Dr Frances Doyle
 | Lecturer in Clinical Psychology Promoting good mental health for children, adolescents, and their families.Dr Fran Doyle is a clinical psychologist and researcher whose work aims to understand the development, prevention and treatment of mental health problems in childhood and adolescence.
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Overview
Dr Doyle is a mental health researcher, educator and clinical psychologist whose career is dedicated to improving mental health and wellbeing for children and adolescents.
Her research aims to understand the developmental pathways to wellbeing and mental health problems in young people, as well as the important role that parents and children play in each other’s lives.
For example, her recent research has investigated infants’ socio-emotional attention, psycho-physiological responses and evaluative conditioning, and how these processes relate to child wellbeing and mental health.
She also works on research that informs policies. Dr Doyle advocates for policies that increase access to evidence-based interventions for children’s mental health problems.
I imagine a future where we have a greater understanding about what promotes good mental health in young people and their caregivers, and where there is greater public access to evidence-based interventions.
Impact
In Australia, mental health and behavioural disorders are the fourth greatest ‘area of disease’ burden.
As the majority of mental health problems emerge during childhood and adolescence, it is essential to address these issues early to reduce burden for individual children, their families, and the communities they live in.
Research that helps to detect, prevent, and treat mental health problems in children has the potential to improve wellbeing across the lifespan.
Dr Doyle is contributing to lowering rates of childhood mental health problems by creating informative and innovative models of the development of childhood mental health problems that can better inform prevention, assessment, treatment and policy.
Her research has applications in the areas of mental health, health, not for profit, policymakers, schools, early education, parents and caregivers in workplaces.
By improving wellbeing for children and families, this results in happier, healthier and more productive communities.
Dr Doyle is a member of the Parenting and Family Research Alliance, which has advocated to government for changes to policy.
She is also a chief investigator working towards creating Australia's first clinical trials network in child and youth mental health in Australia. The Growing Minds Australia clinical trials network will change the way in which teams collaborate across Australia to investigate complex mental health problems in children and young people.
Career
Dr Doyle is a researcher, educator, and clinical psychologist focused on improving child and family socio-emotional wellbeing.
She completed a Bachelor of Arts - Psychology, Bachelor in Business Administration, Honours in Psychology (First Class), Master of Clinical Psychology, and PhD at Macquarie University.
She has since worked in research (Macquarie University, The University of Sydney, Western Sydney University), teaching (Macquarie University, Western Sydney University), and as a clinical psychologist (various). She is also a Board Approved supervisor who can supervise training psychologists.
Dr Doyle commenced at Western Sydney University as a Lecturer in Clinical Psychology in 2021.
She has published over 20 peer-reviewed academic journal articles on child, adolescent and family psychology, and presented at national and international conferences.
Dr Doyle has received over $12 million in grant funding.
She is a member of the Parenting and Family Research Alliance, which advocates for policy change that supports access to evidence-based parenting interventions. She is also a member of Growing Minds Australia, the first national clinical trials network focussed on improving child and youth mental health.
As a clinical psychologist, she is committed to working with children, adolescents and families to alleviate emotional distress. She has worked in public and private practice, and is committed to evidence-based assessment and treatment.
Key papers
- https://rdcu.be/cEvhu
- https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22244
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579421001553
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2021.103982
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2020.577273
Media articles
- https://www.policyforum.net/parents-need-more-support-for-the-sake-of-all-families/
- https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/parents-need-more-support-around-mental-health-acu-study/
- https://www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/news/2022/february/more-parent-support-needed-to-tackle-rising-child-and-adolescent-mental-health-issues
Collaboration
Dr Doyle approaches collaborations with energy and enthusiasm. She enjoys finding common areas of interest with partners and building a better future for families.
As a member of the Parenting and Family Research Alliance, Dr Doyle collaborates with leading researchers across Australia to improve science and advocate for evidence-based parenting supports. This has resulted in several collaborative efforts, including published scientific papers, a seminar series, various submissions to government, and media involvement.
By being able to work collaboratively with teams across Australia, she can help answer big picture questions that have meaningful impacts for individual children, their families, and the communities that they live in.
Dr Doyle also enjoys working with teams to deliver outcomes for individuals, families, and their communities.
Potential collaborations are welcomed with the health sector, not-for-profits, and schools.
Connect
| f.doyle@westernsydney.edu.au | |
| Location | Western Sydney University Penrith campus (Kingswood) |
