Dr Jan Nicholson

Principal Fellow with the title of Associate Professor, McCaughey Centre
Associate Professor and Principal Research Fellow, Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Introduction
Qualifications
Work History
Current Research
Publications
Research Supervision Interests
Research Awards and Scholarships

Introduction

Jan has a background in child development, family psychology, and population health. Her research has focused on promoting and protecting the health and development of children from vulnerable families, and the socio-environmental determinants of poor mental health in parents and employees. Jan also has a particular interest in parenting after divorce and remarriage and how living in different family structures impacts on the wellbeing of adults and children.

Jan’s research has included longitudinal studies, randomized controlled trials, qualitative research, and evaluations of program implementation, diffusion and sustainability. She is a member of the Research Advisory Group for the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, a nationally representative study of 5,000 infants and 5,000 preschool children. Research undertaken from this study includes analyses of the impact of parental work conditions on children, the effects of fathers’ and mothers’ parenting styles on children’s obesity, and patterns of parenting across diverse social and economic circumstances. Jan also co-leads an evaluation of the national implementation of an early intervention program for vulnerable parents and infants.

Qualifications

1996    Ph.D. Psychology, University of Queensland.
1989    M.Sc. (Distinction), Psychology, University of Canterbury, NZ.
1985    B.Sc. Hons. Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ.
1984    B.Sc. Psychology, University of Otago, NZ.

Work History

February 2007 – current: Principal Research Fellow, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute 2007-2010 (full-time).

January 2008 – current: Honorary Principal Research Fellow, School of Population Health, the University of Melbourne.

February 2006 – current: Adjunct Associate Professor, Griffith Centre for Psychological Health Research, Griffith University. (full-time 2006; Adjunct from 2007).

1999 – January 2006: Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Health Research and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology.

1998 – 2000: Senior Lecturer & Coordinator, Postgraduate Research, Centre for Public Health Research, Queensland University of Technology.

1995 – 1998: PHRDC Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Public Health Research, Queensland University of Technology. 

Current Research

ARC Discovery Grant (DP0877587). 2008-2011: $309,000. 
Berthelsen D, Nicholson J, Walker S, Carrington S. Transition to school for young children with developmental disabilities: Interpersonal processes that support engagement and adjustment.

NHMRC Project Grant (490018).  2008-09: $133,438.
Sanderson K, Oldenburg B, Graves N, Nicholson J. Depression and anxiety in working adults: the costs and outcomes of working while ill.

NHMRC Project Grant (497218) Primary Health Research Evaluation & Development Strategy.  2007-2009: $815,000
Daniels L, Magarey A, Farrell A, Nicholson J, Battistutta D, Cleghorn G, Davidson G. Promoting positive feeding practices and healthy food preferences in very young children – an innovative approach to primary prevention of obesity.

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles (from 2004)

Sanderson, K., Tilse, E., Nicholson, J., Oldenburg, B. & Graves, N. Using the ICF to model the prospective associations between mental health, disability and environmental factors in the workplace. Disability and Rehabilitation, accepted June, 2007.

Nicholson, J.M., Berthelsen, D., Abad, V., Williams, K. & Bradley, J. (2008). Impact of music therapy to promote positive parenting and child development. Journal of Health Psychology, 13 (2), 226-238.

Desha, L.N., Ziviani, J.M., Nicholson, J.M. & Martin, G. (2007). Physical activity and depressive symptoms in American adolescents. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 29 (4), 534-543.

Docherty, L., Nicholson, J.M. & Williams, K. (2007). Sing & Grow: The co-existence of evaluation research and clinical practice in an early intervention music therapy project. New Zealand Journal of Music Therapy, 5, 1-16.

Halford, W.K., Nicholson, J.M. & Sanders, M.R. (2007). Couple communication in stepfamilies, Family Process, 46, 471-483.

Nicholson, J.M., Phillips, M., Whitton, S.W., Halford, W.K. & Sanders, M.R. (2007). Promoting healthy stepfamilies: Couples’ reasons for seeking help and perceived benefits from intervention. Family Matters, 77, 48-57.

Sanderson, K., Tilse, E., Nicholson, J., Oldenburg, B. & Graves, N. (2007). Which presenteeism measures are more sensitive to depression and anxiety? Journal of Affective Disorders, 101, 65-74.

Wake, M., Nicholson, J.M., Hardy, P., Smith, K. (2007). Preschooler obesity and parenting styles of mothers and fathers: Australian National population study. Pediatrics, Electronic Pages, 120 (6), e1520-e1527.

Dwyer, S.B., Nicholson, J.M., & Battistutta, D. (2006). Parent and teacher identification of children at risk of developing internalising or externalising mental health problems: A comparison of two screening methods. Prevention Science, 7(4), 343-357.

Dwyer, S.B., Nicholson, J.M., Battistutta, D., & Oldenburg, B.F. (2005). Teachers’ knowledge of children’s exposure to family risk factors: Accuracy, sources, and usefulness. Journal of School Psychology, 43(1), 23-38.

Sanson, A., Johnstone, R ., the LSAC Research Consortium & the FaCS LSAC Project Team (2004). ‘Growing Up in Australia’ takes its first steps. Family Matters, 67, 46-53.

Nicholson, J.M. & Rempel, L.A. (2004). Australian and New Zealand birth cohort studies: Breadth, quality and contributions. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health, 40, 87-95.

Whitton, S.W., Nicholson, J.M., & Markman, H.J. (in press). Research on interventions for stepfamily couples: The state of the field (Chapter 20). In J. Pryor (Ed). The International Handbook of Stepfamilies: Policy and Practice in Legal, Research and Clinical Environments. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.

Nicholson, J.M., Sanders, M.R., Halford, W.K., Phillips, M., & Whitton, S.W. (in press). Prevention and treatment of children’s adjustment problems in stepfamilies. (Chapter 21). In J. Pryor (Ed). The International Handbook of Stepfamilies: Policy and Practice in Legal, Research and Clinical Environments. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.

Nicholson, J.M., Sanson, A., Rempel, L., Smart, D. & Patton, G. (2002). Longitudinal studies of children and youth: Implications for future studies (pp.38-62). In A. Sanson (Ed.), Children’s Health and Development: New Research Directions for Australia. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies. (ISBN 0 642 39495 4)

Zubrick, S.R., Smith, G.J., Nicholson, J.M., Sanson, A.V., Jackiewicz, T & the LSAC Research Consortium (2008, in press). Parenting and families in Australia. (Social Policy Research Paper) Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs: Canberra, ACT.

Harrison, L., Ungerer, J., Smith, G., Zubrick, S., Wise, S. & the LSAC Research Consortium (2008, in press). Childcare in Australia. (Social Policy Research Paper) Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs: Canberra, ACT.

Wake, M., Sanson, A., Berthelsen, D., Hardy, P., Misson, S., Smith, K. & the LSAC Research Consortium (2008, in press).  How well are Australian infants and children aged 4 to 5 doing? (Social Policy Research Paper) Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs: Canberra, ACT.

Sanson, A., Nicholson, J., Ungerer, J., Zubrick, S., Wilson, K., Ainley, J., Berthelsen, D., Bittman, M., Broom, D., Harrison, L., Rodgers, B., Sawyer, M., Silburn, S., Strazdins, L., Vimpani, G., & Wake, M. (2002). Introducing the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. LSAC Discussion Paper Number 1, May, 2002. Australian Institute of Family Studies: Melbourne, VIC.  (ISBN: 0 642 39496 2).

Sanders, M.R., Gooley, S. & Nicholson, J. (2000).  Early intervention in conduct problems in children.  Vol. 3 in R. Kosky, A. O'Hanlon, G. Martin & C. Davis (Series Eds.), Clinical approaches to early intervention in child and adolescent mental health.  The Australian Early Intervention Network for Mental Health in Young People: Adelaide, SA. (ISBN: 0 9577915 4 2)

Research Supervision Interests

• Family and social determinants of children’s mental health and wellbeing
• Couple relationships, parenting and children’s adjustment in single-parent families, and following divorce and remarriage
• Impact of children’s time use and daily activities on health and wellbeing.
• Impact of adult work conditions on adult wellbeing, parenting, couple relationships and children’s wellbeing
• Evaluation of school-based interventions to promote children’s adjustment and to prevent child abuse and neglect
• Implementation, reach and sustainability of early intervention and prevention programs for high risk families and children

Research Awards and Scholarships

Research Fellowship 2006-2010  NHMRC Career Development Award (Public Health) (390136)  Life course determinants of the mental health and wellbeing of Australian children.

Award 2001  Queensland Young Tall Poppy Award. Australian Institute of Political Science. An outstanding young Queensland researcher.

Postdoctoral Fellowship 1995-1998  Public Health Research and Development Committee (of NHMRC) Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (954213).  Promotion of mental health in families.

Scholarship 1991-1994 University of Queensland Postgraduate Research Scholarship.

Award 1989  M.Sc. Awarded with Distinction.  University of Canterbury, NZ.