Make a difference through research
At Mental Health Online, we believe that research helps improve mental health support for everyone. The projects listed here give you the opportunity to contribute your time, experiences, or feedback to important studies and evaluation activities.
While some projects are conducted by Mental Health Online, others are conducted by Swinburne University or partner organisations whose work aligns with our vision, please use the contact details within each project below for any enquiries.
Research Projects
Who might be interested in participating in this research?
Adults interested in improving psychosocial interventions for bipolar disorder.
Why participate?
Help improve access to and experiences with psychological interventions for people living with bipolar disorder. This project will co-design a first-of-its-kind digital clinic built with lived experience, to provide personalised support, improve self-management, and make a meaningful difference in quality of life.
Grounded in best-practice approaches to bipolar disorder care, the digital clinic will offer three integrated tools:
- Personalised Assessment and Monitoring Dashboard
Gain a holistic view of your wellbeing with a personalised assessment and monitoring dashboard. This comprehensive tool enables you to track your mood and improves care coordination by seamlessly sharing information with relevant healthcare professionals.
- Supported Online Program
Receive personalised guidance from trained e-therapists and peer supporters as you explore our interactive, evidence-based online program designed to support you to manage bipolar disorder.
- Live Online Group Program
Join a real-time, recovery-focused group designed to build community and improve wellbeing.
We are seeking input to design this innovative service. The study will be conducted online (including participating in optional surveys, workshops, focus groups, user testing, and interviews) and you will be reimbursed for your participation.
Who can participate?
• People aged 18+
• Residing in Australia
• With lived experience of bipolar disorder, or
• Carers, or
• Healthcare professionals, or
• Members of the lived experience workforce, or
• Representatives of community organisations
What will I be asked to do?
• Choice of online activities based on interest and availability (from 30-minutes to 8 hours total), such as surveys and focus groups.
• All activities are online
To get involved or learn more, click here
The Bipolar Research Clinic is an initiative of Swinburne’s National eTherapy Centre in partnership with the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing. This research has been approved by Swinburne University Ethics Committee (SUHREC). Ref: 20258437-21802.
Who might be interested in participating in this research
Adults aged 18+ who hear distressing voices
Why participate?
Do you hear distressing voices?
AMETHYST is exploring new therapies to improve care. All participants will receive a specialist talking therapy for hearing voices.
This will be delivered via video conferencing (Zoom) and is available to people throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Talking therapies are used to help people with distressing experiences of hearing voices. Avatar therapy (AT) is a new type of therapy. Previous research suggests that people report high rates of satisfaction with AT and improvements in their experiences of hearing voices.
It is not yet known how AT compares with the current standard therapy for hearing voices (CBT). The AMETHYST study compares AT with CBT to find out whether it is more effective. AMETHYST will also explore other important differences between the therapies such as satisfaction, how easy it is to do, adverse effects, impacts on other symptoms, costs of delivery, and how it works.
What’s involved?
- Participation involves attending four research assessments across nine months. One is conducted before therapy and three after completing therapy.
- Each assessment is about three hours and participants are reimbursed $50 gift voucher for each assessment attended as a token of appreciation of their time and efforts.
- Participants receive seven sessions of specialist talking therapy for hearing voices. Half will receive AT and the other half will receive CBT.
- Each therapy sessions is about one hour. These sessions are completed within the first three months immediately after the first assessment.
Who can participate?
- Aged 18 +
- Currently hearing distressing voices
- Heard distressing voices for 1 year or more
- Access to the internet and a device on which videoconferencing software (Zoom) can be used
Other criteria will be discussed with researchers at the initial call.
If you or someone you know is interested, then please visit our website to find out more and to express interest or refer someone:
You can also find our contact details on the website if you have questions. We’d love to hear from you.
Swinburne University of Technology Human Research Ethics Committee: 20226518-10002
Clinical Trials Registration:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05982158
Affiliations:
Swinburne University of Technology
The University of Melbourne
MONASH University
University of the Sunshine Coast
Funded by the Australian Government:
National Health and Medical Research Council
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