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Associate Professor Divna Haslam
Associate Professor

Divna Haslam

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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, corporal punishment (smacking) & 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 in QLD. In 2024 the World Health Organisation appointed me to their international Technical Expert Group for Violence Against Children Estimations. 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 award-winning 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 across all platforms.

Availability

Associate Professor 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
  • Member, Australian Psychological Society, Australian Psychological Society

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.

Works

Search Professor Divna Haslam’s works on UQ eSpace

82 works between 2006 and 2025

61 - 80 of 82 works

2018

Book Chapter

Accommodating race and ethnicity in parenting interventions

Haslam, Divna M. and Mejia, Anilena (2018). Accommodating race and ethnicity in parenting interventions. The power of positive parenting: transforming the lives of children, parents, and communities using the Triple P system. (pp. 332-343) edited by Matthew R. Sanders and Trevor G. Mazzucchelli . New York, NY, United States: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/med-psych/9780190629069.003.0030

Accommodating race and ethnicity in parenting interventions

2018

Book Chapter

Policies and services affecting parenting

Burke, Kylie, Haslam, Divna and Butler, Keny (2018). Policies and services affecting parenting. Handbook of parenting and child development across the lifespan. (pp. 551-564) edited by Matthew R. Sanders and Alina Morawska. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-94598-9_24

Policies and services affecting parenting

2018

Book Chapter

Parenting support in the workplace

Haslam, Divna M. and Penman, Nicole (2018). Parenting support in the workplace. The power of positive parenting: transforming the lives of children, parents, and communities using the Triple P system. (pp. 262-271) edited by Matthew R. Sanders and Trevor G. Mazzucchelli. New York, NY, United States: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/med-psych/9780190629069.003.0023

Parenting support in the workplace

2018

Book Chapter

Work, poverty, and financial stress

Haslam, Divna M. and Burke, Kylie (2018). Work, poverty, and financial stress. Handbook of parenting and child development across the lifespan. (pp. 495-510) edited by Matthew R. Sanders and Alina Morawska. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-94598-9_21

Work, poverty, and financial stress

2017

Journal Article

The International Parenting Survey: Rationale, Development, and Potential Applications

Morawska, Alina, Filus, Ania, Haslam, Divna and Sanders, Matthew R (2017). The International Parenting Survey: Rationale, Development, and Potential Applications. Comprehensive child and adolescent nursing, 42 (1), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/24694193.2017.1384082

The International Parenting Survey: Rationale, Development, and Potential Applications

2017

Journal Article

Protecting Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries from Abuse and Neglect: Critical Challenges for Successful Implementation of Parenting Programmes

Mejia, Anilena, Haslam, Divna, Sanders, Matthew R. and Penman, Nicole (2017). Protecting Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries from Abuse and Neglect: Critical Challenges for Successful Implementation of Parenting Programmes. European Journal of Development Research, 29 (5), 1038-1052. doi: 10.1057/s41287-017-0105-4

Protecting Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries from Abuse and Neglect: Critical Challenges for Successful Implementation of Parenting Programmes

2017

Journal Article

The use of social media as a mechanism of social support in parents

Haslam, Divna M. , Tee, Amelia and Baker, Sabine (2017). The use of social media as a mechanism of social support in parents. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26 (7), 2026-2037. doi: 10.1007/s10826-017-0716-6

The use of social media as a mechanism of social support in parents

2016

Journal Article

Measuring positive and negative aspects of youth behavior: development and validation of the Adolescent Functioning Scale

Dittman, Cassandra K., Burke, Kylie, Filus, Ania, Haslam, Divna and Ralph, Alan (2016). Measuring positive and negative aspects of youth behavior: development and validation of the Adolescent Functioning Scale. Journal of Adolescence, 52 (1), 135-145. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.08.002

Measuring positive and negative aspects of youth behavior: development and validation of the Adolescent Functioning Scale

2016

Journal Article

The role of parents, parenting and the family environment in children’s post-disaster mental health

Cobham, Vanessa E., McDermott, Brett, Haslam, Divna and Sanders, Matthew R. (2016). The role of parents, parenting and the family environment in children’s post-disaster mental health. Current Psychiatry Reports, 18 (6) 53, 53. doi: 10.1007/s11920-016-0691-4

The role of parents, parenting and the family environment in children’s post-disaster mental health

2016

Conference Publication

Child adjustment within immigrant and refugee families: Preliminary meta-analytic results.

Sheshko, D., Lee, C., Haslam, D., Morawska, A. and Filus, A. (2016). Child adjustment within immigrant and refugee families: Preliminary meta-analytic results.. Helping Families Change Conference, Banff, AB, Canada, 3-5 February 2016.

Child adjustment within immigrant and refugee families: Preliminary meta-analytic results.

2016

Conference Publication

Parenting after migration: Exploring the acceptability of a parenting program aimed at improving family adjustment during resettlement in Australia

Monty, K., Haslam, D., Morawska, A. and Filus, A. (2016). Parenting after migration: Exploring the acceptability of a parenting program aimed at improving family adjustment during resettlement in Australia. Helping Families Change Conference, Banff, Canada, 3-5 February 2016.

Parenting after migration: Exploring the acceptability of a parenting program aimed at improving family adjustment during resettlement in Australia

2015

Journal Article

Conductas del estilo de vida del hijo relacionadas con el peso y autoeficacia materna para manejarlas

Flores-Pena, Yolanda, Rocha-Aguirre, Lourdes L., Cardenas-Villarreal, Velia M., Haslam, Divna, Mejia, Anilena and Sanders, Matt (2015). Conductas del estilo de vida del hijo relacionadas con el peso y autoeficacia materna para manejarlas. Nutricion Hospitalaria, 32 (1), 144-150. doi: 10.3305/nh.2015.32.1.8855

Conductas del estilo de vida del hijo relacionadas con el peso y autoeficacia materna para manejarlas

2015

Conference Publication

Dissemination of evidence-based parenting programs in diverse contexts: Embracing cultural complexity (paper presenter and symposium chair uniting presenters from Australia, New Zealand, Panama and Africa)

Turner, K. M. T., Weston, M., Mejia, A. and Haslam, D. (2015). Dissemination of evidence-based parenting programs in diverse contexts: Embracing cultural complexity (paper presenter and symposium chair uniting presenters from Australia, New Zealand, Panama and Africa). 17th Helping Families Change Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 25-27 February 2015.

Dissemination of evidence-based parenting programs in diverse contexts: Embracing cultural complexity (paper presenter and symposium chair uniting presenters from Australia, New Zealand, Panama and Africa)

2014

Journal Article

Giving voice to working mothers: a consumer informed study to program design for working mothers

Haslam, Divna M., Patrick, Pamela and Kirby, James N. (2014). Giving voice to working mothers: a consumer informed study to program design for working mothers. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24 (8), 2463-2473. doi: 10.1007/s10826-014-0049-7

Giving voice to working mothers: a consumer informed study to program design for working mothers

2014

Journal Article

Child adjustment and parent efficacy scale: development and initial validation of a parent report measure

Morawska, Alina, Sanders, Matthew R., Haslam, Divna, Filus, Ania and Fletcher, Renee (2014). Child adjustment and parent efficacy scale: development and initial validation of a parent report measure. Australian Psychologist, 49 (4), 241-252. doi: 10.1111/ap.12057

Child adjustment and parent efficacy scale: development and initial validation of a parent report measure

2014

Journal Article

The Work-Family Conflict Scale (WAFCS): development and initial validation of a self-report measure of work-family conflict for use with parents

Haslam, Divna, Filus, Ania, Morawska, Alina, Sanders, Matthew R. and Fletcher, Renee (2014). The Work-Family Conflict Scale (WAFCS): development and initial validation of a self-report measure of work-family conflict for use with parents. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 46 (3), 346-357. doi: 10.1007/s10578-014-0476-0

The Work-Family Conflict Scale (WAFCS): development and initial validation of a self-report measure of work-family conflict for use with parents

2014

Journal Article

Parenting and Family Adjustment Scale (PAFAS): validation of a brief parent-report measure for use in assessment of parenting skills and family relationships

Sanders, Matthew R., Morawska, Alina, Haslam, Divna M., Filus, Ania and Fletcher, Renee (2014). Parenting and Family Adjustment Scale (PAFAS): validation of a brief parent-report measure for use in assessment of parenting skills and family relationships. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 45 (3), 255-272. doi: 10.1007/s10578-013-0397-3

Parenting and Family Adjustment Scale (PAFAS): validation of a brief parent-report measure for use in assessment of parenting skills and family relationships

2013

Journal Article

Reducing work and family conflict in teachers: a randomized controlled trial of Workplace Triple P.

Haslam, Divna M., Sanders, Matthew R. and Sofronoff, Kate (2013). Reducing work and family conflict in teachers: a randomized controlled trial of Workplace Triple P.. School Mental Health, 5 (2), 70-82. doi: 10.1007/s12310-012-9091-z

Reducing work and family conflict in teachers: a randomized controlled trial of Workplace Triple P.

2011

Journal Article

Evaluation of a brief parenting discussion group for parents of young children

Morawska, Alina, Haslam, Divna, Milne, Danielle and Sanders, Matthew R. (2011). Evaluation of a brief parenting discussion group for parents of young children. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 31 (8), 136-145. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0b013e3181f17a28

Evaluation of a brief parenting discussion group for parents of young children

2011

Journal Article

Designing effective interventions for working parents: A web-based survey of parents in the UK workforce

Sanders, Matthew R., Haslam, Divna M., Calam, Rachel, Southwell, Clare and Stallman, Helen M. (2011). Designing effective interventions for working parents: A web-based survey of parents in the UK workforce. Journal of Children's Services, 6 (3), 186-200. doi: 10.1108/17466661111176042

Designing effective interventions for working parents: A web-based survey of parents in the UK workforce

Funding

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Services for a National Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing Study
    Curtin University
    Open grant

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

Associate Professor Divna Haslam is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Parenting after migration exploration of the unique parenting needs of migrant parents to australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Alina Morawska

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Settlement Success Project: Examining the Efficacy of a Parenting Intervention Aimed at Promoting Family Adjustment following Settlement in Australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Alina Morawska

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Settlement Success Project: Examining the Efficacy of a Parenting Intervention Aimed at Promoting Family Adjustment following Settlement in Australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Alina Morawska

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The efficacy of Triple P with Deaf children in Indonesia

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Alina Morawska

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Divna Haslam directly for media enquiries about:

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

Need help?

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

communications@uq.edu.au