A Prospective Study Of Familial Psychological Adjustment And Service Needs On Completion Of Childhood Cancer Treatment.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,041.00
Summary
Up to 80% of children with cancer survive into adulthood, yet little research has explored the needs of children and their families when a child completes cancer treatment. This project will describe these needs, and plot distress and resilience in families in the first 12 months after cancer treatment ends. The study will identify predictors of positive and negative outcomes after treatment and develop an intervention to reduce distress and enhance resilience in families after childhood cancer.
Impact Of Genetic Testing For Breast Cancer Predisposition On Psychological Adjustment And Related Health Behaviours.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$96,897.00
Summary
This Australia-wide, longitudinal study will examine the psychological effects of testing for breast cancer predisposing genes in women with a strong family history of breast cancer. Mutation detection carries with it the possibility of improving survival through increased emphasis on screening and prevention, while those found to be non-carriers can return to population screening levels, alleviating both their anxiety and the costs associated with greater vigilance. Preventative surgery is now ....This Australia-wide, longitudinal study will examine the psychological effects of testing for breast cancer predisposing genes in women with a strong family history of breast cancer. Mutation detection carries with it the possibility of improving survival through increased emphasis on screening and prevention, while those found to be non-carriers can return to population screening levels, alleviating both their anxiety and the costs associated with greater vigilance. Preventative surgery is now known to significantly reduce risk in women with a strong family history of breast cancer. Whether these potential benefits are realised in practice needs to be evaluated, as do potential psychological harms, if any. Predictive genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer has become technically possible before its impact on psychological outcomes has been evaluated. As yet there are no Australian data on the impact of predisposition testing in any potentially treatable adult onset conditions and only preliminary overseas data. Results from this study may therefore have application to other potentially treatable adult onset conditions. Changes before and after testing in psychological status will be studied (using established methodology) over a 2-year period to identify when negative outcomes are most likely to occur. In addition, this study aims to identify factors that facilitate or hinder psychological adjustment so as to inform clinical decisions about testing and to allow appropriate interventions to be devised. Assessment of individual's preferences for the amount of information they receive will allow tailoring of information to maximise the benefit of educational materials and potentially minimise distress. Factors which influence women's decisions to undertake prophylactic surgery and their satisfaction with those procedures will be assessed.Read moreRead less
Improved Treatment Of Comorbid Anxiety And Depression In Adolescents: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$275,250.00
Summary
Anxiety and depression are serious mental disorders that affect large numbers of children and adolescents in our community. In particular, young people with both anxiety and depression may experience severe difficulties including poor physical health, social and interpersonal problems, academic problems, drug and alcohol problems, long-term adjustment problems and suicidal behaviour. Although a range of very effective treatments have been developed to treat anxiety and depression separately, the ....Anxiety and depression are serious mental disorders that affect large numbers of children and adolescents in our community. In particular, young people with both anxiety and depression may experience severe difficulties including poor physical health, social and interpersonal problems, academic problems, drug and alcohol problems, long-term adjustment problems and suicidal behaviour. Although a range of very effective treatments have been developed to treat anxiety and depression separately, there is very little work on the treatment of young people with both these problems. Some studies suggest that youth with both anxiety and depression together do worse in currently available treatments, compared to their peers with only a single condition. The current grant seeks to test whether a new treatment addressing both anxiety and depression concurrently, is superior to standard treatments for adolescents experiencing both these emotional problems. It is predicted that the addition of extra components to standard treatments, will result in considerably greater improvements in these more complex cases.Read moreRead less
Evaluation Of Internet-Based Treatments For Comorbidity Of Alcohol Disorders And Depressive Mood
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$710,333.00
Summary
Depression and alcohol problems often co-occur and contribute significantly to non-fatal disease burden in Australia. Psychological treatment for these illnesses is effective, but many Australians lack access to appropriate services. This study addresses this problem by offering treatment via the internet. This randomised controlled trial will compare three online treatments for comorbid alcohol use and depression.
Cognitive Impairments And Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms In Children With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Longitudinal Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$482,250.00
Summary
Traumatic brain injury in children is common with more than 2000 new cases a year in Queensland and Victoria alone. Many children who experience a brain injury go on to have long-term difficulties such as significant educational and social problems. Post-traumatic stress occurs in children following traumatic physical injury. However it is not clear to what extent this is so for children who have received a traumatic brain injury. Furthermore, when there is a traumatic brain injury and traumatic ....Traumatic brain injury in children is common with more than 2000 new cases a year in Queensland and Victoria alone. Many children who experience a brain injury go on to have long-term difficulties such as significant educational and social problems. Post-traumatic stress occurs in children following traumatic physical injury. However it is not clear to what extent this is so for children who have received a traumatic brain injury. Furthermore, when there is a traumatic brain injury and traumatic stress, it is not clear how these interact, how they influence long-term outcomes, and what factors such as pre-injury functioning and family support and distress mediate outcomes. These issues are very important since effective rehabilitation of children following traumatic brain injury is essential to maximise long-term functioning and minimise disability. To be effective, rehabilitation must be guided by the knowledge about key factors that determine the recovery process. This study aims to provide answers to these questions by following two cohorts of children (aged 6-14) over 18 months after receiving a traumatic brain injury. In total 240 children will be recruited from Brisbane and Melbourne hospitals. They will be assessed at three, six, twelve and eighteen months post-injury using measures of cognitive, psychological and social functioning. Information on parent distress and behaviours will also be obtained. The information obtained will provide the basis for the development of a specific rehabilitation strategy for children with traumatic brain injury, including information on strategies to help prevent any confounding impact of post-traumatic stress on recovery.Read moreRead less
Enhancing Efficacy Of Bibliotherapy For Rural Children With Anxiety Disorders Using Child-therapist Contact
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$482,798.00
Summary
Many Australian children suffering severe anxiety live in areas where access to qualified therapists is limited. In previous research we developed an outreach program in which parents were taught to help their own child overcome their anxiety through a mixture of printed materials and remote access to a therapist. In the current project we aim to extend these results by incorporating the child into the remote treatment, and in doing so improving the number of children who benefit from treatment