RfCA Youth Digital Mental Health Research Talks

TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT ARE NOW SOLD OUT

On behalf of Research for Children Aotearoa, we invite you to register for our FREE Public research presentation by Professor Caroline Donovan (Griffith University; Clinical Psychologist). 

Prof. Donovan will be presenting her research into youth digital mental health interventions - 25 Years of Digital Mental Health Intervention: From BRAVE to Momentum and Beyond….

Digital mental health interventions circumvent many barriers to evidence-based mental health service provision. Over the past 25 years, these interventions have steadily developed alongside advances in technology, with uptake increasing exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for accessible, scalable, and flexible mental health care was critical.

This talk will focus on three Australian digital mental health programs: BRAVE, Momentum, and Lights Out Online. BRAVE, a pioneering online cognitive behavioural therapy program for child and adolescent anxiety, will be discussed as an example of early innovation in digital mental health.

Momentum, a recently launched digital mental health platform that provides assessment, feedback and tailored treatment for children and adolescents with anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, substance use and difficulties with diet, exercise and screen time, is the result of a large MRFF research grant that sought to revolutionise mental health service provision for young people.

Lights Out Online, a parent-focused digital sleep intervention targeting sleep problems in children aged 3-12years, highlights the growing recognition of sleep as a key mechanism and treatment target in mental health, and gives us insight into the needs of parents of young children in terms of the delivery of digital interventions.

Together, these examples demonstrate the ways in which digital interventions can deliver high-quality, evidence-based care at scale, while complementing traditional mental health services and expanding reach to those who might otherwise not receive it.

Following her kōrero, a short Q&A session will occur.

Light refreshments on the night will be served.

We hope you join us on the night!

More about our guest researcher here:

Professor Caroline Donovan is a Clinical Psychologist, Professor and Deputy Head of School- Research within the School of Applied Psychology and the Centre for Mental Health at Griffith University. She has full registration as a Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and is a member of the Australasian Sleep Association. She has received over $12 million worth of funding throughout her career and has published 14 book chapters and 122 peer reviewed journal articles.

She has presented at numerous national and international conferences, and is currently on the Editorial Boards of Child Psychiatry and Human Development and Australian Psychologist. She has supervised 17 PhD students, 10 DPsych students, 16 MPsych students and 33 Honours students through to completion as primary supervisor.

She also has a small private practice that she runs through the Griffith University Psychology Clinic. Her research philosophy centres around a strong belief in early intervention and its ability to change the otherwise problematic trajectories of youth with mental health disorders. Her interests lie in youth anxiety, depression, sleep and body image issues, with a strong emphasis on digital mental health interventions to increase reach and access to evidence-based psychological interventions for young people.

Want to know more about Research for Children Aotearoa? Click HERE

NOTE: THIS IS AN IN PERSON ONLY, THERE WILL BE NO VIRTUAL ACCESS OR RECORDING OF THIS EVENT.