Current 2021 Projects

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Kayla Mansour – Doctor of Philosophy of Psychology Candidate

Kayla is investigating the social worlds of adult men in early to mid adulthood. Minimal research exists that describes the social support networks of men during the normative age of transitioning to fatherhood and the associated implications. It is particularly unclear how the development and maintenance of peer networks and support impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of these men and the bidirectional relationship that may exist. Investigations into men’s loneliness is also scarce. An understanding of men’s loneliness and interpersonal connections may aid in identifying male-specific modifiable targets for preventative interventions.

 
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Imogene Smith - Doctor of Psychology (Clinical) Candidate

Imogene commenced her Doctorate of Clinical Psychology here at Deakin in 2019. For the research component of this course, she is investigating whether men's desire to have children is associated with mental health outcomes post-partum and bonding with their baby. She is also exploring the ways new fathers, who had low desire for children, express their feelings on social media once they enter fatherhood.

 

Lauren Francis - Doctor of Philosophy of Psychology Candidate

Lauren is a PhD Candidate in the School of Psychology at Deakin University. Lauren is particularly interested in fathers’ wellbeing. Her research explores the influence of fathers’ sleep on their mental health and the effect of fathers’ traits on their responses to their infant’s emotions.

 

Graduated Projects

2022


Amy Leigh Morris Feain - Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

‘socially prescribed perfectionism and depressive symptoms in men: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SHAME.’

 

Georgia Zoumboulis - Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

‘MEN’S EXPERIENCES OF SHAME: THE PREDICTIVE ROLE OF PARENTAL BONDING WITH MOTHERS AND FATHERS’

 

Gessica Misuraca - Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

‘A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF SHAME AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN AUSTRALIAN MEN: THE MODERATING ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MASTERY AND PURPOSE IN LIFE’

 

Sandra Jasniewicz - Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)

‘THE MODERATING EFFECT OF TRAIT ANGER ON THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SHAME AND STATE ANGER: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF AUSTRALIAN MALES’

 

2021


Julianne Livingston - Doctor of Psychology (Clinical)

‘PATERNAL COPING AND MENTAL HEALTH DURING EARLY FATHERHOOD’

 

Jane Christie - 4th Year Student

‘Assuming a new identity: Associations between preconception desire to have children and subsequent relationship and coparenting in early fatherhood’


Khya Marabel-Whitburn - 4th Year Student

‘Association between men’s investment in their peer relationships and romantic relationship quality’


Molly McMeel - 4th Year Student

‘Associations Between Men’s Preconception Desire to Have Children and Intimate Relationship Functioning After Becoming a Father: The Moderating Role of Perceived Partner Support’


Vanessa Burton - 4th Year Student

‘A Cross-Sectional Study of the Associations Between Men’s Risky Drinking with Peers and Romantic Relationship Quality’

 

2020


Andy Symons – Master of Psychology (Clinical)

‘Measuring Mentalizing in Men: A Validation Study of the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire’

Ashley Whitehead - 4th Year Student

‘Trait Anger: Associations with Intimate Relationship Love and Conflict and the Mediating Role of Mentalising’

Ellie Krauskopfkras - 4th Year Student

‘Male Trait Anger: Associations with Dyadic Consensus and Cohesion and the Mediating Role of Mentalising’

Jac Cairns - 4th Year Student

‘Trait Anger in Men, Co-Parenting, and Paternal Involvement in Childcare. The Mediating Role of Mentalising’

Kristen Kiratzis - 4th Year Student

‘Associations of male trait anger with dyadic adjustment, dyadic satisfaction and affectional expression and the mediating role of mentalisation’

 

2019


Kayla Mansour - 4th Year Student

‘Associations between Trait Anger and Reflective Functioning in Men’

Kiana Lockhart - 4th Year Student

‘THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN REFLECTIVE FUNCTIONING IN MEN AND THEIR INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP QUALITY’

Jeremy Girvan - 4th Year Student

‘The Relationship between Parental Reflective Functioning and Parental Bonding in Fathers’

2018


Mallika Lucie Abbott - Master of Psychology (Clinical)

‘Identity Salience and Role Ambiguity, Fatherhood and Mental Illness’

Angela Nastoulis - Honours Student

‘Perceived parental care and control in adolescence: associations with postnatal father-infant bonding’

Laura Ridler - Honours Student

‘Parental Bonding Influences on Trait Anger in Adult Males’

Lauren Francis - Honours Student

‘Child and Father Sleep Problems and Paternal Distress: A Mixed Methods Investigation’

Liam Graeme - Honours Student

‘Paternal Satisfaction with Decision-Making Responsibility, Identity Salience and Father Depressive Symptoms’

 

2017


Imogene Smith - Honours Student

‘When men choose to be childless: an interpretative phenomenological analysis’

Tessa Harrison - Honours Student

‘Men’s anger and depressive symptoms at the peak age for fatherhood’

 

2016


Emily Molyneux - Honours Student

‘An Anchor – Grounding, or Grinding Halt: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Rural Men’s Expectations of First-Time Fatherhood’.

Liel Bridgford - Honours Student

‘Anxiety at the Prime age for the Transition to Fatherhood and the Buffering Role of Environmental Mastery and Purpose in Life’.

Seona Palmer - Honours Student

‘Stress at the Peak Age for First Time Fatherhood’.

 

2015


Chris Kings - Honours Student

‘On Becoming a Father: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of Young Men’s Expectations of Their Future Role as a Parent.’

Dani Ryan - Honours Student

‘Men’s Desire to Have Children at the Peak Age for Becoming a Father’.