Associate Professor Brad Ridout
Biomedical Informatics and Digital Health
School of Medical Sciences
Faculty of Medicine and Health
Brad Ridout is the IDCARE Associate Professor of Cyberpsychology with the Faculty of Medicine and Health and Deputy Chair and co-founder of the Cyberpsychology Research Group. Brad has been conducting cyberpsychology research for over 15 years, with a focus on developing evidence-based mental health treatments using social media, virtual reality and other digital health technologies. Brad is currently working in partnership with IDCARE, Australia and New Zealand's national identity & cyber support service, leading research into the psychology of deception, and treatments to support cyber-scam victims.
Cyberpsychology, mental health, cybersecurity, cyberscams, digital health, virtual reality, social media, smartphones
Brad teaches in Digital Health and Behavioural Sciences, and supervises higher degree research students in the field of Cyberpsychology.
Brad is passionate about the potential for digital technologies such as smartphones, social media and virtual reality to deliver mental health support and help address barriers to qualified treatment young people in particular face such as cost, stigma, accessibility and poor mental health literacy.
Following a $1 million industry grant win from the Bupa Health Foundation, Brad recently completeda translational research project with Kids Helpline to develop 'My Circle', the world's first secure and anonymous social media platform for supporting the mental health of young people through online group counselling. Kids Helpline Circles counsellors provide accessible mental health support for young people at risk of suicide, self-harm and other emotional well-being issues, by connecting them to supportive online communities of peers experiencing similar challenges, and offering an online program of psychoeducation modules.
Brad completed his PhD research at the University of Sydney in 2014, and was the first in the world to demonstrate that Facebook can be used to facilitate social norm interventions to reduce problem drinking in young people.
Recently, Brad completed a world-first scoping study into the impact and experiences of social media by young people in conflict-affected areas of Myanmar, in partnership with Save The Children International. The widespread emotional and mental health issues among Myanmar youth uncovered in this study are now being addressed through cost-effective and timely e-mental health support via social media tools.
The use of Virtual Reality for the delivery of immersive experiences to treat mental health issues is another area of interest to Brad, who is currently working towards establish an evidence-base for best-practice use of this technology in Australia.
Brad is a PBA Registered Psychologist and member of the Australian Psychological Society. In his clinical work, Brad has specialised in the treatment of anxiety and depression, with a particular interest in how technology can impact on the psychological well-being of children and adolescents.
| Project title | Research student |
|---|---|
| Scam Compliance and Grooming: A Taxonomy of Early Warning Signs | Stephanie HABAK |
Publications
Book Chapters
- Ridout, B. (2019). Drinking Norms and Alcohol Identities in the Context of Social Media Interactions Among University Students: An Overview of Relevant Literature. In Dominic Conroy & Fiona Measham (Eds.), Young Adult Drinking Styles. Current Perspectives on Research, Policy and Practice, (pp. 115-132). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. [More Information]
Journals
- Forsyth, R., Amon, K., Ridout, B., Campbell, A. (2024). Health Professionals’ Use of Online Communities for Interprofessional Peer Education. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 310, 1246-1250. [More Information]
- Van Der Schyff, E., Forsyth, R., Amon, K., Ridout, B., Campbell, A. (2023). Increasing Access to Mental Health Services: Videogame Players’ Perspectives. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6). [More Information]
- Van Der Schyff, E., Amon, K., Ridout, B., Forsyth, R., Campbell, A. (2023). Mental Health Help-Seeking Behavior of Male Video Game Players: An Online Survey. CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 26(9), 717-723. [More Information]
Report
- Goggin, G., Smith-Merry, J., Campbell, A., McKenzie, K., Ridout, B., Baylosis, C. (2018). Evaluation of SANE Australia Thriving Communities project: The University of Sydney.
Research Reports
- Ridout, B., McKay, M., Amon, K., Campbell, A. (2019). Mobile Myanmar: The Impact of Social Media on Youth Living in Conflict-Affected Regions of Myanmar, (pp. 1 - 137). Singapore, Singapore: Save the Children International.
- Fletcher, J., Ridout, B., Collyer, B., Dalgleish, J., Campbell, A. (2018). A National Online Survey about Children's Experiences of Parental Separation, (pp. 1 - 37). Australia: The University of Sydney.
2024
- Forsyth, R., Amon, K., Ridout, B., Campbell, A. (2024). Health Professionals’ Use of Online Communities for Interprofessional Peer Education. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 310, 1246-1250. [More Information]
2023
- Van Der Schyff, E., Forsyth, R., Amon, K., Ridout, B., Campbell, A. (2023). Increasing Access to Mental Health Services: Videogame Players’ Perspectives. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6). [More Information]
- Van Der Schyff, E., Amon, K., Ridout, B., Forsyth, R., Campbell, A. (2023). Mental Health Help-Seeking Behavior of Male Video Game Players: An Online Survey. CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 26(9), 717-723. [More Information]
2022
- Zolfaghari, E., Ridout, B., Medlow, S., Campbell, A., Coggins, A., Murphy, M., Jani, S., Thosar, D., Wiederhold, B., Wiederhold, M., Steinbeck, K. (2022). Exploring the use of virtual reality to manage distress in adolescent patients in emergency departments: A feasibility study. EMA - Emergency Medicine Australasia, 34(5), 687-693. [More Information]
- Amon, K., Ridout, B., Forsyth, R., Campbell, A. (2022). Online Group Counseling for Young People Through a Customized Social Networking Platform: Phase 2 of Kids Helpline Circles. CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 25(9), 580-588. [More Information]
2021
- Ridout, B., Fletcher, J., Smith-Merry, J., Collyer, B., Dalgleish, J., Campbell, A. (2021). A National Survey of Children's Experiences of Parental Separation and Support Needs in Australia. Youth and Society, 1, 1-30. [More Information]
- Ridout, B., Kelson, J., Campbell, A., Steinbeck, K. (2021). Effectiveness of virtual reality interventions for adolescent patients in hospital settings: Systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(6), e24967-1-e24967-13. [More Information]
- Kelson, J., Ridout, B., Steinbeck, K., Campbell, A. (2021). The Use of Virtual Reality for Managing Psychological Distress in Adolescents: Systematic Review. CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 24(10), 633-641. [More Information]
2020
- Naylor, M., Ridout, B., Campbell, A. (2020). A scoping review identifying the need for quality research on the use of virtual reality in workplace settings for stress management. CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 23(8), 506-518. [More Information]
- Ridout, B., Mckay, M., Amon, K., Campbell, A., Wiskin, A., Seng Du, P., Mar, T., Nilsen, A. (2020). Social Media Use by Young People Living in Conflict-Affected Regions of Myanmar. CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 23(12), 876-888. [More Information]
2019
- Campbell, A., Ridout, B., Amon, K., Navarro, P., Collyer, B., Dalgleish, J. (2019). A Customized Social Network Platform (Kids Helpline Circles) for Delivering Group Counseling to Young People Experiencing Family Discord That Impacts Their Well-Being: Exploratory Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(12), 1-10. [More Information]
- Naylor, M., Morrison, B., Ridout, B., Campbell, A. (2019). Augmented Experiences: Investigating the Feasibility of Virtual Reality as Part of a Workplace Wellbeing Intervention. Interacting with Computers, 31(5), 507-523. [More Information]
- Ridout, B. (2019). Drinking Norms and Alcohol Identities in the Context of Social Media Interactions Among University Students: An Overview of Relevant Literature. In Dominic Conroy & Fiona Measham (Eds.), Young Adult Drinking Styles. Current Perspectives on Research, Policy and Practice, (pp. 115-132). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. [More Information]
2018
- Fletcher, J., Ridout, B., Collyer, B., Dalgleish, J., Campbell, A. (2018). A National Online Survey about Children's Experiences of Parental Separation, (pp. 1 - 37). Australia: The University of Sydney.
- Campbell, A., Ridout, B., Linden, M., Collyer, B., Dalgleish, J. (2018). A Preliminary Understanding of Search Words used by Children, Teenagers and Young Adults in Seeking information about Depression and Anxiety Online. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 36(4), 208-221. [More Information]
- Rollin, A., Ridout, B., Campbell, A. (2018). Digital Health in Melanoma Posttreatment Care in Rural and Remote Australia: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20(9), 1-10. [More Information]
2016
- Ridout, B. (2016). Facebook, social media and its application to problem drinking among college students. Current Opinion in Psychology, 9, 83-87. [More Information]
2014
- Ridout, B., Campbell, A. (2014). Using Facebook to deliver a social norm intervention to reduce problem drinking at university. Drug and Alcohol Review, 33(6), 667-673. [More Information]
2012
- Ridout, B., Campbell, A., Ellis, L. (2012). 'Off your Face(book)': Alcohol in online social identity construction and its relation to problem drinking in university students. Drug and Alcohol Review, 31(1), 20-26. [More Information]
Selected Grants
2020
- My Circle Giving young people choice, and control, of their mental health support, Campbell A, Ridout B, Yourtown/Research Grant
2016
- KHL Circles: Efficacy Trial of Kids Helpline Circles-A Secure Online Social Network for Young People, Campbell A, Ridout B, Yourtown/Research Grant
In the media
How to deal with smartphone stress. Article by Brad Ridout.
The Conversation
Is anyone else getting a lot of sludge content in their feed?Interview by Charles Rushforth
Junkee
The app gap: What cyber psychology tells us about kids and screens. Op-ed by Brad Ridout.
Sydney Morning Herald
Kids and screen time. TV interview by Peter Stefanovic.
The Today Show
Impact of online-only homework in primary school. TV story by Meredith Griffiths.
ABC News
Ode to envy. Feature by Alice Wilkinson
The Daily Telegraph / Herald-Sun / The Sunday Times
Social media's impact on mental health. Interview by Tina Matolov.
2SER Radio
Facebook and wellbeing. Interview with James Valentine.
ABC Radio Sydney
Why Our Generation Is Hooked on Failure TV. Feature by Hannah Hickok.
Teen Vogue
Screen time may not be so bad after all. By Brendan Pringle
Washington Examiner
Social media's future could be in treating mental health. By Ryan Joseph.
Inside Digital Health
The joy of missing out. Feature by Rebecca Douglas.
Mindfood Magazine