Supporting families through research
At the Griffith Centre for Mental Health, we’re dedicated to supporting families and working to improve the understanding of factors affecting parenting and its impact on children and young people.
Child and youth mental health
Our programs span a range of mental health concerns affecting children and young people including those with specific phobias and anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sleep problems, behaviour concerns, body image and appearance concerns, autistic spectrum disorders and foetal alcohol spectrum disorders as examples. We engage in state-of-the-art evidence-based treatments for children and youth with our programs delivered online and in person.
Examples of our programs include:
- OCD Busters for children and young people with OCD;
- Take Action Program for childhood anxiety disorders;
- Lights Out Program for childhood sleep problems;
- BRAVE online programs for child and youth anxiety disorders;
- Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for child behaviour problems;
We also conduct ground-breaking research on what causes and maintains youth mental health problems and strengths across individual, family, societal and cultural levels and work closely with a range of government, community, First Peoples and CALD partners to improve child and youth mental health.
Parenting and raising young people
Our experts have developed interventions and resources to promote effective parenting and enhance well-being. They have also conducted ground-breaking research on the impact of parenting in a technological and uncertain world and on youth mental health and studied the impact of domestic and family violence on young people.
Some of our experts' programs include:
- Family Interaction Program
- Parents Under Pressure (PUP)
- Families Accessing online Skills Training for OCD (FAST).
Equity, diversity and inclusion
Griffith University is a world leader in gender equality, an institution with an outstanding track record of social justice and community and industry engagement. Our experts work together to better understand gender inequality, domestic and family violence, and related factors that impact mental health and wellbeing.
Our team’s current research spotlights topics such as women's mental health in the context of domestic and family violence, reproductive coercion, gender equity in sport, and appearance concerns and perfectionism.
Lifestyle, health and wellbeing
Connections between lifestyle, physical health, illness management and mental health is well documented. Our team strives to better understand the factors that impact our health and wellbeing, including the development of interventions and resources that promote healthy lifestyles, recovery from and management of illnesses and injuries, and ageing well across the lifespan. Our team is investigating factors such as engagement in sports and physical activity, career development, driving safety, healthy communities, changing health behaviours, and the management of chronic health conditions and neurological disorders and recovery from traumatic injuries.
Examples of our programs:
- Life - Fit Program for players within the Jnr Rugby League RISE Development Program
- Health and Psychology Innovations (HaPI) Research Laboratory for research in the fields of health psychology and behavioural medicine
- Cancer and Beyond Health Psychology Research Laboratory (CABLAB) researchers conduct innovative research using the science and clinical insights of health psychology to improve the quality of life of people with or at risk of cancer and other chronic health conditions
- MaXCCEL team are committed to maximising cognition and everyday function for all individuals
Substance use, health and wellbeing
Our mental health affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. The National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing highlights that mental health disorders impact nearly half of the population, with nearly 20% experiencing suicidal thoughts.
At the Griffith Centre for Mental Health, we work to raise knowledge and understanding about substance use, its causes and consequences, and responses to reduce harmful effects. Our internationally recognised researchers have developed solutions that have a transformative impact on individual lives and communities—helping to create a better future for all.
Suicide research and prevention
Each life lost to suicide is a tragedy with profound impacts on families, friends and communities. Although suicide and intentional self-harm are complex issues, they can be prevented.
In conjunction with the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, the Griffith Centre for Mental Health is dedicated to helping prevent suicide.
Researchers within the centre who are from the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention (AISRAP) are leading experts in surveillance and epidemiology of suicidal behaviour; workplace suicide research and prevention including understanding of multi-level suicide prevention responses, workforce capability and related training and evaluation, as well as lived experience co-design approaches to suicide prevention, intervention and workforce capability and sustainability.
Contact details
- Phone
- (07) 3735 3351
- gcmh@griffith.edu.au
- Location and postal address
- School of Applied Psychology
- Griffith University
- 176 Messines Ridge Road
- Mt Gravatt QLD 4122
