This study aims to improve understanding of the mental health and behavioural impacts of COVID-19 on the Australian community. The study also investigates how risk communication (e.g. in the media, or by politicians) impacts on people's emotions and decision-making. The study is a longitudinal study, comprising an initial 20-30 minute survey, with six 15-20 minute follow-up surveys at two-week intervals. Overall, our aim is to discover what puts our community at risk during pandemics, what protects them, and what can be done to foster community mental health—including by improving communication by Governments and other organisations.

For further information about this project, please contact amy.dawel@anu.edu.au or register online to receive updates.

Publications

Banfield, M., Shou, Y., Morse, A. R., Gulliver, A., Calear, A. L., McCallum, S., Farrer, L., Dawel, A., & Batterham, P. J. (2022). Awareness and perceived helpfulness of mental health peer workers in a representative sample of the Australian public. Psychiatry Research Communications, 2(2), 100042.

Batterham, P.J., Calear, A.L., McCallum, S.M., Morse, A.R., Banfield, M., Farrer, L.M., Gulliver, A., Cherbuin, N., Rodney Harris, R.M., Shou, Y. and Dawel, A., 2021. Trajectories of depression and anxiety symptoms during the COVID‐19 pandemic in a representative Australian adult cohort. Medical Journal of Australia, 214(10), pp.462-468. 

Batterham, P. J., Calear, A. L., Shou, Y., Farrer, L. M., Gulliver, A., McCallum, S. M., & Dawel, A. (2022). Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicidal ideation in a representative Australian population sample: longitudinal cohort study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 300, 385-391.

Calear, A. L., McCallum, S., Morse, A. R., Banfield, M., Gulliver, A., Cherbuin, N., Farrer, L., Murray, K., Rodney Harris, R. M., & Batterham, P. J. (2022). Psychosocial impacts of home-schooling on parents and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Public Health, 22, 119.

Dawel, A., Gulliver, A., Farrer, L. M., Kalokerinos, E. K., Cherbuin, N., Calear, A. L., ... & Monaghan, C. (2023). Do emotion intensity, variability, differentiation, co-occurrence, and positive–negative ratios make unique contributions to predicting longitudinal change in psychological distress and well-being?. Emotion.

Dawel, A., Mewton, P., Gulliver, A., Farrer, L. M., Calear, A. L., Newman, E., & Cherbuin, N. (2023). For whom and what does cognitive reappraisal help? A prospective study. Cognitive Therapy and Research.  

Dawel, A., Shou, Y., Gulliver, A., Cherbuin, N., Banfield, M., Murray, K., Calear, A. L., Morse, A. R., Farrer, L. M., & Smithson, M. (2021). Cause or symptom? A longitudinal test of bidirectional relationships between emotion regulation strategies and mental health symptoms. Emotion, 21(7), 1511–1521.

Dawel, A., Shou, Y., Smithson, M., Cherbuin, N., Banfield, M., Calear, A., Farrer, L., Gray, D., Gulliver, A., Housen, T., McCallum, S., Morse, A., Murray, K., Newman, E., Rodney Harris, R., & Batterham, P., 2020. The effect of COVID-19 on mental health and wellbeing in a representative sample of Australian adults. Frontiers in psychiatry, 11, p.1026.

Farrer, L. M., Batterham, P. J., Gulliver, A., Morse, A., Calear, A. L., McCallum, S., ... & Dawel, A. (2023). The factors associated with telehealth use and avoidance during the COVID-19 pandemic: Longitudinal survey. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e43798.

Gulliver, A., Banfield, M., Batterham, P.J., Calear, A.L., Farrer, L.M., Dawel, A., McCallum, S., Murray, K. and Morse, A.R., 2021. Effects of previous exposure to psychotherapeutic strategies on depression and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. BJPsych open, 7(1).

McCallum, S.M., Calear, A.L., Cherbuin, N., Farrer, L.M., Gulliver, A., Shou, Y., Dawel, A. and Batterham, P.J., 2021. Associations of loneliness, belongingness and health behaviors with psychological distress and wellbeing during COVID-19. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 6, p.100214.

Morse, A. R., Banfield, M., Batterham, P. J., Gulliver, A., McCallum, S., Cherbuin, N., Farrer, L.M., & Calear, A. L. (2022). What could we do differently next time? Australian parents’ experiences of the short-term and long-term impacts of home schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Public Health, 22, 80.

Shou, Y., Farrer, L. M., Gulliver, A., Newman, E., Batterham, P. J., & Smithson, M. (2023). Understanding Australian Government Risk Communication Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Sociodemographics, Risk Attitudes and Media Consumption. Journal of Health Communication, 1-10. 

Shou, Y., Smithson, M., Gulliver, A., Murray, K., Banfield, M., Rodney Harris, R. M., ... & Batterham, P. J. (2022). Risk tolerance and changes in coronavirus disease (COVID) related health behaviors: A longitudinal study. Health Psychology, 41(8), 507.

Smithson, M., Yiyun, S., Dawel, A., Calear, A. L., Farrer, L., & Cherbuin, N. (2022). The psychological benefits of an uncertain world: Hope and optimism in the face of existential threat. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 749093.