Project

Child and adolescent refugees: Mental health and wellbeing.

My research focuses on the well-being of child and adolescent refugees. Three studies are included in my PhD dissertation. The first is a short-term longitudinal study of academic progress, school engagement, and emotional and behavioural problems in newly arrived child and adolescent refugees. It investigates the stability of these measures over a two year period and seeks to identify risk and protective factors. The second study uses qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate adolescent refugees' beliefs concerning mental health and wellbeing. The third study will evaluate an intervention informed by the findings of the first two studies.

Additional Research Interests

I am currently employed by Assoc. Prof. Tracey Wade to administer the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) to adolescent girls as part of the NH&MRC-funded project entitled "Adolescent girls' eating: How do genes and the environment influence it?". I am also interested in the nexus between clinical, cross-cultural, developmental and health psychology!

Selected Publications

Nixon, R.D.V., Flood, J., & Jackson, K. (2007). The generalizability of thought suppression ability to novel stimuli. Personality and Individual Differences, 42, 677-687.

Robinson, J.A., & Henley, J. (2006) Self-reported and teacher-reported emotional and behavioural problems in newly resettled adolescent refugees. Proceedings of the 41st Australian Psychological Society Annual Conference. Melbourne: Australian Psychology Society. pp.360-364.

Robinson, J.A., & Henley, J. (Spring 2005/Summer 2006). The quality of the relationship between adolescent refugees and the wider Australian community. Balance (The Journal of the Mental Health Association (Qld) Inc.), 29-33.

Conference Presentations

Henley, J.C., & Robinson, J.A. (2006). Emotional and behavioural problems in newly arrived child and adolescent refugees. 17th World Congress of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions, Melbourne, 10-14 September. Abstract published in conference proceedings.

Flood, J. & Robinson, J.A. (2005). Predictors of wellbeing in refugee children. Australian Guidance and Counselling Association Conference, Adelaide, 29 Sept-1 Oct. Presentation published in conference proceedings.

Henley, J. & Robinson, J.A. (2006). Age differences in the predictors of emotional and behavioural problems in newly resettled refugee children. 19th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development, Melbourne, 2-6 July.

Robinson, J.A., Henley, J.C., & Wallace, A. (2007). Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Child and Adolescent Refugees Newly Arrived in Australia. 2007 Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Boston, USA. March 29-April 1.

Henley, J., Robinson, J., & Wallace, A. (2007). African child and adolescent refugees newly resettled in Australia: Emotional and behavioural problems. African Resettlement in Australia, Melbourne, 11-14 April.

Robinson, J.A., Henley, J.C., & Wallace, A. (2007). Emotional and behavioural problems among child and adolescent refugees newly arrived in Australia. 15th Biennial conference of the Australasian Human Development Association, Sydney, July 5-8.

Henley, J.C., Robinson, J.A., & Wallace, A. (2007). A longitudinal study of emotional and behavioural problems and acculturation style in refugee children and adolescents. 15th Biennial conference of the Australasian Human Development Association, Sydney, July 5-8.

Contact Details

School of Psychology
Flinders University of South Australia
GPO Box 2100
Adelaide, South Australia 5001

Office: 231 Social Sciences North
Phone: (+61 8) 8201 2370
Fax: (+61 8) 8201 3877
Email: johanna.henley@flinders.edu.au