Jai Carmichael

Dr

Accepting PhD Students

PhD projects

Understanding and addressing suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury after acquired brain injury: Co-development of training, assessment, and support resources

20202024

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Biography

Dr Jai Carmichael, BPsych (Hons), PhD (Clinical Neuropsychology) is an Early Career Researcher in the School of Psychological Sciences and a Research Fellow at the Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre. He leads a theme of research focused on understanding and addressing neuropsychiatric sequalae of acquired brain injury. As a clinician-researcher, Dr Carmichael’s research is informed by his role as a Clinical Neuropsychology Registrar in inpatient public mental health, ensuring that his research is grounded in the realities of clinical work and the needs of clinicians. His expertise spans clinical neuropsychology, acquired brain injury, psychopathology, suicidality, complex psychometrics and multivariable statistics, qualitative research, and clinical translation methodologies.

Dr Carmichael leads a large, pioneering study aiming to improve the classification and understanding of neuropsychiatric sequalae of acquired brain injury through a data-driven, transdiagnostic framework. Utilising the most comprehensive assessment of its kind, he has developed an innovative, brain injury-tailored model of neuropsychiatric problems, with significant potential to advance our understanding of their causes, consequences, correlates, and treatment. Funded by an Epworth HealthCare Innovation Grant, the next phases of this project involve the co-development of a practical assessment tool to measure these neuropsychiatric constructs in clinical settings, to uncover their cognitive and neuropathological correlates, and to compare their validity against traditional diagnostic categories.

A second project aims to understand and address suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury after acquired brain injury. Funded by a School of Psychological Sciences Strategic Grant and an American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Pilot Innovation Grant, Dr. Carmichael leads a team of clinical scientists in acquired brain injury, suicide prevention experts, and individuals with living experience. Together, they are co-developing training, assessment, and support resources for suicidality and non-suicidal self-injury after acquired brain injury.

Dr Carmichael is interested in answering the following research questions:

  • What is the nature, structure, or empirical organisation of neuropsychiatric problems among individuals with acquired brain injury (or other neuropsychological conditions)?
  • What are the optimal methods for classifying or assessing neuropsychiatric problems?
  • How do emotional difficulties following acquired brain injury relate to problems in other domains (e.g., in neurological or cognitive functioning)?
  • What are the psychological, cognitive, and biological mechanisms underpinning neuropsychiatric sequalae of acquired brain injury? Which of these mechanisms are common across various neuropsychiatric problems and thus may serve as novel, transdiagnostic treatment targets?
  • How can we improve support for individuals with acquired brain injury experiencing distress, engaging in self-harm/suicidal behaviours, or contemplating doing so?

In his early career, Dr Carmichael has published over 10 peer-reviewed articles on acquired brain injury and delivered over 10 conference presentations/seminars, many to an international audience. His expertise has been sought for peer review within 11 scientific journals in the fields of neuropsychology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and disability. He actively participates in several international workgroups, advocating for tailored assessment of mental health problems in individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities. Having previously co-supervised five Psychology Honours students to completion, in 2024, he is supervising three more Psychology Honours students and a Clinical Neuropsychology PhD student.

Dr Carmichael's full list of publications, presentations, and collaborations (periodically updated) can be found here.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Education/Academic qualification

PhD (Clinical Neuropsychology)

Award Date: 12 Mar 2024

Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

Award Date: 10 Dec 2018

External positions

Clinical Neuropsychology Registrar, Peninsula Health

2024 → …

Research area keywords

  • Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
  • Psychopathology
  • Suicide Prevention
  • Neuropsychiatric Assessment
  • Psychometrics
  • Qualitative Methods
  • Clinical translation

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

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