Testing A Transgenerational Cycles Of Violence Model In Timor-Leste: Impact Of Maternal Anger On Childhood Aggression.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$881,002.00
Summary
We will examine ways in which war trauma can cause mental disorder and behavioural disturbances in the next generation. We will examine the problem of extreme anger amongst mothers caused by war trauma, domestic violence and other stresses. Mothers with anger may have difficulties parenting their children, resulting in behavioural disturbances in the next generation. In the longer term, these children may show aggressive behaviour that leads to ongoing family and social instability.
Preventing Postnatal Depression In New Mothers Using Telephone Peer Support: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$850,069.00
Summary
Depression in recent mothers are very common; more than 53,000 new mothers in Australia are affected by this each year. The condition can lead to serious adverse consequences for a mother’s health and the health of her infant and family. Effective strategies to prevent and reduce maternal depression are therefore needed. We will test whether support by telephone from other mothers (peer volunteers) helps in women at increased risk at 4 weeks postpartum.
Human Neural Development In The Absence Of Species-expected Stimuli: The Effect Of Maternal Or Social Deprivation On Maturation Of Emotion Circuitry During Critical Periods Of Development.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$465,103.00
Summary
As children mature into adolescents, social influences on emotional responding transition from parents to peers. Understanding how social stimuli shape neural circuits that ultimately regulate emotional behaviour will yield critical information for treatment and prevention of emotional disorders across the lifespan. The current project addresses this important issue through the use of functional imaging of emotion circuits in the brain and classical conditioning approaches to emotion responding.
Does Weekly Iron Supplementation Increase Iron Uptake In Pregnant Women And Improve Maternal And Infant Health?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$830,171.00
Summary
Anaemia and iron deficiency are common in pregnant women in developing countries and cause fatigue, prematurity, low birth weight, impaired infant groowth and development. Daily iron is recommended in pregnancy but often not taken because of unpleasant side-effects. Better strategies are needed to maintain iron and haemoglobin during pregnancy. We will compare the effect of weekly and daily iron tablets in 1200 pregnant Vietnamese women on anaemia rates, birthweight, maternal and infant health.
A Randomised Trial Of An Early Parenting Intervention To Reduce Maternal Mood Disorder And Infant Behavior Disturbance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,503.00
Summary
Over 242,000 women give birth annually in Australia and up to 20% experience significant psychological distress in the baby's first year. Severe fatigue, worrying and depression interfere with the development of maternal confidence. If a baby does not sleep well or feed easily or cries for prolonged periods, mothers can feel ineffective and helpless. Assistance early in the baby's life is important to avoid long-term emotional and behavioral problems for mother and child. Nationally, health and ....Over 242,000 women give birth annually in Australia and up to 20% experience significant psychological distress in the baby's first year. Severe fatigue, worrying and depression interfere with the development of maternal confidence. If a baby does not sleep well or feed easily or cries for prolonged periods, mothers can feel ineffective and helpless. Assistance early in the baby's life is important to avoid long-term emotional and behavioral problems for mother and child. Nationally, health and social policy focuses on assisting families including those with parental mental health and early parenting problems and children at risk of developmental difficulties. Australia's residential early parenting services are unique, offering brief treatment to mothers with difficulties and infants with unsettled behaviour. Parents are educated in infant care and provided with emotional support and assistance to adjust to the demands of parenting. In past studies by CIA and CIB women reported marked improvements in emotional distress, maternal confidence and infant manageability after completing this treatment and six months later. The education and emotional support were rated as acceptable and very effective. This project is a randomized controlled trial that will evaluate whether brief admission to a residential early parenting service has sustainable benefits for mild to moderate maternal mental health problems and for infant behaviour disturbance. Mothers with a diagnosable mental health condition and with four-month-old infants reported to have unsettled infant behaviour will be randomly assigned to a residential treatment program at an early parenting service or to routine care. Mothers and infants will be assessed with standardized psychological measures one month after treatment and when the baby is one year old. An effective and acceptable intervention will provide an important alternative to available treatments for postnatal psychological disturbance.Read moreRead less
Economic Evaluation Of PRISM: A Community Based Intervention Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$512,845.00
Summary
This project evaluates the costs and outcomes of PRISM (Program of Resources, Information and Support to Mothers). PRISM is a community based intervention designed to promote the physical and mental health of mothers. This research project seeks to evaluate the costs and outcomes of the PRISM intervention in order to help inform judgements about its value. PRISM is being introduced in 8 local communities in Victoria with a further 8 communities acting as comparators. The full costs of the interv ....This project evaluates the costs and outcomes of PRISM (Program of Resources, Information and Support to Mothers). PRISM is a community based intervention designed to promote the physical and mental health of mothers. This research project seeks to evaluate the costs and outcomes of the PRISM intervention in order to help inform judgements about its value. PRISM is being introduced in 8 local communities in Victoria with a further 8 communities acting as comparators. The full costs of the intervention will be measured as will the impact the intervention has on the physical and mental health of mothers. Estimates of the intervention's economic benefits, that is the value that community members attach to the intervention's main outcomes will also be ascertained. In this way it is possible to judge whether or not the benefits of PRISM are worth its costs. Advanced statistical techniques will be used to ascertain the extent to which improved health outcomes in mothers are determined by individual, organisational or community-level factors.Read moreRead less