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Dr Divna Haslam
Dr

Divna Haslam

Email: 

Overview

Background

My work aims to ensure all children have access to safe, stable, violence-free childhoods they need to thrive in childhood and across life. This spans from extensive work on evidence-based parenting programs to major national epidemiological work on child maltreatment & mental health & wellbeing.

In 2023, I was a ministerial appointment to the Child Death Review Board which conducts systemic reviews of child deaths to identify areas to improve child safety. I also serve on the Board of Directors for the Parenting & Family Researchers Alliance and on the editorial board of the Australian Journal of Social Issues a policy masthead.

As both a clinical psychologist and a research academic, I use a prevention lens to target risk and protective factors to enhance child and family wellbeing to reduce the presence and impact of early adversity & mental ill health. This includes a focus on parenting stress, family violence and maltreatment, and issues associated with balancing work and life.

I am a chief investigator on the Young Minds: Our Future study which is the Third Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, and I am part of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS) team which generated the first nationally representative Australian data on the prevalence and mental health impact of the five types of child maltreatment in Australia.

As a researcher, I have received >$10 million in research funding and published extensively in leading D1 & Q1 journals. I am a sought-after speaker & frequently engage in science communication via the media.

Availability

Dr Divna Haslam is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts, The University of Queensland
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Arts, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research impacts

I am an international leader in knowledge generation, particularly around parenting and the use of parenting support to reduce violence toward children and strategies to enhance child mental health and wellbeing. My research has demonstrated global impact on research and policy and there is strong evidence of recognition of my thought leadership by governments and peak bodies within Australia and overseas. My research has been cited in 65 policy documents, across 12 countries (Overton, 2024) including the UK, Australia, and Norway, and by peak bodies such as UNICEF, and in clinical excellence guidelines such as the UK's National Insitute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines. My work has a strong focus on science communication and the media frequently seek me to provide expert commentary on parenting, child adversity, and the importance of the early years. Clinical tools I have developed have been used in over 15 countries across 10 languages.

I actively participate in public discourse and knowledge transfer through the generation of knowledge-sharing resources, and the publication of feature articles aimed at policymakers and the general public in platforms such as the Conversation and John Menadue's Public Policy Journal. I am a sought-after speaker and have provided a range of keynotes and invited presentations across all levels of government, the sector, and in academic conference settings. The Australian government has engaged me as a field expert for several different projects in parenting and child maltreatment. For example, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade contracted me as an expert to provide policy recommendations in the area of parenting to the Indonesian government as they established a parenting directorate, and in 2023 the National Office of Child Safety within the Attorney General's contracted me to conducted a scoping study on Wave Two Australian Child Maltreatment Study. On the basbsu

Works

Search Professor Divna Haslam’s works on UQ eSpace

71 works between 2006 and 2024

1 - 20 of 71 works

2024

Journal Article

The prevalence of child sexual abuse perpetrated by leaders or other adults in religious organizations in Australia

Hunt, Gabrielle R., Mathews, Ben, Higgins, Daryl J., Finkelhor, David, Willis, Megan L., Haslam, Divna M., Lawrence, David, Meinck, Franziska, Thomas, Hannah J., Malacova, Eva, Pacella, Rosana E. and Scott, James G. (2024). The prevalence of child sexual abuse perpetrated by leaders or other adults in religious organizations in Australia. Child Abuse and Neglect 106946, 106946. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106946

The prevalence of child sexual abuse perpetrated by leaders or other adults in religious organizations in Australia

2024

Journal Article

Acceptability of corporal punishment and use of different parenting practices across high‐income countries

Gonzalez, Carolina, Morawska, Alina, Higgins, Daryl J. and Haslam, Divna M. (2024). Acceptability of corporal punishment and use of different parenting practices across high‐income countries. Australian Journal of Social Issues. doi: 10.1002/ajs4.340

Acceptability of corporal punishment and use of different parenting practices across high‐income countries

2024

Journal Article

The prevalence and patterns of maltreatment, childhood adversity, and mental health disorders in an Australian out-of-home care sample

Harris, Lottie G., Higgins, Daryl J., Willis, Megan L., Lawrence, David, Mathews, Ben, Thomas, Hannah J., Malacova, Eva, Pacella, Rosana, Scott, James G., Finkelhor, David, Meinck, Franziska, Erskine, Holly E. and Haslam, Divna M. (2024). The prevalence and patterns of maltreatment, childhood adversity, and mental health disorders in an Australian out-of-home care sample. Child Maltreatment, 10775595241246534. doi: 10.1177/10775595241246534

The prevalence and patterns of maltreatment, childhood adversity, and mental health disorders in an Australian out-of-home care sample

2024

Journal Article

The prevalence of peer sexual harassment during childhood in Australia

Hunt, Gabrielle R., Higgins, Daryl J., Willis, Megan L., Mathews, Ben, Lawrence, David, Meinck, Franziska, Pacella, Rosana, Thomas, Hannah J., Scott, James G., Erskine, Holly E., Malacova, Eva and Haslam, Divna M. (2024). The prevalence of peer sexual harassment during childhood in Australia. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi: 10.1177/08862605241245368

The prevalence of peer sexual harassment during childhood in Australia

2024

Journal Article

Prevalence of diverse genders and sexualities in Australia and associations with five forms of child maltreatment and multi-type maltreatment

Higgins, Daryl J., Lawrence, David, Haslam, Divna M., Mathews, Ben, Malacova, Eva, Erskine, Holly E., Finkelhor, David, Pacella, Rosana, Meinck, Franziska, Thomas, Hannah J. and Scott, James G. (2024). Prevalence of diverse genders and sexualities in Australia and associations with five forms of child maltreatment and multi-type maltreatment. Child Maltreatment, 10775595231226331. doi: 10.1177/10775595231226331

Prevalence of diverse genders and sexualities in Australia and associations with five forms of child maltreatment and multi-type maltreatment

2024

Journal Article

Psychometric properties of the parenting belief scale in a multi-country sample of parents from high-income countries

Gonzalez, Carolina, Morawska, Alina, Higgins, Daryl J. and Haslam, Divna M. (2024). Psychometric properties of the parenting belief scale in a multi-country sample of parents from high-income countries. Child Abuse and Neglect, 147 106565, 106565. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106565

Psychometric properties of the parenting belief scale in a multi-country sample of parents from high-income countries

2024

Journal Article

Child Maltreatment, Mental Health Disorders, and Health Risk Behaviors in People With Diverse Gender Identities

Madzoska, Monica, Lawrence, David, Higgins, Daryl J., Haslam, Divna M., Mathews, Ben, Malacova, Eva, Dunne, Michael P., Erskine, Holly E., Pacella, Rosana, Meinck, Franziska, Thomas, Hannah J. and Scott, James G. (2024). Child Maltreatment, Mental Health Disorders, and Health Risk Behaviors in People With Diverse Gender Identities. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi: 10.1177/08862605241270077

Child Maltreatment, Mental Health Disorders, and Health Risk Behaviors in People With Diverse Gender Identities

2024

Journal Article

Child sexual abuse by different classes and types of perpetrator: Prevalence and trends from an Australian national survey

Mathews, Ben, Finkelhor, David, Pacella, Rosana, Scott, James G., Higgins, Daryl J., Meinck, Franziska, Erskine, Holly E., Thomas, Hannah J., Lawrence, David, Malacova, Eva, Haslam, Divna M. and Collin-Vézina, Delphine (2024). Child sexual abuse by different classes and types of perpetrator: Prevalence and trends from an Australian national survey. Child Abuse and Neglect, 147 106562, 106562. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106562

Child sexual abuse by different classes and types of perpetrator: Prevalence and trends from an Australian national survey

2023

Journal Article

Child maltreatment and criminal justice system involvement in Australia: Findings from a national survey

Mathews, Ben, Papalia, Nina, Napier, Sarah, Malacova, Eva, Lawrence, David, Higgins, Daryl, Thomas, Hannah, Erskine, Holly, Meinck, Franziska, Haslam, Divna, Scott, James, Finkelhor, David and Pacella, Rosana (2023). Child maltreatment and criminal justice system involvement in Australia: Findings from a national survey. Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice (681), 1-21. doi: 10.52922/ti77215

Child maltreatment and criminal justice system involvement in Australia: Findings from a national survey

2023

Journal Article

The prevalence of corporal punishment in Australia: Findings from a nationally representative survey

Haslam, Divna M., Malacova, Eva, Higgins, Daryl, Meinck, Franziska, Mathews, Ben, Thomas, Hannah, Finkelhor, David, Havighurst, Sophie, Pacella, Rosana, Erskine, Holly, Scott, James G. and Lawrence, David (2023). The prevalence of corporal punishment in Australia: Findings from a nationally representative survey. Australian Journal of Social Issues. doi: 10.1002/ajs4.301

The prevalence of corporal punishment in Australia: Findings from a nationally representative survey

2023

Conference Publication

READY for MS UK: Results from a pilot trial for a digital resilience-training intervention for People with Multiple Sclerosis who report moderate to severe work instability

Wicks, Charlotte, Horton, Mike, Pakenham, Kenneth, Pavitt, Sue, Thompson, Laura, Tallantyre, Emma, Brownlee, Wallace, Leary, Siobhan, Pepper, George and Ford, Helen (2023). READY for MS UK: Results from a pilot trial for a digital resilience-training intervention for People with Multiple Sclerosis who report moderate to severe work instability. 9th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS meeting, Milan Italy, Oct 11-13, 2023. LONDON: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.

READY for MS UK: Results from a pilot trial for a digital resilience-training intervention for People with Multiple Sclerosis who report moderate to severe work instability

2023

Journal Article

Corporal punishment of children in Australia: The evidence-based case for legislative reform

Havighurst, Sophie S., Mathews, Ben, Doyle, Frances L., Haslam, Divna M., Andriessen, Karl, Cubillo, Carmen, Dawe, Sharon, Hawes, David J., Leung, Cynthia, Mazzucchelli, Trevor G., Morawska, Alina, Whittle, Sarah, Chainey, Carys and Higgins, Daryl J. (2023). Corporal punishment of children in Australia: The evidence-based case for legislative reform. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 47 (3) 100044, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100044

Corporal punishment of children in Australia: The evidence-based case for legislative reform

2023

Journal Article

The role of health behavior theories in parents’ initial engagement with parenting interventions

Gonzalez, Carolina, Morawska, Alina and Haslam, Divna M. (2023). The role of health behavior theories in parents’ initial engagement with parenting interventions. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 91 (8), 485-495. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000816

The role of health behavior theories in parents’ initial engagement with parenting interventions

2023

Journal Article

The association between child maltreatment and health risk behaviours and conditions throughout life in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study

Lawrence, David M., Hunt, Anna, Mathews, Ben, Haslam, Divna M., Malacova, Eva, Dunne, Michael P., Erskine, Holly E., Higgins, Daryl J., Finkelhor, David, Pacella, Rosana, Meinck, Franziska, Thomas, Hannah J. and Scott, James G. (2023). The association between child maltreatment and health risk behaviours and conditions throughout life in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (s6), S34-S39. doi: 10.5694/mja2.51877

The association between child maltreatment and health risk behaviours and conditions throughout life in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study

2023

Journal Article

The prevalence of child maltreatment in Australia: findings from a national survey

Mathews, Ben, Pacella, Rosana, Scott, James G., Finkelhor, David, Meinck, Franziska, Higgins, Daryl J., Erskine, Holly E., Thomas, Hannah J., Lawrence, David M., Haslam, Divna M., Malacova, Eva and Dunne, Michael P. (2023). The prevalence of child maltreatment in Australia: findings from a national survey. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (s6), S13-S18. doi: 10.5694/mja2.51873

The prevalence of child maltreatment in Australia: findings from a national survey

2023

Journal Article

The prevalence and nature of multi-type child maltreatment in Australia

Higgins, Daryl J., Mathews, Ben, Pacella, Rosana, Scott, James G., Finkelhor, David, Meinck, Franziska, Erskine, Holly E., Thomas, Hannah J., Lawrence, David M., Haslam, Divna M., Malacova, Eva and Dunne, Michael P. (2023). The prevalence and nature of multi-type child maltreatment in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (s6), S19-S25. doi: 10.5694/mja2.51868

The prevalence and nature of multi-type child maltreatment in Australia

2023

Journal Article

Child maltreatment and health service use: findings of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study

Pacella, Rosana, Nation, Alexandra, Mathews, Ben, Scott, James G., Higgins, Daryl J., Haslam, Divna M., Dunne, Michael P., Finkelhor, David, Meinck, Franziska, Erskine, Holly E., Thomas, Hannah J., Malacova, Eva, Lawrence, David M. and Monks, Claire (2023). Child maltreatment and health service use: findings of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (s6), S40-S46. doi: 10.5694/mja2.51892

Child maltreatment and health service use: findings of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study

2023

Journal Article

The Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS), a national survey of the prevalence of child maltreatment and its correlates: methodology

Haslam, Divna M., Lawrence, David M., Mathews, Ben, Higgins, Daryl J., Hunt, Anna, Scott, James G., Dunne, Michael P., Erskine, Holly E., Thomas, Hannah J., Finkelhor, David, Pacella, Rosana, Meinck, Franziska and Malacova, Eva (2023). The Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS), a national survey of the prevalence of child maltreatment and its correlates: methodology. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (s6), S5-S12. doi: 10.5694/mja2.51869

The Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS), a national survey of the prevalence of child maltreatment and its correlates: methodology

2023

Journal Article

The association between child maltreatment and mental disorders in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study

Scott, James G., Malacova, Eva, Mathews, Ben, Haslam, Divna M., Pacella, Rosana, Higgins, Daryl J., Meinck, Franziska, Dunne, Michael P., Finkelhor, David, Erskine, Holly E., Lawrence, David M. and Thomas, Hannah J. (2023). The association between child maltreatment and mental disorders in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study. Medical Journal of Australia, 218 (s6), S26-S33. doi: 10.5694/mja2.51870

The association between child maltreatment and mental disorders in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study

2023

Journal Article

Childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: a systematic review

Rubens, Mackenzie, Bruenig, Dagmar, Adams, Jessica A.M., Suresh, Shruthi M., Sathyanarayanan, Anita, Haslam, Divna, Shenk, Chad E., Mathews, Ben and Mehta, Divya (2023). Childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: a systematic review. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 147 105079, 105079. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105079

Childhood maltreatment and DNA methylation: a systematic review

Funding

Past funding

  • 2015 - 2016
    A randomised controlled trial of a brief positive parenting program for Kenyan parents living in poverty
    Edmund Rice Overseas Aid Fund
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    Promoting positive adjustment in migrant and refugee families through delivery of an evidence-based parenting program
    The Sidney Myer Fund
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    What is the impact of defence life on children and families? A cross-sectional comparison of child wellbeing and family experiences of defence and civilian families.
    DHF Establishment Grants
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2007
    Teachers as Parents Project. Examining the work-family interface: The Impact of a Worksite Parenting Invervention on Family and Occupational Functioning
    Australian Rotary Health Research Fund
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2006
    Teachers as Parents Project. Examining the work-family interface: The impact of a worksite parenting intervention on family and occupational functioning.
    Australian Rotary Health Research Fund
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Divna Haslam is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Dr Divna Haslam directly for media enquiries about:

  • adverse childhood experiences
  • child abuse
  • child anxiety
  • child behaviour
  • child maltreatment
  • child mental health
  • children
  • family
  • parenting
  • parenting programs
  • triple p
  • work life balance
  • work-family conflict
  • work-life balance
  • working parents

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For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au