Welcome to the CPAS 2023 Seminar Series!

About the talk --  A critical investigation of mental health communication initiatives: the case of a university in Australia 

Mental health has been an increasingly important matter tackled within higher education institutions, with tertiary education students being identified as a high-risk population, not only due to their age, but also because of the additional stress associated with their educational transitions and studies. Along with programs/interventions to address these issues, mental health communication strategies are put in place mainly to help identify mental health services, improve mental health knowledge, enhance help-seeking behaviors, or combat stigma/ discrimination. 

This research takes a critical approach, aiming to better understand how conceptions or notions of mental health are discursively constructed in mental health communication initiatives of higher education institutions. The main goal is to interrogate such discourses on mental health in communication initiatives, the premise being that critical analysis forces us to be reflexive and explore dominant frameworks in various related issues to health communication. It allows the researcher, by extension, to give way to alternative frames, rationalities, and solutions that could challenge dominant structures. To be able to do this, this study will specifically focus on micro, meso, and macro levels of mental health communication processes and practices, adopting Mcleroy et al.’s (1988) ecological model as an organizing framework. Using a critical lens affords the opportunity to explore complex aspects of communication not traditionally examined by most mental health communication research. A university in Australia is being considered for the project as case study.   

This research project strives to contribute to the theory and practice of critical health communication. On a practical note, findings may potentially be the basis for recommendations to ex

About the speaker

Hermilea (Mia) Marie Castillo has been at the College of Development Communication, University of the Philippines Los Baños for two decades, and finished both her BS and MS Development Communication degrees at UPLB. She has a minor in agriculture, forestry, and environmental science. She’s currently on study leave for her PhD at the Center for Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University.

Her research, extension, and public service involvements have focused on the field of science communication, particularly health and environment. She has also been part of a number of UNICEF projects on health, nutrition, and early childhood education. Her most notable research and public service involvements to date are the communication component for the 4-year project, Protecting Livelihoods, Ecosystem, and Human Health in Bulacan; DA-BAR’s Technology Commercialization on Wheels; PCAARRD’s impact assessment of selected agriculture publications; and DOH-RITM’s Project Matyag, a science communication campaign on vector control, among others.

Student profile: https://cpas.anu.edu.au/people/mia-castillo