The efficacy of models for educational service delivery for students with autism spectrum disorders. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of two models of support (Satellite Class and Consultative model) for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in regular schools. This research has significant potential to provide insight into the best ways of supporting children with ASD and improving their educational outcomes.
How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. This project aims to examine how schools decide about adjustments for students with disability. More students with disability are enrolled in mainstream schools, and schools take decisions about resourcing to support them. Little is known about how schools make these decisions and data suggest an over-reliance on teacher assistants. This project will develop ....How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. How schools make decisions about supporting students with disability. This project aims to examine how schools decide about adjustments for students with disability. More students with disability are enrolled in mainstream schools, and schools take decisions about resourcing to support them. Little is known about how schools make these decisions and data suggest an over-reliance on teacher assistants. This project will develop and evaluate a pilot professional learning package to support schools to make better decisions will be developed and evaluated. A better understanding of decision-making processes is expected to help schools make optimal, cost-effective decisions that personalise learning and support.Read moreRead less
Constructing futures: an investigation of the aspirations of young adults with an intellectual disability and their parents. This project aims to develop a better understanding of the aspirations for adult life held by young adults with an intellectual disability and their parents. Organisations that provide services to this vulnerable group will use the results to examine current, and guide future, service provision.
School non-attendance in students with intellectual disability. This project aims to develop a better understanding of school non-attendance among children and adolescents with intellectual disability. School non-attendance is a major societal problem – school outcomes are affected by high rates of school non-attendance – and a current national and international priority. In particular, school non-attendance in students with intellectual disability is a common but poorly understood problem. This ....School non-attendance in students with intellectual disability. This project aims to develop a better understanding of school non-attendance among children and adolescents with intellectual disability. School non-attendance is a major societal problem – school outcomes are affected by high rates of school non-attendance – and a current national and international priority. In particular, school non-attendance in students with intellectual disability is a common but poorly understood problem. This project aims to understand the types and rates of school non-attendance problems in students with intellectual disability and the factors that influence non-attendance. Improved understanding of the pathways to non-attendance would facilitate the development of specific interventions to provide much-needed improvements in attendance in this disadvantaged group.Read moreRead less
Increasing the quality of goods donated to charities: Two field trials. This project aims to trial three social marketing programs using controlled field experiments in partnership with Queensland Government and the National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations. Controlled community pilot programs are planned as a means to identify the effective program for implementation nation wide by charitable recycling organisations in Year 3 of the project. The planned research aims to incre ....Increasing the quality of goods donated to charities: Two field trials. This project aims to trial three social marketing programs using controlled field experiments in partnership with Queensland Government and the National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations. Controlled community pilot programs are planned as a means to identify the effective program for implementation nation wide by charitable recycling organisations in Year 3 of the project. The planned research aims to increase the quality of goods donated to Australian charities. Increases in the quality of goods donated to Australian charities delivers cost savings that can in turn be used to provide essential services to support more Australians who are in need. Read moreRead less
Changing Australian Drinking : A comprehensive social marketing program. This project aims to conduct a stratified randomised trial of an innovative social marketing program that is delivered to adolescents and their parents in Queensland Catholic education schools. The program is designed to change knowledge, attitudes and intentions to drink alcohol among adolescents. The information from this project is expected to be used to improve the program and expand its relevance and use in schools. Th ....Changing Australian Drinking : A comprehensive social marketing program. This project aims to conduct a stratified randomised trial of an innovative social marketing program that is delivered to adolescents and their parents in Queensland Catholic education schools. The program is designed to change knowledge, attitudes and intentions to drink alcohol among adolescents. The information from this project is expected to be used to improve the program and expand its relevance and use in schools. The program developed will be made available for teacher use in secondary Australian Schools.Read moreRead less
Advancing prevention science: application of social marketing to change the drinking culture of young Australians. This project will provide a comprehensive cluster randomised control trial of an innovative social marketing education intervention, which focuses on moderating adolescent attitudes and intentions to drink alcohol.
Sibling influence on development of children with autism spectrum disorder. This project aims to investigate how typically-developing siblings affect the development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD involves difficulties with language, executive functions and social understanding. For typically-developing children, growing up with siblings gives an advantage in these cognitive functions. Yet little is known about how having siblings’ impacts on cognitive development of childr ....Sibling influence on development of children with autism spectrum disorder. This project aims to investigate how typically-developing siblings affect the development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD involves difficulties with language, executive functions and social understanding. For typically-developing children, growing up with siblings gives an advantage in these cognitive functions. Yet little is known about how having siblings’ impacts on cognitive development of children with ASD. The project intends to longitudinally explore the mechanisms of sibling impact in families with and without a child with ASD. The outcomes will deepen understanding of child development, providing an evidence base for effective interventions to increase child competence and aiming ultimately to reduce the social costs of ASD.Read moreRead less
"I think; therefore I am": Loneliness and neurodevelopmental disorders. This project aims to develop a 3-D animated program for adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that alters the automatic biases arising from their everyday social communication difficulties (including via social media), which result in negative thought patterns and loneliness. Negative thought patterns, which are arguably the hallmarks of, and causal in, the development of emotional dysfunction are amplified by ...."I think; therefore I am": Loneliness and neurodevelopmental disorders. This project aims to develop a 3-D animated program for adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that alters the automatic biases arising from their everyday social communication difficulties (including via social media), which result in negative thought patterns and loneliness. Negative thought patterns, which are arguably the hallmarks of, and causal in, the development of emotional dysfunction are amplified by loneliness, and adolescents with NDDs experience significantly greater levels of loneliness. Altering these negative thought patterns via an engaging 3-D animated program offers great potential to improve educational and social-emotional outcomes along with generating economic benefits nationally and internationally.Read moreRead less
Furthering Positive Futures for Children with Intellectual Disabilities: A Longitudinal Investigation. This project will address the paucity of empirical research on drivers of psychosocial and physical well-being (PPW; for example self-concept, depression, behavioural problems, physical fitness, weight) of children with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). This proposal presents an extensive research program aimed at understanding the effects of school life and Physical Activity (PA) on PPW for Aust ....Furthering Positive Futures for Children with Intellectual Disabilities: A Longitudinal Investigation. This project will address the paucity of empirical research on drivers of psychosocial and physical well-being (PPW; for example self-concept, depression, behavioural problems, physical fitness, weight) of children with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). This proposal presents an extensive research program aimed at understanding the effects of school life and Physical Activity (PA) on PPW for Australian children with ID. This program examines: the relations between school life and PPW; the benefits, barriers and predictors of PA; moderators (personal characteristics, educational settings). The overarching objective is to advance theory and research in this area, and to inform intervention strategies furthering more positive futures for children with ID.Read moreRead less