Research and collaboration
Open Arms contributes to a wide range of research projects in Australia and around the world, as well as funding professional development for counsellors.
At the forefront
Open Arms commissions a wide range of research projects in Australia and around the world. Collaborating with:
- international experts
- universities
- non-government organisations
- other providers
Involvement in research enhances the skills and knowledge of our counsellors, and enables the use of cutting-edge counselling techniques across our service. Using Open Arms means you will receive treatment at the forefront of grief, trauma and relationship counselling.
Recent research programs
-
Rapid Exposure Supporting Trauma Recovery (RESTORE) Trial: A trial to see if prolonged exposure therapy delivered in shorter, more intense timeframes (daily sessions for two weeks) is as effective as standard prolonged exposure therapy for treating PTSD (weekly sessions for 10 weeks).
-
Development of a Moral Injury Scale: a study to develop a new moral injury outcomes scale. For potential use by Open Arms and the ADF as part of routine mental health assessment and treatment. The scale will enable the assessment of care delivered to address moral injury.
-
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among current and ex-serving ADF personnel and families: Investigating the way Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is addressed within veteran support services.
-
Hostility Interpretation Bias Modification Project: A project to test a new treatment for problem anger in Veterans. Applying hostility interpretation bias modification interventions in the Australian military setting.
Ethics
All research projects undertaken go through rigorous research ethics processes.
All research is conducted under the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research and the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Human Research Ethics Committee (DDVA HREC). The DDVA HREC is registered with the National Health and Medical Research Council (EC00460).
This process protects the mental and physical welfare, rights, and safety of research participants.