Skip to content
The Kids Research Institute Australia logo
Donate

Discover . Prevent . Cure .

Search

Research

They Told Me “This Isn’t a Hotel”: Young People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Care When Presenting to the Emergency Department with Suicide-Related Behaviour

In Australia, the number of young people presenting to the emergency department with mental health concerns, in particular, suicidal behaviour (defined here as suicidal ideation, thoughts, intent and attempts) is increasing.

Research

Selective attention to threat, anxiety and glycaemic management in adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Previous research has established that adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) experience more anxiety symptoms than their healthy peers and are also more likely to develop an anxiety disorder. Research in cognitive psychology has found that selective attention favouring the processing of threatening information causally contributes to elevated levels of anxiety; however, this process has not been investigated in the context of T1D.

Research

Caregiver-mediated interventions to support self-regulation among infants and young children (0-5 years): A protocol for a realist review

Self-regulation is a modifiable protective factor for lifespan mental and physical health outcomes. Early caregiver-mediated interventions to promote infant and child regulatory outcomes prevent long-term developmental, emotional and behavioural difficulties and improve outcomes such as school readiness, educational achievement and economic success. To harness the population health promise of these programmes, there is a need for more nuanced understanding of the impact of these interventions.

Research

Group mindful self-compassion training to improve mental health outcomes for LGBTQIA+ young adults: Rationale and protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Young adults who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse genders and sexualities (LGBTQIA+) are more likely to experience mental health difficulties and are at significantly elevated risk of substance abuse, self-harm and suicide, relative to their heterosexual, endosex and cisgender peers. There is a need for effective mental health interventions for LGBTQIA+ young adults. Mindful Self-Compassion training is a promising approach; among LGBTQIA+ individuals, self-compassion accounts for more variation in mental health outcomes than bullying, victimization, and adverse childhood experiences combined. Furthermore, LGBTQIA+ individuals with high self-compassion report more positive identity and happiness, less self-stigma, and lower suicidality than those with low self-compassion.

Research

Risk factors associated with suicide clusters in Australian youth: Identifying who is at risk and the mechanisms associated with cluster membership

It is unclear who is at risk of being involved in a suicide cluster and whether suicide clusters are influenced by the social transmission of suicidal behaviour, assortative relating, or a combination of both. Suicide clusters involving two or more young people were identified from the free text of electronic police and coroners reports in Australia's National Coronial Information System in a nationwide cross-sectional study.

Research

Suicide by young Australians, 2006-2015: a cross-sectional analysis of national coronial data

Objective: To assess the demographic, social, and clinical characteristics of young Australians who die by suicide.

Research

A qualitative examination of the cognitive and behavioural challenges experienced by children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

The findings suggest consistency between caregivers in their reports of the difficulties experienced by children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Research

Mental Health Issues and Complex Experiences of Abuse Among Trans and Gender Diverse Young People: Findings from Trans Pathways

Those working in trans and gender diverse health care need to be aware of the high prevalence of violence and abuse among trans and gender diverse young people

News & Events

The Kids researchers named as finalists in 2023 Premier’s Science Awards

Five The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers working across diverse and highly impactful areas of child health research have been named as finalists for the 2023 Premier’s Science Awards.

Research

GENTLE: The GENder identiTy Longitudinal Experience

Penelope Strauss BA, MPH, PhD Research Fellow in Youth Suicide Prevention 08 6319 1297 Penelope.strauss@thekids.org.au Research Fellow in Youth