Elizabeth Mayland

Dr. Elizabeth (Beth) Mayland is a Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at Western Sydney University's Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, where she is affiliated with the Translational Health Research Institute (THRI) and Anne-Maree Parrish's Lab. Previously, she worked as a lecturer in Occupational Health and Safety at the University of Otago and as a practicing Occupational Therapist specializing in Hand Therapy and lymphedema in both US and New Zealand public and private settings from 2000-2017.

Dr. Mayland earned her PhD in 2016 from the University of Otago focusing on psychological distress following traumatic upper limb injuries. She holds a Master of Occupational Therapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago (2000) and a BA in English and Psychology from Indiana University (1996). She is a Registered Occupational Therapist with AHPRA (2018) and was a Certified Hand Therapist from 2006-2022.

Her research primarily examines the psychological dimensions of physical injury recovery, with particular focus on traumatic upper limb injuries. She investigates recovery-related anxiety, the impact of daily activities on rehabilitation outcomes, psychosocial hazards in workplace settings, and mental health needs following physical trauma. Her work bridges occupational therapy, psychology, and rehabilitation science through qualitative and mixed methods approaches.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on occupation-based rehabilitation approaches, particularly for upper extremity injuries. Her research demonstrates growing interest in the intersection of physical recovery and psychological wellbeing, with increasing attention to multicultural perspectives in trauma recovery. She has made significant contributions to understanding how purposeful activities influence motor performance and recovery trajectories.

• Registered Occupational Therapist with AHPRA (2018)
• Associate Member of Human Factors Ergonomics Society of Australia (2018)
• Certified Hand Therapist (2006-2022)

Dr. Mayland has been involved in multiple research projects funded by organizations including the Health Research Council of New Zealand, Brain Research Centre, and Centre for Work Health & Safety. Her work often involves collaboration with researchers across Australia and internationally, particularly on projects examining psychological safety, injury recovery, and workplace health. She serves as a valuable resource for students interested in rehabilitation research with a focus on the psychological aspects of physical recovery.

Her laboratory work focuses on developing and testing occupation-based interventions for injury recovery, particularly the Early Daily Activity (EDA) intervention for people with surgically repaired distal radius fractures. This work represents a significant contribution to bridging clinical practice with evidence-based rehabilitation approaches.