College of Healthcare Sciences

Brock Cook

Brock Cook

Kim Usher

Kim Usher

Marie Caltabiano

Marie Caltabiano

Kerry McBain

Kerry McBain

Melanie Birks

Melanie Birks

Klaire Somoray

Klaire Somoray

Karen Yates

Karen Yates

Natalie Conley

Natalie Conley

Jessica Oliva

Jessica Oliva

Susan Melchert

Susan Melchert

Examining the short- and longer-term mental health benefits of focused and immersive music listening events
Amanda Krause
Stigma prevents many people from seeking mental health support; however, positive music listening experiences buffer the impact of stigma on help-seeking. Recent research suggests that community-based, focused listening experiences have real potential for improving well-being, but research is needed to understand their explicit short- and longer-term impact on stress and anxiety. This case study examines the impact of participating in communal, high-fidelity, and immersive music listening sessions on people’s mental health. Expected outcomes include partnering with a community organisation to obtain and disseminate evidence relating to substantiating the mechanisms underpinning the well-being benefits of focused and immersive music listening.
How are we doing? Evidence mapping mental distress in North Queensland
Amanda Krause
This project will generate contemporary, North Queensland-specific normative data for two widely used mental health screening instruments (K10 and DASS-21). Using a three-sample design comprising community members recruited via an online panel, headspace clients, and Townsville University Hospital inpatients, we will establish known-groups validity by comparing distress profiles across clinical and non-clinical populations. The project also examines help-seeking behaviours and service use to understand how distress levels relate to mental health needs and available supports. Findings will inform regional mental health service planning and provide pilot data for future large-scale funding applications.
The impact of the roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons on well-being: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Amanda Krause
This study explores whether tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) can be effectively leveraged to support mental health. By examining how different ways of engaging with D&D influence players’ experiences, the study will elucidate what aspects of the game are most beneficial to players—for instance, character creation or simply being part of a shared narrative—and why that matters. These insights will inform how games like D&D are used in the mental health space and how their designs can be tailored to support social connection, motivation, and personal growth.
Social support for perinatal mental health in Northern Queensland: A pilot randomised controlled trial
Amanda Krause
The Bamboo Parenting Program is an online social support program for first-time mothers in the perinatal period. The program has been designed to prevent and reduce mental illness during this vulnerable period, and by leveraging social support, Bamboo targets one of the most significant predictors of mental health for perinatal women. The program pairs first-time mothers with volunteer mothers or with mother-nominated individuals, with support training provided in program. Pairs work together to navigate the critical and difficult perinatal period. Funding from this seed fund will contribute to the evaluation of a pilot randomised trial in Northern Queensland.
The Bamboo Parenting Program: Promotion of a Randomised Pilot Trial
Amanda Krause
The Bamboo Parenting Program is an online social support program for first-time mothers in the perinatal period. The program has been designed to prevent mental illness during this vulnerable period, and by leveraging social support, Bamboo targets one of the most significant predictors of mental health for perinatal women. The program pairs first-time mothers with volunteer mothers or with mother-nominated individuals (with support training provided in program). Pairs work together to navigate the critical and difficult perinatal period. Funding from this seed fund will be used to promote a pilot randomised trial in North Queensland. JCU College of Healthcare Sciences Research Seed Grants
Mental Health Among Medical Professionals in Foshan City, China (Old ID 22511)
Wendy Li
20 Jan 2016 - 31 Jan 2017
This project aims to investigate mental health among medical professionals in Foshan City, China. The mental health of physicians is now recognised as a serious issue in China after a number of high profile incidences in which doctors have been attacked by patients. Of course, being a high stress occupation, mental health issues caused by professional stress and burnout have always been present among medical professionals. This study seeks to use a mix-methods approach to explore such issues.
Serving the underserved in the tropics: Making a difference with positive psychology (Old ID 25136)
Wendy Li
28 Jun 2019 - 29 Jun 2019
As the first AASP (mini) conference focusing on serving the underserved in the tropics, the proposed mini conference aims to address this gap to promote making a difference in tropical Asia with positive psychology. The themes of the mini conference include: * mental health and psychological wellbeing in the tropics; * projudice, discimination and structural inequality; * individual and community resilience.
Examining playing performance in Rugby Union via static and dynamic approaches (Old ID 26769)
Wade Sinclair
01 Mar 2020 - 31 Dec 2022
Innovative technology within elite sport has provided high performance staff with an abundance of player and team performance metrics – ‘big rugby data’. Despite the availability of this information, the crucial keys to match success in rugby union remain unknown, possibly due to the complexity of match play. This project will evaluate the complexity of elite rugby union matches by examining teams’ performance via novel sport analytics considering static and dynamic approaches. Outcomes will identify the keys to success from a micro to macro level and assist coaching staff to optimise strategies for enhanced success within rugby union.
Independent Testing of Buoyancy Aids in Situ for Surf Life Saving Australia - Phase V (Old ID 23058)
Wade Sinclair
01 Nov 2016 - 01 May 2017
Following recent amendments to Australian Standards pertaining to minimum buoyancy, this project will evaluate a range of fitted buoyancy aids adhering to the revised buoyancy standards in a fit for purpose assessment of competitive and training activities directly associated with lifesaving sport in situ in qualified surf lifesavers (youth to masters). The findings from this project will enable the sport's governing body, Surf Life Saving Australia to provide evidence based decisions and policy regarding the use of buoyancy aids for usage within lifesaving sport for competition and training purposes.
A pilot study into the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for improving veteran mental health in North Queensland (Old ID 27280)
Wendy Li
01 Jan 2022 - 31 Dec 2023
This pilot study aims to test the effectiveness of a MBSR intervention on veteran mental health in North Queensland. MBSR is a clinically standardized 8-week group intervention, with one 2.5-hour session each week and an all-day (6 hours) self-retreat session in week 6. It provides systematic training in mindfulness to improve mental health through self-regulating arousal to stress. Fifty veterans living in Townsville will be recruited to participate in the MBSR intervention. To assess the effectiveness of MBSR, a repeated-measures design will be employed, with mental health outcomes being measured at four timepoints.
Title: ‘Men are not expected to be interested in babies’: how society lets new fathers – and their families – down, The Guardian
Reseracher: Sam Teague (Senior Research Fellow)
Start Date: 01 Jun 2025
Title: Children of parents with psychiatric diagnoses – health, development and well-being in the first year of life. A study of children born in 2002-2022 in Region Hovedstaden, National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark
Reseracher: Sam Teague (Senior Research Fellow)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2025
Title: Townsville University Hospital Research Committee
Reseracher: Rachel Walker (Professor of Nursing & Midwifery)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
Title: The consequences of the corona pandemic for the health and well-being of the population: part 3. A systematic literature review, Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu
Reseracher: Sam Teague (Senior Research Fellow)
Start Date: 16 Feb 2024
Title: Townsville Hospital and Health Service, Research Trust Advisory Committee
Reseracher: Rachel Walker (Professor of Nursing & Midwifery)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
Title: Simulation Australasia- Australian Society for Simulation in Healthcare (ASSH)
Reseracher: Anne Jones (Head, Physiotherapy)
Title: Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN)
Reseracher: Anne Jones (Head, Physiotherapy)
Title: SARRAH
Reseracher: Anne Jones (Head, Physiotherapy)
Title: Society of Mental Health Research
Reseracher: Wendy Li (Associate Professor)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2021
Title: The Society of Australasian Social Psychologists (SASP)
Reseracher: Wendy Li (Associate Professor)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2021