The Childhood Resilience Study: Building The Evidence To Reduce Health Inequalities Across The Lifecourse
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,075,842.00
Summary
Children exposed to social adversity, family violence and trauma have higher risks of emotional, developmental and physical health problems. Despite this, many children experiencing social adversity and trauma grow up with positive outcomes. This will be the first international study of resilience in middle childhood. The study will examine factors promoting resilience in Aboriginal children, children exposed to family violence and children in families of refugee background.
Children's memory for traumatic events. Many children are exposed to negative and distressing events. Understanding the processes underlying memories of such events is critical, especially in the present world climate in which the Australian public is increasingly confronted with threats of terrorism and other negative world events. This research will contribute directly to understanding why some children develop maladaptive responses to major life events, and others appear to adjust with few ps ....Children's memory for traumatic events. Many children are exposed to negative and distressing events. Understanding the processes underlying memories of such events is critical, especially in the present world climate in which the Australian public is increasingly confronted with threats of terrorism and other negative world events. This research will contribute directly to understanding why some children develop maladaptive responses to major life events, and others appear to adjust with few psychological difficulties. The research will pinpoint better management strategies for children affected by trauma by improved understanding of how traumatic memories are developed, as well as identifying critical variables that are amenable to change early after trauma exposure.Read moreRead less
The NSW child development study. Research shows that a child's development predicts health and social outcomes later in life. This Australian project will be the first to identify risk and protective factors associated with these outcomes in 87,000 children from birth to 10 years. The results will help inform governments to improve our children's health and educational achievements.
A prospective study of the mental health of grandparents providing part-time child care for their preschool age grandchildren. This project addresses national research priorities and will identify the characteristics of a high-risk subgroup of Australian grandparents for whom the childcare burden has a deleterious impact on health and well being. Results will enable development of improved approaches to education and awareness in health professionals and the lay community about this subgroup, fa ....A prospective study of the mental health of grandparents providing part-time child care for their preschool age grandchildren. This project addresses national research priorities and will identify the characteristics of a high-risk subgroup of Australian grandparents for whom the childcare burden has a deleterious impact on health and well being. Results will enable development of improved approaches to education and awareness in health professionals and the lay community about this subgroup, facilitating early identification and intervention. The study will provide evidence-based guidance to policy makers about the most appropriate support services for grandparents involved in high levels of childcare, reducing their level of stress and improving the quality of the childcare they provide.
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Cognitive and behavioural benefits of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation across the lifespan. The Australian Bureau of Statistics recently estimated that 7-19% of children have learning and behaviour problems associated with child ADHD. Concurrently, rates of dementia are rapidly increasing worldwide, currently costing the Australian government $6.6 billion pa, and it has been predicted that rates of dementia could double every 20 years. If omega-3 PUFA research can show benefits in cognition an ....Cognitive and behavioural benefits of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation across the lifespan. The Australian Bureau of Statistics recently estimated that 7-19% of children have learning and behaviour problems associated with child ADHD. Concurrently, rates of dementia are rapidly increasing worldwide, currently costing the Australian government $6.6 billion pa, and it has been predicted that rates of dementia could double every 20 years. If omega-3 PUFA research can show benefits in cognition and behaviour across the lifespan, this has potential benefit for fish oil products and their ability to enhance mental health and cognitive outcomes, thereby helping to lower the substantial social and health care costs associated with poor academic performance, mental illness and growing rates of dementia.Read moreRead less
Refugee children and adolescents in Australia: Issues of mental health and well-being and equal access to mental health services. The mental health status of refugee children and adolescents has received scant scholarly attention despite the fact that they are at high risk of developing mental health problems. The present study will be the first of its kind undertaken in Australia. It will provide data on the prevalence of mental health problems affecting refugee children and adolescents in Sou ....Refugee children and adolescents in Australia: Issues of mental health and well-being and equal access to mental health services. The mental health status of refugee children and adolescents has received scant scholarly attention despite the fact that they are at high risk of developing mental health problems. The present study will be the first of its kind undertaken in Australia. It will provide data on the prevalence of mental health problems affecting refugee children and adolescents in South Australia, the level of disability associated with these problems and the extent to which children and adolescents are receiving appropriate help. The absence of this information greatly hinders the development of intervention strategies to help refugee children and adolescents. Results will be used to inform mental health policy and program development and service delivery.Read moreRead less
Working wounded or engaged? Australian work conditions and consequences through the lens of the Job Demands- Resources Model. Australian researchers will participate in high quality theory driven longitudinal research of crucial practical importance nationally and of theoretical importance internationally. Specifically the study will assist in understanding workplace health and productivity in terms of job conditions, demands and resources. It will underscore costly consequences of stressful j ....Working wounded or engaged? Australian work conditions and consequences through the lens of the Job Demands- Resources Model. Australian researchers will participate in high quality theory driven longitudinal research of crucial practical importance nationally and of theoretical importance internationally. Specifically the study will assist in understanding workplace health and productivity in terms of job conditions, demands and resources. It will underscore costly consequences of stressful jobs e.g. depression related workplace productivity loss in dollar terms. Australian governments, unions, and OHS organisations will have access to high quality evidence to: design and evaluate OHS interventions; inform prevention campaigns, policies and practice; benchmark progress at national levels; monitor changing trends; and develop national standards.Read moreRead less
Indigenous mental health in remote communities: Applying a contextual model of community research and intervention. This project will make an international advance in understanding indigenous mental health that will be of interest to many groups around the world. The main specifically national benefit will flow from contextual knowledge on how to improve mental health for remote indigenous communities that also allows strengthening of communities and their economic and social enterprises. We w ....Indigenous mental health in remote communities: Applying a contextual model of community research and intervention. This project will make an international advance in understanding indigenous mental health that will be of interest to many groups around the world. The main specifically national benefit will flow from contextual knowledge on how to improve mental health for remote indigenous communities that also allows strengthening of communities and their economic and social enterprises. We will also build capacity in the communities for research skills, documentation skills, and writing skills. The types of contextual information collected will provide recommendations to mental health service providers about how to incorporate local forms of knowledge when dealing with issues of well-being.Read moreRead less
The Australian-Netherlands project on work and stress research. Rapid changes in the nature of work globally require critical surveillance for effects on worker well-being and productivity. Occupational health policy trends in Australia and The Netherlands support continuous monitoring of the work environment. This project therefore provides a timely opportunity structure for intellectual exchange and capacity building for Australian and Dutch work and organisational psychologists, specifically ....The Australian-Netherlands project on work and stress research. Rapid changes in the nature of work globally require critical surveillance for effects on worker well-being and productivity. Occupational health policy trends in Australia and The Netherlands support continuous monitoring of the work environment. This project therefore provides a timely opportunity structure for intellectual exchange and capacity building for Australian and Dutch work and organisational psychologists, specifically in work stress and unemployment research. Highly experienced and emerging researchers together will develop and implement projects transnationally. Outcomes will include: joint doctoral-post doctoral supervision; joint publications and grants; advanced knowledge and applications, with international policy implications for improving working life and productivity.Read moreRead less
State, organisational, and team interventions to build psychosocial safety climate using the Australian Workplace Barometer and the StressCafe. The project is inspired by the nationally agreed target of 40% reduction in workplace injuries by 2012. Informed by leading indicators assessed through the Australian Workplace Barometer, this research will build evidence-based interventions at both a state, organisation, and team level to reduce risks and psychological injury. This project is promoting ....State, organisational, and team interventions to build psychosocial safety climate using the Australian Workplace Barometer and the StressCafe. The project is inspired by the nationally agreed target of 40% reduction in workplace injuries by 2012. Informed by leading indicators assessed through the Australian Workplace Barometer, this research will build evidence-based interventions at both a state, organisation, and team level to reduce risks and psychological injury. This project is promoting good health and well being, Preventative healthcare, and Strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric. An innovative platform will be built, the StressCafe´, for the translation of research into policy and practice, through better access by stakeholders to information and discoverable data.Read moreRead less