Current research

• Project 1: "Taking Charge" - Management of Stress, Anxiety and Depression
• Project 2: HSC Stress Management Program
• Project 3: HSC Stress Psycho-Educational Talks (single session)
• Project 4: CBT for Early Psychosis

The current focus of the Health Psychology Unit is on programs young people aged 12-25 years for the prevention and treatment of various mental health problems. In 2009 we are conducting and evaluating four programs, which are run at various intervals throughout the school year.

Project 1: "Taking Charge" - Management of Stress, Anxiety and Depression.

The "Taking Charge" program aims to teach students practical strategies to take control over upsetting emotions and challenging life experiences.

The program is run in a group format for 5-10 adolescents over eight weekly 90 minute sessions. The program is based on cognitive-behavioural therapy principles and includes information (on anxiety, depression and stress), problem-solving, thought monitoring, education reality testing of unhelpful thoughts/beliefs, pleasant events scheduling, controlled breathing, assertiveness and communication training, identification and challenging of core beliefs and self-esteem boosting.

This program is run at the Health Psychology Unit, UTS (based at Ground Floor, 174 Pacific Highway St Leonards) and in local high schools for selected students.

Project 2: HSC Stress Management Program

The HSC Stress program runs for four weekly 90 minute sessions and aims to teach students skills to deal with the stresses of doing the HSC. The program targets students who are having difficulties dealing with Year 11 or Year 12. The skills taught in the program are based on cognitive-behavioural principles and include: identifying stress responses and triggers, identifying and challenging stress-producing self-talk, behavioural strategies for dealing with the stress response, achieving academic and social life balance, dealing with procrastination, relaxation techniques, and goal setting. The program is run at the Health Psychology Unit, UTS (based at Ground Floor, 174 Pacific Highway St Leonards) and in local high schools for selected students.

Project 3: HSC Stress Psycho-Education Talks

In addition to the more extended programs, the unit also provides one-off psycho-educational talks to Year 11 and 12 students at high schools in Sydney metropolitan area. These talks provide information about anxiety and stress responses, and how these can be managed when dealing with the stress of HSC assessment tasks and exams.

Project 4: CBT for Early Psychosis

The Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Program for Early Psychosis is our newest service and research program. In this program, individuals referred by their Psychiatrist, GP or local Mental Health Care Team who have experienced their first episode of psychosis are provided with a comprehensive assessment by staff in the Health Psychology Unit. These individuals are then able to access up to 20 sessions of individual CBT that is designed to target the symptoms and effects of psychosis. Individuals who have participated in this program to date have reported improvements in their mood, level of daily functioning, anxiety level, positive symptoms of psychosis (e.g. hearing voices, feeling paranoid) and negative symptoms of psychosis (e.g. flat affect and low motivation).