Michael Boyle

Dr. Michael Boyle has made important contributions to child health, from influencing government health policy to increasing the efficiency and validity of epidemiological research on children.

Dr. Boyle is best known for the Ontario Child Health Study (OCHS), the first large-scale observational study of children and families ever conducted in Canada. This Ontario-wide epidemiological study set the methodological standards for conducting studies in the community, and has influenced the allocation of resources and health services by highlighting the scale of mental health problems in children. Follow-up studies to the OCHS were conducted in 1987 and 2000. A more comprehensive sequel, the 2014 Ontario Child Health Study, has been funded and will begin in fall 2014.

In 2009, Dr. Boyle was awarded the Michael Smith Prize for Health Research by CIHR for his high degree of innovation, creativity, leadership and dedication in health research.

Dr. Boyle was Director of the Offord Centre for Child studies in late 2013 to 2016.

Dr. Boyle's research interests are in four areas; determinants of child health, particularly the interplay between neighbourhood, familial and individual-level characteristics; health status measurement in children, particularly the classification and measurement of childhood psychopathology; research study design, particularly issues of sample selection, attrition and the generalizability of study findings across diverse samples; and statistical analysis, particularly the use of structural equation models, multilevel modelling and growth curve analysis.

Current Activities

  • 2014 Ontario Child Health Study – examining the mental health and functioning of 10,530 children in families and neighbourhoods across Ontario
  • 2014 Ontario Child Health Study School Mental Health Surveys – a component of the larger 2014 OCHS that will enlist schools across Ontario to study school-level influences on student mental health

Publications

  • Duncan L, Georgiades K, Reid GJ, Comeau J, Birch S, Wang L, Boyle MH. Area-Level Variation in Children's Unmet Need for Community-Based Mental Health Services: Findings from the 2014 Ontario Child Health Study. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 2020; 47(5):665-679. doi: 10.1007/s10488-020-01016-3. PMID: 31974741.
  • Boyle MH, Georgiades K, Duncan L, Comeau J, Wang L. The 2014 Ontario Child Health Study-Methodology. Can J Psychiatry. 2019 Apr;64(4):237-245. doi: 10.1177/0706743719833675. PubMed PMID: 30978137; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6463362.
  • Boyle MH, Georgiades K, Duncan L, Wang L, Comeau J. Poverty, Neighbourhood Antisocial Behaviour, and Children's Mental Health Problems: Findings from the 2014 Ontario Child Health Study. Can J Psychiatry. 2019 Apr;64(4):285-293. doi: 10.1177/0706743719830027. PubMed PMID: 30978142; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6463363.
  • Boyle MH, Duncan L, Georgiades K, Comeau J, Reid GJ, O'Briain W, Lampard R, Waddell C. Tracking Children's Mental Health in the 21st Century: Lessons from the 2014 OCHS. Can J Psychiatry. 2019 Apr;64(4):232-236. doi: 10.1177/0706743719830025. PubMed PMID: 30978140; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6463360.
  • Georgiades K, Boylan K, Duncan L, Wang L, Colman I, Rhodes AE, Bennett K, Comeau J, Manion I, Boyle MH. Prevalence and Correlates of Youth Suicidal Ideation and Attempts: Evidence from the 2014 Ontario Child Health Study. Can J Psychiatry. 2019 Apr;64(4):265-274. doi: 10.1177/0706743719830031. PubMed PMID: 30978144; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6463356.
  • Jack, SM, Boyle M, McKee C, Ford-Gilboe M, Wathen CN, Scribano P, Davidov D, McNaughton D, O'Brien R, Johnston C, Gasbarro M, Tanaka M, Kimber M, Coben J, Olds DL, MacMillan HL Effect of addition of an Intimate Partner Violence Intervention to a Nurse Home Visitation Program on maternal quality of life: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 2019; Apr 23;321(16):1576-1585. doi: 10.1001/jama.2019.3211. PMID: 31012933
  • Boyle MH, Duncan L, Georgiades K, Wang L, Comeau J, Ferro MA, Van Lieshout RJ, Szatmari P, MacMillan HL, Bennett K, Janus M, Lipman EL & Kata A. The 2014 Ontario Child Health Study Emotional Behavioural Scales (OCHS-EBS) Part II: Psychometric Adequacy for Categorical Measurement of Selected DSM-5 Disorders. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2018; 64(6) 434-442.
  • Comeau J, Georgiades K, Duncan L, Wang L, Boyle MH; 2014 Ontario Child Health Study Team. Changes in the Prevalence of Child and Youth Mental Disorders and Perceived Need for Professional Help between 1983 and 2014: Evidence from the Ontario Child Health Study. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2019; pr;64(4):256-264. doi: 10.1177/0706743719830035. PMID: 30978139

For further publications click here.

Contact Michael

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Research Interests

  • Determinants of child health
  • Measurement of childhood psychopathology
  • Research study design

Education, Memberships & Certifications

  • M.S.W., University of Toronto
  • M.Sc., McMaster University
  • Ph.D., University of Toronto