Karyn Healy
Dr | Research Officer
Karyn.Healy@qimrberghofer.edu.au
CAREER HISTORY
Karyn is a registered psychologist with expertise in addressing bullying and conflict. She has extensive experience working with schools and families. Karyn has a Masters of Organisational Psychology, specialising in change management, process consultancy, training and facilitation, and conflict management. Her PhD investigated intervening with families of children bullied by peers at school, which is a promising new approach to complement school bullying prevention programs.
Karyn is co-author of Resilience Triple P program, an evidence-based family intervention to address school bullying. Her programme of research aims to reduce peer victimisation and improve the mental health of children and adolescents through the development, implementation and evaluation of effective ways to reduce bullying behaviours and improve peer relationships. Karyn was also commissioned by Australia’s Safe and Supportive School Communities Committee to develop a professional development for staff about working with parents to address bullying, which has been made available to Australian schools.
Karyn has a research affiliation with the Parenting and Family Support Centre, of The University of Queensland. She continues to consult with schools and families to address bullying and conflict and improve relationships. Karyn is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Child and Family Studies. She is a member of the Queensland Anti-Cyberbullying Committee (2019-2020).
CURRENT APPOINTMENT
- Research Officer (0.4 FTE) QIMR Berghofer (Child and Youth Mental Health Group)
- Research and Evaluation Coordinator (0.6 FTE) Queensland Forensic Mental Health Service, Queensland Department of Health June 2019-2020
- Research Fellow (Honorary), Parenting and Family Support centre, School of Psychology since 2019
- Associate Editor, Journal of Child and Family Studies since 2014
- Member of Queensland Anti Cyber Bullying Committee, Department of Cabinet and Premier
- Accredited Trainer for Triple P International – training and accreditation of practitioners since 2010
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
- Workplace Wellbeing Consultant (0.6FTE) with Queensland Department of Education (South East Region) since 2015 – ongoing permanent position
- Advanced Service Evaluation & Research Coordinator (O.4FTE), Child and Youth Mental Health Service (CYMHS), Children’s Health Queensland (June 2019 – June 2020)
- Principal Human Resources Consultant (1.0FTE), Queensland Department of Education, Term 3 2018
- Postdoctoral Researcher (0.4FTE), Centre for Children’s Health Research, The University of Queensland, Semester 2 2017
- Program Coordinator, Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland 2012-2018.
- Principal Project Officer, Logan Learners for Life project, South East Region of Education Queensland, 1994 to March 2008
ORCID NUMBER
RESEARCHER ID
CURRENT AREA OF RESEARCH
Karyn’s research aims to reduce school bullying and improve the mental health of children and adolescents. Karyn ‘s work focuses on both families and schools as interventions points for addressing school bullying. This involves a focus on children’s social and emotional skills, improving peer relationships of children and adolescents, preventing and addressing internalising problems (such as depression and anxiety), and engaging parents to coach and support their children. Karyn is developing and trialling evidence-based family interventions to reduce bullying and improve children’s peer relationships. She is also supporting schools to improve interventions to reduce bullying, resolve conflict and improve relationships in families and schools.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
- L., & Sanders, M. R. (2014). Randomized controlled trial of a family intervention for children bullied by peers. Behavior Therapy, 45(6), 760-777. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2014.06.001. This was the first controlled trial of a family program for children bullied at school, and was cited in a U.S.A policy document Preventing Bullying Through Science, Policy, and Practice in 2016.
- Article “Is your child less likely to be bullied in a private school?” selected for inclusion in The Conversation Yearbook 2015. https://theconversation.com/is-your-child-less-likely-to-be-bullied-in-a-private-school-44917
- K.L. Healy (in press, 2020). Hypotheses for Possible Iatrogenic Impacts of School Bullying Prevention Programs, Child Development Perspectives. This paper discusses theoretical explanations for anomalies in bullying research over the last decade and hypothesized mechanisms through which commonly used strategies to prevent bullying may have unintended harmful effects.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
2019-Current: Committee member for Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners- Brain & Mental Health Theme Leadership Committee.
2018-Current: Australasian Neuroscience Society
2017-Current: IEPA Early Intervention in Mental Health Inc.
2016-Current: Executive Committee member for Biological Psychiatry Australia
2013-Current: Society for Neuroscience
2014-2015: International Behavioral Neuroscience Society
AWARDS RECOGNITION
- Australian Postgraduate Award to study PhD 2010-2014
- Australian Postgraduate Award to study Masters of Organisational psychology 1994-1996
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2014: PhD in psychology on Intervening with families of children bullied by peers at school, The University of Queensland
1994: Masters of Organisational Psychology, The University of Queensland,
1986: Bachelor of Science with Honours (First Class) in Psychology