Staff Profile

photo of Ruth Weston

Ruth Weston
Assistant Director (Research)

BA(Hons) (Melb), MA (Melb)

Biography

Ruth Weston is a psychologist who joined the Australian Institute of Families Studies in 1982, after a teaching and research career at the University of Melbourne and State College of Victoria (Burwood). Much of her work at the Institute has focused on family transitions and wellbeing at both macro- and micro-levels. In the 2008 Australia Day Honours List, Ruth received an award of the Public Service Medal (PSM) "for outstanding public service as a researcher and contributor to policy development, particularly in the areas of separation and divorce, family law, family relationships, fertility decision-making and child support."  Ruth has undertaken research on contract for various Commonwealth and State Departments.

Specialist areas

  • Family trends
  • Couple formation pathways and trajectories
  • Fertility decision-making
  • Economic and psychological consequences of marital separation
  • Subjective wellbeing

Selected recent publications

  • Baxter, J., Weston, R., & Qu, L. (In press). Family structure, co-parental relationship quality, post-separation paternal involvement and children’s emotional wellbeing. Journal of Family Studies, 17(2).
  • Hayes, A., Qu, L., Weston, R., & Baxter, J. (2011). Families in Australia 2011: Sticking together in good and tough times.  Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
  • Hayes, A., Weston, R., & Qu, L. (2011). Relationship pressures on Australian families: Some implications for psychologists. InPsych, 11, 8–11.
  • Kaspiew. R., Gray, M., Weston, R., Moloney, L., Hand, K., Qu, L., and the Family Law Evaluation Team (2011). The AIFS evaluation of the 2006 family Law reforms: A summary. Family Matters 86, 5–7.
  • Qu, L., & Weston, R. (2011). Trends in couple dissolution—An update. Family Relationships Quarterly, 19, 15–17.
  • 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., Kaspiew, R., Moloney, R., & Hand, K. and the Family Law Evaluation Team. (2011). Care-time arrangements after the 2006 reforms: Implications for children and their parents. Family Matters, 86, 19–32.
  • 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.
  • Cashmore, J., Parkinson, P., Weston, R., Patulny, R., Redmond, G., Qu, L., Baxter, J. Rajkovic, M. Sitek, T. and Katz, I. (2010), Shared Care Parenting Arrangements since the 2006 Family Law Reforms. Report to the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department. Sydney: Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales.
  • Hayes, A., Weston, R., Qu, L., & Gray, M. (2010). Families then and now: 1980 - 2010 (Facts Sheet) Australian Institute of Family Studies. Melbourne: Australia.
  • 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. and the Family Law Evaluation Team (2009). Evaluation of the 2006 family law reforms. Melbourne, Vic. AIFS.
  • Kaspiew, R., Gray, M., Weston, R., Moloney, L., Hand, K., Qu, L. and the Family Law Evaluation Team (2009). Evaluation of the 2006 family law reforms: Summary Report. Melbourne, Vic. AIFS.
  • Moloney, l., Qu, L., Hand, K., De Maio, J., Kaspiew, R., Weston, R., & Gray, M. (2010) Mandatory dispute resolution and the 2006 family law reforms: Use, outcomes, links to other pathways, and the impact of family violence . Journal of Family Studies, 16(3), 192–196.
  • Qu, L., & Weston, R. (2009). Opinions of parents on the acquisiton of parenting and relationship skills. Family Matters, No. 81, 44-57.
  • 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.
  • Weston, R., Moloney, L., Kaspiew, R., Gray, M., Hand, K., Qu, L., and the Family Law Evaluation Team (2010). Overhaul of the family law system in Australia: Its multi-faceted evaluation by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. NCFR Report, Fall. (Newsletter of the National Council of Family Relations, Minneapolis.)
  • Weston, R. & Qu, L. (2009). Relationships between grandparents and grandchildren.  Family Matters, No. 81, 58-60.
  • Weston, R. & Qu, L. (2009). Attitudes towards divorce.  Family Relationships Quarterly, No.11, 18-24.
  • Weston, R. Qu, L., & Hayes, A. (forthcoming). From form to function: Contemporary choices, changes and challenges. In P. Noller, and G. Karantzas (Eds.), Couples and Family Relationships: A Guide to Contemporary Research, Theory, Practice and Policy. Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Smyth, B., Weston, R., Moloney, L., Richardson, N., & Temple, J. (2008). Changes in patterns of post-separation parenting over time.  Journal of Family Studies 14(1), 23-36.
  • Gray, M., Qu, L., & Weston, R. (2008). Fertility and family policy in Australia (Research Paper No. 41). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
  • 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.
  • Geggie, J., Weston, R., Hayes, A., & Silberberg, S. (2007). The shaping of strengths and challenges of Australian families: Implications for policy and practice. (Special edition entitled “Strong Families Around the World: Strengths-Based Research and Perpectives”.) Marriage & Family Review, 41, 217-239. 
  • 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. Kew, Victoria: PsychOz Publications
  • Smyth, B., Moloney, L., Weston, R., 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), 252-297.
  • Moloney, L., Smyth, B., Weston, R., Richardson, N., Qu, L., & Gray, M. (2007). Allegations of family violence and child abuse in family law children’s proceedings: A pre-reform exploratory study (Research Report No. 15). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.
  • Qu, L., & Weston, R. (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.
  • Weston, R., Qu, L., & Soriano, G. (2006). Snapshots of Australian families with adolescents. Family Matters, 74, 48-51.
  • Weston, R., & Gray, M. (2006). Assessing family and community life through the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey: An evaluation. Family Matters, 73, 32-37.
  • Weston, R., Soriano, G., & Qu, L. (2006). Starting early, starting late: Socio-demographic characteristics and parenting of new mothers of different ages. Family Matters, 73, 4-11.
  • de Vaus, D., Qu, L., & Weston, R. (2005). The disappearing link between premarital cohabitation and subsequent marital stability, 1970-2001. Journal of Population Research, 22(2), 99-118.
  • Qu, L., & Weston, R. (2005). A woman's place? Work hour preferences revisited. Family Matters, 72, 72-77.
  • Smyth, B. & Weston, R. (2005). A snapshot of contemporary attitudes to child support, Research Report No.13, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Melbourne.
  • Weston, R., & Qu, L. (2005). Beliefs about IVF as a personal fallback option. Family Matters, 71, 40-45.
  • Qu, L., & Weston, R. (2005). Snapshot of couple families with stepparent-child relationships. Family Matters, 70, 36-37.
  • Qu, L., & Weston, R. (2005). Family size: Men's and women's aspirations over the years. Relatewell, 9(2), 4-7.
  • Weston, R., Qu, L., Parker, R. & Alexander, M. (2004). “It’s not for lack of wanting kids”: A report on the Fertility Decision Making Project, Research Report No. 11, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Melbourne.

Presentations