Mechanisms of Mental Health

• Head of Lab
  Dr Caitlin Hitchcock

  Caitlin.hitchcock@unimelb.edu.au
  

Research Overview

Treatment of mental health issues has not improved in decades, despite our scientific understanding of the mechanisms which drive mental ill health being the best that it has ever been.

Led by Dr Caitlin Hitchcock, our research group works across the research trajectory to translate our basic science understanding of the mechanisms which predict and maintain psychological difficulties into innovative mental health interventions. Our program spans from experimental work, which elucidates how cognitive processes promote psychological disturbance, to trials of novel psychological interventions. We have a particular interest in the transdiagnostic cognitive mechanisms which predict the primary onset of mental illness and response to psychological interventions.

With members based at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, and the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, we work in a global context to improve mental health interventions. We work closely with Australian and international treatment services to ensure that the latest research advances are used to inform clinical practice, and to increase access to evidence-based treatment in underserved communities.

Would you like to take part in research?

If you are interested in participating in future research projects completed by our team, you can register for our participant mailing list here.

Staff

• 
  Alicia Smith, Postdoctoral Researcher

  Alicia Smith

  

  Dr Alicia Smith (she/her) is a Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne. Her research applies advanced data analytic techniques to mental health data, and is funded by the Australian Medical Research Future Fund. Alicia received her PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Cambridge.

• 
  Patrick Haylock, PhD student

  Patrick Haylock

  

  Patrick Haylock (he/him) is completing a Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)/Doctor of Philosophy. He is researching the relationship between young people's ability to recall different types of autobiographical memories, and their ability to solve problems, regulate their emotions and socialise with others. Patrick also has interests in psychotherapy for people with hearing conditions.

• 
  Uyen Doan, PhD student and Research Assistant

  Uyen Doan

  

  Uyen Doan is currently completing a Doctor of Philosophy, and is exploring the different ways people remember their past experiences and how these differences may impact their future mental wellbeing. Uyen has an interest in understanding the mechanisms that underlie chronic mental health conditions.

• 
  Leo Marcus, PhD student

  Leo Marcus

  

  Leo Marcus is completing his Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)/Doctor of Philosophy. He is investigating the phenomenon of insight during mental navigation and its clinical relevance for patients engaging in therapy. Leo has broad interests in cognitive neuroscience and depression research.

• 
  Leilani Frost, PhD student

  Leilani Frost

  

  Leilani Frost is currently completing her Doctor of Philosophy. Leilani's research involves using natural language processing techniques and large language models to identify individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has broad interests in cognitive psychology and machine learning.

• 
  Amelia Kirkpatrick, Research Assistant

  Amelia Kirkpatrick

  

  Amelia Kirkpatrick (she/her) is supporting projects in the lab as a research assistant with lived experience of mental illness.

• 
  Maris Vainre, Postdoctoral Researcher

  Maris Vainre

  

  Maris Vainre is a Postdoctoral Researcher.

• 
  Molly Butler, Research Assistant

  Molly Butler

  

  Molly Butler (she/her) is a Research Assistant. Molly is involved across diverse projects, with focus on improving access to treatment services for young people and trialing innovative new treatments to enhance mental health outcomes for individuals with experience of chronic trauma.

• 
  Emma Veltman, Postdoctoral Researcher

  Emma Veltman

  

  Emma (she/her) is a Clinical Psychologist and a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Mechanisms of Mental Health lab. She completed her PhD and clinical psychology training in New Zealand at the University of Otago. During her training, her research primarily focused on personality assessment and personality disorders. Since arriving at the University of Melbourne, Emma has expanded her research to look at enhancing clinical interventions to improve outcomes for those experiencing psychopathology. At present she is working on a randomised control trial of Left Write Hook, a survivor-led program that combines expressive writing and non-contact boxing components to empower those with lived experience of child sexual abuse or gendered or other domestic violence to reclaim their lives.

We welcome expressions of interest from aspiring researchers and clinicians from disadvantaged backgrounds, and individuals with lived experience of mental ill health who may like to contribute to our research. Our team includes those with disability, diverse gender identities, and neurodivergence.

Alumni

• Dou Hong, former Research Assistant, currently a PhD student, University of Oxford.
• Steph Raad, former Research Assistant, currently works at Orygen.
• Leo Mares, former Research Assistant, currently a D Psych candidate, University College London.

Funding

• Australian Research Council
• National Health and Medical Research Council
• UK Medical Research Council
• Medical Research Future Foundation, Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission

Research Outcomes

Examples of our research, written for the general community:

• ‘A space to feel at ease with dying’: how video games help people through grief
• PTSD looks different in young children but it's still treatable
• Past Imperfect: Exploring the Challenges—and the Promise—of Memory’s Malleability