Honorary Research Fellow
Professor Helen Milroy is a consultant psychiatrist with many years’ experience working in child and adolescent psychiatry, specifically in research on trauma, and an expert in Aboriginal mental health provision. She is the Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health at the University of Western Australia and an Honorary Research Fellow at Telethon Kids Institute.
Her work and research interests include holistic medicine, child mental health, recovery from trauma and grief, application of indigenous knowledge, Aboriginal health and mental health, and developing and supporting the Aboriginal medical workforce. Professor Milroy has been on state and national mental health advisory committees and boards with a focus on the wellbeing of children. She is currently a commissioner with the National Mental Health Commission and has also recently been appointed as the AFL's first Indigenous commissioner.
Professor Milroy is the WA 2021 Australian of the Year and was joint winner of the 2020 Australian Mental Health Prize.
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Projects
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Publications
January 2024
Treatment for Childhood and Adolescent Dissociation: A Systematic Review
Dissociative symptoms are linked to experiences of trauma, often originating in childhood and adolescence. Dissociative disorders are associated with a high burden of illness and a poor quality of life. Despite evidence suggesting that early intervention can improve outcomes, little research exists on the treatment of dissociative disorders in childhood and adolescence.
Published research Early Childhood Development Children's Lung Health Youth Mental Health Child and adolescent healthFebruary 2024A wellbeing program to promote mental health in paediatric burn patients: Study protocol
One of the most traumatic injuries a child can experience is a severe burn. Despite improvements in medical treatments which have led to better physical outcomes and reduced mortality rates for paediatric burns patients, the psychological impact associated with experiencing such a traumatic injury has mostly been overlooked. This is concerning given the high incidence of psychopathology amongst paediatric burn survivors.
Published research Children's Lung Health Youth Mental Health Mental healthJun 2023“It's a big trauma for the family”: A qualitative insight into the psychological trauma of paediatric burns from the perspective of mothers
Despite the medical and surgical improvements of paediatric burn injuries, burn injuries can be a painful and traumatic experience for the child and their family. It is therefore important to explore the experiences of caregivers who support their child throughout the burn journey. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the traumatic nature of paediatric burns on the family from a caregiver's perspective.
Published research Youth Mental HealthOctober 2023Expert survey: safer research with parent survivors of child maltreatment
Intergenerational trauma research typically focuses on parent survivors. No specific guidelines are available for conducting research with parent survivors despite potentially unique risks. To investigate research safety with parent survivors, we conducted an online survey of 38 researchers regarding experiences of parent survivors in their research, precautions taken, ethical review experiences, and researchers’ mental health during the project(s).
Published research Youth Mental HealthJun 2023"I just get scared it's going to happen again": a qualitative study of the psychosocial impact of pediatric burns from the child's perspective
Advances in medicine have improved the chances of survival following burn injuries, however, psychosocial outcomes have not seen the same improvement, and burn injuries can be distressing for both the child or young person, negatively affecting their wellbeing. Pediatric burn patients are at a higher risk of developing psychopathology compared to the general population.
Published research Youth Mental HealthApril 2023The effectiveness of a day hospital mentalization-based therapy programme for adolescents with borderline personality traits: Findings from Touchstone—Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are at a substantial risk of harm to themselves and others, experience high levels of functional impairment and typically are high users of tertiary healthcare to address their mental health concerns. As indicators for BPD typically emerge in adolescence, a day therapy service in Bentley, Western Australia, Touchstone Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), was developed as an intensive intervention for adolescents with indicators for BPD and its associated symptomology.
Published research Human Development and Community Wellbeing Youth Mental Health Early Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Youth mental healthFebruary 2022Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth after Burn: A Review of Barriers, Enablers, and Interventions to Improve Psychological Recovery
Burn injuries are traumatic experiences that can detrimentally impact an individual’s psychological and emotional wellbeing. Despite this, some survivors adapt to psychosocial challenges better than others despite similar characteristics relating to the burn.
Published research Youth Mental HealthDecember 2021The psychological impact of paediatric burn injuries: a systematic review
To review and synthesise qualitative literature regarding the psychological outcomes following paediatric burn injuries, and to determine if children and adolescents who experience a burn injury have elevated risk of psychopathology following the injury.
Published research Youth Mental Health Youth mental healthJune 2021Caregiver-mediated interventions to support self-regulation among infants and young children (0-5 years): A protocol for a realist review
Self-regulation is a modifiable protective factor for lifespan mental and physical health outcomes. Early caregiver-mediated interventions to promote infant and child regulatory outcomes prevent long-term developmental, emotional and behavioural difficulties and improve outcomes such as school readiness, educational achievement and economic success. To harness the population health promise of these programmes, there is a need for more nuanced understanding of the impact of these interventions.
Published research Early Childhood Development Child Disability Youth Health Youth Mental Health Early Neurodevelopment and Mental Health