Selection of Current CHRP Research Projects
Please click on the links below to view current CHRP projects in the following priority research areas.
Chronic Illness Management and Treatment
Research to Enhance the Health and Welfare Service System
Child and Adolescent Well Being and Development
Mental Health
Chronic Illness Management and Treatment
Motivational Interviewing for the Prevention of Depression in individuals with Type II Diabetes
Project Title: Motivational interviewing based Health Coaching as an Early Intervention for the Prevention of Depression in Type II Diabetes in an Australian Regional and Rural Population.
Funding Organisation: beyondblue (Awarded in 2007)
Principal Investigator: Dr Mirella Di Benedetto
Co-Investigators: Dr Helen Aucote, Dr Helen Lindner
Project Summary: The study will examine the effectiveness of a phone-based Motivational Interviewing Health Coaching (MIHC) intervention on depression, in those with Type II diabetes living in a rural area, and will also examine the possible underlying psychological mechanisms associated with MIHC.
The present study will utilise a protocol adapted from the Health Psychology Model of HC (AHC), an Australian model (Lindner & Gale, 2007), which incorporates evidence-based behavioural strategies such as: readiness to change; motivational interviewing (MI); solution-focused counselling; agreed behaviour change priority; decisional balancing; self-efficacy; self-monitoring, devising an action plan for change; and addressing relapse prevention. These are aimed at addressing resistance, ambivalence, and psychosocial barriers to change. The AHC model is individually tailored to suit the unique needs of the client. An important aspect of the AHC model is that it incorporates MI, an effective psychological intervention that enhances intrinsic motivation towards positive behaviour change (Miller & Rollnik, 2002): an imperative component of successful health behaviour change. It is hypothesised that MIHC will have a positive impact on factors that are typically associated with depression: namely, trait anxiety, coping, resilience and social cognitive variables. No studies have investigated the relationship between MIHC and the above psychological factors; therefore, the findings may provide insight into the psychological mechanisms affected by MIHC in chronic illness populations. The findings of the study could also have major implications for the future cost-effective prevention of depression associated with Type II diabetes and more broadly other chronic illnesses, and could also be used to reduce the risk of depression and chronic illnesses in the general population.
Research to Enhance the Health and Welfare Service System
Evaluation of the Family Relationship Centre, Ballarat
Project Title: A longitudinal evaluation of the new Family Relationship Centre in Ballarat
Funding Organisation: Centacare Ballarat, Child and Family Services Ballarat, Relationships Australia
Principal Investigator: Associate Prof John McDonald
EvaluationPlan for Community Services Staff
Project Title: Establishing a Program Evaluation Planfor Community Services Staff.
Funding Organisation: Golden Plains Shire Council
Principal Investigators: Dr Angela Murphy; Associate Prof John McDonald
Child and Adolescent Well Being and Development
Early Parenting Program
Project Title: Evaluation of the Early Parenting/Growing Together Program.
Funding Organisation: Child and Family Services Ballarat and William Buckland Foundation
Principal Investigator: Dr Louise Hayes
Infant Attachment and Adjustment
Project Title: The effects of maternal attachment, marital satisfaction and sensitivity to infants on infant attachment and adjustment: A longitudinal-structural equation study.
Funding Organisation: Australian Research Council - Linkage Grant Industry Partner: Ballarat Child and Family Services
Principal Investigator: Associate Prof Rapson Gomez
Student Investigator: Ms Pat Reed (PhD student)
Project Summary: This study will examine how family and attachment factors effect the adjustment of infants at 24 months of age. A longitudinal study, using structural equation methods, will examine how maternal attachment and marital satisfaction when infants are 4 months of age will effect maternal parenting behaviours two months later, and how all three of these measures will effect infant attachment 6 months later. It will then examine how all four of these measures will effect the adjustment of infants 12 months later. The study will have important implications for early intervention and prevention of psychological problems in infants and children.
Mental Health
Evaluation of Treatment Program for Adolescents with Depression
Project Title: Evaluating Evidence-Based Treatment of Depression in Adolescents using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Delivered in Rural and Regional Services.
Funding Organisation: Beyondblue (Awarded in 2006)
Principal Investigator: Dr Louise Hayes; Dr Andrew Lewis
Evaluating a New Program for Improving Secondary School Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour regarding Party Situations involving Alcohol and Drugs
Project Title: Extended evaluation of the SSMART (Surviving Substance Misuse & Alcohol Risk Taking) ASSK (Alcohol Substance Survival Knoweldge) Project.
Funding Organisation: Strengthening Generations, City of Ballarat
Principal Investigator: Dr Candice Boyd
Film-making for Rural Young People with Mental Illness
Project Title: Development and evaluation of a film-making intervention involving rural adolescents with a mental illness.
Funding Organisation: City of Ballarat - Community Development Grants
Principal Investigator: Dr Candice Boyd
Co-Investigator: Dr Lesley Speed with industry support from Ballarat Learning Exchange
Summary: Recent research and community work in the City of Dundee, Scotland is testament to the power of collaborative film-making to transform the lives of people with mental illness (Parr, 2006; Parr, 2007). Although these programs were not formally evaluated, the individuals with mental illness who have participated in the making of films attribute significant improvements in their mental health to their involvement in this type of activity. The aim of this project is to develop a pilot film-making project involving Australian rural adolescents with mental illness and to formally evaluate its effectiveness in bringing about positive change in the lives of its participants.
The specific research objectives of this project are to:
- develop a collaborative film-making project involving young people with mental illness from the Grampians region of Victoria
- evaluate the project and determine its effectiveness in bringing about improvements in the mental health of the participants
- use the findings to build a case for on-going funding of creative projects for young people with mental illness in the Grampians region
- produce a film which will be an educational resource for the Grampians region
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