Overview
Background
Tianyi Ma is a Research Fellow (Academic Level B) at The University of Queensland whose research seeks to understand why children differ in their developmental trajectories and responses to preventive interventions. His interdisciplinary research program integrates developmental psychology, parenting and family psychology, educational psychology, prevention science, and advanced quantitative methods to investigate developmental mechanisms, individual differences, and family-school processes that shape children's learning, mental health, and wellbeing. He has published 28 refereed journal articles (including 17 as first and/or corresponding author) and secured over AU$340,000 in competitive funding as a lead or contributing investigator. He leads an independent program of research involving a coordinated team of honours students and research assistants while contributing to large-scale interdisciplinary collaborations. Tianyi serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools and Journal of Child and Family Studies, and sits on multiple editorial boards. His long-term goal is to develop a systems-contextual science of why children respond differently to developmental environments and preventive interventions, translating this knowledge into more personalised and effective supports across family, school, and community settings.
Availability
- Dr Tianyi Ma is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Psychological Science, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy of Psychology, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Parenting Processes
The psychological processes through which parenting influences children's development, which include parental self-efficacy, parental self-regulation, and parenting practices.
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Family–School Connections
The intersection between families and schools, with a focus on family–school partnerships and how parents and educators can work together to create supportive developmental environments.
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What Works for Whom?
Individual and contextual differences in how children and families respond to developmental environments and evidence-based parenting programs, asking what works for whom, under what circumstances, and through which mechanisms.
Research impacts
Tianyi has published 28 refereed journal articles, including 17 as first and/or corresponding author, and secured more than AU$340,000 in competitive research funding as a lead or contributing investigator. His research has appeared in leading international journals across developmental, clinical, educational, and school psychology, including Educational Psychology Review, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, and Journal of School Psychology.
According to SciVal (October 2026), approximately 90% of his publications appeared in Q1 journals (the top 25%), with more than half published in journals ranked in the top 10% by SCImago Journal Rank (SJR). Approximately 7% of his publications fell within the top 1% and 27.5% within the top 10% of publications by citation percentile. His overall Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) of 3.33 indicates that his publications have received more than three times the citations expected for publications of similar type and subject area. His publications and citation metrics are available through his Google Scholar profile.
Beyond academia, Tianyi's research has been cited in policy documents produced by governments in Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Ireland, Switzerland, Norway, Ghana, and Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as by the OECD. He also contributes directly to the evaluation of evidence-based parenting interventions. As statistical lead for the Thriving Kids and Parents Schools Project, funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, he contributed to the evaluation of Triple P seminars involving parents from 380 primary schools across Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia. The evaluation added to the evidence base for Triple P, an internationally implemented evidence-based parenting program translated into 24 languages and used in more than 80 countries.
Tianyi is also active in public engagement and science communication, translating developmental and parenting research for broader audiences through articles in The Conversation and media interviews with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Radio New Zealand. His work has attracted 56 media and news mentions, extending the reach of his research beyond academic audiences.
Works
Search Professor Tianyi Ma’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Conference Publication
A latent profile analysis of parent profiles and child mental health [Paper presentation]
Choi, Yina, Ma, Tianyi, Hodges, Julie, Boyle, Christopher and Sanders, Matthew R. (2025). A latent profile analysis of parent profiles and child mental health [Paper presentation]. Brisbane Mental Health Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 21 August 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
A scoping review of parent engagement in online parenting programs [Paper presentation]
Kaur, Navreet, Ma, Tianyi, Choi, Yina and Morawska, Alina (2025). A scoping review of parent engagement in online parenting programs [Paper presentation]. Brisbane Mental Health Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 21 August 2025.
2025
Other Outputs
Parenting under pressure: a scoping review of parental self-efficacy in the context of cumulative adversity
Chainey, Carys, Little, Sarah, Choi, Yina, Hoang, April, Ma, Tianyi, Stratton, Elizabeth, Teal, Renee, Marchand, Steeve, Ozols AM, Ingrid and Milton, Alyssa (2025). Parenting under pressure: a scoping review of parental self-efficacy in the context of cumulative adversity. LCC Working Paper Series. 2025-18. Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland Australia. doi: 10.14264/476de3b
2025
Conference Publication
Understanding the drivers of success in secondary-to-tertiary transitions
Long, Rowena, Moser, Felicity, Macdonald, Doune, Lodge, Jason M., Greco, Sarah, Woolcock, Liz, Ma, Tianyi, Anderson, Kimberley and Shepherd, Kate (2025). Understanding the drivers of success in secondary-to-tertiary transitions. Students Transitions Achievement Retention & Success Conference (STARS), Cairns, QLD Australia, 1 - 2 July 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
School-based parenting programs: child, family, and the home-school partnership outcomes [Roundtable Discussion]
Hodges, Julie and Ma, Tianyi (2025). School-based parenting programs: child, family, and the home-school partnership outcomes [Roundtable Discussion]. International Congress on Evidence-based Parenting Support 2025 (I-CEPS), Online, 4-7 June 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
The parent-child self-regulation dynamics [Roundtable Discussion]
Asmara, Olifa J. and Ma, Tianyi (2025). The parent-child self-regulation dynamics [Roundtable Discussion] . International Congress on Evidence-based Parenting Support 2025 (I-CEPS), Online, 4-7 June 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
The parent-child self-regulation dynamic: insights, impacts, and interventions [Symposium]
Asmaram, Olifa J., Ma, Tianyi and Chainey, Carys (2025). The parent-child self-regulation dynamic: insights, impacts, and interventions [Symposium]. International Congress on Evidence-based Parenting Support 2025 (I-CEPS), Online, 4-7 June 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
How a school-based, low-intensity, evidence-based parenting program can enhance the well-being of children and families and the home-school partnership: findings from a cluster randomised trial in Australian primary schools [Symposium]
Boyle, Christopher, Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi and Hodges, Julie (2025). How a school-based, low-intensity, evidence-based parenting program can enhance the well-being of children and families and the home-school partnership: findings from a cluster randomised trial in Australian primary schools [Symposium]. International Congress on Evidence-based Parenting Support 2025 (I-CEPS), Online, 4-7 June 2025.
2024
Conference Publication
Evaluating the effectiveness of a Triple P seminar series in Australian primary schools: findings from a cluster randomised trial [Paper presentation]
Boyle, Christopher, Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi and Hodges, Julie (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of a Triple P seminar series in Australian primary schools: findings from a cluster randomised trial [Paper presentation]. Australian Association for Research in Education 2024 Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 1-5 December 2024.
2024
Conference Publication
Preparing parents to be partners in children’s education: examining the spillover effects of school-based implementation of evidence-based parenting program [Paper Presentation]
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L., Hodges, Julie, Boyle, Christopher and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). Preparing parents to be partners in children’s education: examining the spillover effects of school-based implementation of evidence-based parenting program [Paper Presentation]. Australian Association for Research in Education 2024 Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 1-5 December 2024.
2024
Journal Article
Facilitators, barriers, and enablers of social workers’ utilization of an evidence-based parenting program: An exploratory mixed-method study
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L. and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). Facilitators, barriers, and enablers of social workers’ utilization of an evidence-based parenting program: An exploratory mixed-method study. Children and Youth Services Review, 166 107922, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107922
2024
Conference Publication
A public health approach to evidence-based parenting support [Symposium]
Sanders, Matthew R., Hodges, Julie, Ma, Tianyi and Morawska, Alina (2024). A public health approach to evidence-based parenting support [Symposium]. The 44th Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AACBT) Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 17-18 October 2024.
2024
Journal Article
Extended Child Adjustment and Parent Efficacy Scale (CAPES): inclusion of the peer relationship problems subscale and updated psychometric properties
Ma, Tianyi, Sanders, Matthew R., Hodges, Julie, Boyle, Christopher, Healy, Karyn L. and Morawska, Alina (2024). Extended Child Adjustment and Parent Efficacy Scale (CAPES): inclusion of the peer relationship problems subscale and updated psychometric properties. Australian Psychologist, 59 (6), 533-540. doi: 10.1080/00050067.2024.2411354
2024
Book Chapter
Enhancing outcomes for vulnerable parents, children, and communities using the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program System: Innovations and future directions
Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi, Hoang, Nam-Phuong T. and Turner, Karen M. T. (2024). Enhancing outcomes for vulnerable parents, children, and communities using the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program System: Innovations and future directions. Routledge handbook of child and family social work research: knowledge-building, application, and impact. (pp. 217-230) edited by Elizabeth Fernandez, Penelope Welbourne, Bethany Lee and Joyce L. C. Ma. London, United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. doi: 10.4324/9781003241492-16
2024
Other Outputs
National Parenting Pulse Survey: Understanding the current parenting experiences, challenges, and needs for support in Australia
Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi and Meester-Buma, Eva (2024). National Parenting Pulse Survey: Understanding the current parenting experiences, challenges, and needs for support in Australia. LCC Working Paper Series. 2024-32. Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland Australia. doi: 10.14264/f8f903f
2024
Other Outputs
The Thriving Kids and Parents Schools Project: Can a low-intensity seminar series for parents promote the wellbeing of children and families?
Boyle, Christopher, Sanders, Matthew R., Hodges, Julie and Ma, Tianyi (2024). The Thriving Kids and Parents Schools Project: Can a low-intensity seminar series for parents promote the wellbeing of children and families?. Adelaide, SA, Australia: The University of Adelaide.
2024
Journal Article
Place-based approach to support children’s development towards sustainable development goals: A scoping review of current effort and future agenda
Hoang, Nam-Phuong T., Ma, Tianyi, Silverwood, Amy J. and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). Place-based approach to support children’s development towards sustainable development goals: A scoping review of current effort and future agenda. Children and Youth Services Review, 164 107873, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107873
2024
Journal Article
The associations between parenting self-efficacy and parents’ contributions to the home-school partnership among parents of primary school students: a multilevel meta-analysis
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L., Hodges, Julie and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). The associations between parenting self-efficacy and parents’ contributions to the home-school partnership among parents of primary school students: a multilevel meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 36 (3) 93. doi: 10.1007/s10648-024-09937-3
2024
Conference Publication
Advances in population-based implementation and evaluation of the Triple P System of parenting support [Symposium]
Sanders, Matthew R., Metzler, Carol W., Ma, Tianyi and Prinz, Ron (2024). Advances in population-based implementation and evaluation of the Triple P System of parenting support [Symposium]. Society for Prevention Research 32nd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC United States, 28-31 May 2024.
2024
Conference Publication
Findings from a large-scale evaluation of a low-intensity, parenting seminars series in Australian schools [Paper presentation]
Boyle, Christopher, Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi and Hodges, Julie (2024). Findings from a large-scale evaluation of a low-intensity, parenting seminars series in Australian schools [Paper presentation]. European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) 2024, Nicosia, Cyprus, 27-30 August 2024.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Tianyi Ma is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Tianyi Ma directly for media enquiries about:
- Family Psychology
- Home-School Partnership
- Parental Engagement
- Parental Involvement
- Parenting
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