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News & Events

The Kids celebrate neurodiverse leader selected for prestigious STEM program

A remarkable Institute leader will join a cohort of 25 STEM-qualified women to take part in the prestigious 2024 Women in Leadership Development (WILD) program.

News & Events

Trans young people at high risk of depression and suicide

Trans Pathways is the largest ever survey conducted into the mental health of trans young people in Australia.

Research

Computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for gender minority adolescents: Analysis of the real-world implementation of SPARX in New Zealand

SPARX is a form of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy in serious game format funded via the Ministry of Health to be freely available in New Zealand. At registration users identify themselves as male, female, transgender or intersex. We aimed to establish whether adolescent transgender users of SPARX, compared to adolescent male and female users, were more likely to have high mental health needs at baseline and were more likely to complete SPARX. We also sought to determine changes in transgender adolescents' depressive symptoms after using SPARX.

Research

Contextualising Experiences of Co-Occurring Mental Ill-Health and Substance Use Among Trans, Non-Binary, and Gender Diverse Young People: Implications for Tailored Harm Reduction Approaches

Though significant research highlights higher rates of mental ill-health and substance use among trans, non-binary and gender diverse (henceforth 'trans') young people, little research has considered patterns, contextual characteristics, and correlates of co-occurring experiences of mental ill-health and substance use among trans young people.

Research

Eating and exercise experiences of Australian trans and gender diverse folks: lived experience and stakeholder perspectives

Trans individuals face elevated health risks and socio-environmental challenges, influencing their engagement in health-protective behaviors (e.g. exercise and nutrition). Despite these challenges, there is a significant gap in understanding the specific eating and exercise experiences of Australian trans adults, including barriers to healthy behaviors and healthcare experiences. This study aims to address this gap by exploring these experiences, informing targeted interventions and healthcare practices to improve health outcomes.

Research

Gender differences in the experience of psychotic-like experiences and their associated factors: A study of adolescents from the general population

"Psychotic-Like Experiences" (PLEs) are common in the general population. While they are usually transient and resolve spontaneously, they can be distressing and signify increased risk for later psychosis or other psychopathology. It is important to investigate factors associated with PLEs which could be targeted to reduce their prevalence and impact. Males and females are known to experience PLEs differently, but any gender differences in the relationships between PLEs and other, potentially targetable, factors are currently unknown.

Join the Youth Mental Health LGBTQ+ reference group

The Youth Mental Health team is looking for a diverse group of young people to help inform research into mental health in LGBTIQ+ young people.

Research

Barriers and facilitators to mental health treatment access and engagement for LGBTQA+ people with psychosis: a scoping review protocol

The prevalence of psychosis has been shown to be disproportionately high amongst sexual and gender minority individuals. However, there is currently little consideration of the unique needs of this population in mental health treatment, with LGBTQA+ individuals facing barriers in accessing timely and non-stigmatising support for psychotic experiences.

Research

Perspectives of trans and gender diverse young people accessing primary care and gender-affirming medical services: Findings from Trans Pathways

Increasing numbers of trans young people are seeking medical services worldwide, but there have been few qualitative investigations of the experiences of trans young people attempting to engage with these services to explore in-depth experiences of clinical interactions.

Research

Psychological Wellbeing Amongst Parents of Trans Children: An in-Depth Qualitative Investigation

Research has shown that parents of trans children face numerous challenges as they navigate their parenting role, however, little is known about the impact of these challenges on parents’ psychological wellbeing.