For the past few years Dominic Fernandez has been helping run a sports-based mental health literacy program that targets adolescents.
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The University of Wollongong PhD student has been co-ordinating the Help Out a Mate program funded by the Movember Foundation.
"What we do with that is to educate adolescents about mental illness, how to identify signs of common mental health problems and how to help a mate who is struggling," Mr Fernandez said.
"I've found the program to be really rewarding and it has been a real privilege working with adolescents and improving their mental health literacy.
"What I'm really interested in now is how can we optimise these sorts of programs to make them as effective as possible."
That's why the UOW Health Psychology: Research Group for Health Behaviour Promotion member is now searching for adolescents to take part in new research that aims to uncover how teens' understanding of mental health and stigma might influence whether they choose to seek help, or not, for mental health concerns.
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Mr Fernandez said 2020 had been an exceptional year and the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for more research into mental health stigma and help-seeking among adolescents.
"COVID-19 has definitely exacerbated mental health issues which is quite common amongst adolescents," he said.
"We know that young people have experienced significant increases in psychological distress and mental health problems linked to COVID-19. There has also been a surge in the numbers of young people reaching out to crisis lines such as Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800).
"It is great that young people are reaching out for help, but we are interested in those who don't seek help. Specifically, we want to explore possible barriers and facilitators of that help-seeking.
It is great that young people are reaching out for help, but we are interested in those who don't seek help. Specifically, we want to explore possible barriers and facilitators of that help-seeking.
- UOW PhD student Dominic Fernandez
"A major barrier to help-seeking and providing help to friends or family who need it is mental health stigma."
Mr Fernandez said the research aims to address whether reducing stigma around mental health would encourage more adolescents who are experiencing mental health concerns to seek help.
Working under the co-supervision of Dr Stewart Vella and Professor Franke Deane at UOW, his PhD examines whether conceptualising mental illness as a continuum reduces adolescents' stigma towards mental illness.
Mr Fernandez is looking for adolescents aged 13-17 to take part in a 25-minute survey exploring their beliefs about people with mental illness and help-seeking.
Visit the survey link at https://bit.lyl2HMknR7 to take part.
For mental health support call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
