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
- Doctor of Philosophy, RMIT University
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
-
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.
-
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.
-
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
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
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.
2022
Conference Publication
How can I tell if a behaviour support plan is good? A discussion of plan quality and the best ways to identify a good plan.
Nankervis, Karen and Vassos, Maria (2022). How can I tell if a behaviour support plan is good? A discussion of plan quality and the best ways to identify a good plan.. DSW Conference 2022, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 14-15 June 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
How can we help you? Exploring ways to support workplace wellbeing from a staff perspective
Vassos, Maria and Nankervis, Karen (2022). How can we help you? Exploring ways to support workplace wellbeing from a staff perspective. DSW Conference 2022, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 14-15 June 2022.
2019
Book Chapter
Agencies and professions in the provision of care
Nankervis, Karen L. and Vassos, Maria V. (2019). Agencies and professions in the provision of care. Handbook of intellectual disabilities: integrating theory, research, and practice. (pp. 201-217) edited by Johnny L. Matson. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-20843-1_13
2019
Other Outputs
Defining the work of a disability support worker in Australia: A review of the work role
Vassos, Maria V., Nankervis, Karen L. and Chan, Jeffrey (2019). Defining the work of a disability support worker in Australia: A review of the work role. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.17156.35206
2019
Other Outputs
Social attitudes towards intellectual disability
Vassos, M. (2019). Social attitudes towards intellectual disability. Cannon Hill, Qld, Australia: Endeavour Foundation.
2018
Conference Publication
Occupational, health, and safety cost savings as a result of implementing positive behaviour support
Vassos, M., Wardale, S. and Cornish, G. (2018). Occupational, health, and safety cost savings as a result of implementing positive behaviour support. Fifth International IASSIDD Europe Congress , Athens, Greece, 17–20 July 2018 . Chichester, West Sussex United Kingdom: Wiley.
2018
Journal Article
Severity of cognitive disability and mental health court determinations about fitness to stand trial
Young, J T, Davis, F J, Wardale, S, Vassos, M, van Dooren, K, Nankervis, K and Lennox, N G (2018). Severity of cognitive disability and mental health court determinations about fitness to stand trial. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62 (2), 126-139. doi: 10.1111/jir.12468
2018
Conference Publication
The early response tool: development and initial psychometric evaluation
Vassos, M. and Nankervis, K. (2018). The early response tool: development and initial psychometric evaluation. 5th International IASSIDD Europe Congress, Athens, Greece, 17-20 July 2018. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1111/jar.12481
2017
Other Outputs
Developing a greater understanding of parental relinquishment of care in the disability sector
Vassos, Maria Vicki (2017). Developing a greater understanding of parental relinquishment of care in the disability sector. PhD Thesis, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2017.946
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Media
Enquiries
For media enquiries about Dr Maria Vassos's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team: