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Research

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is particularly common among trans young people. NSSI is most commonly used as an emotion regulation strategy, which may explain the high prevalence of the behavior among trans young people, who often experience unique stressors. In the current study we test an application of the Pantheoretical Framework of Dehumanization, in which transphobic experiences, body surveillance, body dissatisfaction, and gender dysphoria are all theorized to predict NSSI.

Research

LGBTQA+ young people experience suicidal thoughts and behaviors at a much greater rate than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. This study explored firsthand accounts of the coping strategies employed by LGBTQA+ young people when experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Research

Pediatric gender clinics and researchers commonly use scales to measure different dimensions of gender (e.g. identity, dysphoria, satisfaction). There has been little investigation into the relevance and consumer acceptability of these scales within contemporary understandings and experiences of gender. 

Research

Research in psychopharmacology in children and adolescents is an area of growing interest with numerous newer modalities becoming available in recent years. Nevertheless, it still lags significantly behind research in adult psychopharmacology although, in the last decade, the gap is beginning to be bridged with FDA approval for newer agents for the paediatric age group.

Research

To describe the comprehensive clinical paediatric assessment of a representative sample of children and adolescents (young people) sentenced to detention in Western Australia (WA) and participating in the first Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) prevalence study.

Research

Individuals at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P) demonstrate heterogeneity in clinical profiles and outcome features. However, the extent of neuroanatomical heterogeneity in the CHR-P state is largely undetermined.

Research

Many adolescents with diverse sexual orientations lead happy and fulfilled lives. However, evidence consistently suggests elevated rates of mental health difficulties in this population relative to heterosexual peers, and internalization of stigma (i.e., self-stigma) is implicated in these elevated rates. This study aimed to understand and describe the lived experience of self-stigma with respect to participants’ sexual orientations.

Research

Pineal volume reductions have been reported in schizophrenia and clinical high-risk states for the development of psychosis, supporting the role of melatonin dysregulation in the pathophysiology of psychosis.

Research

There are well-described sex-based differences in how the immune system operates. In particular, cisgender (cis) females have a more easily activated immune system; associated with an increased prevalence of autoimmune diseases and adverse events following vaccinations. Conversely, cis males have a higher threshold for immune activation, and are more prone to certain infectious diseases, such as coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Research

There are limited studies on the risk of depressive symptoms in adolescent offspring exposed to parental mental health problems in middle childhood. We investigated the association between parental mental health problems, particularly paternal emotional problems and maternal symptoms of anxiety and depression, and the risk of depressive symptoms in adolescent offspring aged 17.