The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) has researchers available to talk to media during the summer period. Please note AIFS is closed from 23 December – 1 January, and researchers will not be available for interview during this time; each has provided their availability either side of those dates (see below).

End-of-year burnout and return to work

• Stress and burnout – including what it is, warning signs you have it, what kind of experiences lead to it, and coping strategies. Dr MacDonald can also talk about stress more broadly, including the cup analogy – where the build up over time of work, family, finances and Christmas fill your cup until it overflows.

Dr Jasmine B. MacDonald, Senior Research Officer (available 19-22 Dec; 2 to 29 Jan)

• Childcare, unpaid work, family patterns – including family employment patterns, parental leave, gendered patterns of unpaid work and care, grandparent-provided care, stay-at-home fathers.

Dr Jennifer Baxter, Executive Manager, Families and Society Research (available 19-22 Dec; 15 Jan onwards)

• Working parents – in May we published a study showing there is an increasing trend for both parents of young children to be working – and for women to remain employed when they take time off to have a baby.

Dr Jennifer Baxter, Executive Manager, Families and Society Research (available 19-22 Dec; 15 Jan onwards)

Family dynamics and trends

• What Is Family? – we recently published a study revealing that Australians have a wide range of views when it comes to defining their family. More than 40% of our study participants consider close friends or ‘chosen family’ to be their family, and more than 50% count pets as family.

Dr Luke Gahan, Research Fellow (available 19-22 Dec; 15 Jan onwards)

• Family trends – including marriages, divorces, separations, blended families, household composition etc. Dr Qu can also speak on three reports published this year, highlighting that households are shrinking, that more young adults are living with parents than ever before, and that more same-sex couples are living together since changes to the Marriage Act.

Dr Lixia Qu, Senior Research Fellow (available 4 Jan onwards)

Psychology and behaviour change

• How to increase a new behaviour – for example new years resolutions to exercise more, drink more water etc. Dr MacDonald can discuss identifying the ‘competing behaviour’ that is preventing the desired behaviour and reducing the ‘response cost’ – ie setting up the environment so it is easier to do the desired behaviour.
• How to decrease an existing behaviour – for example new years resolution to reduce smoking, drinking, time on your phone. Dr MacDonald can discuss triggers and explain how identifying what we currently get out of the behaviour and how we can get that elsewhere can help – plus reinforcement (reward) instead of punishment, realistic goal setting, and having others keep you accountable.

Dr Jasmine B. MacDonald, Senior Research Officer (available 19-22 Dec; 2-29 Jan)

Children and teenagers

• Children and nature play – in November we published a practice guide encouraging parents to give children more freedom when playing in nature, including limiting cautionary language.

Dr Jasmine B. MacDonald, Senior Research Officer (available 19-22 Dec; 2-29 Jan)

• Teens and volunteering – in Maywe published a study revealing that if a child is involved in volunteering before the age of 13, the odds of having poor mental health are reduced by around 28%.

Dr Karlee O’Donnell, Research Fellow (available 19-20 Dec; 2 Jan onwards)

• Teens and social media – in relation to screen time, self-disclosure, cyberbullying and identity formation.

Dr Karlee O’Donnell, Research Fellow (available 19-20 Dec; 2 Jan onwards)

• Vaping– in October we published a policy and practice paper highlighting that vaping in on the rise in adolescents and associated with a range of mental health challenges including anxiety, depression and stress.

Dr Mandy Truong, Research Fellow (available 19-21 Dec; 5 Jan onwards)

Male health and fathering

• Male health – particularly in relation to suicide, gender pay gap, life expectancy gap, health access and usage, intimate partner violence, importance of social connection etc.

Dr Sean Martin, Program Lead, Ten To Men Study (available 19-22 Dec; 16 Jan onwards)

• Natural disasters and male health – in late 2022 we published a study revealing the adverse mental health impacts of one of the most devastating periods in Australia’s recent environmental history (2019-2021).

Dr Karlee O’Donnell, Research Fellow (available 19-20 Dec; 2 Jan onwards)

• Male health research – The male health research sector has transferred focus away from traditional areas of men’s health (e.g. prostate cancer, testosterone therapy, erectile dysfunction) to emerging research gaps and services needs for Australian boys and men (e.g. mental health, health service provision, family violence, social connection). Less nuts and bolts, more hearts and minds.

Dr Sean Martin, Program Lead, Ten To Men Study (available 19-22 Dec; 16 Jan onwards)

Intimate partner violence and gambling

• Teens and intimate partner violence – in October we published a study revealing that three in ten 18-19 year olds have experienced intimate partner violence in the past year.

Dr Karlee O’Donnell, Research Fellow (available 19-20 Dec; 2 Jan onwards)

• Technology-facilitated coercive control – in June we published a practice guide shining a light on tech-facilitated coercive control, and dispelling the myth that victims withdrawing from technology lessens the impact.

Dr Jasmine B. MacDonald, Senior Research Officer (available 19-22 Dec; 2-29 Jan)

• Gambling harms – we recently published a report revealing young people are most at risk of gambling harm.

Dr Nancy Greer, Acting Research Fellow (available 19-22 Dec; 2 Jan onwards)