge and skills to provide appropriate guidance and support. This project evaluates a new school-based training program for adolescents called 'teen Mental Health First Aid'. Preliminary evidence shows that this training is effective, but a more rigorous evaluation is needed. If effective, this program can be disseminated nationally and internationally by MHFA Australia.
Identifying Opportunities To Improve Healthy Behaviours In Vulnerable Young People
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Adolescence is a critical life stage where health behaviours are formed that have a lifelong impact. My work program focuses on understanding the impact of food insecurity, as well as the extent of food skills and other self-care capabilities in young people. I will also explore understandings of health and well-being among young Aboriginal women. Collectively this work will identify opportunities for interventions for this group that take into account their broader social environment.
Using Lessons From The United Kingdom To Improve The Reproductive Health Of Aboriginal Adolescent Women
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,768.00
Summary
I will examine if parity and pre and post natal exercise can prevent urinary incontinence among older women in a large cohort study in the United Kingdom and use these skills to examine the contraceptive use of Aboriginal adolescent females and influence pre and post natal programs in four Aboriginal communities. The more knowledge and support Aboriginal adolescent females have the higher chances of them making informed decisions about their reproductive health.
Eating Disorder Prevention In Young-adult Women At Risk: A Randomised Controlled Trial Of Two Online Programs
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$264,434.00
Summary
Disordered eating is experienced by 23% of young Australian women leading to a range of serious consequences. An online nation-wide study will evaluate the effectiveness of two promising prevention programs with women at high-risk of developing an eating disorder. This research will identify which program is of most benefit and inform whether that program can reduce the need for participants to access mental and physical health services.
Adolescent investments can create a triple dividend for health: across adolescence; through late life; and into the next generation. Yet adolescence remains neglected and health trends over time have been unfavourable. This application focuses on the most neglected aspects of adolescent health. It builds on earlier work with the Lancet, longstanding Australian cohorts and a recently awarded NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence to answer the most pressing questions of policy makers.
Building The Evidence Base To Match Health Action To Need For Adolescents Globally
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$348,768.00
Summary
This fellowship involves 3 inter-related bodies of work focussing on adolescent health. Firstly, I will use existing data to better describe the health needs of adolescents living in the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents. Secondly, I will identify priority areas for better data collection and explore novel methods to fill key gaps. Thirdly, I will investigate how the described health profiles can be translated into health action.
Novel Approaches To Address Barriers To Care For Adolescents And Young Adults With Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$188,786.00
Summary
In Australia, one young person aged 15-29 is diagnosed with cancer every six hours. Psychological disorders are also most likely to be first experienced in this life stage. This research addresses three understudied issues for this vulnerable group: health literacy (how well they understand and manage health information) at diagnosis, psychological adjustment after cancer treatment completion, and distress, communication and decision making when a young person’s cancer cannot be cured.
Lifecourse And Global Epidemiology Of Adolescent Health And Wellbeing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$863,910.00
Summary
In the past 20 years, my group has become the world-leader in adolescent health research. We have published papers that have transformed thinking on adolescent health. In the next five years, we will undertake research into the effects of puberty on mental health, explore the effects of health prior to pregnancy on a healthy start to life for the next generation and undertake global research that will enable the roll-out of new multi-billion dollar investments in adolescent health.