Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Child Mental Health
BPsych (Hons), PhD
Dr Alix Woolard is a research fellow in Child Mental Health within the Youth Mental Health team and is working on the Embrace project. Alix’s current research is looking at childhood trauma and the ways we can identify, target, intervene and improve the lives of children and young people who have experienced trauma. She’s currently working on an intervention to improve the psychological recovery of children who experience a traumatic burn injury.
Alix completed her Bachelor’s degree and PhD in Psychology at the University of Newcastle under the supervision of a collaborative team including Professor Alison Lane, Dr Linda Campbell, Dr Titia Benders, Professor Frini Karayanidis, and Dr Daniel Barker. Alix is experienced in clinical developmental assessment and research methodology, and is passionate about cross-disciplinary collaboration. She has recently worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Institute focussing on neurodevelopmental research across the lifespan. Alix’s research background is in parent-child interactions, social development, early signs of autism and neurodevelopmental disabilities, and most recently, childhood trauma.
-
Projects
-
Publications
April 2023
The 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 Capability Youth Mental Health Early Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Youth mental healthDecember 2022Reach and perceived effectiveness of a community-led active outreach postvention intervention for people bereaved by suicide
Postvention is a core component of suicide prevention strategies, internationally. However, the types of supports provided to people impacted by suicide vary widely. This study examines the perceived effectiveness of the Primary Care Navigator (PCN) model for people bereaved by suicide. The PCN model was implemented in response to a suicide cluster.
Published research Youth Mental Health Geospatial Health and Development 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 HealthJuly 2022Parent-infant interaction quality is related to preterm status and sensory processing
Parent-infant interactions provide the foundation for the development of infant socioemotional wellbeing. Preterm birth can have a substantial, and often detrimental, impact on the quality of early parent-infant interactions. Sensory processing difficulties, common in preterm infants, are further associated with poorer interaction quality.
Published research Early Childhood Development Youth Mental Health Pre-term birthDecember 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 health -
Education and Qualifications
-
Awards/Honours
-
Active Collaborations