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Psychology of Active, Healthy Living

PAHL researchers use their expertise in motivation, behaviour change, resilience, communication, teamwork, confidence, and leadership to develop programs and services that improve people’s physical and mental health.

Eating and exercise experiences of Australian trans and gender diverse folks: lived experience and stakeholder perspectives

Trans individuals face elevated health risks and socio-environmental challenges, influencing their engagement in health-protective behaviors (e.g. exercise and nutrition). Despite these challenges, there is a significant gap in understanding the specific eating and exercise experiences of Australian trans adults, including barriers to healthy behaviors and healthcare experiences. This study aims to address this gap by exploring these experiences, informing targeted interventions and healthcare practices to improve health outcomes.

“That's not fair on my kid”: Carers' perspectives on sport participation and experiences for children in out-of-home care

Children in out-of-home care participate in less organised sport than children from other household structures, potentially reducing opportunities for improvements in social, developmental, and health outcomes. Despite this, little is known about barriers and facilitators of sport participation for children in care. We aimed to explore carers' perspectives on the influences on children in care's participation and experiences in organised sport.

Goal motives and mental contrasting with implementation intentions facilitate strategic goal persistence and disengagement

In three experiments, we examine the role of motives underlying goal pursuit and the metacognitive strategy of mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) to predict the strategic use of self-regulation responses (persistence, disengagement, and reengagement) when faced with attainable, unattainable, or multiple goals.

Improving sport opportunities, participation, and experiences for children in out-of-home care: A mixed-methods study

Participation in sport is associated with a range of physical, psychological, and social benefits. However, children in out-of-home care face complex barriers to sport participation, with lower participation rates than children in other household arrangements.

A sport-based mental health intervention for children at risk of mental illness

We know that sport, when the appropriate environment is provided, can be an enriching experience for children – with many physical and mental health benefits.

Parent and Child Engagement in Family-oriented Therapies for Childhood Obesity

This project will be conducted in conjunction with the Perth Childrens Hospital Health Weight Service (PCHHWS) and will involve three phases.

Purpose After Service through Sport (PASS): Supporting Military Veterans and their Families

Veterans who transition out of the military often face substantive challenges during their move to civilian life, including the management of their health, identifying opportunities for employment, contributing to the financial and emotional functioning of their household, and developing high-quality social connec

The Stride Program

Young adults, aged 18-24 years, are currently experiencing the highest rates of mental health challenges relative to the general population.

Thriving Under Threat: A Scoping Review of Human Thriving in Recurring Potentially Traumatic, Elevated Threat and High Stress Work Environments

In this scoping review, we explore the concept of human thriving in work populations that are repeatedly exposed to high stress, elevated threat, and potential trauma-professions such as first responders and front-line military personnel. The concept of thriving, defined as the joint experience of development and success, shares some similarities with other psychological concepts (e.g., resilience, posttraumatic growth, flourishing), but is distinct due to the consideration of physical wellbeing, and success (e.g., performance).