Projects

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The Centre for Women's Mental Health research agenda reflects priority clinical areas as well as being informed by known gaps in research within the area of women’s mental health.

Each of these projects is central to maintaining the best possible mental health and wellbeing for women by supporting mental wellbeing, preventing mental ill-health, and diagnosing and treating mental health conditions / illness.

Current Projects

  • SEED (Sleep, Eat, Emotions, and Development): enhancing wellbeing across pregnancy, birth, and beyond - Bei Bei
    The SEED Project aims to test two wellbeing programs that give new mothers information and strategies to manage the different changes and challenges associated with sleep and diet at various points during and after pregnancy. 
  • An integrative cognitive vulnerability model of hot flushes and night sweats - Christina Bryant, Valerie Brown, Fiona Judd
  • Psychological well-being in women with ambiguous BRCA gene status - Lesley Stafford, Fiona Judd, Familial CC​
  • Neurobehavioural development of infants born <30 weeks’ gestational age and their parents’ psychological wellbeing - Lesley Stafford, Fiona Judd, Alicia Spittle, N Brown, J Cheong, P Anderson, R Hunt, K Treyvaud, J Dawson, C Kuschel​
  • Pilot to assess feasibility of recruitment for RCT for MindBabyBody - Kristine Mercuri, Fiona Judd, Hannah Woolhouse (MCRI) and Stephanie Brown (MCRI)​
  • The Melbourne ‘high risk’ birth cohort [1] care co-ordination manual - Fiona Judd, Ian Everall, Penny Sheehan, David Castle, Louise Newman, Chris Pantelis, Tram Nguyen​
  • The Melbourne ‘high risk’ birth cohort [2] placental biology study of anxiety - Fiona Judd, Ian Everall, Penny Sheehan, David Castle, Louise Newman, Chris Pantelis​
  • Cognitions about menopausal symptoms - Valerie Brown, Fiona Judd, Christina Bryant ​
  • Health and well-being in midlife - Lydia Brown, Fiona Judd, Christina Bryant​
  • Physical activity intervention in midlife - Christina Bryant, Fiona Judd, Martha Hickey, Marg Sherburn, Ange Komiti​
  • Pain education and intervention for pelvic pain  - Arthur Stabolidis, Christina Bryant, Martin Healey; Lisa Phillips (UoM MSPS)​
  • Intervention to promote healthy attitudes towards memory - Anne Unkenstein, Christina Bryant, Glynda Kinsell​


Completed Projects​

  • Resilience in older survivors of gynaecological cancers - Kerry Gemmell, Christina Bryant, Fiona Judd, Louise Harms
    This qualitative study (PhD thesis) explored older women's experiences of gynaecological cancers.
  • Anxiety during pregnancy: the contribution of social support - Ella Duckworth, Christina Bryant, Fiona Judd
    This study (M Psych thesis) examined the role of social support during pregnancy and found that a predisposition to anxiety was an important predictor of anxiety during pregnancy.
  • Anxiety during pregnancy: development of a scale to measure pregnancy-related anxiety - Janine Petrass, Christina Bryant, Fiona Judd
    This study (M Psych thesis) developed a scale for measuring anxiety during pregnancy, with a view to examining the validity of the concept of pregnancy specific anxiety
  • Maternal anxiety: An examination of pregnancy, the postpartum and the experience of motherhood - Zjelka Sabo, Christina Bryant, Fiona Judd 
    This study (M Psych thesis)  examined anxiety symptoms in pregnant and postpartum women, and the relationship between  between anxiety and the experience of motherhood
  • The role of perfectionism in prediction symptoms of anxiety and depression in the postpartum - Sarah Langlet, Christina Bryant, Fiona Judd
    This study (M Psych thesis) examined the relationship between components of perfectionism (generally conceptualized as a complex multidimensional personality trait made up of two separate yet associated dimensions referred to as ‘adaptive’ and ‘maladaptive’ perfectionism)  and anxiety and depression in the postpartum.
  • Outcomes of pregnancy in WADS patients with substance use and personality disorders - Olivia Wong, Chantal Esnault, Tram Nguyen Fiona Judd
    This study examined the outcome of pregnancy with respect to both maternal and infant markers of well being in women with comorbid alcohol dependency and personality disorders.
  • Occupational wellbeing among Australian gynaecologic oncologists - Lesley Stafford and Fiona Judd
    This study investigated the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and occupational burnout among Australian gynaecologic oncologists and assessed job stress and job satisfaction in this group.
  • Social support, conflict and perinatal depression postnatal depression - Alice Forwood,Garry Robins, Fiona Judd
    This study (PhD thesis) examined the relationships between specific aspects of perceived social support, received socal support and relationship conflict and perinatal depression.
  • Gender differences in rates and reasons for suicide  - Fiona Judd, Henry Jackson, Angela Komiti, Cait Fraser, Richard Bell
    This study used data from the Australian National Cononer's Information System (NCIS) to examine gender differences in factors contributing to suicide
  • Illness perceptions in women with chronic pelvic pain - Olivia Fitzgibbon, Christina Bryant
    This study (M Psych thesis) investigated whether participation in a multi-disciplinary pain management programme changes women’s beliefs about their chronic pain.
  • Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for women with gynaecologic and breast cancer: A pilot study - Lesley Stafford , Fiona Judd, Jeremy Couper, Elizabeth Foley, Litza Kiropoulos
    This pilot study investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based group cognitive therapy on distress, quality of life, post-traumatic growth and mindfulness in women with breast and gynaecologic cancer. The acceptability and feasibility of the intervention was also assessed.
  • AMPLE: Adolescent Mothers Program - Let's meet your baby as a person - Susan Nicolson, Fiona Judd, Frances Thomson-Salo
    This study (PhD thesis) tested a new perinatal attachment intervention provided to pregnant adolescents in addition to routine maternity care (the AMPLE intervention) and found that it was associated with a better quality mother-infant relationship four months later.
  • Psychological, social and sexual outcomes of hydatidiform mole pregnancy or other gestational trophoblastic diseases - Lesley Stafford and Fiona Judd
    This study investigated long-term psychological morbidity (anxiety, depression and trophoblastic disease-specific anxiety), sexual dysfunction and relationship outcomes as well as health literacy among women previously diagnosed with trophoblastic disease. A substudy examined the experience of treatment and surveillance in women with active trophoblastic disease.
  • Diabetes and pregnancy: An investigation of psycho-social factors associated with the uptake of pre-pregnancy care - Angela Komiti, Fiona Judd, Henry Jackson, Alison Nankervis, Jeremy Oats
    This study (PhD thesis) examined factors associated with the non-uptake of pre-pregnancy care (a formalized approach to preparing a diabetic woman for pregnancy), particularly attitudes, beliefs and perceptions, using the theoretical framework of four health behaviour models; the Health Belief Model (HBM), The Social Cognitive Model (SCT), The Theory of Reaseoned Action (TRA) and the Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT)
  • Long term quality of life and supportive care needs of survivors of gynaecological cancer and their partners - Lesley Stafford, Fiona Judd, Michael Quinn
    This study investigated challenges to long-term quality of life among women previously diagnosed with gynaecologic cancer and their partners. Indices of quality of life assessed were anxiety, depression, sexual morbidity, body image, relationship satisfaction and supportive care needs.
  • The Influence of Unmet Needs and Attachment Styles on the Perception of Relationship Satisfaction in Gynaecological Cancer Patients and their Partners - Ana Torres, Christina Bryant, Lesley Stafford
    This study (M Psych thesis) examined the role of attachment style as a contributor to relationship satisfaction in women with gynaecological cancers, and their partners.
  • Memory problems in menopausal women - Anne Unkenstein, Christina Bryant, Fiona Judd, Glynda Kinsella, Martha Hickey
  • Women's experiences of hot flushes - Christine Bryant, Bei Bei, Martha Hickey, Fiona Judd
  • Psychosocial and behavioural outcomes of women at risk of breast and/or ovarian cancer - Lesley Stafford, Fiona Judd, Bruce Mann, Geoff Lindeman, Maira Kentwell, Penny Gibson (Research Assistant)
  • Women’s well-being in mid-life - Christina Bryant, Lydia Brown, Fiona Judd
  • Experience and needs of cardiac patients with depression in regional and rural Victoria: a qualitative study - Barbara Murphy, Fiona Judd, John Humphreys, Anthony Jackson, John Edington
  • Effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for preventing depressive relapses in subjects at very high risk (supported by NH&MRC) - Graham Meadows, Fiona Judd, Paul Martin, Zindel Segal and Leon Piterman
  • Screening for anxiety and depression after diagnosis of breast or gynaecological cancer - Lesley Stafford, Fiona Judd, Michael Quinn, Bruce Mann, Alex Cockram

Affiliations:

  1. Centre for Women's Mental Health, the Royal Women's Hospital
  2. Breast Service, Royal Women's and Royal Melbourne Hospitals
  3. Diabetes Service, the Royal Women's Hospital
  4. Oncology Unit, the Royal Women's Hospital
  5. Department of Perinatal Medicine, the Royal Women's Hospital
  6. Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, University of Melbourne
  7. Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne
  8. Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
  9. Heart Research Centre, University of Melbourne
  10. Department of General Practice, School of Primary Health Care; Monash University
  11. Department of Psychological Medicine; School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine; Monash University
  12. School of Rural Health, Monash University
  13. Department of Psychiatry and Psychology; University of Toronto
  14. NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health
  15. Bendigo Health Care Group, Psychiatric Services
  16. Murdoch Children's Research Institute
  17. Mind Potential
  18. Department of Psychiatry and Psycho-oncology Research Unit, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
  19. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Royal Women’s Hospital
  20. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne
  21. Department of Surgery, Royal Melbourne Hospital
  22. Familial Cancer Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital
  23. Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
  24. Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Christina Bryant: Centre for Women's Mental Health, Royal Women's Hospital, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Bei Bei: Centre for Women's Mental Health, Royal Women's Hospital, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Lydia Brown: Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Valerie Brown: Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Alex Cockram: NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health
  • Jeremy Couper: Department of Psychiatry and Psycho-oncology Research Unit, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre 
  • John Edington: Bendigo Health Care Group, Psychiatric Services
  • Jane Fisher: Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, University of Melbourne
  • Elizabeth Foley: Mind Potential
  • Cait Fraser: Bendigo Health Care Group, Psychiatric Services 
  • Penny Gibson: Centre for Women's Mental Health, Royal Women's Hospital
  • Martha Hickey: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Women’s Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne
  • John Humphreys: School of Rural Health, Monash University
  • Anthony Jackson: Bendigo Health Care Group, Psychiatric Services
  • Henry Jackson: Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Litza Kiropoulos: Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Fiona Judd: Centre for Women's Mental Health, Royal Women's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne
  • Maggie Kirkman: Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, University of Melbourne
  • Angela Komiti: Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne
  • Lia Laios: Centre for Women's Mental Health, Royal Women's Hospital
  • Geoff Lindeman: Familial Cancer Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Leon Piterman: Department of General Practice, School of Primary Health Care; Monash University
  • Bruce Mann: Breast Service, Royal Women's and Royal Melbourne Hospitals
  • Paul Martin: Department of Psychological Medicine; School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine; Monash University
  • Graham Meadows: Department of Psychological Medicine; School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine; Monash University
  • Barbara Murphy: Heart Research Centre, University of Melbourne
  • Alison Nankervis: Diabetes Service, the Royal Women's Hospital
  • Susan Nicolson: Centre for Women's Mental Health, Royal Women's Hospital 
  • Jeremy Oats: Diabetes Service, Royal Women's Hospital
  • Michael Quinn: Oncology Unit, Royal Women's Hospital
  • Garry Robins: Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Zindel Segal : Department of Psychiatry and Psychology; University of Toronto
  • Penelope Sheehan: Department of Perinatal Medicine, Royal Women's Hospital
  • Lesley Stafford: Centre for Women's Mental Health, Royal Women's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne
  • Frances Thomson-Salo: Centre for Women's Mental Health, Royal Women's Hospital, Murdoch Children's Research Institute
  • Anne Unkenstein: Centre for Women's Mental Health, Royal Women's Hospital