CoLab Director & Program Head, Development and Education
EdD GradDipHSc BEd Dip Teaching, FAHMS GAICD
Areas of research expertise: Child and adolescent social and emotional development; translational research; bullying and cyberbullying prevention; health promotion; school-based interventions; early childhood research
Donna Cross is a Professor with the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Western Australia and Program Head, Development and Education and Director, Early Childhood Development and Learning Collaboration (CoLab) at the Telethon Kids Institute.
Donna and her co-investigators have been awarded more than $30m in research funding since 1999, including eight NHMRC grants, six ARC grants and 34 WA Health Promotion Foundation research grants (all category 1 grants).
This funding has supported applied intervention research, including more than 60 empirical trials addressing child and adolescent health promotion issues related to social and emotional development, bullying prevention, cyber safety, injury control, drug use control and early childhood development and learning. These intervention trials included two longitudinal studies involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
In June 2016 Donna was appointed Director of CoLab (Collaborate for Kids), a group established to bring together families, clinicians, educators, policy makers, other practitioners and researchers to improve the development and learning of young children. CoLab is a partnership between Telethon Kids Institute and the Minderoo Foundation.
Donna's research has been translated into evidence-based policy and practice interventions that have being systematically disseminated throughout Australian and internationally. She has contributed to sustainable practice, policy and regulatory change, including national and state policies for cyber safety, bullying prevention and management, sun safety policies (such as 'no hat, no play') and road safety laws.
Donna has an international reputation for developing community-based interventions to enhance social and emotional development and reduce anti-social behaviour among young people. She is currently a lead investigator on six 3-5 year longitudinal research projects developed to promote wellbeing and prevent bullying, cyberbullying and associated mental health harms among Australian children and adolescents and six flagship projects addressing the needs of children and families experiencing adversity. Her focus on translational research has culminated in the dissemination of an evidence-based program called Friendly Schools Plus to over 3,000 Australian schools and schools in the USA, New Zealand, the UK and Scandinavia. She is also a chief investigator for three studies investigating the socio-emotional wellbeing of children with chronic disease (T1D, Cystic Fibrosis, hearing problems).
For her services to children’s health and wellbeing research, Donna received the 2012 WA Australian of the Year Award, and in 2015 was inducted as a Fellow to the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. Most recently, Donna was awarded a Churchill Fellowship, an NHMRC Fellowship and in 2017 was a Finalist, for Western Australian Scientist of the Year.
Donna has also won awards for service professionalism and enterprise, including the 2012 Future Justice Prize; the Mental Health Research and Education Award from the Mental Health Commission of WA; NGO awards for road safety, smoking cessation, mental health, and bullying and violence prevention (e.g. from the Australian Council for Health Physical Education and Recreation); and the National Honour Award for scholarly achievements and leadership in children's school-based health research.
After being nominated by students and staff, Donna has won eight university awards for excellence in teaching, knowledge mobilisation, research leadership and research training. She has supervised to completion 18 PhD students and 23 Masters students.
Donna has published a total of 138 refereed articles, 90 major reports and professional articles, 33 books/chapters in collective works and over 80 school-based curricula and resources. She has given hundreds of invited research presentations in Australia and internationally, and regularly provides workshops and seminars for school staff and community members.
-
Projects
-
Publications
December 2019
A Qualitative Exploration of Electronic Image Sharing Among Young People: Navigating the Issues of Conformity, Trust, Intention, and Reputation
This research sought to explore the main factors affecting young people's image-sharing behaviors, particularly in the context of peer relationships and norms
Published research Health Promotion & Education Cyber SafetySeptember 2019Moral Disengagement of Pure Bullies and Bully/Victims: Shared and Distinct Mechanisms
This study advances bullying research by extending the role of moral disengagement in bullying episodes beyond pure bullies to victims, both pure victims and bully/victims
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingMarch 2019Improving self-regulation and executive functioning skills in primary school children in a remote Australian Aboriginal community: A pilot study of the Alert Program®
This community partnered pilot research, evaluated a school-based program to reduce the behavioral impact of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Health Promotion & Education Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD ResearchMarch 2019Powered standing wheelchairs promote independence, health and community involvement in adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
This study used qualitative methods to explore how adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy used a powered wheelchair standing device in their daily lives
Published research Academic Biostatistics Health Promotion & Education Child DisabilityJanuary 2018School-based promotion of mental health and wellbeing to address bullying
The complexity of an issue such as school bullying and how this is best addressed as part of a systematic whole-school approach
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingJanuary 2019Designs on Narrative: A Design-Based Method to Elicit Young People’s Narratives About Electronic Image-Sharing Issues and Interventions
The narrative structure innate to the Design Thinking process offered a picture of electronic image-sharing problems and related solutions from young people’s perspectives
Published research Health Promotion & Education Cyber SafetyDecember 2018Impact of the Friendly Schools whole-school intervention on transition to secondary school and adolescent bullying behaviour
These findings demonstrate the immediate value of whole-school interventions to reduce bullying behaviour and associated harms among students
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingNovember 2018A group randomized controlled trial evaluating parent involvement in whole-school actions to reduce bullying
Whole-school capacity-building intervention in early and middle childhood can improve the likelihood and frequency of positive parent–child communication about bullying
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingNovember 2018If it's about me, why do it without me? Genuine student engagement in school cyberbullying education
This study reports on a three-year group randomized controlled trial, the Cyber Friendly Schools Project, aimed to reduce cyberbullying among grade 8 students
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Cyber SafetySeptember 2018Beyond the reactive-proactive dichotomy: Rage, revenge, reward, and recreational aggression predict early high school bully and bully/victim status
We discuss the implications of addressing Revenge and Recreation, as well as Reward and Rage aggression motives, for bullying prevention and intervention strategies
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingAugust 2018The school experiences of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Western Australia
Elevated levels of emotional difficulties among school students with T1D and variable levels of support from school staff to assist these students to manage their diabetes at school
Diabetes (Type 1) Published research Health Promotion & Education Diabetes and Obesity Youth Mental HealthJune 2018Does the Risk Outweigh the Benefits? Adolescent Responses to Completing Health Surveys
Self-reported experiences of adolescents in population-based samples when completing health-related surveys on topics with varying potential for evoking distres
Published research Health Promotion & Education Youth HealthApril 2018Motivational interviewing as a positive response to high-school bullying
We provide a narrative review of Motivational Interviewing and map its core features onto the extant literature on self‐reported motivations for bullying
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingMarch 2018Study protocol for a self-controlled cluster randomised trial of the Alert Program to improve self-regulation and executive function in Australian Aboriginal children
This trial is evaluating the effectiveness of an Alert Program school curriculum for improving self-regulation and executive function in children living in remote Australian Aboriginal communities
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Health Promotion & Education Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD ResearchFebruary 2018Efficacy of the Aussie Optimism Program: Promoting Pro-social Behavior and Preventing Suicidality in Primary School Students. A Randomised-Controlled Trial
Aussie Optimism Program with teacher training along with coaching may have the potential to positively impact on suicidality and pro-social behavior in the pre-adolescent years
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Human CapabilityJanuary 2018Investigating the long-term impact of a childhood sun-exposure intervention, with a focus on eye health: protocol for the Kidskin-Young Adult Myopia Study
A follow-up of Kidskin Study participants provides an opportunity to investigate the associations between a childhood sun-exposure intervention and potentially related conditions in adulthood
Published research Health Promotion & Education Cancer EpidemiologyJanuary 2018Bullying and mental health amongst Australian children and young people with cystic fibrosis
This study describes the peer bullying experiences of young people with CF, and examines associations between school bullying and the psychological well-being of these young people
Cystic Fibrosis Published research Health Promotion & Education Youth Mental HealthOctober 2017Family Involvement in a Whole-School Bullying Intervention: Mothers’ and Fathers’ Communication and Influence with Children
These results highlight the importance of working with both male and female caregivers when addressing children’s bullying behaviour.
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingMay 2017Adolescent Bystander Behavior in the School and Online Environments and the Implications for Interventions Targeting Cyberbullying
The aim of this study was to add to the emerging knowledge about the role of bystanders in cyberbullying.
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingJanuary 2017Adolescent perceptions of bystanders’ responses to cyberbullying
This study explored the perceptions of, and key influences on, adolescent bystanders who witness cyberbullying
Published research Health Promotion & Education Cyber SafetyDecember 2016The Association of Fly-in Fly-out Employment, Family Connectedness, Parental Presence and Adolescent Wellbeing
Importance of strengthening family connections within fly-in fly-out households. Suggestions have been made to help fly-in fly-out parents to stay in touch with their families
Published research Health Promotion & EducationAugust 2015Is sexual content in new media linked to sexual risk behaviour in young people? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Strong association between self-reported exposure to sexual content in new media and sexual behaviours in young people
Published research Health Promotion & Education Youth HealthJune 2016Adolescent bystanders' perspectives of aggression in the online versus school environments
Researchers' understanding of bystanders' perspectives in the cyber-environment fails to take young people's perceptions into account and remains imperfect.
Published research Health Promotion & Education Cyber SafetyMay 2016Cyber Agression
Information and communication technology has allowed individuals to engage in aggressive behavior on multiple distinct platforms with different capabilities
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingMay 2016Encouraging the positive use of technology through community engagement
This study utilises a community-level approach to develop resources to encourage cybersafety and a positive transition from primary to secondary school
Published research Health Promotion & Education Cyber SafetyMay 2016Does self-efficacy mediate the association between socioeconomic background and emotional symptoms among schoolchildren?
Socioeconomic inequality in emotional symptoms exists. This inequality is partly explained by socioeconomic inequality in self-efficacy
Published research Health Promotion & EducationApril 2016Using online environments to build school staff capacity to address student wellbeing
Teachers and school executive teams are often required to address health and wellbeing issues affecting students' learning
Published research Health Promotion & Education Cyber SafetyMarch 2016Longitudinal impact of the Cyber Friendly Schools program on adolescents' cyberbullying behavior
Cyber Friendly Schools program was associated with significantly greater declines in the odds of involvement in cyber-victimization and perpetration
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingJanuary 2016Encouraging the positive use of technology through community engagement
Describe a seven stage community engagement process to develop and disseminate community uptake strategies which encouraged cyber safety
Published research Health Promotion & EducationJanuary 2016Using online environments to build school staff capacity to address student wellbeing
Professional development of school staff can be enhanced with carefully developed and delivered online learning resources
Published research Health Promotion & EducationJanuary 2016Cyberbullying and the role of the law in Australian schools: Views of senior officials
Opinions of employees from the education and legal systems, regarding their perceptions of the role of the law and cyberbullying in Australian schools
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Cyber SafetyJanuary 2016Testing for Response Shift Bias in Evaluations of School Antibullying Programs
Researchers conducting program evaluations in other contexts are advised to consider testing for this potential source of bias in their studies
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Human CapabilityJanuary 2016School policies on bullying and cyberbullying: perspectives across three Australian states
The perspectives of professionals involved in bullying and cyberbullying policy construction, across three different Australian states
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingOctober 2015The relationship between school climate and mental and emotional wellbeing over the transition from primary to secondary school
The current study examined the relationship between students’ mental and emotional wellbeing and factors pertaining to school climate, focusing on the...
Published research Health Promotion & Education Depression and AnxietyMay 2015A social-ecological framework for understanding and reducing cyberbullying behaviours
While the CFS findings suggest the combined whole-school response to the mediators was somewhat effective, the study wasn't able to determine the relative...
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Cyber SafetyMarch 2015If it’s about me, why do it without me? Genuine student engagement in school cyberbullying education
This study reports on a three-year group randomized controlled trial, the Cyber Friendly Schools Project (CFSP), aimed to reduce cyberbullying among grade 8...
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Cyber SafetyFebruary 2015A longitudinal study of the social and emotional predictors and consequences of cyber and traditional bullying victimisation
Few longitudinal studies have investigated how cyberbullying interacts with traditional bullying among young people, who are increasingly using online...
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Cyber SafetyJanuary 2015The social and emotional well-being and mental health implications for adolescents transitioning to secondary boarding school
This paper explores the social and emotional wellbeing and mental health complexities for Western Australian adolescents when they transition to boarding school
Published research Health Promotion & Education Depression and AnxietyJanuary 2015Bullying behaviour following students’ transition to a secondary boarding school context
This study investigated the prevalence and types of bullying behaviour that boarding students experienced during the transition to a secondary boarding school.
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingJanuary 2015Evaluating the capacity of Australian school staff to recognise and respond to cyberbullying behaviours
To prevent and manage students' cyberbullying, school staff must be aware of this behavior, be able to recognize it, and respond appropriately and skilfully.
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Cyber SafetyJanuary 2015Parent voices guide smoking intervention development
While parents' influence on their children's smoking behaviour is widely recognised, little is known about parents of four to eight year olds' attitudes and...
Published research Health Promotion & EducationJanuary 2015Protecting and Promoting Young People’s Social and Emotional Health in Online and Offline Contexts
Young people's use of mobile phones and access to the Internet have increased dramatically in the last decade, especially among those aged 9-15 years.
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Cyber Safety Youth HealthJanuary 2015Risk factors in adolescents’ involvement in violent behaviours
The purpose of this paper is to examine risk factors associated with Western Australian secondary school students' involvement in violence-related behaviours.
Published research Health Promotion & Education Youth HealthJanuary 2015Cyberbullying among children and youth:Characteristics and prevention strategies
This book discusses cyberbullying among children; specifically explaining the prevalence of cyberbullying, the difficulties in detection & prevention, the...
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Cyber SafetyJanuary 2015Bridging the gap of school change: Pre-service teachers’ knowledge and understanding of cyberbullying
The beliefs, attitudes and understandings of pre-service teachers towards bullying and more recently, cyberbullying remains unclear.
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Cyber Safety Youth HealthMarch 2014Bias in student survey findings from active parental consent procedures
This study assessed the potential bias present in a sample of actively consented students, and in the estimates of associations between variables obtained...
Published research Health Promotion & Education Human CapabilityFebruary 2014Transition to secondary school: Expectation versus experience
This study investigated what young people in primary school reported being worried about with their impending move to secondary school, and how their...
Published research Health Promotion & EducationJanuary 2014Do emotional and behavioural difficulties in primary school predict adolescent victimisation trajectories?
The results of this study suggest whole-school bullying intervention programmes need to occur before students reach secondary school.
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingJanuary 2014How Does Support From Peers Compare With Support From Adults as Students Transition to Secondary School?
Students who expect and experience a positive transition to secondary school are generally well-supported by their peers, school, and family.
Published research Health Promotion & EducationJanuary 2014Teacher–Child Relationship, Parenting, and Growth in Likelihood and Severity of Physical Aggression in the Early School Years
This study investigated the likelihood of children showing problems with parent-rated physical aggression, and on the severity of problems, for 374 children.
Published research Health Promotion & EducationJanuary 2014Using Systems Theory to Understand and Respond to Family Influences on Children's Bullying Behavior
This article addresses Systems Theory as it applies to school-age children's bullying behavior.
Published research Health Promotion & Education BullyingDecember 2013The Forms of Bullying Scale (FBS): Validity and Reliability Estimates for a Measure of Bullying Victimization and Perpetration in Adolescence
The study of bullying behavior and its consequences for young people depends on valid and reliable measurement of bullying victimization and perpetration.
Published research Health Promotion & Education Bullying Human Capability