UWA Suicide Prevention and Resilience Research Centre
Clinical Psychology Lab
Clinical Psychology Lab
Improving the identification, prevention, and treatment of mental health issues and undisclosed self-harm risks through wearable technology
Funded by the Hospital Research Foundation Group, this project seeks to explore biomarkers for suicidal ideation among young people, including physical activity, sleep, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation. By identifying who may be at-risk through passive sensing methods the aim is to target support resources to those who may be in-need without relying on disclosure.
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This research will be conducted with the Fiona Stanley Hospital Youth Community Assessment and Treatment Team, as well as a select number of schools.
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Expected completion: December 2026
Funded by a Raine Medical Research Foundation Priming Grant, this two-year project investigates the relationship between sleep and mental health in psychiatric inpatients. In collaboration with Perth Clinic, 40 inpatient beds have been fitted with under-mattress sleep sensors, enabling the continuous collection of high-resolution overnight sleep data.
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This initiative supports the broader INSIGHT project, which aims to identify patients experiencing significant sleep disturbances. By detecting conditions such as sleep apnoea and insomnia early, the project seeks to enable timely, targeted interventions that support patient recovery and well-being.
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Expected Completion: December 2026
Towards Improved Understanding and Prediction of Suicide Risk Among Youth: A Transnational Collaborative Project
Funded by the Matariki Network, this two-year project represents a fresh collaboration with a research partner at Queen's University (Dr Jeremy Stewart) in Canada. The aim of this project is to leverage advances in technology to improve how we monitor suicide risk among young people.
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Across both Canada and Australia we will align data collection to examine how daily mood, emotion regulation, and stressors influence short-term suicide risk. Participants will report on these factors via smartphone and use wearable devices and under-bed sensors to continuously track heart rate, physical activity, and sleep quality.
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Expected Completion: December 2026