Staff Profile

Dr Lixia Qu
Senior Research Fellow

BSc(Nanjing U, China), MURP(Hawaii U), PhD(LaTrobe)

Biography

Lixia Qu has undertaken a range of research on issues in relation to families. Her research work includes couple formation and re-formation, relationship stability, factors contributing to fertility decision making, the impacts of divorce on financial living standards and personal wellbeing, parenting arrangements after separation, changes in and determinants of labour force participation of lone and couple mothers, living arrangements and personal wellbeing. She is one of the key members in the Evaluation of the 2006 Family Law Reforms project.

Specialist areas

• Family trends
• Couple formation pathways and trajectories
• Fertility decision making
• Living arrangements and personal wellbeing

Selected recent publications

• Weston, R. Qu, L., & Hayes, A. (2012). From form to function: Contemporary choices, changes and challenges (PDF 130KB). In P. Noller, and G. Karantzas (Eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Couples and Family Relationships. Wiley-Blackwell.
• Baxter, J., Weston, R., & Qu, L. (2011). Family structure, co-parental relationship quality, post-separation paternal involvement and children’s emotional wellbeing. Journal of Family Studies, 17(2).
• Gray, M., de Vaus, D., Qu, L. & Stanton, D. (2011). Divorce and the wellbeing of older Australians. Ageing & Society, 31(3), 475-498.
• Hayes, A., Weston R. & Qu, L. (2011). Relationship pressures on Australian families: Some implications for psychologists. InPsych, February 2011. 8-11.
• Qu, L., Moloney, L., Weston, R., Hand, K. Deblaquiere, J., & de Maio, J. (2011). Grandparenting and the 2006 family law reforms.  Family Matters, 88, 42–50.
• Weston, R., Qu, L., Gray, M., de Maio, J., Kaspiew, R., Moloney, R., & Hand, K. (2011). Shared care time: An increasingly common arrangement Family Matters 88, 51–56.
• Qu, L. & Weston, R. (2010). Parenting dynamics after separation: A follow-up study of parents who separated after the 2006 family law reforms (PDF 5.8MB). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
• Kaspiew, R., Gray, M., Weston, R., Moloney, L., Hand, K., Qu, L. & the Family Law Evaluation Team (2009). Evaluation of the 2006 family law reforms. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
• Qu, L., Weston, R. & de Vaus, D. (2009). Cohabitation and beyond: The contribution of each partner's relationship satisfaction and fertility aspirations to pathways of cohabiting couples. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 40(4), 585-601.
• Qu, L. & Weston, R. (2009). Family statistics and trends : Opinions of parents on the acquisition of parenting and relationship skills. Family Matters, 81, 55-57.
• Weston, R. & Qu, L. (2009). Relationships between grandparents and grandchildren. Family Matters, 81, 58-60.
• Weston, R. & Qu, L. (2009). Family statistics and trends: Attitudes towards divorce. Family Relationships Quarterly, 11, 18-24.
• Qu, L. (2008). Work and family balance: issues in research and policy. Family Matters, 80, 6-8.
• Qu, L. & Weston, R. (2008). Attitudes towards marriage and cohabitation. Family Relationships Quarterly, 8, 5-10.
• Qu, L. & Weston, R. (2008). Snapshots of family relationships. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
• de Vaus, D., Gray, Matthew, Qu, L. & Stanton, D. (2008). The financial consequences of divorce for later life. In P.A. Kemp, K. Van den Bosch & L. Smith (Eds.), Social protection in an ageing world (pp. 257-278). Oxford: Intersentia.
• Weston, R. & Qu, L. (2007). Families in Australia: Continuities and change. In E. Shaw & J. Crawley (eds.) Couple therapy in Australia: Issues emerging from practice (pp.23–47). Kew, Victoria: PsychOz Publications
• Smyth, B., Moloney, L., Weston, L., Richardson, N., Qu, L. & Gray, M. (2007). Allegations of family violence and child abuse in children's proceedings: A pre-reform empirical snapshot. Australian Journal of Family Law, 21(3), 252–287.
• de Vaus, D., Gray, M., Qu, L. & Stanton, D. (2007). The consequences of divorce for financial living standards in later life (Australian Institute of Family Studies Research Paper No. 38). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
• Weston, R. & Qu, L. (2006). Trends in couple dissolution. Family Relationships Quarterly, 2, 9-12.
• Weston, R. & Qu, L. (2006). Trends in couple formation. Family Relationships Quarterly, 1, 12-15.
• Qu, L., Soriano, G. & Weston, R. (2006). Starting early, starting late: the health and wellbeing of mother and child. Family Matters, 74, 4-11.
• Qu, L. & Weston, R. (2005). A woman's place? Work hour preferences revisited. Family Matters, 72, 72-77.
• Qu, L. & Weston, R. (2005). Snapshot of couple families with stepparent-child relationships. Family Matters, 70, 36-37.
• Qu, L. & Wise, S. (2005). Multiple child care arrangements in Australia. Family Matters, 69, 56-61.
• Qu, L. & Weston, R. (2005). Family size: Men's and women's aspirations over the years. Family Matters, 69, 18-23.