Dr Daniel Sullivan is a Research Fellow in Sleep Health and Clinical Psychologist at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Thompson Institute.
Dr Sullivan leads a program of research to design Australia's first psychology extended scope of practice model of care for limited pharmacotherapy management, with an emphasis on deprescribing hypnotic medicines in the public sector sleep psychology setting (ExPEDiTe Sleep project).
As a member of the Let’s Yarn about Sleep group at UniSC, Dr Sullivan is working to improve sleep health equity for First Nations Australians through community co-designed, culturally responsive sleep programs which harmonise sleep science with Indigenous Australian perspectives and knowledges about sleep.
Dr Sullivan’s research and clinical expertise is in the behavioural aspects of sleep; he is an Editor of the journal Research Directions: Sleep Psychology (Cambridge University Press) and is board certified by the US-based Board of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Dr Sullivan completed postgraduate training in sleep at the University of Sydney (MSc), and his PhD in Clinical Psychology at Griffith University, where his doctoral research examined psychological factors involved in sleep-related headaches.
Professional Memberships:
- Clinical Psychologist – Psychology Board of Australia/Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
- Member – Australasian Sleep Association
- International Affiliate – American Psychological Association, Division 55 (Society for Prescribing Psychology)
- Fellow – Australian Psychological Society, College of Clinical Psychologists
- Member – Australian Psychological Society
Awards/Fellowships:
- 3rd Prize – Sleep Science Innovation and Communication Award, Sleep Health Foundation, 2023
- Research Training Program Scholarship, Commonwealth of Australia/Griffith University, 2017
- Behavioral Basis of Health Publication Scholarship, Menzies Health Institute Queensland/Griffith University, 2015
|
Grant/project name |
Investigators |
Funding body and AUD$ value |
Year(s) |
|
EMBARGO |
EMBARGO |
EMBARGO $4,997,585.70 |
EMBARGO |
|
Co-designing Obstructive Sleep Apnoea screening and diagnostic approaches for First Nations Australians: Strengthening clinical pathways with lived-experience support from community champions |
CIA Fatima, Y., CIB Woodroffe T., CIC Wheeler, K., CID Sullivan, D. P.,… CIR Cooper, R |
MRFF $1,995,094.16 |
2023-2028 |
|
Nurse-led and Aboriginal Health Worker Supported Model for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Diagnosis and Management in Regional and Remote Queensland |
CIA Fatima, Y. CIB Sullivan, D. P., CIC Von Senden, R. |
ResMed Investigator Initiated Research (IIR) $10,163.76 |
2024-2028 |
|
The ExPEDiTe Sleep Project: Extending psychology scope for pharmacotherapies emphasising deprescribing during behavioural treatment of sleep: Developing and evaluating acceptance of an Australian-first model of enhanced behavioural sleep care |
CIA Sullivan, D. P., CIB Winter, S., CIC Patounas, M., CID Curtin, D., & CIE Rolls |
Metro North Hospital and Health Service $24,981.69 |
2023-2024 |
Research areas
- Sleep
- Prescribing psychology (RxP)
- Clinical psychology
- Health psychology
- Headache
Sullivan, D. P., Patounas, M., Curtin, D., Rolls, T., Hale, A., & Winter, S. (In press). Psychologist Scope of Practice and Behavioural Sleep Medicine in Australia: A Rationale and Pathway towards trialling Limited Psychopharmacotherapy Authority. Australian Psychologist. https://doi.org/10.1080/00050067.2025.2454698
Chau, T., Tiego, J., Brown, L., Coghill, D., Jobson, L., Montgomery, A., Murrup-Stewart, C., Sciberras, E., Silk, T. J., Spencer-Smith, M., Stefanac, N., Sullivan, D. P., Bellgrove, M. A. (2023). Against the use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children Aged 2-15 Years. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 57(10), 1343-1358. https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674231161504
Sullivan, D. P., Payne, L., Boulton, K., Silove, N., Bellgrove, M. A., Sciberras, E., Coghill, D. R., Guastella, A. J., Middeldorp, C. M. (2022). Examining the pharmacological and psychological treatment of child and adolescent ADHD in Australia: Protocol for a retrospective cohort study using linked national registry data. BMJ Open, 12. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064920
Sullivan, D.P., Martin, P.R., Boschen, M.J., & Bandarian-Balooch, S. (2022). Dysfunctional sleep beliefs and behaviours: Psychological factors in sleep-related headaches. Behaviour Research and Therapy 153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2022.104094
Sullivan, D. P. (2022). Furthering the Understanding of Behavioral Aspects of Sleep and Headaches: Another Piece of the Puzzle. Sleep, 45(5). https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsac012
Sullivan, D. P., Bell, C., Bonham, M. D., Boschen, M. J., Martin, P. R. (2020). A Retrospective Chart Review of Adult Insomnia and Headaches in an Australian Outpatient Psychology Training Clinic: Prevalence and Effects on Psychological Treatment Response. Clinical Psychologist, 24(3), 236-245. https:/doi.org/10.1111/cp.12227
Sullivan, D. P., Martin, P. R., & Boschen, M. J. (2019). Psychological Sleep Interventions for Migraine and Tension-Type Headache: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 6411. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42785-8
Sullivan, D. P., & Martin, P. R. (2017). Sleep and headaches: Relationships between migraine and non-migraine headaches and sleep duration, sleep quality, chronotype, and obstructive sleep apnoea risk. Australian Journal of Psychology, 69(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12143