Asha Parkinson
Research Assistant and PhD Student
BPsych (Hons)
asha.parkinson@telethonkids.org.au
Asha is a PhD student in the Early Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team. She also works as a research assistant on the Diabetes and Obesity Team.
Asha is passionate about promoting mental health in young people with chronic conditions. She has a particular interest in how the use of positive psychology approaches may promote wellbeing in spite of the physical difficulties associated with these conditions.
Asha’s PhD involves collaborating with young people with chronic conditions to develop a brief, digitally-delivered positive psychology intervention that can improve mental health outcomes for this unique group.
Projects
Healthway Chronic Conditions
The aim of this project is to develop and test a series of modules to promote mental health among young people with chronic conditions, using a positive psychology framework.
September 2022
Uplift: Online self-compassion training for young people with chronic conditions
Piloting a self-compassion program to promote physical and psychological wellbeing in youth with T1D
Published research
Wellbeing and distress in young people with chronic conditions: how do positive psychology variables relate to mental health outcomes?
The aim of this study was to determine the unique and shared contributions of various positive psychology constructs (gratitude, optimism, hope, self-compassion, self-efficacy, and emotion regulation) to wellbeing and distress outcomes in young people living with a diverse range of chronic health conditions.
Web-Based Self-Compassion Training to Improve the Well-Being of Youth With Chronic Medical Conditions: Randomized Controlled Trial
Up to one-third of young people live with chronic physical conditions (eg, diabetes, asthma, and autoimmune disease) that frequently involve recurrent pain, fatigue, activity limitations, stigma, and isolation.
Priority setting for children and young people with chronic conditions and disabilities
The aim of this project was to identify the top 10 priorities for childhood chronic conditions and disability (CCD) research from the perspectives of children and young people with lived experience, their parents and caregivers and the professionals who work with them.
Education and Qualifications
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) – Curtin University