
Overview
Background
Kenneth Pakenham, PhD, is an Emeritus Professor of clinical and health psychology in the School of Psychology at The University of Queensland, Australia. His research and clinical practice in psychology spans 40 years. Inspired by the resilience of some people with serious illnesses, he has committed much of his career to investigating the processes that foster personal growth in the context of health adversities, and to translating his findings into interventions that help people live fully with illness. This passion has driven his empirical, theoretical and translational research, curriculum development, and clinical training and supervision. Importantly, his work has included not only the person with chronic illness, but also his or her network, particularly the carer. Through his 180+ publications, over 80 conference presentations, 3 research awards, and more than 3 million dollars of competitive grant funding, he has become a leader in the application of positive health frameworks to several chronic illnesses, and to caregiving in these contexts. His research has helped to inform government policies, particularly those related to carers, and establish interventions and assessment protocols within government and community services. The “living fully with illness” theme integrates his early research in stress/coping theory, his mid-career shift to incorporate the rise of positive psychology, and his current and future focus on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Using ACT to extend his research on living fully with illness has also invigorated his teaching. He developed the first ACT university course in Australia. This course integrates training in therapist competencies and self-care skills and shows published empirical evidence of fostering competent and resilient clinicians. Through peer reviewed publications, conference and keynote presentations, and three teaching awards, he has become a leader in integrating training in therapist and self-care competencies into clinical psychology curricula using an ACT framework. He has six teaching awards including two national teaching awards. He has supervised the postgraduate research of 53 students. He has served in many influential professional roles including: Chair of the Registration Committee of the Psychologists Board of Queensland for over 10 years, Director of The University of Queensland Psychology Clinic for 7 years, Honours Convenor for 3 years, and member of the editorial boards for six international journals.
His career-long commitment to ‘practice what you teach’ is epitomised in his recently published memoir The Trauma Banquet: Eating Pain – Feasting on Life.
Availability
- Emeritus Professor Kenneth Pakenham is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor (Honours), University of New South Wales
- Masters (Coursework), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Resilience Training
Development, implementation, and evaluation of group and individual online ACT based resilience training interventions.
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Mental Health Promotion
Investigation of the psychological flexibility model of mental health promotion via theory testing studies and applied population-based intervention research.
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Coping with Chronic Illness
Exploration into the protective factors that enhance adaptation to chronic illness within a ‘patient’ and informal carer social context and the development of interventions that foster positive adjustment.
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Youth Caregiving
Research into the impacts of youth caregiving in the context of a seriously ill family member, including theory development and testing, measure construction, and intervention development.
Research impacts
The impacts of Emeritus Professor Pakenham's research has been recognised through three research awards (UQ Trailblazer Award, 2010; UQ Partners in Research Excellence Award, 2016; UQ Faculty of Health & Behavioural Sciences Staff Award for Research Translation, 2017). His research on chronic illness and caregiving has informed key government policy and service developments. For example, his definitive report on adult caregiving (Pakenham, Stebbins et al, 2005), and his young carer research findings were presented to the Director Generals of Qld Health and Community Services and government working groups responsible for the implementation of the Qld Govt. Carer Recognition Policy (2003). Subsequently, this research informed the Carers Recognition Bill (2008). In 2018 he was nominated by the Board of MS Queensland as one of the 60 most influential people in MS Queensland’s 60-year history. He has also participated on Federal Government expert panels (e.g., Expert Reference Group to develop a Carer Payment assessment tool). His expertise has also been utilised internationally. For example, he was invited to give expert testimony on young caregiving in a high profile landmark trial in USA (July 2007).
Interventions he has developed have transformed services in the chronic illness field. For example, he and a colleague developed a resilience training program called READY, which Professor Pakenhm later modified for people with MS. He and a student developed the Mindfulness for MS Program. Both programs have received research awards and have become flagship services in peak MS frontline services in Australia and internationally. Evidence shows that both programs have enhanced the quality of life of patients and their carers and the morale of staff delivering them. His interventions have also been adopted internationally. For example, the READY for MS program is used in the UK, Germany, Greece and Italy, 2 carer interventions are listed on the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (Georgia Southwestern State University, USA) catalogue of evidenced-based interventions for carers, and his young carer intervention is listed on the website of a carer Centre at Linnaeus University, Sweden and is being utilised by the MS Society of Canada.
The chronic illness and caregiving measures he has developed are extensively used in clinical and research endeavours internationally. Ten of his published measures are catalogued with international databases.
Through his RHD supervision he has also developed effective interventions that have impacted the work settings of his students. For example, a student employed by the Australian Defence Force and Prof Pakenham developed a psychological intervention for recruits undertaking basic military training, which has been incorporated into the recruit training schedule in all basic military training programs in Australia.
Works
Search Professor Kenneth Pakenham’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Book Chapter
ACT resilience training in multiple sclerosis
Pakenham, Kenneth I. and Giovannetti, Ambra Mara (2024). ACT resilience training in multiple sclerosis. Innovations in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Acquired Brain Injury. (pp. 6-21) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003193722-2
2024
Journal Article
Internet-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Thompson, Emma M., Albertella, Lucy, Viskovich, Shelley, Pakenham, Kenneth I. and Fontenelle, Leonardo F. (2024). Internet-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 180 104595, 104595. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2024.104595
2024
Journal Article
Pilot Evaluation of a Self-help ACT Intervention for Palliative Care Patients
Martin, Christopher L. and Pakenham, Kenneth I. (2024). Pilot Evaluation of a Self-help ACT Intervention for Palliative Care Patients. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 33 100797, 100797. doi: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100797
2024
Journal Article
Parental cancer: mediating and moderating roles of psychological inflexibility in the links between illness severity and parental quality of life and family outcomes
Landi, Giulia, Pakenham, Kenneth I., Cattivelli, Roberto, Golfieri, Lucia, Grandi, Silvana and Tossani, Eliana (2024). Parental cancer: mediating and moderating roles of psychological inflexibility in the links between illness severity and parental quality of life and family outcomes. Current Psychology, 43 (27), 1-11. doi: 10.1007/s12144-024-06008-2
2024
Journal Article
Cross-cultural validity and reliability of the comprehensive assessment of acceptance and commitment therapy processes (CompACT) in people with multiple sclerosis
Giovannetti, Ambra Mara, Rosato, Rosalba, Galán, Ingrid, Toscano, Anna, Anglada, Elisenda, Menendez, Rebeca, Hoyer, Jürgen, Confalonieri, Paolo, Giordano, Andrea, Pakenham, Kenneth Ian, Pöttgen, Jana and Solari, Alessandra (2024). Cross-cultural validity and reliability of the comprehensive assessment of acceptance and commitment therapy processes (CompACT) in people with multiple sclerosis. Quality of Life Research, 33 (5), 1359-1371. doi: 10.1007/s11136-024-03609-z
2023
Journal Article
Opportunities in multiple sclerosis care partner research: an interview
Finlayson, Marcia and Pakenham, Kenneth (2023). Opportunities in multiple sclerosis care partner research: an interview. International Journal of MS Care, 25 (6), 278-280. doi: 10.7224/1537-2073-25.6.278
2023
Journal Article
Identification of psychological flexibility and inflexibility profiles during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Pakenham, Kenneth I., Landi, Giulia, Cattivelli, Roberto, Grandi, Silvana and Tossani, Eliana (2023). Identification of psychological flexibility and inflexibility profiles during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 79 (10), 2225-2250. doi: 10.1002/jclp.23536
2023
Journal Article
The mediating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship between resilience and distress and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis
Pakenham, Kenneth I, Landi, Giulia, Grandi, Silvana and Tossani, Eliana (2023). The mediating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship between resilience and distress and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis. Journal of Health Psychology, 29 (1), 65-80. doi: 10.1177/13591053231182364
2023
Journal Article
Fluctuations in mental health in students accessing a university-wide online mental health promotion intervention before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
Viskovich, Shelley, Fowler, James A. and Pakenham, Kenneth I. (2023). Fluctuations in mental health in students accessing a university-wide online mental health promotion intervention before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Australian Psychologist, 58 (5), 373-387. doi: 10.1080/00050067.2023.2212150
2023
Journal Article
A pilot randomised control trial of an online acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) resilience training program for people with multiple sclerosis
Pakenham, Kenneth I. and Landi, Giulia (2023). A pilot randomised control trial of an online acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) resilience training program for people with multiple sclerosis. Sclerosis, 1 (1), 27-50. doi: 10.3390/sclerosis1010005
2022
Journal Article
Caregiving responsibilities and mental health outcomes in young adult carers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study
Landi, Giulia, Pakenham, Kenneth I., Cattivelli, Roberto, Grandi, Silvana and Tossani, Eliana (2022). Caregiving responsibilities and mental health outcomes in young adult carers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (22) 15149, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192215149
2022
Journal Article
Psychosocial palliative care: Patients’ preferred intervention medium, target domains, and well-being priorities
Pakenham, Kenneth and Martin, Christopher Lloyd (2022). Psychosocial palliative care: Patients’ preferred intervention medium, target domains, and well-being priorities. Palliative and Supportive Care, 22 (4) PII S1478951522001535, 1-9. doi: 10.1017/s1478951522001535
2022
Journal Article
Post-traumatic growth in people experiencing high post-traumatic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic: the protective role of psychological flexibility
Landi, Giulia, Pakenham, Kenneth I., Mattioli, Elisa, Crocetti, Elisabetta, Agostini, Alessandro, Grandi, Silvana and Tossani, Eliana (2022). Post-traumatic growth in people experiencing high post-traumatic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic: the protective role of psychological flexibility. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 26, 44-55. doi: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.08.008
2022
Journal Article
The trajectories of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic and the protective role of psychological flexibility: A four-wave longitudinal study
Landi, Giulia, Pakenham, Kenneth I., Crocetti, Elisabetta, Tossani, Eliana and Grandi, Silvana (2022). The trajectories of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic and the protective role of psychological flexibility: A four-wave longitudinal study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 307, 69-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.067
2022
Journal Article
A group resilience training program for people with multiple sclerosis: study protocol of a multi-centre cluster-randomized controlled trial (multi-READY for MS)
Giovannetti, Ambra Mara, Pakenham, Kenneth Ian, Presti, Giovambattista, Quartuccio, Maria Esmeralda, Confalonieri, Paolo, Bergamaschi, Roberto, Grobberio, Monica, Di Filippo, Massimiliano, Micheli, Mary, Brichetto, Giampaolo, Patti, Francesco, Copetti, Massimiliano, Kruger, Paola and Solari, Alessandra (2022). A group resilience training program for people with multiple sclerosis: study protocol of a multi-centre cluster-randomized controlled trial (multi-READY for MS). PLoS One, 17 (5) e0267245, e0267245. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267245
2022
Journal Article
The role of psychological flexibility in palliative care
Martin, Christopher L. and Pakenham, Kenneth I. (2022). The role of psychological flexibility in palliative care. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 24, 160-170. doi: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.05.004
2022
Journal Article
Young adult carers during the pandemic: The effects of parental illness and other ill family members on COVID-19-related and general mental health outcomes
Landi, Giulia, Pakenham, Kenneth I., Grandi, Silvana and Tossani, Eliana (2022). Young adult carers during the pandemic: The effects of parental illness and other ill family members on COVID-19-related and general mental health outcomes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (6) 3391, 3391. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063391
2022
Journal Article
Cross-country adaptation of a psychological flexibility measure: the comprehensive assessment of acceptance and commitment therapy processes
Giovannetti, Ambra Mara, Pöttgen, Jana, Anglada, Elisenda, Menéndez, Rebeca, Hoyer, Jürgen, Giordano, Andrea, Pakenham, Kenneth Ian, Galán, Ingrid and Solari, Alessandra (2022). Cross-country adaptation of a psychological flexibility measure: the comprehensive assessment of acceptance and commitment therapy processes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (6) 3150, 3150. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063150
2022
Journal Article
Evaluation of a program for training psychologists in an acceptance and commitment therapy resilience intervention for people with multiple sclerosis: a single-arm longitudinal design with a nested qualitative study
Giovannetti, Ambra Mara, Messmer Uccelli, Michele, Solari, Alessandra and Pakenham, Kenneth I. (2022). Evaluation of a program for training psychologists in an acceptance and commitment therapy resilience intervention for people with multiple sclerosis: a single-arm longitudinal design with a nested qualitative study. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44 (22), 1-13. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2022.2025926
2022
Book Chapter
Self-care and burnout: a proactive values-based perspective
Rupert, Patricia A. and Pakenham, Kenneth Ian (2022). Self-care and burnout: a proactive values-based perspective. Comprehensive clinical psychology. (pp. 138-148) Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-12-818697-8.00102-3
Funding
Supervision
Availability
- Emeritus Professor Kenneth Pakenham is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
The Final ACT - Quality of Life for Palliative Patients and their Families, the role of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fiona Maccallum
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Doctor Philosophy
The Final ACT - Quality of Life for Palliative Patients and their Families, the role of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fiona Maccallum
-
Doctor Philosophy
The Final ACT - Quality of Life for Palliative Patients and their Families, the role of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fiona Maccallum
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
The Final ACT - Quality of Life for Palliative Patients and their Families, the role of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Fiona Maccallum
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Mental Health in Meaningful Work: Investigation of Aid Worker Distress and Wellbeing, and an Online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Intervention
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Martin Edwards
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Resilience Training for People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Development and Evaluation of the Australian READY Program in Italy
Principal Advisor
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Evaluation of a web-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) program to increase self-care and mental health skills in university students
Principal Advisor
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Can members of Christian faith-based organisations be a resource for suicide prevention?
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Bernadette Watson
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the relationships between stress, coping, benefit-finding and Quality of Life in Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A longitudinal study
Principal Advisor
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2008
Doctor Philosophy
Interactions among Control Beliefs, Illness Severity, Biological Factors and a Psychological Preparation for Heart Surgery: Predictors of Health Outcomes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ian Frazer
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2008
Doctor Philosophy
The nature of Sense making and Benefit Finding in parents who have a Child with Asperger Syndrome
Principal Advisor
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2007
Doctor Philosophy
AN EXAMINATION OF MOTHERS' AND FATHERS' ADJUSTMENT TO HAVING A CHILD WITH ADHD: AN APPLICATION OF THE DOUBLE ABCX MODEL OF FAMILY ADAPTATION
Principal Advisor
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2007
Doctor Philosophy
A VULNERABILITY-STRESS-COPING MODEL OF ADJUSTMENT TOTHE INDIVIDUAL NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA
Principal Advisor
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2006
Doctor Philosophy
PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN CAREGIVERS OF PEOPLE WITH ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY: A COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL ANALYSIS
Principal Advisor
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2004
Doctor Philosophy
COPING WITH AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS
Principal Advisor
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2012
Doctor Philosophy
Meditation: An Exploration of Practice Dimensions, Processes, and Psychological Health and Functioning Outcomes
Associate Advisor
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2011
Master Philosophy
Companions on the Inside: Pet Ownership and the Introduction of a Prison Dog Program at Darling Downs Correctional Centre.
Associate Advisor
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
Rejection Sensitivity, Information Processing Deficits, Attachment Style and Empathic Accuracy in Violent Relationships
Associate Advisor
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2007
Doctor Philosophy
COPING WITH CARE-GIVING: BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
Associate Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Preventing anxiety and promoting social and emotional strength in early childhood: An investigation of aetiological risk factors
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
Contact Emeritus Professor Kenneth Pakenham directly for media enquiries about:
- caregiving - children
- carers
- chronic illness - adjusting
- chronic illness - coping
- Clinical health psychology
- disability - carers
- illness - carers
- meaning making processes - psychology
- Positive psychology
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