Klein, Britt

Phone: (03) 5327 6717
Email: b.klein@federation.edu.au
Room: Mt Helen Campus, Building Y, Office 133
Position: Robert HT Smith Professor: Digital and Mental Health
Discipline: Psychology

Qualifications

  • PsyD (Clinical)
  • BA (Hons)

Teaching areas

  • Behaviour Change Strategies
  • Research Supervision
  • Digital Mental Health
  • Research Supervision

Psychology Board of Australia

  • General registration
  • Clinical endorsement

Research interests

Britt’s main research interests are within the broad field of adult mental health. Prof Britt Klein holds a Professorial Chair (Digital Health & Psychology) at Federation University Australia and established and directs the Biopsychosocial and eHealth Research & Innovation (BeRI) hub.Britt is also the ‘Digital Health & Models of Care’ Research Stream Director in the Health Innovation and Transformation Centre .

Over the past five years Britt has developed four major digital health platforms including the HealthZone (formerly ‘My Digital Health’) (an integrated ‘all in one’ automated digital health platform built for consumers and healthcare practitioners alike, which has been internationalised in traditional Chinese on offered in Hong Kong), BPSD Assist (a decision support, screening, person-centred based interventions, collaboration and deep analytics platform for better dementia and residential aged care), Work Place Wellbeing Assist (a digital monitoring and decision support platform that allows residential aged care managers and staff to monitor the workplace climate and their mental wellbeing and respond in a timely manner to create a more positive culture by addressing workplace risk factors as well as mental wellbeing), Skills Hub (a skills and health and wellbeing training platform, providing over 55 micro programs to improve personal wellbeing, skills development and workplace training on an individual basis or enhanced by joining online community forums), 15 digital health treatment interventions (e.g., anxiety, depression insomnia, PTSD) and wellbeing programs, as well virtual reality, decision support, AI and industry-based intake assessment tools.

In addition, Britt is working with other research partners to develop and evaluate a national digital mental health platform for Australian youth, a digital mental health and wellbeing tool for staff and management within the aged residential care sector and the evaluation of Lifeline services.

Britt’s other area of work involves investigating the biopsychosocial determinants and mechanisms of mental ill health and wellbeing. For example, Britt has investigated the impact of mindfulness and increasing physical activity interventions on a range of biopsychosocial indicators (e.g., iL-6, BDNF, NGF, cortisol, HRV, heart rate, cognitive performance and psychological self-report measures) and biopsychological EMA self-monitoring studies. This work also incorporates the application of big data mining, analytics, machine and deep learning including more recent development of the Know Me digital platform (a smart personalised ‘just-in-time’ interventions platform).

Prior to this, Britt worked at Swinburne University and was the co-founding Director of the National eTherapy Centre and Mental Health Online, as well as at Macquarie University (at the MindSpot Clinic) to assist in its start-up, whilst seconded from the Australian National University (Centre of Mental Health Research). Britt has a Doctorate of Clinical Psychology, is an APHRA registered psychologist with clinical endorsement, sits on a number of digital health expert advisory committees and has worked in community health anxiety, mood, suicide, and alcohol and other drug, settings.

Research higher degree completions (last 5 years)

  • Meena Santhanagopalan. PhD, 2022. Noise reduction in unstructured healthcare data.
  • Lachlan Kent. PhD, 2020. Time Experience and Judgement in Depression; A Theory of Isomorphic General Relativity (TIGR).
  • Paul Sadler. PhD, 2019. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Older Adults Experiencing Insomnia and Depression in a Community Mental Health Setting: A Randomised Controlled Trial.
  • Kylie Bennett. PhD, 2019. An evaluation of a public online intervention for depression.
  • Gina England. Masters of Applied Science, 2018. Protein Biomarkers and Epigenetic changes following two wellness digital interventions.

Publications (last 5 years)

Book chapter

  • Klein, B., Clinnick, L., Chesler, J., Stranieri, A., Bignold, A., Dazeley, R., McLaren, S., Lauder, S., & Balasubramanian, V. (2018). Supporting regional aged care nursing staff to manage residents' behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in real time, using the Nurses' Behavioural Assistant (NBA): A pilot site end-user attitudes trial. In M.E.L. van den Berg and A. J. Maeder (Eds.), Telehealth for our ageing Society (pp. 24-28). IOS Press.

Refereed articles

  • Klein B, Van Nguyen H, McLaren S, Andrews B, Shandley K. (2023). A fully automated self-help biopsychosocial transdiagnostic digital intervention to reduce anxiety and/or depression and improve emotional regulation and well-being: Pre–follow-up single-arm feasibility trial. JMIR Formative Research: e43385
  • Klein B, Shandley K, McLaren S, & Clinnick L. (2023). Older adults' preferences for Internet-based services: Type and content. Australasian Journal of Ageing, 1-6
  • Klein, B., Oldenhof, E, Nguyen, H., Schattner, P., & Shandley, K. (Accepted). Exploration of the preliminary effectiveness and acceptability of a self-help digital intervention to support benzodiazepine cessation and improve mental health and wellbeing: A one-group pilot trial. Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, 33, 179-193
  • Klein., B., Shandley, K., McLaren., S., Clinnick., L., & Van Nguyen. (2023). Suicidality among older Australians. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 992884.
  • Andrews, B., Klein., B., McLaren, S., Watson, S., & Corby, D. (2023). An evaluation of various support intensities of digital mental health treatment for reducing anxiety and depression in adults: Study protocol for an adaptive randomised clinical trial. JMIR Protocols, e45040
  • Thomas SA, Browning CJ, Charchar F, Klein B, Ory MG, Bowden-Jones H, & Chamberlain SR. (2023). Transforming global approaches to chronic disease prevention and management across the lifespan: Integrating genomics, behavior change and digital health solutions,Frontiers in Public Health, 11.
  • Charchar, F. J., Prestes, P. R., Mills, C., Ching, S. M., Neupane, D., Marques, F. Z., Sharman, J., Vogt, L., Burrell, L., Korostovtseva, L., Manja, Z., Patil, M., Schultz, M., Wallen, M., Renna, N., Islam, S., Hiremath, S., Gyeltshen, T., Cha, Y., Gupta, A., Shutte, A., Klein, B... & Tomaszewski, M. (2023). Lifestyle management of hypertension: International Society of Hypertension position paper endorsed by the World Hypertension League and European Society of Hypertension. Journal of Hypertension, 10-1097.
  • Isaac, F., Toukhsati., S., Klein, B., DiBenedetto., M., & Kennedy., G. (2023). Prevalence and Predictors of Sleep and Trauma Symptoms in Wildfire Survivors. Journal of Sleep Epidemiology, 3, 10052.
  • Andrews, B., Klein., B., Corby, D., McLaren, S., & Watson, S. (2023). Therapist Training in Video-Chat Technology for use in an Adaptive Digital Mental Health Intervention: Challenges, Facilitators, and Implications for Training Models. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 1-12.
  • Andrews B, Klein B, Van Nguyen H, Corboy D, McLaren S, Watson S. (2023). Efficacy of a digital mental health biopsychosocial transdiagnostic intervention with or without therapist-assistance for adults with anxiety and depression: An adaptive randomised clinical trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e45135.
  • Andrews, B., Klein., B., Corby, D., McLaren, S., & Watson, S. (submitted). Video-Chat Therapist-Assistance in an Adaptive Digital Intervention for Anxiety and Depression: Reflections from Participants and Therapists. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice.
  • Van Doorn, G., Klein, B., Edwards, S., Shandley, K & Caine, J. (submitted). Development of an online skills training platform for adults on the autism spectrum: A participatory approach.
  • McLaren, S., Castillo, P., Tindle, R., Corboy, D., Klein, B., & Burmeister, O.  (submitted). Thwarted Belongingness, Perceived Burdensomeness, Fearlessness about Death, and Hope as Predictors of Suicide Risk among Australian Older Adults during COVID-19.
  • Isaac, F., Toukhsati., S., Klein, B., DiBenedetto., M., & Kennedy., G. (submitted). Pre-existing Depression, anxiety and trauma as risk factors for the development of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms following wildfires.
  • O’Riordan, M., Ma, J.S., Mazzer, K., Batterham, P.J., Kõlves, K., Woodward, A., Klein, B., Larsen, M., Goeke, R., Gould, M., & Rickwood., D. (2022). Help-seeker expectations and outcomes of a crisis support service: Comparison of suicidal and non-suicidal help-seekers to Lifeline Australia. Health and Social Care in the Community, 30:e-4535-44.
  • Smith, B., Bamgboje-Ayodele, A., Jegathees, S., Butlow, P., Klein., B et al. (2022). Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of iConquerFear: a self-guided digital intervention for fear of cancer recurrence. Journal of Cancer Survivorship.
  • McLaren, S., Castillo, P., Tindle, R., Corboy, D., Klein, B., & Burmeister, O.  (2022). Suicide risk among older adults: The moderating role of hope.Clinical Gerontologist, 1-15
  • Ma, J.S., O’Riordan, M., Mazzer, K., Batterham, P.J., Bradford, S., Titov, N., Kõlves, K., Klein, B., and Rickwood, D.J. (2022). Consumer Perspectives on the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technology and Automation in Crisis Support Services: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Human Factors, 9, e34514
  • Ma, J.S., Batterham, P.J., Kõlves, K., Woodward, A., Bradford, S., Klein, B., Titov, N., Mazzer, K., O’Riordan, M. and Rickwood, D.J. (2022). Community expectations and anticipated outcomes for crisis support services - Lifeline Australia. Health & Social Care in the Community, 30, 1775-88
  • Caine, J., Klein, B., & Edwards, S. (2021). Emotional recognition in adults with ASD and Alexithymia: The impact of a novel mimicry task for therapeutic benefit study protocol. Journal of Medical Internet Research, Research Protocols, 10 (6), e24543
  • Sadler, P., McLaren, S., Klein, B. and Jenkins, M, (2020). Cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia and depression: qualitative reflections from older adults who participated in a randomised controlled trial. Aging and Mental Health, 24(6), 932-8.
  • Hallford, D.J., Barry, T.J., Austin, D.W., Raes, F., Takano, K. & Klein, B. (2020). Impairments in episodic future thinking for positive events and anticipatory pleasure in major depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 260, 536-43.
  • Rincones, O., Heiniger, L., Grimison, P., Tran, B., Stockler, M.R., Toner, G., Cohen, B., Olver, I., Klein, B., McJannett, M. & Butow, P. (2020). Online psychological self-management intervention for testicular cancer survivors (e-TC 2.0): Promising acceptability and preliminary efficacy, but limited feasibility. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice, 2(3), e33.
  • Smith, A., Bamgboje‐Ayodele, A., Butow, P., Klein, B., Turner, J., Sharpe, L., Fardell, J., Beatty, L., Pearce, A., Thewes, B., Beith, J., & Girgis, A. (2020). Development and usability evaluation of an online self‐management intervention for fear of cancer recurrence (iConquerFear). Psycho-Oncology, 29, 98-106
  • Santhanagopalan, M., Chetty, M., Foale, C., Aryal, S., & Klein, B. (2020). Towards machine learning approach for Digital-Health intervention program. Aust Jn of Intelligent Information Processing Systems, 15; 16-24.
  • Kent, L., Van Droom, G., & Klein, B. (2019). Time Dilation and Acceleration in Depression. Acta Psychologica, 194, 77-86
  • Kent, L., Van Doorn, G., Hohwy, J., & Klein, B. (2019). Bayes, Time Perception, and Relativity: The Central Role of Hopelessness. Consciousness and Cognition, 69, 70-80.
  • Meaklim, H., Abbott, J., Kennedy, G., Murray, G., Klein., B, & Rehm, I. (2019). Online intervention for insomnia in a public hospital setting: Recruitment, attrition and adherence findings and patient experiences. Australian Psychologist, 54, 225-34.
  • Kent, L., Van Doorn, G., & Klein, B. (2019). Systema Temporis: A time-based dimensional framework for consciousness and cognition. Consciousness and Cognition, 73, 102766.
  • Sadler, P., McLaren, S., Klein, B., Harvey, J., & Jenkins, M. (2019). Cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia and depression among older adults: A randomized controlled trial in community mental health services. Sleep, 41(8).
  • Klein, B., Clinnick, L., Chesler, J., Straneri, A., Bigold, A., et al. (2018). Supporting regional aged care nursing staff to manage residents’ behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, in real time, using the Nurses’ Behavioural Assistant (NBA): A pilot site ‘end-user attitudes’ trial.  Studies in Health Technology & Informatics, 246, 24-8.
  • Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M., Richardson, B., Klein, B., Skouteris, H., Christensen, H., Austin, D., Castle, D., Mihalopoulos, C., O’Donnell, Arulkadacham, L., Shatte, A., & Ware, A.  (2018). A mobile app-based intervention for depression: End-user and expert usability testing study. Journal of Medical Internet Research Mental Health, 5 (3):e54
  • Santhanagopalan, M., Chetty, M., Foale, C., Aryal, S., & Klein, B. (2018). Modeling neurocognitive reaction time with gamma distribution. ACM Press Proceedings of the Australasian Computer Science, Article 28.
  • Sadler, P., McLaren, S., Klein, B., & Jenkins, M. (2018). Advancing cognitive behaviour therapy for older adults with comorbid insomnia and depression. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. 47, 139-154.
  • Santhanagopalan, M., Chetty, M., Foale, C., Aryal, S., & Klein, B. (2018). Relevance of frequency of heart rate peaks as indicator of stress. Proceedings of the International Conference on Neural Information Processing, 598-609.
  • Heiniger, l., Allan, B., Olver, I., Grimison, P., Klein, B., Wootten, A., et al. (2017). e-TC: Development and pilot testing of a web-based intervention to reduce anxiety and depression in survivors of testicular cancer. European Journal of Cancer Care, 26, 6, 1-10
  • Sadler, P., McLaren, S., Klein, B., & Jenkins, M. (2017). Advancing cognitive behaviour therapy for older adults with comorbid insomnia and depression. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. 1-16.
  • Wootton, A., Meyer, D., Abbott, J., Chisholm, K., Austin, D., Klein, B., McCabe, M., Costello, T., & Murphy, D. (2017). An online psychological intervention can improve the sexual satisfaction of men following treatment for localised prostate cancer: Outcomes of an RCT evaluating My Road Ahead. Psycho-Oncology, 26 (7), 975-981
  • Meyer, D., Abbott, J., Rehm, I., Barak, A., Deng, G., & Wallace, & K. & Klein, B., (2017). Development of a Suicide Ideation Risk Assessment Tool for Primary Healthcare Settings - Using Online Psychological Screening Data. Telemedicine & eHealth, 23, 1-9
  • Titov, N., Dear, B., Staples, L., Bennett-Levy, J., Klein, B., Rapee, R., Andersson, G., Purtell, C, Bezuidenhout, G., & Nielssen, O. (2017). The first 30 months of the MindSpot Clinic: Evaluation of a national e-mental health service against project objectives. ANZJP, 1-13

Grants (last 5 years)

  • Australian Government (Dept of Education) (2023 – 2025). Transforming chronic health outcomes through digital innovation. Thomas, S., Browning, C., Charchar F., & Klein, B. ($3,616,000)
  • ARC ITTC.  (IC210100019) (2023-2027). ARC Training Centre for Optimal Ageing. Lim, Y., Kulic, D., Grundy, Batsone, Olivier, Rajaratnam, Cornish, K., Anderson, Klein, B, Browning,c., et al. ($4,583,816)
  • Federation University Health Innovation & Transformation Centre MCR Seeding Grant (2021-22). Biometric & EMA platform development. Foale, Klein, Cole & James. ($19,787).
  • Federation University Health Innovation & Transformation Centre ECR Seeding Grant (2021-22). The context, causes and consequences of gambling-related suicidality and suicide. Rintoul. A., Klein, B., Cooper, S., Shandley, K., & Ritchie, L & C. ($10,000).
  • Federation University Health Innovation & Transformation Centre MCR Seeding Grant (2021-22). Development of a mental wellbeing and social skills digital training platform for people on the Autism Spectrum. Van Doorn, G., Klein, B., Edwards, S., Shandley, K., & Caine, J.  ($19,897).
  • Federation University Health Innovation & Transformation Centre ECR Seeding Grant (2021-22). “ASD DADs:” Developing the foundation for a digital community to reduce self-stigma and isolation among fathers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Shandley, K., Klein, B., & Austin, D. ($9,506).
  • NHMRC MMRF COVID-19 Mental Health Grant. (APP2005450) (2020 – 2021). Implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance Lifeline’s crisis support service capacity in response to COVID-19 and emerging crises. Rickwood, Goecke, Larsen, Epps, Klein, Dhall & Ma. ($218,140).
  • Hong Kong Government (Innovation and Technology Fund for Better Living). (2020 – 2023). The Development and Implementation of Digital Mental Health Services for the Community in Hong Kong. Ho, F., Klein, B & Tsoi, K. (HKD $4,498,010)
  • CSU COVID-19 Fund.  (2020-2021) The Desire and Capability for Suicide among Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic. McLaren, S., Burmeister, O., Klein, B., & Castillo, P.  ($27,000)
  • Ingham Institute & Rotary Grant (2020-2021). iConquerFear: Demonstrating the potential of an online treatment for fear of cancer recurrence. Smith, Bamgboje, Girgis, Butow, Klein & Salter. ($49,968).
  • ANU Seeding Grant (2020). NHMRC Ideas Grant. Feasibility trial of the Enlighten program to reduce obesity. Reiger, L & Klein, B. ($20,000).
  • NHMRC Million Minds Grant (APP1179490). (2019-2024). Translating evidence-based interventions into population-level digital models of care for child and adolescent mental health. March, S., Donovan, C., Klein, B., Kavanagh, D., Calear, A., Cobham, V., Hides, L., Spence, S., Farrell, L., Kularatna, S. ($4,996,350).
  • Worksafe: WorkWell Fund. (2019-2021). Wellbeing Track & Change: Using digital monitoring to improve the mental wellbeing in Residential Aged Care. (Project Sponsor: Carbone, S., Chief Investigator: Klein, B., & Partner Investigator: Clinnick, L). ($1,303,141)
  • NHMRC & Lifeline Partnership Grant (APP1153481): (2019 – 2024). Building a Lifeline for the future: Expectations, innovations, outcomes. Rickwood, Perkis, Klein, Batterham, Titov, Epps, Goecke, Kolves, Gould, Bradford. ($2,576,112)
  • Centre for Oncology Training & Education. (2019). iConquerFear consultancy. Klein, B. ($10,000)
  • ANU Seeding Grant (2019). NHMRC Ideas Grant. Obesity Digital Health Preparation. Reiger, L & Klein, B. ($20,000).
  • Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). (2018 - 2019). Development of an Evaluation Model. Porter, JE, Edmondson, E, Morgan, D. Reimers, V. Missen, K. Whyte, S. Klein, B. Prokopiv, V. ($389,957)
  • Tour de Cure Support Grant (2018). iConquer Fear: Adaptation of an evidence-based face-to-face treatment for fear of cancer recurrence to a web-based self-management (eHealth) intervention and evaluation of its usability. Smith AB, Girgis A, Butow P, Thewes B, Sharpe L, Turner J, Klein B, Beatty L, Pearce A, Costa D. ($85,625)
  • Wimmera Uniting Care: (2017-18), Development of a Digital Intake Assessment System. Klein, B. ($35,750).

Associations (last 5 years)

  • Board member - Circle Foundation(2021-)
  • Department of Health Advisor(RACS)(2022-)
  • Expert Advisory Committee – Australian Psychological Society – Technology Advisory Committee (2020-21)
  • Expert Advisory Committee – Mitchell Institute, Promote the role of technologies, evidenced-based online tools and opportunities to enhance e-health literacy skills to support self-care (2020-2021).
  • Editorial Board: Internet Interventions (2016- )
  • Clinical Expert Advisory Group – CatholicCare ‘ICSS Digital Counselling Carers Service’, (2018-19)
  • Expert Advisory Committee - Lifeline Suicide Prevention Foundation, (2011-2019)
  • Expert Advisory Committee – Australian Psychological Society – Technology (2017-2018)
  • Expert Advisory Committee – TextChat Pilot – Lifeline (2017-2019)