RESEARCH

Dr. Melissa Kimber's Research

Colourful graphic of the human brain for Melissa Kimber's research

Dr. Melissa Kimber’s research program reflects her personal dedication to enhancing the well-being of children and youth grappling with mental health issues and those exposed to violence. She employs socio-cognitive and ecological models, implementation science, and mixed-method research designs to achieve several objectives:

  • Characterize the experiences of violence and mental health challenges among children and adolescents;
  • Create and assess health professional education interventions aimed at improving practitioner recognition and response to individuals affected by violence and mental health challenges;
  • Implement and evaluate clinical interventions geared towards reducing the recurrence of childhood victimization and associated mental health impairment; and
  • Impart knowledge to new health professionals and scientists in each of these focal areas.

Current Grants as Principal & Co-Principal Investigator

2022-2024 “Fostering Child and Adolescent Resilience through Emotion (‘Families CARE’) Project.” 

  • Principal Investigator: Melissa Kimber; 
  • Co-Investigators: Harriet MacMillan, Gina Dimitropoulos, Andrea Gonzalez, Gillian England-Mason, Paul Arnold. 
  • Grand Amount: $50,000 (Hamilton Health Sciences New Investigator Award) 

2018-2023 “Preparing Providers to Recognize and Respond to Family Violence.”

  • Principal Investigator: Melissa Kimber; 
  • Co-Principal Investigators: Donna Stewart & Meredith Vanstone; 
  • Co-Investigators: Delphine Collin-Vezina, Gina Dimitropoulos; 
  • Consultants: Christine Wekerle; Dawn Martin-Hill; 
  • Advisor: Harriet MacMillan. 
  • Grant Amount: $798,225 (Public Health Agency of Canada) 

2021-2023 “Psychological First Aid Training to Address COVID-19 Related Stressors.”

  • Principal Investigator: Melissa Kimber;
  • Co-Principal Investigators: Sheila Harms & Noam Soreni;
  • Co-Investigators: Harriet MacMillan, Maggie Inrig, Ellen Lipman, Roberto Sassi, Anita Acai, David Streiner, Alexander Drossos.
  • Grant Amount: $143,204 (Canadian Institutes of Health Research)

2021-2023 “Evaluating an Educational Intervention for Improving Residents’ Recognition and Response to Child Maltreatment – A Mixed Method Acceptability and Feasibility Study with a Pilot Randomized Trial.”

  • Principal Investigator: Melissa Kimber;
  • Co-Investigators: Donna Stewart & Meredith Vanstone;
  • Co-Principal Knowledge User: Harriet MacMillan.
  • Grant Amount: $49, 985 (Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada Medical Education Research Grant)

2021-2023 “Evaluating an Educational Intervention for Improving Provider Recognition and Response to IPV Experienced by Veterans and their Families – A Mixed Method Pilot Randomized Trial.”

  • Principal Investigator: Melissa Kimber;
  • Co-Investigators: Donna Stewart & Meredith Vanstone, Fardous Hosseiny, MaryAnn Notarianni, Ashlee Mulligan.
  • Advisor: Harriet MacMillan.
  • Grant Amount: $100,268 (Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families)

2021-2022 “Psychological First Aid Training to Address COVID-19 Related Stressors in Hospital Staff & their Patients.”

  • Principal Investigator: Melissa Kimber;
  • Co-Principal Investigators: Sheila Harms & Noam Soreni;
  • Co-Investigators: Harriet MacMillan, Steven Selchen. Joseph Brant
  • Grant Amount: $100,147 (Hospital Mental Health Research Program – Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation)