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School of Nursing & Midwifery PhD Scholarship - Adapting Behavioural Activation for Digital Application for Young People: A feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial.

Depression is one of the leading causes of disability among adolescents and young people worldwide. Demand for child and adolescent mental health services continues to increase, resulting in lengthy waiting times and limited access to evidence-based psychological interventions. While Behavioural Activation (BA) has demonstrated effectiveness for depression in adults and emerging effectiveness in young people, access remains constrained by workforce shortages and service capacity. Digital technologies offer opportunities to increase access, engagement, and scalability of psychological interventions. Digitally adapted and blended models of BA may provide an effective solution; however, the evidence regarding their safety, acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness for adolescents remains fragmented. This PhD will address these gaps through a staged program of research designed to generate evidence necessary for a future large-scale clinical trial.

Important dates

Opens: 30-06-2026 Closes: 14-07-2026

Applies to

Domestic International Postgraduate Research

At a glance

The aim of this program is to evaluate the safety, acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of digitally adapted Behavioural Activation interventions for young people experiencing depression.

Package 1: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Research Question: What is the evidence regarding the safety, acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of digitally delivered or blended Behavioural Activation interventions for children, adolescents, and young adults experiencing depressive symptoms?

Work Package 2: Concept Mapping
Aim: To understand stakeholder perspectives regarding digitally adapted Behavioural Activation and inform an implementation framework.

Work Package 3: Feasibility Study
Aim: To determine the feasibility and acceptability of a digitally adapted Behavioural Activation intervention within Australian youth mental health settings.
Significance: The research aligns strongly with priorities of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), and state-based mental health research funding schemes

The successful candidate will become part of an established Psychosocial Interventions Clinical Trials (PICT) Group and join a cohort of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students undertaking research in BA. As a member of PICT, you will have the opportunity to work one day per week supporting the delivery of the group's objectives, providing valuable research experience and professional development opportunities. In addition, there may be an opportunity to receive a scholarship top-up of up to $10,000 per year, funded through the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, subject to eligibility and funding availability.

Eligibility Guidelines

To be eligible for this scholarship you must:

Selection criteria:

  • Have completed a master’s degree by research in disciplines like Nursing, Education, Public Health, Epidemiology, or a closely related health science, with relevant research publications.
  • Demonstrated experience in research skills such as experimental research and observation research with a strong interest and background in youth mental health. Ideally, the candidate would also have some published work in this area.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; Evidence of English language proficiency (only relevant for applicants whose previous studies were not in English).

Terms and conditions

All scholarships are awarded at ECU’s discretion.

How to apply

Interested applicants are required to send expressions of interest to Professor Martin Jones martin.jones@ecu.edu.au and/or Associate Professor Irene Ngune i.ngune@ecu.edu.au

Further information

Questions about this scholarship can be directed to martin.jones@ecu.edu.au and/or i.ngune@ecu.edu.au

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