Pamela Meredith is the Discipline Lead of Occupational Therapy at the University of the Sunshine Coast and is a Fellow of the Occupational therapy Australia Research Academy. Pam was awarded her PhD in 2006 and has a demonstrated track record in the publication and dissemination of her research activity with more than 120 publications. Her h-index is 26 (Scopus) and 23 (ResearcherID) and a Field-Weighted Citation Impact of 1.40 (2023). In her research mentoring role Pamela has supervised 45 honours students, 16 PhD students, and 1 MPhil student to completion. She currently advises 13 HDR students.
Professor Meredith’s early clinical experiences in child and youth mental health stimulated her motivation to understand how characteristics and experiences originating in childhood are linked with physical and mental health outcomes throughout life. To this end, she has focused on how attachment and sensory patterns, developed and evident early in life, are related to longer-term health behaviours, health conditions, and treatment outcomes. Related to this overall aim, Professor Meredith’s research targets: (1) Parenting and child trauma; (2) Persistent/chronic pain; (3) Mental illness and substance use; and (4) Palliative care, grief, and loss. The goal of this body of work is to provide evidence and insights to inform clinical reasoning and the therapeutic process, including prevention, early intervention, and evidence-based practice.
Professional Memberships
- Occupational Therapy Australia Limited (OTAL) #300253
- Health Workforce Australia (HWA) #ROO12
- International Occupational Therapy Attachment and Trauma Network
Awards/Fellowships
- 2022 – University of the Sunshine Coast School of Health and Behavioural Sciences Award for Discipline Leadership
- 2021 – Fellow of the Occupational Therapy Australia Research Academy (FOTARA)
- 2019 – Central Queensland University Commendation for Excellence in Research Higher Degree Supervision
- 2017 – The University of Queensland Faculty of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Staff Award for Higher Degree Research Supervision
- 2012 – The University of Queensland Award for Programs that Enhance Learning (APEL)
- 2011 – The University of Queensland School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Individual Award for Teaching Excellence
- 2009 – The University of Queensland School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Individual Award for Early Career Teaching Excellence
- 2006 – The University of Queensland Dean’s Commendation for Outstanding Research Higher Degree Thesis
- 1995 – Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Bachelor of Psychology Degree – University of Southern Queensland
Organisational Affiliations
- UniSC Staff, School of Health - Occupational Therapy, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Honorary staff member of The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland
Education
- BOccThy - 1982–1986, University of Queensland (Australia, Brisbane) - UQ
- BSc (Psychology) - 1992–1995, University of Southern Queensland (Australia, Toowoomba) - USQ - Awarded Deans Commendation
- BA (Hons) Psychology - 1997–1998, University of Queensland (Australia, Brisbane) - UQ
- PhD - 2002–2006, University of Queensland (Australia, Brisbane) - UQ -Awarded Deans Commendation
Professional Social Media
Honours and HDR projects
Honours
- The birthing experience through an attachment and sensory lens
- The effectiveness of using sensory modulation approaches in psychiatric units: A systematic review
- Associations between attachment style, personality traits and pain threshold following total knee arthroplasty
- Exploring the effectiveness of Gatekeeper Training in undergraduate occupational therapy students
- Burnout in new graduate occupational therapists
HDR
- Sustaining work for people with younger onset dementia
- Attachment informed interventions for couples where one partner has chronic pain
- Perceptions of sensory integration as an occupational therapy intervention in the paediatric field
- Religion/spirituality and sensory approaches in mental health practice
- Implementation of sensory approaches in disability services in Canada
- Sensory Profiles of adults with persistent pain
- Understanding playfulness
- Training in the use of “The Next Regular” group program for 10-14-year-old students and their families: Outcomes for therapists
- Parents’ perspectives of inclusion for children with disabilities in early childhood education and care settings
- Investigation of Australian occupational therapist’s new to paediatric practice
- The occupational perspective to service delivery with children who have experience of developmental trauma.
Research Concentrations
- ConnectPlayLearn – partnership with Mamré. With Dr Jacqui Barfoot and Lachlan Kerley. Funded by grant from Mamré.
- Supporting safe and ethical mental health services in allied health private practice settings: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Application under development.
- Reaching Pawtential: Implementation trial of a sustainable and ethical canine-assisted therapy program for people with dementia in residential aged care. Dr Jess Hill, Prof Pamela Meredith, Prof Tania Signal, Dr Maria O’Reilly. Funded.
- The road less travelled. Opening the door to the leisure travel experience for people living with dementia. With Dr Maria O’Reilly, Dr Anja Pabel, and Dr Lee-Fay Low. Funded.
- Diagnosis of young children with FASD. With Prof Sharon Dawe, A/Prof Paul Harnett, Dr Andrew Wood. Funded.
- Co-design and validation of a person-centred comprehensive Sense of Safety Audit. With Dr Johanna Lynch. Grant submitted.
- Health professional perspectives on the benefits, barriers, and facilitators of beach-based therapy for individuals with mobility limitations. With Sasha Job and team (CQU). Funded.
- A trauma informed physical activity program for people in the community with an intellectual disability. with Dr Jess Hill, Dr Sjaan Gomersall A/Professor Sean Tweedy, Dr Katie Brooker, and Dr Kelly Clanchy. NHMRC grant under development.
Research Grants
|
Grant/Project name |
Investigators |
Funding body & A$ value |
Year(s) |
Focus (of research grant) |
|
Health professional perspectives on the benefits, barriers, and facilitators of beach-based therapy for individuals with mobility limitations. |
Job, S., Obst, S., Heales, L., O'Reilly, M., & Meredith, P.J. |
Physiotherapy Research Foundation (PRF) Seeding Grant awarded: $10,000.
|
2021-22 |
Qualitative study investigating health professionals perspectives regarding beach access. |
|
Connect Play Learn: Online learning modules for parents and therapists. |
Barfoot, J., Meredith, P., & Kerley, L. |
Mamre Association Inc.: $77 000 |
2020-2022 |
Develop and test two online training packages |
|
The road less travelled. Opening the door to the leisure travel experience for people living with dementia. |
O’Reilly, M., Pabel, A., Low L.F., & Meredith, P. |
Dementia Australia Research Foundation Grant: $50,000 |
2020-2022 |
Supporting dementia-friendly travel options. |
Potential Research Projects for HDR & Honours Students
- Evaluating the Connect Play Learn training for therapists and parents
- Supporting safe and ethical mental health services in allied health private practice settings
- Topics of interest by negotiation
Research areas
- Parenting and child trauma
- Persistent/chronic pain
- Burnout
- Mental illness and substance use
- Palliative care, grief, and loss
Teaching areas
Professor Meredith’s early clinical experiences in child and youth mental health stimulated her motivation to understand how characteristics and experiences originating in childhood are linked with physical and mental health outcomes throughout life. To this end, she has focused on how attachment and sensory patterns, developed and evident early in life, are related to longer-term health behaviours, health conditions, and treatment outcomes. Related to this overall aim, Professor Meredith’s research foci include the following fields: • Chronic or persistent pain • Infant, child, youth and adult mental health and wellbeing • Attachment theory • Sensory approaches • Parenting • Trauma and trauma-informed care • Palliative care, grief, and loss • Professional skills and behaviours, including burnout
In the news
Parents the key to tackling kids’ picky eating: research findings
29 AprFive years of UniSC-led research into the pesky problem of picky eating by children suggests that therapists should focus more on empowering parents to ease family angst at the dinner table