Overview
Availability
- Dr Maria Vassos is:
- Not available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, University of Melbourne
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), University of Melbourne
- Professional Doctorate of Clinical Psychology, RMIT University
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Parent stress and seeking voluntary out-of-home care (relinquishment) for children and young people with disability
My work has focused on understanding the causal factors behind parental decisions to seek voluntary out-of-home care (e.g., lack of access to support, children with high support needs and challenging behaviour), profiling parenting experiences based on these factors, and developing screening and identification tools to enhance early intervention support for parents and families experiencing stress and crisis.
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Behaviour support
My work has focused on behaviour support plan quality, specifically the evaluation of plan quality at an organisation, state, and national level. My work has also focused on determining the reliability, validity and usability of existing tools that measure plan quality (e.g., the Behaviour Intervention Plan Quality Evaluation, Version 2), and the development of a new plan quality evaluation tool that is accessible to a wider group of stakeholders (e.g., parents and disability support workers in addition to behaviour support practitioners). Also, my work has focused on evaluating the effectiveness of positive behaviour support plan training to enhance staff knowledge and capability to develop quality plans.
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Work-related issues for disability professionals
My work has focused on understanding the predictors of job burnout and work engagement in the disability support worker population (e.g., role ambiguity, job feedback, large workload) and identifying inherent sources of role ambiguity in the disability support work role. My work has also focused on organisational culture (clinical governance in particular) in the disability service sector and the impact that poor culture has on the day-to-day work of allied health professionals (e.g., psychologists, speech pathologists) supporting people with disability.
Works
Search Professor Maria Vassos’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2023
Journal Article
The ethical, legal, and social implications of genomics and disability: findings from a scoping review and their human rights implications
Vassos, Maria, Faragher, Rhonda, Nankervis, Karen, Breedt, Radostina, Boyle, Fran, Smith, Simon and Kelly, Jo (2023). The ethical, legal, and social implications of genomics and disability: findings from a scoping review and their human rights implications. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 8 (1), 151-166. doi: 10.1007/s41252-023-00362-1
Featured
2023
Journal Article
Can the Behaviour Intervention Plan Quality Evaluation, Version 2, be simplified for use by stakeholders with limited experience of positive behaviour support?
Vassos, M., Carberry, T., Davis, F., Wardale, S. and Nankervis, K. (2023). Can the Behaviour Intervention Plan Quality Evaluation, Version 2, be simplified for use by stakeholders with limited experience of positive behaviour support?. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 67 (5), 488-497. doi: 10.1111/jir.13020
Featured
2019
Journal Article
Using Common Determinants of Out-of-Home Care to Profile Parents of Children and Adolescents with a Disability: an Exploratory Study
Vassos, Maria, Nankervis, Karen, Gavidia-Payne, Susana and Chan, Jeffrey (2019). Using Common Determinants of Out-of-Home Care to Profile Parents of Children and Adolescents with a Disability: an Exploratory Study. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 3 (3), 267-280. doi: 10.1007/s41252-019-00108-y
Featured
2019
Journal Article
Clinical governance climate within disability service organizations from the perspective of allied health professionals: clinical governance climate
Vassos, Maria, Nankervis, Karen and Chan, Jeffrey (2019). Clinical governance climate within disability service organizations from the perspective of allied health professionals: clinical governance climate. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 16 (1), 67-77. doi: 10.1111/jppi.12281
Featured
2017
Journal Article
Can the job demand-control-(support) model predict disability support worker burnout and work engagement?
Vassos, Maria, Nankervis, Karen, Skerry, Trevor and Lante, Kerrie (2017). Can the job demand-control-(support) model predict disability support worker burnout and work engagement?. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 44 (2), 1-11. doi: 10.3109/13668250.2017.1310818
Featured
2016
Journal Article
The outcome of a statewide audit of the quality of positive behaviour support plans
Wardale, Simon, Davis, Fiona, Vassos, Maria and Nankervis, Karen (2016). The outcome of a statewide audit of the quality of positive behaviour support plans. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 43 (2), 1-11. doi: 10.3109/13668250.2016.1254736
Featured
2013
Journal Article
What qualities are valued in residential direct care workers from the perspective of people with an intellectual disability and managers of accommodation services?
Dodevska, G. A. and Vassos, M. V. (2013). What qualities are valued in residential direct care workers from the perspective of people with an intellectual disability and managers of accommodation services?. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 57 (7), 601-615. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2012.01565.x
Featured
2013
Journal Article
Work engagement and job burnout within the disability support worker population
Vassos, Maria, Nankervis, Karen, Skerry, Trevor and Lante, Kerrie (2013). Work engagement and job burnout within the disability support worker population. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34 (11), 3884-3895. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2013.08.005
2024
Journal Article
A positive behaviour support practice framework for disability and community services in Australia that prioritises human rights and evidence-based practices
Fisher, Alinka, Louise, Kymberly, Dobek, Monika, McRae, Jo, Clissold, Maverick, Reschke, Katrina, Fox, Russell, Leif, Erin, Vassos, Maria, Ellis, Jane, Annear, Katharine, Figueiredo, Sessina, Cubis, Lee, Cheung, Sau Chi, Spicer, Matthew, Nankervis, Karen, McVilly, Keith and Freeman, Rachel (2024). A positive behaviour support practice framework for disability and community services in Australia that prioritises human rights and evidence-based practices. Disability and Rehabilitation, 1-12. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2024.2402079
2024
Journal Article
Positive Behaviour Support is effective when implemented correctly: a response to “Restrictive practice – A pathway to elimination” (Spivakovsky, Steele, & Wadiwel, 2023)
Carberry, Trent, Wardale, Simon, Hutchison, Sarah, Lackey, Susan and Vassos, Maria (2024). Positive Behaviour Support is effective when implemented correctly: a response to “Restrictive practice – A pathway to elimination” (Spivakovsky, Steele, & Wadiwel, 2023). Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 11 (2), 1-13. doi: 10.1080/23297018.2024.2391804
2024
Conference Publication
The Behaviour Support Plan Quality Assessment (BSPQA) - a new tool to measure the quality of a positive behaviour support plan
Vassos, M. and Nankervis, K. (2024). The Behaviour Support Plan Quality Assessment (BSPQA) - a new tool to measure the quality of a positive behaviour support plan. Re‐imagining Connections, The 17th IASSIDD World Congress, Chicago, IL USA, 5-8 August 2024. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.
2024
Conference Publication
Navigating the ethical, legal and social issues of genomics and disability: an inclusive framework
Nankervis, K., Vassos, M. and Faragher, R. (2024). Navigating the ethical, legal and social issues of genomics and disability: an inclusive framework. Re‐imagining Connections, The 17th IASSIDD World Congress, Chicago, IL United States, 5-8 August 2024. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
2024
Conference Publication
Eliciting stakeholder views on ethical, legal and social issues of genomics in the context of disability: a modified Delphi study
Faragher, R., Nankervis, K., Vassos, M., Boyle, F., Smith, S. and Kelly, J. (2024). Eliciting stakeholder views on ethical, legal and social issues of genomics in the context of disability: a modified Delphi study. 17th IASSIDD World Congress, Chicago, IL United States, 5 - 8 August 2024. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1111/jir.13166
2024
Conference Publication
The establishment and piloting of an AI driven online professional development and feedback program
Mcvilly, K., Kirley, M., Oliveira, E. A., Vassos, M. and Nankervis, K. (2024). The establishment and piloting of an AI driven online professional development and feedback program. Re‐imagining Connections, The 17th IASSIDD World Congress, Chicago, IL USA, 5-8 August 2024. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.
2024
Journal Article
Evaluating the effectiveness of the Complex Behaviour Forum—A multisystem approach to supporting people with complex challenging behaviour
Carberry, Trent, Hutchison, Sarah, Wardale, Simon, Demir, Rebeka and Vassos, Maria (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of the Complex Behaviour Forum—A multisystem approach to supporting people with complex challenging behaviour. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 37 (4) e13261. doi: 10.1111/jar.13261
2024
Conference Publication
Exploring the ethical, legal and social implications of genomic technologies and disability - findings from a large-scale survey
Vassos, M., Nankervis, K., Faragher, R., Breedt, R. and Kelly, J. (2024). Exploring the ethical, legal and social implications of genomic technologies and disability - findings from a large-scale survey. Re‐imagining Connections, The 17th IASSIDD World Congress, Chicago, IL United States, 5-8 August 2024. Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
2024
Conference Publication
Developing the format and assessment criteria for an online, AI-based, positive behaviour support plan quality feedback tool
Nankervis, K., Vassos, M., Carberry, T. and King, M. (2024). Developing the format and assessment criteria for an online, AI-based, positive behaviour support plan quality feedback tool. Re‐imagining Connections, The 17th IASSIDD World Congress, Chicago, IL, United States, 5-8 August 2024. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.
2023
Journal Article
Australasian genetic counselors' attitudes toward disability and prenatal testing: Findings from a cross‐sectional survey
Yanes, Tatiane, Nathan, Vaishnavi, Wallingford, Courtney, Faragher, Rhonda, Nankervis, Karen, Jacobs, Chris, Vassos, Maria, Boyle, Fran, Carroll, Annemaree, Smith, Simon and McInerney‐Leo, Aideen (2023). Australasian genetic counselors' attitudes toward disability and prenatal testing: Findings from a cross‐sectional survey. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 33 (4), 1-12. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1788
2023
Conference Publication
Why should I care about evidence? Direct support work and evidence-based practice
Nankervis, Karen and Vassos, Maria (2023). Why should I care about evidence? Direct support work and evidence-based practice. DSW Conference 2023, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 13-14 June 2023.
2023
Other Outputs
Evidence matters: developing quality behaviour support plans
Nankervis, Karen and Vassos, Maria (2023). Evidence matters: developing quality behaviour support plans. Penrith, NSW Australia: NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Maria Vassos is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Active engagement of people with disability in genomic research: honouring their knowledge and perspectives in creating recommendations and evaluation framework for designing value enhanced participatory research.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rhonda Faragher, Professor Karen Nankervis
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Doctor Philosophy
Educational Quality of Life for Students with Disabilities
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Karen Nankervis, Professor Rhonda Faragher
Media
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