Parenting and Family Support Centre

Dr Karyn Healy

PhD
Honorary Research Fellow
Queensland Department of Education
(07) 3346 7814
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Researcher biography

Karyn L. Healy is a psychologist with extensive experience supporting schools, parents and children in preventing and addressing bullying, and resolving conflict. She has a Masters degree in Organisational Psychology and a PhD in intervening with families of children bullied by peers. Karyn led a major project implementing conflict resolution in schools in South East Queensland. She is co-author of the Resilience Triple P program with Professor Matt Sanders. Karyn has an ongoing role in staff wellbeing for Queensland Department of Education, and is Associate Editor of the Journal of Child and Family Studies. Karyn conducts ongoing research at the Parenting and Family Support Centre into interventions to address school bullying, and the role of parents in improving outcomes for children victimised by peers.

Research interests

  • Preventing and addressing school bullying
  • Children’s peer relationships
  • Facilitative parenting and the role of parents in improving children’s mental health and peer relationships
  • Preventing and addressing conflict

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science with Honours (1st Class), The University of Queensland
  • Masters of Organisational Psychology, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Intervening with families of children bullied by peers, The University of Queensland

Publications

Journal Articles

Healy, K. L., & Sanders, M. R. (2016). Antecedents of treatment resistant depression in children victimized by peers. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 1-13. doi:10.1007/s10578-016-0658-z

Oei, T. P. S., Shaw, S., & Healy, K. L. (2016). Executive function deficits in psychiatric outpatients in Australia. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1-13. doi: 10.1007/s11469-016-9634-x

Healy, K. L., Sanders, M. R., & Iyer, A. (2015). Facilitative parenting and children’s social, emotional and behavioral adjustment. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(6), 1762-1779.doi: 10.1007/s10826-014-9980-x

Healy, K. L., Sanders, M. R., & Iyer, A. (2015). Parenting practices, children’s peer relationships and being bullied at school. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(1), 127-140. doi: 10.1007/s10826-10013-19820-10824

Healy, K. L., & Sanders, M. R. (2014). Randomized controlled trial of a family intervention for children bullied by peers. Behavior Therapy, 45(6), 760-777.doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2014.06.001

Healy, K. (1998). Addressing bullying in schools through multiple systems. ANZELA (Australian and New Zealand Education Law Association) Reporter, 5 (1), 18 -22.

Dick, B., Godden, L., Healy, K., & Lebrun, M. J. (1996). The use of action research in developing curricula in law: Convergent interviews and the “offices” project. The Law Teacher, 30(1), 28-43.

Dick, B, Godden, K, Healy, K & Lebrun, M. (1995). A Case Study of the "Offices" Project at Griffith University: Implementing Educational Theory, Legal Education Review, 273-297.

Book Chapters

Healy, K.L. (in press). Children with peer relationship difficulties. In M.R. Sanders & Mazzuccelli, T.G. (Eds.), Changing children’s lives through competent parenting: Using the Triple P—Positive Parenting Program to achieve population change. New York: Oxford University Press.

Hodges, J. & Healy, K.L. (in press). Parenting support and the school system. In M.R. Sanders & Mazzuccelli, T.G. (Eds.), Changing children’s lives through competent parenting: Using the Triple P—Positive Parenting Program to achieve population change. New York: Oxford University Press.

Sanders, M.R.., Healy, K.L., Grice, C., & Del Vecchio, T. (2017). Evidence-based parenting programs: Integrating science into school-based practice. In M. Thielking & M. D. Terjesen (Eds.), Handbook of Australian school psychology: Bridging the gaps in international research, practice, and policy (pp. 537 – 551). New York: Springer International Publishing.

Healy, K.L. (2015). Is your child less likely to be bullied in a private school? In J. Watson (Ed.), Politics, policy and chance of change: The Conversation 2015 yearbook. Melbourne University Publishing.

Program Materials

Healy, K. L., & Sanders, M. R. (in press). Resilience Triple P Child Workbook. Triple P International

Healy, K.L. & Sanders, M.R. (in press). Resilience Triple P DVD. Triple P International

Healy, K.L. & Sanders, M.R. (in press). Resilience Triple P Facilitators Manual. Triple P International

Healy, K. L., & Sanders, M. R. (in press). Resilience Triple P Program Slide Presentations. Triple P International

Sanders, M. R. & Healy, K. L. (in press). Resilience Triple P Parent Workbook. Parenting and Family Support Centre, University of Queensland.

Online Media Publications

Healy, K.L. (2016). Blocking kids from social media won’t stop the problem of cyber bullying, The Conversation, 14th October 2016, https://theconversation.com/blocking-kids-from-social-media-wont-solve-the-problem-of-cyberbullying-66280

Healy, K.L. (2015). What should parents do if their child is bullied at school?, The Conversation, 17th March 2015, https://theconversation.com/what-should-parents-do-if-their-child-is-bullied-at-school-37152

Healy, K.L. (2014). Is your child less likely to be bullied in a private school, The Conversation, 3rd August 2015, https://theconversation.com/is-your-child-less-likely-to-be-bullied-in-a-private-school-44917

Healy, K.L. (2015). Fighting back may stop some children from being bullied, The Conversation, 16th November 2015, https://theconversation.com/fighting-back-may-stop-some-children-from-being-bullied-44131

Other Publications

Healy, K.L. (2016). Responding to parent complaints about bullying, Education Matters Magazine – Primary, April 2016 – Sept 2016.

Healy, K.L. (2016). Responding to parent complaints about bullying, Education Matters Magazine – Secondary, May 2016 – Nov 2016.

Healy (2014). Improving outcomes for children who are bullied at school through intervention with their Families. No2 Bullying Conference 2014 Book of Proceedings. 60-70. http://no2bullying.org.au/archives/proceedings2014.pdf

Healy, K.L., Sanders, M.R. (2014). Engaging families to address school bullying: Lessons learnt from program trial, Leadership in Focus: The Journal for Australasian School Leaders, 33, 42-44.

Publications

Book Chapters (5)
Journal Articles (19)
Thesis (1)

Book Chapters

Healy, Karyn L. (2019). The influence of parenting on school bullying: does child gender matter?. Bullying in schools: prevention, gender differences and perspectives. (pp. 67-98) edited by Christopher Boone. New York, NY, United States: Nova Science Publishers, Inc..
Healy, Karyn L. (2018). Peer and sibling relationships. Handbook of parenting and child development across the lifespan. (pp. 241-262) edited by Matthew R. Sanders and Alina Morawska. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-94598-9_11
Hodges, Julie and Healy, Karyn L. (2017). Parenting Support and the School System. The Power of Positive Parenting. (pp. 252-261) edited by Sanders, Matthew R. and Mazzucchelli, Trevor G.. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/med-psych/9780190629069.003.0022
Healy, Karyn L. (2017). Children with Peer Relationship Difficulties. The Power of Positive Parenting. (pp. 97-106) edited by Sanders, Matthew R. and Mazzucchelli, Trevor G.. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/med-psych/9780190629069.003.0007
Sanders, Matthew R., Healy, Karyn L., Grice, Christina and Del Vecchio, Tamara (2017). Evidence-based parenting programs: integrating science into school-based practice. Handbook of Australian school psychology: integrating international research, practice, and policy. (pp. 537-551) edited by Monica Thielking and Mark D. Terjesen. Cham, Switzerland : Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-45166-4_27

Journal Articles

Ma, Tianyi, Sanders, Matthew R., Hodges, Julie, Boyle, Christopher, Healy, Karyn L. and Morawska, Alina (2024). Extended Child Adjustment and Parent Efficacy Scale (CAPES): inclusion of the peer relationship problems subscale and updated psychometric properties. Australian Psychologist, 59 (6), 533-540. doi: 10.1080/00050067.2024.2411354
Healy, Karyn L, Payne, Kirsty and Kirby, James N (2024). The effectiveness of brief workplace compassion-focussed training in improving wellbeing of stressed school employees. Australian Journal of Management. doi: 10.1177/03128962241270860
Healy, Karyn L., Scott, James G. and Thomas, Hannah J. (2024). The Protective Role of Supportive Relationships in Mitigating Bullying Victimization and Psychological Distress in Adolescents. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 33 (10), 3211-3228. doi: 10.1007/s10826-024-02891-2
Boyle, Christopher, Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi, Hodges, Julie, Allen, Kelly-Ann, Cobham, Vanessa E., Darmawan, Igusti, Dittman, Cassandra K., Healy, Karyn L., Hepburn, Stevie-Jae, MacLeod, Lynda M., Teng, Jiachen and Trompf, Madilyn (2023). The thriving kids and parents schools project: protocol of an incomplete stepped wedged cluster randomised trial evaluating the effectiveness of a Triple P seminar series. BMC Public Health, 23 (1) 2021. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16962-4
Healy, Karyn L., Thomas, Hannah J., Sanders, Matthew R. and Scott, James G. (2022). Empirical and theoretical foundations of family interventions to reduce the incidence and mental health impacts of school bullying victimization. International Review of Psychiatry, 34 (2), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/09540261.2022.2045260
Perdacher, Elke, Kavanagh, David, Sheffield, Jeanie, Healy, Karyn, Dale, Penny and Heffernan, Edward (2022). Using the Stay Strong app for the well-being of Indigenous Australian prisoners: feasibility study. JMIR Formative Research, 6 (4) e32157, 1-17. doi: 10.2196/32157
Sanders, Matthew R., Healy, Karyn L., Hodges, Julie and Kirby, Grace (2021). Delivering evidence-based parenting support in educational settings. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 31 (2), 1-16. doi: 10.1017/jgc.2021.21
Daubney, Michael F. X., Raeburn, Narelle, Blackman, Kerry, Jeffries, Holly and Healy, Karyn L. (2021). Outcomes of assertive community treatment for adolescents with complex mental health problems who are difficult to engage. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30 (2), 502-516. doi: 10.1007/s10826-020-01882-3
Healy, Karyn L. (2020). Hypotheses for possible iatrogenic impacts of school bullying prevention programs. Child Development Perspectives, 14 (4) cdep.12385, 221-228. doi: 10.1111/cdep.12385
Eather, Adele, Kenardy, Justin, Healy, Karyn L., Haynes, Michele and Sterling, Michele (2019). How are pain and traumatic stress symptoms related in acute whiplash-associated disorders? An investigation of the role of pain-related fear in a daily diary study. Pain, 160 (9), 1954-1966. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001581
Healy, Karyn L., Grzazek, Olivia Y. and Sanders, Matthew R. (2019). Attributions for improvement in children bullied at school. Journal of School Violence, 19 (2), 219-233. doi: 10.1080/15388220.2019.1653313
Moss, Katrina M., Healy, Karyn L., Ziviani, Jenny, Newcombe, Peter, Cobham, Vanessa E., McCutcheon, Helen, Montague, Gillian and Kenardy, Justin (2019). Trauma-informed care in practice: observed use of psychosocial care practices with children and families in a large pediatric hospital. Psychological Services, 16 (1), 16-28. doi: 10.1037/ser0000270
Healy, K L and Sanders, M R (2018). Mechanisms Through Which Supportive Relationships with Parents and Peers Mitigate Victimization, Depression and Internalizing Problems in Children Bullied by Peers. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 49 (5), 1-14. doi: 10.1007/s10578-018-0793-9
Healy, Karyn L., Oei, Tian P. and Shaw, Simone (2018). Effectiveness of a questionnaire measure of executive function in predicting treatment outcomes for anxiety and depression following CBT. Scientific Journal of Depression and Anxiety, 2 (1), 1-9.
Healy, K. L. and Sanders, M. R. (2016). Antecedents of treatment resistant depression in children victimized by peers. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 48 (1), 1-13. doi: 10.1007/s10578-016-0658-z
Oei, T. P. S., Shaw, S. and Healy, K. L. (2016). Executive function deficits in psychiatric outpatients in Australia. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14 (3), 337-349. doi: 10.1007/s11469-016-9634-x
Healy, Karyn L. and Sanders, Matthew R. (2014). Randomized controlled trial of a family intervention for children bullied by peers. Behavior Therapy, 45 (6), 760-777. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2014.06.001
Healy, Karyn L., Sanders, Matthew R. and Iyer, Aarti (2014). Facilitative parenting and children's social, emotional and behavioral adjustment. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24 (6), 1762-1779. doi: 10.1007/s10826-014-9980-x
Healy, Karyn L., Sanders, Matthew R. and Iyer, Aarti (2013). Parenting practices, children's peer relationships and being bullied at school. Journal of Child and Family Studies, Online First (1), 1-14. doi: 10.1007/s10826-013-9820-4

Thesis

Healy, Karyn (2013). Intervening with Families of Children Bullied by Peers. PhD Thesis, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2014.175