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Research

Intersex adolescents seeking help for their depression: the case study of SPARX in New Zealand

SPARX is a computerized cognitive behavioral therapy self-help program for adolescent depression that is freely available in New Zealand. At registration, users identify themselves as either male, female, intersex, or transgender. We aimed to describe the mental health of adolescent intersex users. A secondary analysis of SPARX usage data over 5 years.

News & Events

Trans Pathways breaks down barriers for Trans Youth

When Trans Pathways ambassador Drew, 17, came out as trans three years ago, the biggest hurdle for him was the availability of services and the time it took to access support.

News & Events

Giorgetta Family Fellowship

With mental health issues an escalating problem among young people, looking after the mental health of future generations has never been more

News & Events

Life expectancy gap widens between those with mental illness and general population

The gap between life expectancy in patients with a mental illness and the general population has widened and reduction should focus on improving physical health

News & Events

Second Mental Health Survey of Australian Children Underway

The second national survey to look at the mental health and wellbeing of Australian children and adolescents is underway, with data collectors out and about.

News & Events

New research links energy drinks to anxiety in young men

A new study from The Kids for Child Health Research has uncovered a link between energy drink consumption in young men and increased anxiety.

News & Events

Preventing suicide - what can you do?

A new information pack is now available to help anyone who is concerned about a friend or family member who is distressed or suicidal.

Research

Understanding parent perspectives on engagement with online youth-focused mental health programs

Online youth-focused health programs often include parent modules—that equip parents with skills to assist their child in improving their health—alongside youth-specific content. BRAVE Self-Help, an evidence-based program designed for children and teenagers with early signs of anxiety, is a popular Australian program that includes six parent modules.

Research

Maternal diet, depression and antidepressant treatment in pregnancy and across the first 12 months postpartum in the MPEWS pregnancy cohort study

There is increasing interest in the association between perinatal depression and diet including whether diet may have an impact on depressive symptoms and equally whether depression influences diet. Furthermore, whether pharmacological treatment of depression with antidepressant medication also may influence diet.

Research

Group mindful self-compassion training to improve mental health outcomes for LGBTQIA+ young adults: Rationale and protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Young adults who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse genders and sexualities (LGBTQIA+) are more likely to experience mental health difficulties and are at significantly elevated risk of substance abuse, self-harm and suicide, relative to their heterosexual, endosex and cisgender peers. There is a need for effective mental health interventions for LGBTQIA+ young adults. Mindful Self-Compassion training is a promising approach; among LGBTQIA+ individuals, self-compassion accounts for more variation in mental health outcomes than bullying, victimization, and adverse childhood experiences combined. Furthermore, LGBTQIA+ individuals with high self-compassion report more positive identity and happiness, less self-stigma, and lower suicidality than those with low self-compassion.