Social health and wellbeing

Wellbeing research across a range of social themes

The Macquarie University Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Centre is conducting a range of projects supporting social and cultural connections across the lifespan.

Learn about these projects and the research teams behind each one.

Understanding the impact of dual sensory impairment

Full title: Perspectives on social wellbeing programs: adults with dual sensory impairment and their communication partners

Funded by: Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre Innovation Grant

Dual sensory impairment (DSI) severely impacts quality-of-life and mental wellbeing as it interferes with primary modes of communication, inhibiting the ability to optimally participate in society. Communication partners (e.g., family members) are a vital source of social interaction and support.

The proposed pilot study is the first phase of a larger novel project to develop and implement a social health and wellbeing program tailored to adults with DSI. We propose to conduct a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to understand the impacts of DSI on social participation, and the perspectives of affected adults and their communication partners towards a social wellbeing program.

These interviews will provide important insight into the needs and preferences of this population to inform the design of an acceptable and accessible program.

Learn more about this study.

Targeting mechanisms underlying loneliness in chronic conditions

Funded by: National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

Social isolation and loneliness have a bidirectional relationship with poorer chronic disease outcomes. This project aims to understand the causal psychological mechanisms that underlie this relationship using a mixed-method design across three studies.

These studies will identify the social, emotional, cognitive and health factors associated with social isolation and loneliness in chronic disease populations using qualitative research (study 1), and through a new longitudinal study to identify the psychological causal mechanisms that cause and maintain social isolation and loneliness, and how these impact on chronic disease outcomes over time (study 2).

Building on our existing work that has identified key psychological strategies for reducing loneliness in non-illness populations, coupled with the new knowledge from the findings in studies 1 and 2 of this project that identify the likely causal mechanisms, we will evaluate in a clinical trial a psychological intervention to reduce social isolation and loneliness in individuals with chronic diseases (study 3).

This body of work will lead to new knowledge about the psychological factors that cause and maintain social isolation and loneliness in chronic disease populations over time, the impact of social isolation and loneliness on chronic disease management and chronic disease outcomes and establish preliminary evidence of novel therapeutic approaches to improve the wellbeing of people living with chronic diseases.

Reducing cyberbullying

Funded by: Australian Research Council (ARC)

Bystanders to cyberbullying can play an important role in preventing cyberbullying and providing support to victims. Cyber Bystanders Intervention Training (CyBIT) aims to develop high-school students’ constructive defending through online interactive training.

The CyBIT study is currently recruiting schools with students in Years 7 and 9 to participate in the study. Participation includes:

• a pre-intervention survey
• a six-week intervention training
• a post-intervention survey conducted at school.

Contact us if you would like your school to be involved.

Facilitating decision making for hearing health

Funded by: National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

Many people do not access hearing healthcare even though help exists and hearing aids, the most common intervention for hearing loss, are clinically effective.

This research will conduct a needs analysis, and then co-develop and evaluate a tailored decision support intervention (HearChoice) to help increase informed decisions, accessibility and uptake of hearing healthcare for adults with hearing loss.

The aim is to empower adults with hearing loss by offering them choice and control over their own hearing healthcare, leading to improved individual, societal and economic outcomes.

Language inclusion: supporting people with intellectual disability

Full title: Language inclusion: supporting people with intellectual disability and their carers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

Funded by: Council for Intellectual Disability

This project assesses the language inclusiveness of the information provided on the Council for Intellectual Disability website and staff capacity to support clients and carers from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and provide fit-for-purpose workshop, guidelines and checklists to enhance organisational Language Inclusion capacity.

The power of teacher-student relationships to optimise student outcomes

Funded by: ARC DECRA Scheme

Teacher-student relationships are central to students’ academic and personal success. This is particularly the case in secondary school, where students tend to experience significant declines in motivation and engagement.

This study will collect longitudinal survey data from Years 7-10 students across NSW to better understand what constitutes positive teacher-student relationships and how these relationships strengthen motivation, engagement, achievement, and wellbeing.

Key outcomes of this project will be the development of a suite of professional resources, as well as an intervention for building positive relationships in secondary school.

STEM motivation and engagement among secondary school girls

Full title: STEM-ing the gap: understanding STEM motivation and engagement among secondary school girls

Funded by: Macquarie University Research Acceleration Scheme

The persistent under representation of girls in STEM has high individual and national economic costs.

For individual students, disengagement from science and mathematics results in self-selection out of high paying career opportunities. For Australia as a whole, diverse perspectives in STEM supports increased innovation.

This project explores socio-motivational factors and processes that positively impact girls’ aspirations and participation in science and mathematics at the student and classroom level. Longitudinal survey data will be collected from Year 9 and Year 10 students.

Key outcomes include practical strategies and professional resources for engaging girls in STEM.