CHE Seminar Series: Multiple disaster exposures and the mental health of children and adolescents - Potential risks and protective factors
In recent decades, natural disasters have become both more frequent and more severe, and this is set to continue as the effects of climate change intensify (IPCC, 2022). In this seminar I discuss a program of research focussed around the impacts of multiple disasters and our approach to conceptualising multiple disaster impacts. These studies focussed on the effect of bushfires, floods and droughts and multiple natural disasters over several years on youth suicide and self-harm and child internalising and externalising behaviours in Australia. Next, I document the Australian “Black Summer” bushfires of 2019-2020 on adolescent psychological distress using information collected from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children in 2020 that accounts for prior disaster exposure. Finally, I discuss the suitability of the family stress model for understanding multiple disaster impacts and potential risk and protective factors for the “Black Summer” bushfires.
Speaker profile
Ben Edwards is a Professor of Child and Youth Development and Longitudinal Studies at the Australian National University. He is Principal Investigator of a new national youth cohort study, GENERATION, a new decade long study following students as they transition to life beyond school. His research focuses on social policy issues affecting children (e.g. early childhood education, place based service delivery, school starting age), the intergenerational impacts of natural disasters and traumatic events on mental health of children and youth (e.g. natural disasters, refugees, offspring of Vietnam veterans), and the impact of caring for a person with a disability.
Weekly seminar series
As part of our Centre's vibrant research culture, we host a weekly seminar series. Visiting and invited researchers present current research relating to the economics of health and wellbeing, and the healthcare sector. Visitors are welcome to join these sessions where discussion and debate is encouraged.
For further information on our seminar series, please contact Trong-Anh.Trinh@monash.edu.
Event Details
- Date:
- 14 August 2024 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
- Venue:
- Caulfield campus, Building H, Level 9, Room H901
- Categories:
- CHE Seminar; General
Description
In recent decades, natural disasters have become both more frequent and more severe, and this is set to continue as the effects of climate change intensify (IPCC, 2022). In this seminar I discuss a program of research focussed around the impacts of multiple disasters and our approach to conceptualising multiple disaster impacts. These studies focussed on the effect of bushfires, floods and droughts and multiple natural disasters over several years on youth suicide and self-harm and child internalising and externalising behaviours in Australia. Next, I document the Australian “Black Summer” bushfires of 2019-2020 on adolescent psychological distress using information collected from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children in 2020 that accounts for prior disaster exposure. Finally, I discuss the suitability of the family stress model for understanding multiple disaster impacts and potential risk and protective factors for the “Black Summer” bushfires.
Speaker profile
Ben Edwards is a Professor of Child and Youth Development and Longitudinal Studies at the Australian National University. He is Principal Investigator of a new national youth cohort study, GENERATION, a new decade long study following students as they transition to life beyond school. His research focuses on social policy issues affecting children (e.g. early childhood education, place based service delivery, school starting age), the intergenerational impacts of natural disasters and traumatic events on mental health of children and youth (e.g. natural disasters, refugees, offspring of Vietnam veterans), and the impact of caring for a person with a disability.
Weekly seminar series
As part of our Centre's vibrant research culture, we host a weekly seminar series. Visiting and invited researchers present current research relating to the economics of health and wellbeing, and the healthcare sector. Visitors are welcome to join these sessions where discussion and debate is encouraged.
For further information on our seminar series, please contact Trong-Anh.Trinh@monash.edu.