Elizabeth Westrupp

Elizabeth Westrupp is an Associate Professor in Psychology and Associate Head of School (Research) at Deakin University's School of Psychology. She co-leads the Intervention Sciences Theme in Deakin's SEED Lifespan Strategic Research Centre. With a background as a registered child clinical psychologist, Westrupp has built a distinguished academic career at Deakin University, progressing from Research Fellow positions to her current role as Associate Professor since 2023.

Her research focuses on how family life, parenting, and broader social environments shape children's mental health and development. Westrupp specializes in developing and testing evidence-based programs to support parents in real-world settings, with particular expertise in emotion regulation, parent-child interactions, and mental health prevention. She leads several major projects including Daily Growth (a smartphone app for parents of 2-5 year olds), the Child and Parent Emotion Study (CAPES), and the COVID-19 Pandemic Adjustment Survey - all longitudinal studies examining family wellbeing over time.

Westrupp's scholarly work demonstrates a strong emphasis on translating research into practical applications, particularly through digital health interventions. Her recent publications reveal increasing focus on emotion socialization, parenting interventions, autism spectrum research, and the impacts of the pandemic on family mental health. She has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council to support her research initiatives.

As a registered child clinical psychologist with a Masters/PhD in Clinical Psychology (Child Specialisation) from Melbourne University, Westrupp bridges academic research with clinical practice. Her work often addresses practical parenting challenges, as evidenced by numerous public-facing articles on topics ranging from child body safety to managing holiday stress for separated families.

Westrupp maintains an active research program with numerous collaborators, evidenced by her extensive publication record that spans developmental psychology, clinical interventions, pandemic impacts on families, and autism research. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of Mental Health & Prevention and is affiliated with the Parenting and Family Research Alliance.