A Controlled Trial Of An Opportunistic Intervention To Reduce Suicide Risk Among Alcohol And Other Substance Misusers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$361,000.00
Summary
Hopelessness, depression and suicidal ideation are common among people who misuse alcohol and other substances. A general relationship between alcohol-substance abuse and self-harming - suicidal behaviour has been recognised for decades. From the point of view of diagnosed substance abusers there is a correspondingly high incidence of suicide and self-harm. The lifetime risk for suicide in alcohol dependence is higher than for schizophrenia or affective disorder. Despite the public health and pe ....Hopelessness, depression and suicidal ideation are common among people who misuse alcohol and other substances. A general relationship between alcohol-substance abuse and self-harming - suicidal behaviour has been recognised for decades. From the point of view of diagnosed substance abusers there is a correspondingly high incidence of suicide and self-harm. The lifetime risk for suicide in alcohol dependence is higher than for schizophrenia or affective disorder. Despite the public health and personal burden associated with suicidality, the general lack of skills and focus on management of self-harm in specialised drug and alcohol services is of great concern. In this study, all patients attending drug and alcohol services will be screened for suicide risk, and offered a comprehensive psychological treatment to reduce suicide risk and the use of alcohol and other substances.Read moreRead less
I am a mental health researcher who designs and tests the effectiveness of methods to encourage help seeking, to intervene early and prevent the development of psychiatric disorders, and who develops technological tools to assist consumers to manage their
Suicide Ideation, Attempts, Help-seeking Behaviour And Compliance Within The Gold Coast District
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$111,320.00
Summary
In response to increasing suicide rates in Australia, and abroad, the Australian Government has embraced a nationally coordinated approach to suicide prevention. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy identifies the need for suicide prevention efforts that are based on research evidence. The Australia Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, in cooperation with the World Health Organisation, is planning to undertake a study to examine suicidal behaviour in the community. Specifically the ....In response to increasing suicide rates in Australia, and abroad, the Australian Government has embraced a nationally coordinated approach to suicide prevention. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy identifies the need for suicide prevention efforts that are based on research evidence. The Australia Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, in cooperation with the World Health Organisation, is planning to undertake a study to examine suicidal behaviour in the community. Specifically the study will focus on two areas: (a) the willingness of people who displaying suicidal behaviour to seek help and reasons why some people do not seek help, and (b) The compliance with medical treatment among people who seek help following an attempted suicide and the reasons why some of these people do not comply with medical advice. 15,000 people who permanently reside in the Gold Coast Health District will be telephoned at random and asked to participate in the study. Eligible people who agree to participate will be mailed a paper questionnaire. The data gathered in the duty will be examined to gain greater insight into what happens to people following the development or suicidal behaviour. Pilot studies have already revealed that 15% of people in the Gold Coast District have thought about suicide at some time in their lives and as many as 5% have attempted suicide. It is hoped that this study will provide valuable information that can help design more effective suicide prevention programs.Read moreRead less
I am a psychologist and epidemiologist working in the field of suicide prevention. I am proposing a program of work that will systematically evaluate a range of suicide prevention initiatives for particular at-risk groups using novel evaluation methodolog
The Development Of Guidelines And An Intervention For Carers Of People With Bipolar Disorder
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$104,018.00
Summary
This project aims to use a consensus method involving expert carers, consumers and professionals to develop easily accessible information specifically to assist family members in understanding and coping with a loved one's bipolar disorder. It will include things they can do to help reduce bipolar relapse and enhance their own quality of life. This information will be expanded to develop a brief supportive intervention aimed at bolstering the coping skills and wellbeing of family members.
I am a psychologist who leads an internationally recognised program of research which aims to increase our understanding of alcohol and drug problems, prevent them where possible and improve treatment responses.
The Prevention Of Anxiety And Related Disorders: Long Term Follow-up Of Temperamentally At-risk Preschoolers.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$391,476.00
Summary
Anxiety and related disorders such as depression provide a tremendous cost to the individual sufferer and to Australian society. While previous research has focussed on treatment of these conditions, little work has addressed the possibility of preventing these disorders before they interfere with an individual's life. There is growing evidence that children who are shy, withdrawn and inhibited at a very young age are more likely than other children to develop anxiety disorders in later childhoo ....Anxiety and related disorders such as depression provide a tremendous cost to the individual sufferer and to Australian society. While previous research has focussed on treatment of these conditions, little work has addressed the possibility of preventing these disorders before they interfere with an individual's life. There is growing evidence that children who are shy, withdrawn and inhibited at a very young age are more likely than other children to develop anxiety disorders in later childhood and a variety of related disorders in adulthood. In a previous NHMRC-funded grant, we have developed a brief parent education program to modify this personality style in young children. Early results are very promising and it appears that we have been able to help these withdrawn children to become more outgoing. This next proposal aims to follow these children over the coming years to see whether they are also less likely to develop mental health problems than children whose parents have not received the educational program are. We will be observing the children in a laboratory setting and at school at three, yearly intervals. At each point, we will compare withdrawn children whose parents have gone through the education program with those who haven't.Read moreRead less
Cross-Sectional And Longitudinal Evaluation Of Childhood Anxiety And Depression: Pathways, Risk Factors And Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$333,055.00
Summary
Anxiety and depression are the most common forms of psychological distress affecting Australian children today. These disorders are seriously disabling and continuous across time. Therefore, it is very important to understand more about the onset and course of these disorders, and about factors which influence these disorders in either a positive or negative manner. There are three major goals for the current project. The first is to further our understanding of the development, maintenance, and ....Anxiety and depression are the most common forms of psychological distress affecting Australian children today. These disorders are seriously disabling and continuous across time. Therefore, it is very important to understand more about the onset and course of these disorders, and about factors which influence these disorders in either a positive or negative manner. There are three major goals for the current project. The first is to further our understanding of the development, maintenance, and amelioration of anxiety and depression in a child and youth population. The second is to understand the relationship between these two disorders in children and youth. The third is to use the acquired information to assist in the identification of optimal ages for preventive interventions, and to aid in the matching of interventions to the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children versus adolescents. This project aims to meet these goals through implementation of a controlled prevention trial. The aims fo the research are: 1. To examine the relationship between symptoms of anxiety and depresison in Australian children and youth 2. To gain valuable clinical information regarding the assessment and prevention of these disorders 3. To understand the risk and protective factors associated with these disorders, and the impact of these factors over time 4. To implement and evaluate a school-based prevention program The expected outcomes of the research are: 1. To acquire valuable information related to the onset and course of anxiety and depression in children and youth, and their associated risk and protective factors 2. To further development of more timely and targeted interventions for the prevention of anxiety and depression 4. To enhance the emotional resilience of participating children and prevent the onset of anxiety and depression 5. To promote Australian research by publishing the results of the project within the international research literatureRead moreRead less