معرفی
Dr Cindy Branch-Smith is a Senior Lecturer and Course Coordinator for the Graduate Diploma programs in Psychology at Edith Cowan University's School of Arts and Humanities. Her research focuses on pediatric mental health in chronic diseases like cystic fibrosis (CF), parent mental health, and the psychological impacts of social media use. She holds a PhD from ECU (2016) investigating parental experiences of CF lung disease surveillance.
Education:
- Doctor of Philosophy, Edith Cowan University, 2016
Research Themes: Her work explores psychosocial aspects of chronic illness, including parental coping mechanisms, bullying experiences among CF patients, and digital health solutions for youth wellbeing. She collaborates with The Kids Research Institute Australia on school-based mental health interventions for CF patients.
Recent Projects: Includes a 2024 grant ($37,858) for developing social media tools to enhance adolescent wellbeing and a smartphone app pilot for CF patients. Her 2022 study addressed unresolved parental grief in CF families.
Professional Affiliations: Honorary Research Associate at The Kids Research Institute Australia. Formerly with WA Government's Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (2015-2020), monitoring psychiatric care standards.
