ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9888-8794
Current Organisations
University of Sydney
,
University of Wollongong
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Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2021
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 20-09-2017
Abstract: ndigenous adolescents are at a higher risk of experiencing harms related to substance use compared with their non-Indigenous counterparts as a consequence of earlier onset and higher rates of substance use. Early onset of substance use has been identified as a risk factor for future substance use problems and other health, social, and family outcomes. Therefore, prevention of substance use among adolescents has been identified as a key area to improve health of Indigenous Peoples. Evidence exists for the effectiveness of prevention approaches for adolescents in mainstream populations and, most recently, for the use of computer- and Internet-delivered interventions to overcome barriers to implementation. However, there is currently no conclusive evidence about the effectiveness of these approaches for Indigenous adolescents. he purpose of this review is to synthesize the international evidence regarding the effectiveness of substance use prevention programs for Indigenous adolescents in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. total of 8 peer-reviewed databases and 20 gray literature databases will be searched, using search terms in line with the aims of this review and based on previous relevant reviews of substance use prevention. Studies will be included if they evaluate a substance use prevention program with Indigenous adolescents (aged 10 to 19 years) as the primary participant group and are published between January 1, 1990 and August 31, 2017. narrative synthesis will be provided about the effectiveness of the programs, the type of program (whether culture-based, adapted, or unadapted), delivery of the program (computer- and Internet-delivered or traditional), and the setting in which the programs are delivered (community, school, family, clinical, or a combination). he study will identify core elements of effective substance use prevention programs among Indigenous adolescents and appraise the methodological quality of the studies. This review will provide researchers, policy makers, and program developers with evidence about the potential use of prevention approaches for Indigenous adolescents.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 20-02-2020
Abstract: igh rates of cannabis and illicit drug use are experienced by young people during the final stages of neurodevelopment (aged 15-24 years), a period characterized by high neuroplasticity. Frequent drug use during this time may interfere with neurophysiological and neuropsychological development pathways, potentially leading to ongoing unfavorable neuroadaptations. The dose-response relationship between illicit drug use, exposure, and in idual neurodevelopmental variation is unknown but salient with global shifts in the legal landscape and increasingly liberal attitudes and perceptions of the harm caused by cannabis and illicit drugs. his systematic review aims to synthesize longitudinal studies that investigate the effects of illicit drug use on structural, functional, and cognitive brain domains in in iduals under the neural age of adulthood (25 years). This protocol outlines prospective methods that will facilitate an exhaustive review of the literature exploring pre- and post-drug use brain abnormalities arising during neurodevelopment. ive electronic databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, ProQuest Central, and Web of Science) will be systematically searched between 1990 and 2019. The search terms will be a combination of MeSH (Medical Subject Headings), with keywords adapted to each database. Study reporting will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, and if relevant, study quality will be assessed using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Eligible studies are those that s led youth exposed to cannabis or illicit drugs and employed neurophysiological or neuropsychological assessment techniques. Studies will be excluded if participants had been clinically diagnosed with any psychiatric, neurological, or pharmacological condition. his is an ongoing review. As of February 2020, papers are in full-text screening, with results predicted to be complete by July 2020. ntegrating data collected on the three brain domains will enable an assessment of the links between structural, functional, and cognitive brain health across in iduals and may support the early detection and prevention of neurodevelopmental harm. ROSPERO CRD42020151442 www.crd.york.ac.uk rospero/display_record.php?RecordID=151442 RR1-10.2196/18349
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 10-10-2018
Abstract: he transition to adulthood is a unique developmental period characterized by numerous personal and social role changes and increased opportunities for alcohol consumption. Using alcohol to cope with anxiety symptoms is commonly reported, and young people with anxiety are at a greater risk of hazardous alcohol use and progression to alcohol use disorder. Anxiety and alcohol use tend to fuel each other in an exacerbating feed-forward cycle, leading to difficult-to-treat chronic problems. The peak in onset of anxiety and alcohol disorders suggests this developmental window represents a promising opportunity for early intervention before these problems become entrenched. his study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the Inroads program, a therapist-supported, internet-delivered early intervention for young adults that targets alcohol use, anxiety symptoms, and the interconnections between these problems. randomized controlled trial will be conducted nationally among young Australians (aged 17-24 years) who experience anxiety symptoms and drink alcohol at hazardous or harmful levels. Participants will be in idually randomized on a 1:1 basis to receive the Inroads intervention or assessment plus alcohol guidelines. Participants randomized to the Inroads intervention will receive access to 5 Web-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) modules and weekly therapist support via email and/or phone. The primary outcome assessment will be 8 weeks post baseline, with follow-up assessment 6 months post baseline to determine the sustainability of the intervention effects. Primary outcomes will be the total number of standard drinks consumed in the past month (assessed by the Timeline Follow-Back procedure), severity of alcohol-related harms (assessed by the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire), and anxiety symptoms across multiple disorders (assessed by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7). Secondary outcomes will include alcohol outcome expectancies functional impairment and quality of life and symptoms of social anxiety, anxious arousal, and depression. Results will be analyzed by intention-to-treat using multilevel mixed effects analysis for repeated measures. he study is funded from 2017 to 2020 by Australian Rotary Health. Recruitment is expected to be complete by late-2018, with the 6-month follow-ups to be completed by mid-2019. Results are expected to be published in 2020. he study will be the first to evaluate the benefits of a youth-focused early intervention that simultaneously targets anxiety and hazardous alcohol use. By explicitly addressing the interconnections between anxiety and alcohol use and enhancing CBT coping skills, the Inroads program has the potential to interrupt the trajectory toward co-occurring anxiety and alcohol use disorders. The Web-based format of the program combined with minimal therapist support means that if effective, the program could be widely disseminated to reach young people who are not currently able or willing to access face-to-face treatment. ustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12617001609347 www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=372748& isReview=true (Archived by WebCite at 7Au19jmf) ERR1-10.2196/12370
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-2019
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-01-2022
DOI: 10.1002/HPJA.574
Abstract: Children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) can experience neurodevelopmental, physical, psychological and behavioural impairments that can result in a disrupted school experience. However, educators often have limited knowledge or experience in the identification and support of students with FASD, and there is a critical need for effective tools and resources to ensure students with FASD are supported in their ongoing learning and development. This scoping review aimed to identify and evaluate publicly available educator resources that aid in the identification, and support of students with FASD in primary/elementary school. In addition, educators and FASD experts were consulted to obtain feedback on currently available resources, and key issues and priorities for FASD resources. In total, 124 resources were identified by searching peer‐reviewed and grey literature databases, app stores, podcast services and contacting FASD experts. Information was found on identification (23 resources) and support of students with FASD (119 resources). No resources provided information on the referral. Most resources were average (40%) to good (33%) quality, as measured by a composite tool based on adaptions of the NHMRC FORM Framework and iCAHE Guideline Quality Checklist. A minority of resources had been formally evaluated (7%). Review findings and consultations with experts and educators indicate a critical need for referral guides, evidence‐based short‐format resources and centralised access for school communities to high‐quality resources. Taken together, this study has identified key areas for future resource development and research to better support primary school students with FASD.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 27-07-2020
DOI: 10.2196/18349
Abstract: High rates of cannabis and illicit drug use are experienced by young people during the final stages of neurodevelopment (aged 15-24 years), a period characterized by high neuroplasticity. Frequent drug use during this time may interfere with neurophysiological and neuropsychological development pathways, potentially leading to ongoing unfavorable neuroadaptations. The dose-response relationship between illicit drug use, exposure, and in idual neurodevelopmental variation is unknown but salient with global shifts in the legal landscape and increasingly liberal attitudes and perceptions of the harm caused by cannabis and illicit drugs. This systematic review aims to synthesize longitudinal studies that investigate the effects of illicit drug use on structural, functional, and cognitive brain domains in in iduals under the neural age of adulthood (25 years). This protocol outlines prospective methods that will facilitate an exhaustive review of the literature exploring pre- and post-drug use brain abnormalities arising during neurodevelopment. Five electronic databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, ProQuest Central, and Web of Science) will be systematically searched between 1990 and 2019. The search terms will be a combination of MeSH (Medical Subject Headings), with keywords adapted to each database. Study reporting will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, and if relevant, study quality will be assessed using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Eligible studies are those that s led youth exposed to cannabis or illicit drugs and employed neurophysiological or neuropsychological assessment techniques. Studies will be excluded if participants had been clinically diagnosed with any psychiatric, neurological, or pharmacological condition. This is an ongoing review. As of February 2020, papers are in full-text screening, with results predicted to be complete by July 2020. Integrating data collected on the three brain domains will enable an assessment of the links between structural, functional, and cognitive brain health across in iduals and may support the early detection and prevention of neurodevelopmental harm. PROSPERO CRD42020151442 www.crd.york.ac.uk rospero/display_record.php?RecordID=151442 PRR1-10.2196/18349
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-11-2020
DOI: 10.1186/S12889-020-09894-W
Abstract: Screen media is among the most common recreational activities engaged in by children. The displacement hypothesis predicts that increased time spent on screen media activity (SMA) may be at the expense of engagement with other recreational activities, such as sport, music, and art. This study examined associations between non-educational SMA and recreational activity endorsement in 9–10-year-olds, when accounting for other in idual (i.e., cognition, psychopathology), interpersonal (i.e., social environment), and sociodemographic characteristics. Participants were 9254 youth from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study®. Latent factors reflecting SMA, cognition, psychopathology, and social environment were entered as independent variables into logistic mixed models. Sociodemographic covariates included age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, and household income. Outcome variables included any recreational activity endorsement (of 19 assessed), and specific sport (swimming, soccer, baseball) and hobby (music, art) endorsements. In unadjusted groupwise comparisons, youth who spent more time engaging with SMA were less likely to engage with other recreational activities ( p s .001). However, when variance in cognition, psychopathology, social environment, and sociodemographic covariates were accounted for, most forms of SMA were no longer significantly associated with recreational activity engagement ( p .05). Some marginal effects were observed: for every one SD increase in time spent on games and movies over more social forms of media, youth were at lower odds of engaging in recreational activities (adjusted odds ratio = 0·83, 95% CI 0·76–0·89). Likewise, greater general SMA was associated with lower odds of endorsing group-based sports, including soccer (0·93, 0·88–0·98) and baseball (0·92, 0·86–0·98). Model fit comparisons indicated that sociodemographic characteristics, particularly socio-economic status, explained more variance in rates of recreational activity engagement than SMA and other latent factors. Notably, youth from higher socio-economic families were up to 5·63 (3·83–8·29) times more likely to engage in recreational activities than youth from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Results did not suggest that SMA largely displaces engagement in other recreational activities among 9–10-year-olds. Instead, socio-economic factors greatly contribute to rates of engagement. These findings are important considering recent shifts in time spent on SMA in childhood.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 04-2021
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2020-045497
Abstract: Many children affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) exhibit neurocognitive delays that contribute to secondary consequences, including a disrupted school experience. Educators often have limited knowledge or experience in the identification, referral, management and accommodation of students with FASD. Effective resources and tools for educators are crucial to ensure these students are supported in their ongoing learning, development and school participation. This scoping review aims to identify and evaluate resources for educators that aid in the identification, management, or accommodation of students with FASD. A search will be conducted in 9 peer-reviewed and 11 grey literature databases, Google search engine, two app stores and two podcast streaming services (planned search dates: November 2020 to February 2021). Relevant experts, including researchers, health professionals and in iduals with lived experience of FASD, will be contacted in February and March 2021 to identify additional (including unpublished) resources. Resources will be selected based on registered, prespecified inclusion–exclusion criteria, and the quality of included resources will be critically appraised using a composite tool based on adaptions of the National Health and Medical Research Council FORM Framework and the iCAHE Guideline Quality Checklist. Relevant experts will also be requested to provide feedback on included resources. Ethical approval for this scoping review was obtained from the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee (2020/825). Results of the review will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, conference presentations, and seminars targeting audiences involved in the education sector. Open Science Framework: osf.io/73pjh.
Publisher: Center for Open Science
Date: 11-11-2020
Abstract: Categorical mental disorders are being recognized as suboptimal targets in clinical neuroscience due to poor reliability as well as high rates of heterogeneity within, and comorbidity between, mental disorders. As an alternative to the case-control approach, recent studies have focused on the relationship between neurobiology and latent dimensions of psychopathology. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between brain structure and psychopathology in the critical preadolescent period when psychopathology is emerging. This study included baseline data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study® (n = 11,721 age range = 9-10 years male = 52.2%). General psychopathology, externalizing, internalizing, and thought disorder dimensions were based on a higher-order model of psychopathology and estimated using Bayesian plausible values. Outcome variables included global and regional cortical volume, thickness, and surface area. Higher levels of psychopathology across all dimensions were associated with lower volume and surface area globally, as well as widespread and pervasive alterations across the majority of cortical and subcortical regions studied, after adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, and parental education. The relationships between general psychopathology and brain structure were attenuated when adjusting for cognitive functioning. There was evidence of a relationship between externalizing psychopathology and frontal regions of the cortex that was independent of general psychopathology. The current study identified lower cortical volume and surface area as transdiagnostic biomarkers for general psychopathology in preadolescence. The widespread and pervasive relationships between general psychopathology and brain structure may reflect cognitive dysfunction that is a feature across a range of mental illnesses.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 02-2018
DOI: 10.2196/RESPROT.9012
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-05-2020
DOI: 10.1111/ACER.14343
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 07-2018
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2018-023629
Abstract: Binge drinking is the most common pattern of alcohol use among young people in Western countries. Adolescence and young adulthood is a vulnerable developmental period and binge drinking during this time has a higher potential for neurotoxicity and interference with ongoing neural and cognitive development. The purpose of this systematic review will be to assess and integrate evidence of the impact of binge drinking on cognition, brain structure and function in youth aged 10–24 years. Cross-sectional studies will synthesise the aberrations associated with binge drinking, while longitudinal studies will distinguish the cognitive and neural antecedents from the cognitive and neural effects that are a consequence of binge drinking. A total of five peer-reviewed databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, PsychINFO, ProQuest) will be systematically searched and the search period will include all studies published prior to 1 April 2018. The search terms will be a combination of MeSH keywords that are based on previous relevant reviews. Study selection will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and study quality will be assessed using The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. All studies will be screened against eligibility criteria designed to synthesise studies that examined a young binge drinking s le and used neuropsychological, neurophysiological or neuroimaging assessment techniques. Studies will be excluded if participants were significantly involved in other substances or if they had been clinically diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder, or any psychiatric, neurological or pharmacological condition. If available data permits, a meta-analysis will be conducted. Formal ethics approval is not required as primary data will not be collected. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, conference presentations and social media. International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) number: CRD42018086856.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 05-2019
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2018-024418
Abstract: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience high rates of substance use and related harms. Previous prevention programmes and policies have met with limited success, particularly among youth, and this may be a result of inadequately targeting the unique risk and protective factors associated with substance use for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The purpose of this systematic review is to therefore synthesise the risk and protective factors associated with substance use and related harms among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and critically appraise the methodological quality of the included studies. A total of seven peer-reviewed (Cochrane, Embase, PsychInfo, Medline, ProQuest, Informit, and CINAHL) and two grey literature (Heath InfoNet and Closing the Gap Clearinghouse) databases will be systematically searched using search terms in line with the aims of this review and based on previous relevant reviews. Studies published between 1 January 1990 and 31 April 2018 will be included if they identify risk and/or protective factors for substance use or related harms in a study s le that consists of at least 50% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. A narrative synthesis will be undertaken where the identified factors will be organised using an ecological approach into in idual, relationship, community, societal and cultural levels. A critical appraisal of study quality will be conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data and the qualitative assessment tool by Godfrey and Long. Formal ethics approval is not required as primary data will not be collected. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, conference presentations and social media. CRD42017073734.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 12-04-2019
DOI: 10.2196/12370
Start Date: 2019
End Date: 2021
Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council
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