Skip to content

Search

Active counselling for child and adolescent mental health: A qualitative investigation

Talk-based psychotherapy and physical activity are both recognised as effective treatments for child and adolescent mental illness. Despite this, talk therapy and physical activity are rarely integrated-an approach hereafter termed "active counselling (AC)" -in clinical practice for youth mental health. The purpose of this study was to explore parents' perspectives of AC for their child who had been receiving this type of therapy from a provider in Australia. Parental perceptions were also used to identify possible psychological mechanisms underpinning the effects of AC.

Supported exercise within transdiagnostic mental health services: a protocol paper for a two-arm hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial

People living with severe mental illness have a reduced life expectancy when compared to the general population largely due to physical health comorbidities. Exercise is a valuable, evidence-based component of mental healthcare, with positive effects on physical health, mental health, and quality of life.

A therapeutic exercise program for adolescents engaged in gender diversity services: study protocol for a non-randomised clinical trial

Despite the well-documented benefits of exercise for adolescents’ physical and mental health, exercise remains an underutilized strategy for improving the health of trans adolescents. This is notable because, compared to their cisgender peers, trans adolescents experience greater health challenges and systemic barriers to being physically active. To date, no research has evaluated an evidence-based exercise service within specialist paediatric gender services in Australia.

The Role of Grandparents in Facilitating Children’s Physical Activity

Research suggests there is considerable opportunity to improve children's movement behaviors while they are being cared for by their grandparents. An understanding of the extent to which grandparent practices facilitate children's engagement in physical activity is critical to the development of health interventions targeting grandparent caregivers.

Early childhood educator outcomes from online professional development for physical literacy: A randomised controlled trial

Early childhood is recognised as a critical window of opportunity for physical literacy development, however early childhood educators typically lack the training required to effectively provide appropriate physical literacy opportunities for children.

Testing campaign slogans designed to motivate older people to be more physically active

Being physically active is critical for healthy ageing, yet many older people do not meet physical activity guidelines. The aim of this study was to test the relative effectiveness of five previously identified campaign slogans designed to encourage older people to be more physically active: 'Be active 30-60 minutes a day to stay fit and well'; 'Move more, live longer'; 'Stay fit to stay functional'; 'This is your time - enjoy being strong and active'; and 'Use it or lose it'.

Barriers and enablers to promoting grandchildren’s physical activity and reducing screen time: a qualitative study with Australian grandparents

With an increasing number of grandparents providing care to their grandchildren, calls have been made for these caregivers to be considered important stakeholders in encouraging children's engagement in health-promoting behaviors, such as physical activity.

Thriving Under Threat: A Scoping Review of Human Thriving in Recurring Potentially Traumatic, Elevated Threat and High Stress Work Environments

In this scoping review, we explore the concept of human thriving in work populations that are repeatedly exposed to high stress, elevated threat, and potential trauma-professions such as first responders and front-line military personnel. The concept of thriving, defined as the joint experience of development and success, shares some similarities with other psychological concepts (e.g., resilience, posttraumatic growth, flourishing), but is distinct due to the consideration of physical wellbeing, and success (e.g., performance). 

Goal motives and mental contrasting with implementation intentions facilitate strategic goal persistence and disengagement

In three experiments, we examine the role of motives underlying goal pursuit and the metacognitive strategy of mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) to predict the strategic use of self-regulation responses (persistence, disengagement, and reengagement) when faced with attainable, unattainable, or multiple goals.

Perceptions of a family-based lifestyle intervention for children with overweight and obesity: a qualitative study on sustainability, self-regulation, and program optimization

Family-based lifestyle interventions (FBLIs) are an important method for treating childhood weight problems. Despite being recognized as an effective intervention method, the optimal structure of these interventions for children’s overweight and obesity has yet to be determined.