Keely Bebbington

Dr. Keely Bebbington is a Clinical Psychologist and Multi-Discipline Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at The University of Western Australia Medical School, where she leads mental health and wellbeing research at the Rio Tinto Children's Diabetes Centre (a JDRF Global Centre of Excellence). She holds a dual affiliation with the UWA Centre for Child Health Research and The Kids Research Institute Australia.

Her primary research interests include mental health and psychosocial functioning in youth with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), anxiety prevention in children with T1D and their families, and reducing the burden of managing chronic conditions. Her methodological expertise includes thematic analysis and semistructured interviewing, with numerous qualitative studies examining parental and youth experiences in diabetes management.

Dr. Bebbington's research portfolio shows a clear progression from earlier work on anxiety mechanisms and autism spectrum disorders toward her current focus on psychosocial aspects of diabetes care. Her publications primarily address psychosocial interventions, technology adoption in diabetes management, and family adaptation to chronic illness.

• JDRF Rebecca Davies Clinical Research Fellowship

As an active researcher and clinician, Dr. Bebbington maintains a part-time private practice while leading the JDRF-funded project 'Preventing the onset of anxiety in children with type 1 diabetes: an intergenerational perspective' (2022-2026). Her work contributes to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and wellbeing.

Her research group focuses on developing and testing interventions to improve mental health outcomes for children with T1D and their families, with particular attention to anxiety prevention and adjustment to chronic illness.