1. Training for Parents of Teenagers (TPOT)
Research Study
Professor Anthony Jorm, Principal Investigator
Centre for Mental Health
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
Level 4, 207 Bouverie Street
CARLTON 3010
2. Call for Volunteers!
Why is this research being undertaken?
Past research has shown that mental health problems tend to emerge in adolescence
and that teenagers often turn to parents and friends when seeking help. However,
many adults have limited skills in recognizing the early signs of a mental disorder.
Adults can play an important role in actively engaging with adolescents, recognising
that there is a mental health problem, providing information, support and encouraging
professional help (Kelly, Kitchener & Jorm, 2013).
Trial website
For registration, online consent, course timetable and FAQs.
www.tpot.net.au
Who can take part?
Inviting 1 parent and 1 teenager aged 12-15, per family (register in pairs).
Eligibility check
Must not have undertaken Mental Health First Aid or Provide First Aid within
previous 3 years.
3. Free courses offered
14-hour (2 days) Youth Mental
Health First Aid course
Teaches adults how to assist adolescents
who are developing a
• mental health problem, such as
depression, anxiety, psychosis, eating
disorders or substance misuse, or
• in a mental health crisis such as
suicidal thoughts and behaviours, non-
suicidal self-injury, panic attacks,
traumatic events, acute effects of drug
or alcohol use and severe psychotic
states.
ALGEE Koala – MHFA mascot
4. FREE Courses offered
15-hour (2 days) Provide First Aid course:
Teaches the skills to sustain life, reduce pain and minimise the consequences of
injury and illness until professional help arrives.
It covers:
Legal issues, debriefing/welfare, Basic Life Support (DRSABCD), CPR and AED,
allergic reaction/ anaphylaxis, shock management, airway management/choking,
asthma, cardiac emergencies, bleeding and wound care, burns and scalds,
abdominal injuries, dehydration & extremes of heat and cold, convulsions/seizures,
musculoskeletal injuries, poisons, bites and stings.
5. Check your diary for availability to attend
course!
Before registering, please check course dates!
• View the course timetable under ‘Browse courses’.
• Select ‘Vic’ in drop down box and check your availability for 2 course dates
(one from each column).
Note: Teenagers do not attend the training as it is aimed at parents or adults who
work with or look after teenagers.
Why?
Because when you actually register, the computer will randomly place the parent
into ONE of their chosen course dates.
6. I’m ready to Register!
To Register
1. Read the Participant Information Sheet for an overview of the study – any
questions, please contact me.
2. Click on Sign Up. You will be prompted to complete an online form:
• consent of parent and teenager to take part
• demographics of parent and teenager
• when is it best to call for 20 min phone interview? (book a time that suits you)
3. At the end of registration, you’ll be prompted to select your 2 course dates. Click
‘confirm’.
4. An email will be sent to you listing both of the course dates you have chosen,
along with a copy of the Participant Information Sheet for reference.
7. Phone Interview prior to attending course
Phone Interview
5. Your phone details are relayed to our professional interviewers at the Social
Research Centre, who will contact both the parent and teenager for an
individual phone interview, which asks about knowledge and attitudes about
teenage mental and physical health.
6. Parent is advised of their course allocation at the end of their interview.
(Whether Youth MHFA or Provide First Aid and course date).
7. After the phone interviews, I will contact the parent to confirm course date and
venue.
PARENT ATTENDS FREE COURSE!
8. Gift Card after course attendance
$50 Coles/Myer Gift Card after course attendance
8. After attending their allocated course, parents are sent at $50 Coles/Myer
voucher to say thank-you for their time commitment (2-days) and to cover out of
pocket travel expenses.
Annual phone interview
9. The Social Research Centre will contact both the parent and teenager again
annually for a few years. This is to see whether the skills taught to the parent
were used to help a teenager and whether this has a longer-term health benefit
over the adolescent period.
It helps researchers evaluate the training.
9. Funding and Ethics approvals
Funding
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia – Targeted
Call for Research.
Collaborators
• Mental Health First Aid Australia
• Australian Red Cross
Ethics approval
Has been received from
• The University of Melbourne’s Behavioural and Social Sciences Human Ethics
Sub-Committee (ID: 1135679)
• The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) ID:
2012-001480 and
• the Catholic Education Office of Melbourne (CEOM) ID: 1877.
10. Contact
Questions?
Please contact:
Julie Fischer
Trial Manager, TPOT Research Study
Centre for Mental Health
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
Level 4, 207 Bouverie Street
CARLTON VIC 3010
Thank you for your time!
