Playing it Safe: Psychological Safety and Mental Health for Community Sport. At a time when over half of all Australians participate in organised sports it is critical to ensure that these environments are psychologically safe. The problem is that community sports clubs have no clear guidance on how to fulfil this substantial responsibility. There have been urgent calls for the development of psychological safety and mental health guidelines which have yet to be answered. This project will deliv ....Playing it Safe: Psychological Safety and Mental Health for Community Sport. At a time when over half of all Australians participate in organised sports it is critical to ensure that these environments are psychologically safe. The problem is that community sports clubs have no clear guidance on how to fulfil this substantial responsibility. There have been urgent calls for the development of psychological safety and mental health guidelines which have yet to be answered. This project will deliver the knowledge to underpin effective psychological safety and mental health guidelines for community sports with national impact. When implemented, this knowledge will help sports clubs to provide a psychologically safe environment, and promote the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians involved in organised sports.Read moreRead less
Protect, prepare and engage: Does extracurricular activity participation offer sustained benefits for youth? Organized extracurricular activities such as sport and music have the potential to promote healthy development and to reduce the levels of risk behaviours in teenagers. However, current research evidence, often based on middle-class youth in the US, is inadequate for making policy recommendations for improvement to the after-school lives of Australian youth. This study will offer insight ....Protect, prepare and engage: Does extracurricular activity participation offer sustained benefits for youth? Organized extracurricular activities such as sport and music have the potential to promote healthy development and to reduce the levels of risk behaviours in teenagers. However, current research evidence, often based on middle-class youth in the US, is inadequate for making policy recommendations for improvement to the after-school lives of Australian youth. This study will offer insight into the long-term benefits of making a diverse selection of organised activities available to Australian teenagers, and will improve our understanding of which aspects of participation are most likely to enhance their social and educational opportunities.Read moreRead less
The role of extracurricular activity participation in promoting healthy development of Australian youth. Organized extracurricular activities such as sport and art have the potential for promoting healthy development and reducing the risks faced by teenagers. However, current research evidence, often based on middle-class youth in the US, is inadequate for making policy recommendations for improvement to the after-school lives of Australian youth. This study will offer insight into the importanc ....The role of extracurricular activity participation in promoting healthy development of Australian youth. Organized extracurricular activities such as sport and art have the potential for promoting healthy development and reducing the risks faced by teenagers. However, current research evidence, often based on middle-class youth in the US, is inadequate for making policy recommendations for improvement to the after-school lives of Australian youth. This study will offer insight into the importance of making a diverse selection of organized activities available to Australian teenagers, and will improve our understanding of which aspects of participation are most likely to enhance their social and educational opportunities.Read moreRead less
Multiple Perspectives of Eating Disorders in Girls. This study explores the subjective experiences of anorexic adolescent girls and the perspectives of their parents and other professionals to identify the beliefs and constructs underpinning the identification, management and experience of anorexia. Using a multi-method heuristic approach, we will analyse congruence and dissonance in perspectives, the mechanisms individuals and groups use to assert and justify their views and actions, and the r ....Multiple Perspectives of Eating Disorders in Girls. This study explores the subjective experiences of anorexic adolescent girls and the perspectives of their parents and other professionals to identify the beliefs and constructs underpinning the identification, management and experience of anorexia. Using a multi-method heuristic approach, we will analyse congruence and dissonance in perspectives, the mechanisms individuals and groups use to assert and justify their views and actions, and the reflexive impact of these on others. The study will generate basic knowledge to improve support for girls and families, development better preventative education and inform the education of professional in the field.Read moreRead less
Protect from harm or lead into danger? The influence of peers in leisure activities on adolescent behaviour. When are peers a bad influence? This project will offer answers about the leisure settings that expose young people to risk and those that protect them from harm during the high school years. This research will also help identify those youth who may be especially vulnerable to negative effects of peer influence.
The effect of physical activity and a structured exercise program on the psychological and physical development of Australian primary school children. This study will explore the effects of early childhood physical activity on development. Our study will assess quantitatively the beneficial effects of exercise on personal and physical growth in young children in a non-intimidating way using a specifically designed exercise program.
Optimising Performance Under Pressure: Testing and Developing Athletes' Attentional Focus Strategies. Sport has long played a significant role in Australia's cultural identity, but the economic value of this industry must also be recognised. Australia has invested heavily in supporting our athletes, teams and coaches, who have achieved high levels of success in international sports. In using innovative technology to optimise performance, the research has the potential to enhance Australia's inte ....Optimising Performance Under Pressure: Testing and Developing Athletes' Attentional Focus Strategies. Sport has long played a significant role in Australia's cultural identity, but the economic value of this industry must also be recognised. Australia has invested heavily in supporting our athletes, teams and coaches, who have achieved high levels of success in international sports. In using innovative technology to optimise performance, the research has the potential to enhance Australia's international reputation in the sport sciences, and may well prove essential to our future competitiveness. In promoting innovative, evidence-based coaching and psychological skills training that develop and foster human talent, the project will also assist strategic initiatives to increase community participation in sport.Read moreRead less
Can parents teach their children to drink alcohol responsibly? Or, is one drop a drop too many? Parents typically supply alcohol to their children believing it is the best way to teach responsible drinking. Whether parents should provide alcohol is controversial and the evidence to inform this decision is unclear. This research will provide an in-depth understanding of the consequences of parents providing alcohol to their children and when, where and how this can be done to minimise harm. This ....Can parents teach their children to drink alcohol responsibly? Or, is one drop a drop too many? Parents typically supply alcohol to their children believing it is the best way to teach responsible drinking. Whether parents should provide alcohol is controversial and the evidence to inform this decision is unclear. This research will provide an in-depth understanding of the consequences of parents providing alcohol to their children and when, where and how this can be done to minimise harm. This is a national priority as alcohol abuse is a leading cause of injury and death among young Australians and developing the knowledge for preventive health care is essential. This research will provide parents with the information they need to give their children a healthier start to life.Read moreRead less
Paving the way for effective public health interventions for bulimic eating disorders: Understanding stigma and mental health literacy. This research contributes to promoting and maintaining good health. The burden of bulimic eating disorders in the community is high, frequently ignored and increasing. Our research will pave the way for improved understanding of eating disorders and a reduction of stigma in relation to these problems. In so doing, it will lead to reduced shame and suffering for ....Paving the way for effective public health interventions for bulimic eating disorders: Understanding stigma and mental health literacy. This research contributes to promoting and maintaining good health. The burden of bulimic eating disorders in the community is high, frequently ignored and increasing. Our research will pave the way for improved understanding of eating disorders and a reduction of stigma in relation to these problems. In so doing, it will lead to reduced shame and suffering for people with eating disorders and enhance appropriate treatment seeking and the quality of advice received from family, friends and health professionals. A public health intervention based on our findings will contribute to a more tolerant and understanding community.Read moreRead less
The role of attention re-training in pain tolerance. Chronic pain is one of the most debilitating and expensive chronic health problems in westernized countries. Chronic pain develops when an individual is injured and is fearful of the pain that they experience. This causes them to become hypervigilant to pain, avoid activity and results in a vicious cycle of increasing disability. This research has two, related aims. First, we aim to test this model to see whether hypervigilance influences resp ....The role of attention re-training in pain tolerance. Chronic pain is one of the most debilitating and expensive chronic health problems in westernized countries. Chronic pain develops when an individual is injured and is fearful of the pain that they experience. This causes them to become hypervigilant to pain, avoid activity and results in a vicious cycle of increasing disability. This research has two, related aims. First, we aim to test this model to see whether hypervigilance influences response to pain, as predicted. Second, we will develop and test an intervention to reduce hypervigilance to pain in healthy people and those with acute injuries. If the intervention is successful, it will have the potential to prevent the development of chronic pain or reduce its severity.Read moreRead less