Online relationship therapy supporting those affected by substance use. This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online relationship therapy program for those experiencing relationship dysfunction and where one or both partners engage in problematic substance use. In doing so, the project addresses a major service gap, specifically, the lack of online programs to support this population in developing and maintaining positive romantic relationships. The expected outcomes include redu ....Online relationship therapy supporting those affected by substance use. This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online relationship therapy program for those experiencing relationship dysfunction and where one or both partners engage in problematic substance use. In doing so, the project addresses a major service gap, specifically, the lack of online programs to support this population in developing and maintaining positive romantic relationships. The expected outcomes include reduced relationship conflict, intimate partner violence, and relationship breakdown. The project's potential for wide-scale roll out will yield far-reaching benefits for Australian couples and families dealing with substance problems by enhancing relationship skills and fostering relationship stability.Read moreRead less
Integrating between-person and within-person approaches to personality in the workplace. Personality tests are used to predict well being and productivity at work and are often used for personnel decisions within organisations in developed countries, including Australia. The treatment of personality as a fixed set of traits that produce similar responses across situations ignores human variability across situations which is needed for design of interventions to make humans happier and more effec ....Integrating between-person and within-person approaches to personality in the workplace. Personality tests are used to predict well being and productivity at work and are often used for personnel decisions within organisations in developed countries, including Australia. The treatment of personality as a fixed set of traits that produce similar responses across situations ignores human variability across situations which is needed for design of interventions to make humans happier and more effective at work. The results of tests of the integrated model of personality will be used to design interventions for the development of responses that lead to greater well being and effectiveness of managers in work settings.Read moreRead less
Predicting health, well-being, and educational success in emerging adults: An 8 year longitudinal study. This project will inform the community about factors that affect the psychological, physical, academic, and employment outcomes of emerging adults. It will improve our knowledge of why some young people do not reach their full potential. The project will provide a comprehensive assessment of factors associated with well-being across several domains. It will better equip and assist professiona ....Predicting health, well-being, and educational success in emerging adults: An 8 year longitudinal study. This project will inform the community about factors that affect the psychological, physical, academic, and employment outcomes of emerging adults. It will improve our knowledge of why some young people do not reach their full potential. The project will provide a comprehensive assessment of factors associated with well-being across several domains. It will better equip and assist professionals to identify early those youth at risk of having poor psychological, health, and employment prospects post-school. The project will inform the development of intervention programs for young people and maximise their overall adjustment and well-being several years later.Read moreRead less
The Power of Causal Attributions: Genetic Essentialist Biases and Health. Great advancements in the science of genetics are accompanied by increased public propensity to attribute causality to the genes for diverse outcomes such as abilities, social group differences, attitudes, and diseases. These genetic attributions activate cognitive biases termed Genetic Essentialist Biases, which have been shown to instigate a variety of deleterious outcomes. The project will evaluate hypothesized detrimen ....The Power of Causal Attributions: Genetic Essentialist Biases and Health. Great advancements in the science of genetics are accompanied by increased public propensity to attribute causality to the genes for diverse outcomes such as abilities, social group differences, attitudes, and diseases. These genetic attributions activate cognitive biases termed Genetic Essentialist Biases, which have been shown to instigate a variety of deleterious outcomes. The project will evaluate hypothesized detrimental effects of genetic attributions on actual health behaviours, endorsement of health policies, and disease related stigma. Furthermore, it will test interventions designed to reduce the negative effects of such attributions on attitudes, beliefs, intentions, and behaviours related to a common disease. Read moreRead less
Task Contingent Units of Personality and Adaptive Performance. The project aims to test a model of adaptive personality, to cross-validate the model in Italy, China and the United kingdom, and to develop and test a model for the modification and development of adaptive personality factors that enhance adaptive performance. Adaptive tasks differ from routine tasks in degrees of novelty, difficulty and uncertainty which require higher levels and different types of cognitive processing. Individuals ....Task Contingent Units of Personality and Adaptive Performance. The project aims to test a model of adaptive personality, to cross-validate the model in Italy, China and the United kingdom, and to develop and test a model for the modification and development of adaptive personality factors that enhance adaptive performance. Adaptive tasks differ from routine tasks in degrees of novelty, difficulty and uncertainty which require higher levels and different types of cognitive processing. Individuals who adapt their focus, emotions and exploratory activities in response to the changing cognitive demands of tasks are expected to outperform those with less adaptive personalities. Those with more adaptive personalities are expected to perform better on problem solving, learning, innovation and development activities.Read moreRead less
The transition from secondary school to adulthood: Experiences and life outcomes for youth with an intellectual disability and their families. This project seeks to explore the challenges faced and outcomes achieved by students with an intellectual disability as they move from secondary school into adult life. The study will investigate the factors at an individual, educational, family, and societal level which positively and adversely affect outcomes for young people with an intellectual disab ....The transition from secondary school to adulthood: Experiences and life outcomes for youth with an intellectual disability and their families. This project seeks to explore the challenges faced and outcomes achieved by students with an intellectual disability as they move from secondary school into adult life. The study will investigate the factors at an individual, educational, family, and societal level which positively and adversely affect outcomes for young people with an intellectual disability and their families. Family impacts can include significant loss of income as parents may have to cease employment to care for their young adult who has limited employment or day placement options. Gaining the knowledge to minimise the disruption to family life, which often occurs at this time of transition, will lead to strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less
Predicting the diagnostic performance of individuals and organisations. Predicting the diagnostic performance of individuals and organisations. This project aims to address diagnostic error in advanced technology systems, by providing a mechanism to assess and improve individual diagnosticians’ performance. Organisations that rely on their employees’ diagnostic skills rarely assess them once the operators become qualified, so there is no basis for interventions that might prevent diagnostic erro ....Predicting the diagnostic performance of individuals and organisations. Predicting the diagnostic performance of individuals and organisations. This project aims to address diagnostic error in advanced technology systems, by providing a mechanism to assess and improve individual diagnosticians’ performance. Organisations that rely on their employees’ diagnostic skills rarely assess them once the operators become qualified, so there is no basis for interventions that might prevent diagnostic errors affecting thousands. This research tests a new method of assessing diagnostic skills based on how skilled operators respond to cues. This project will test how employees’ diagnostic skills change and whether this change corresponds to measures of organisational performance. This research is expected to provide organisations with a tool to pre-empt diagnostic errors that could minimise costs to the economy.Read moreRead less
Development of cognitive functions in adult populations. Cognitive functioning has significant social, health and economic effects in the form of either benefits from improved functioning or costs due to cognitive decline. In the latter regard, an aging population presents major challenges to society. The proposed project will investigate the effects of different training regimes on cognition and a range of related outcomes, including transfer of skills, personality change and social functioning ....Development of cognitive functions in adult populations. Cognitive functioning has significant social, health and economic effects in the form of either benefits from improved functioning or costs due to cognitive decline. In the latter regard, an aging population presents major challenges to society. The proposed project will investigate the effects of different training regimes on cognition and a range of related outcomes, including transfer of skills, personality change and social functioning, on a highly innovative brain training App being developed in collaboration with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Read moreRead less