Dr Eóin Killackey

BSc, BSc (Hons), D.Psych (Clin)
Senior Research Fellow, ORYGEN Research Centre

Contact details:

Late adolescence and early adulthood is the peak period of onset for many mental illnesses. It is also a phase of life associated with a variety of important developmental tasks such as individuating from families, building friendships, completing education, starting a career and developing relationships. Experiencing a mental illness at this time can derail the completion of these tasks and leave an individual with deficits in their ability to function. For people with psychosis a key area affected is their vocational development. Working is an important part of normal development as well as providing the means for social participation. With my colleagues at ORYGEN Research Centre we are trialling a method of vocational rehabilitation called individual placement and support which aims to help young people affected by psychosis to re-engage with their vocational development. This area of research is only just beginning and there are several other areas that we are keen to examine such as the level of stigma amongst employers and whether or not this acts as a barrier to participation for young people with mental illness.

Research Interests:

• Psychological Interventions in First Episode Psychosis
• Psychosocial functioning in first episode psychosis
• Vocational rehabilitation in first episode psychosis
• Stigma in first episode psychosis
• Evolution of psychosocial and biological research into first episode psychosis

Professional Associations & Registrations:

• International Early Psychosis Association (IEPA)
• Australian Society for Psychiatric Research (ASPR)
• International Society for the Psychological treatment of the Schizophrenias (ISPS)
• Registered Psychologist in Victoria

Bendall S, Killackey E, Marois MJ, Jackson H. (2005). ACE manual. Melbourne: ORYGEN Research Centre and Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne

Jackson HJ, McGorry PD, Killackey E, Bendall S, Allott K, et al. (Submitted). The ACE project: A randomised controlled trial of CBT versus Befriending for first episode psychosis: Acute phase and one-year follow-up results. Psychological Medicine

Killackey E. (2004). First-episode Psychosis. In Current Schhizophrenia, ed. M Lambert, D Naber, pp. 2-5. London: Science Press

Killackey E, McGorry P, Wright A, Juriansz D, Harris M. (2005). Early prevention in psychosis. In Prevention of mental disorders: effective interventions and policy options., ed. C Hosman, E Jané-Llopis, S Saxena. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Killackey EJ, Jackson HJ, Gleeson J, Hickie I, McGorry PD. (2006). Exciting Career Opportunity Beckons! Early Intervention and Vocational Rehabilitation in First Episode Psychosis: Employing Cautious Optimism. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 40: 951-62

Killackey E, Jackson H, Fowler D, Neuchterlein KH. (In Press). Enhancing work functioning in early psychosis. In The recognition and management of early psychosis: A preventitive approach, ed. H Jackson, P McGorry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Killackey E, Waghorn G. (Submitted). The challenge of integrating employment services with public mental health services in Australia: Progress at the first demonstration site. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry

McGorry P, Killackey E, Lambert T, Lambert M. (2005). Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 39: 1-30

McGorry PD, Killackey EJ. (2002). Early intervention in psychosis: a new evidence based paradigm. Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale 11: 237-47

Yung AR, Buckby JA, Cotton SM, Cosgrave EM, Killackey EJ, et al. (2006). Psychotic-like experiences in nonpsychotic help-seekers: associations with distress, depression, and disability. Schizophrenia Bulletin 32: 352-9

Killackey E , Waghorn G : The challenge of integrating employment services with public mental health services in Australia : Progress at the first demonstration site. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal In Press

Killackey E , Yung AR : Effectiveness of early intervention in psychosis. Current Opinion in Psychiatry 2007; 20(2):121-125

Killackey EJ , Yung AR , McGorry PD: Early Psychosis: Where we've been, where we have to go. Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale 2007; 16(2):102-108

Waghorn G , Collister L , Killackey E , Sherring J : Challenges to implementing evidence-based supported employment in Australia Journal of Vocational Research In Press

Yung AR, Buckby JA, Cosgrave EM, Killackey EJ, Baker K, Cotton SM, McGorry PD: Association between psychotic experiences and depression in a clinical sample over 6 months. Schizophrenia Research 2007