DeStress for Success adaptation for Indigenous adolescent Queenslanders

Chief Investigator

DeStress for Sucess is an evidence-based, 5x40 minute, neuropsychological school-based program designed to teach young people how to recognise and respond to stress in themselves and others. The program was developed and evaluated in the Canadian context for use with mainstream middle school students and severely disadvantaged young males. In addition to qualitative data, the evaluations collected psychometric (e.g. symptoms of depression), and biological data (e.g. cortisol). This project seeks to adapt the resources to the Queensland context with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (henceforth, respectfully, Indigenous) young people, and to conduct a similar evaluation.  Aims: 1) Adapt the program resources (PowerPoint slides, scripts and activities) for young Indigenous people and trial implementation with Indigenous secondary students at 2-3 north Queensland schools. 2) Evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and accessibility of the adapted program and its cultural appropriateness. 3) Measure program effect pre-post implementation using cortisol (salivary, hair, fingernail, wearable biometric monitoring) and psychometric tools. 4) Inform a controlled or quasi-experimental trial at multiple sites. Initial consultations have been conducted with school leaders and they await presentation of the resources to finalise an agreement to progress. An ethics application for both the adaptation and delivery of the program will be submitted to the JCU HREC. Consultations with community and other stakeholders will follow. Participation in the project is anticipated to be very low risk, with informed consent and measures taken to avoid coercion. Individual participants will have access to their own data.

25 Nov 2024 - 20 Dec 2024

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