Promoting resilience in employees working in high-stress occupations
Funded by ARC linkage grant $400,000 approx
Chief Investigators: Professor Ian Shochet, Dr Jane Shakespeare-Finch and Professor Ross Young
There is an urgent need to find effective approaches to promote and maintain positive mental health in the workplace. Mental health problems (affecting about 20% of Australians annually) have devastating social and productivity costs. Employees in high-stress occupations (e.g. police, ambulance) are at even greater risk. This project, supported by the Australian Research Council 
and the Queensland Police Service , aims to implement an innovative resilience building intervention for police.
A controlled trial will empirically assess intervention outcomes on psychological well-being, mental health symptoms and organisational functioning. This proactive model of intervention will make an invaluable contribution to knowledge of workplace mental health promotion and management of high occupational stress. Other collaborators on the project include Associate Professor Paula Brough (Griffith University) and Cameron Craig (Queensland Police Service).
Contact Professor Ian Shochet Email i.shochet@qut.edu.au