Staff Profile
Ruth Weston
General Manager - Research and Principal Research Fellow
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. She has co-edited one book and has been sole or joint author of 16 reports, 25 chapters and around 80 journal articles.
Specialist areas
- Family trends
- Couple formation pathways and trajectories
- Fertility decision-making
- Economic and psychological consequences of marital separation
- Subjective wellbeing
Selected recent publications
- 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.