Postdoctoral Researcher
B.A. (Hons) PhD.
Martyn trained as a Cognitive Scientist studying psychology, neuroscience and computer science including machine learning. He has worked across many areas of alcohol and drug research including prevention, treatment, monitoring, policy and epidemiology. Martyn has had extensive experience with designing and conducting surveys and interviews and has recently been applying co-design principles. He has also worked in remote Aboriginal communities.
Martyn also loves working with data including management, cleaning, statistical analysis including machine learning, and reporting.
In recent years Martyn has been working to form collaborations at state, national, and international level to investigate: prevention of alcohol and drug exposed pregnancies using an adapted long-term case-managed outreach program (Parent-Child Assistance Program) called Nurturing Families with Women's Health and Family Services; investigating the use of epigenetics as a biomarker of alcohol exposure during pregnancy; and using eye-tracking as a screening tool for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder with the Kids Brain Health Network in Canada; among other things.
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Projects
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Publications
December 2022
An exploratory study on the role of criminogenic risk factors and informant-rated everyday executive functioning in predicting the age of offending onset in young people with FASD
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is characterised by a range of neurodevelopmental deficits that may increase risks of justice system involvement. Improving our understanding of criminogenic risk factors and particularly the role of informant-rated executive functioning (EF) in predicting the age of offending onset in this clinical population may reduce recidivism and help inform targeted interventions.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Parenting & Families Child DisabilityMarch 2022It takes a village: Influencing policy and practice to prevent alcohol use in pregnancy and promote better outcomes for individuals living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by exposure to alcohol in utero. It has pervasive, lifelong impacts and is recognised as a major public health concern in many countries where alcohol is used. The FASD Research Australia Centre of Research Excellence was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council to generate and translate evidence to address prevention, diagnosis, and management of FASD in Australia.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research Subsite: Alcohol and PregnancyJanuary 2022Association of prenatal alcohol exposure with offspring DNA methylation in mammals: a systematic review of the evidence
Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with a range of adverse offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes. Several studies suggest that PAE modifies DNA methylation in offspring cells and tissues, providing evidence for a potential mechanistic link to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research Respiratory Environmental Health Clinical EpigeneticsSeptember 2022Assessing The Validity Of A Culturally Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire For Use In Aboriginal Communities
Alcohol related harms disproportionately affect Aboriginal people in Australia. Motives to drink have been identified as the most proximal factor to alcohol consumption.The aim of this study is to assess the validity of a culturally modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) (Cooper, 1994) with Aboriginal participants. The study was cross sectional, utilising data collected via face-to-face surveys with a sample of adult Aboriginal participants.
Published research Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Aboriginal Health Child DisabilityAugust 2022A systematic review of the biological, social, and environmental determinants of intellectual disability in children and adolescents
This systematic review aimed to identify the most important social, environmental, biological, and/or genetic risk factors for intellectual disability.
Published research Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research Child Disability Autism Research Subsite: CliniKids Early Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Child disabilityAugust 2022Nurturing families: One year pilot outcomes for a modified Parent Child Assistance Program in Australia
Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) exposure during pregnancy is linked to serious adverse child outcomes, including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The Parent-Child Assistance Program (PCAP) supports women with problematic AOD use, who are pregnant or have young children, and are not effectively engaging with services. PCAP has been shown to reduce alcohol exposed pregnancies, promote AOD abstinence, increase employment and family planning and improve child outcomes.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Early Childhood Development Child Disability Early Neurodevelopment and Mental HealthJune 2022Exploring offending characteristics of young people with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Western Australia
Neurodevelopmental impairments resulting from Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) can increase the likelihood of justice system involvement. This study compared offence characteristics in young people with FASD to demographically matched controls (n = 500) in Western Australia.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Parenting & Families Early Childhood Development Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD ResearchAugust 2021The Development and Implementation of a Culturally Safe Survey for Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes and Values around FASD and Alcohol Use During Pregnancy in a Remote Australian Aboriginal Community Setting
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing Aboriginal Health Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research Subsite: Alcohol and PregnancyJuly 2021Adverse Childhood Experiences, Associated Stressors and Comorbidities in Children and Youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder across the Child Protection and Justice Settings in Western Australia
Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are at risk of having adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), especially those with child protection or justice system involvement. The complex relationship between FASD and psychosocial vulnerabilities in the affected individual is an important clinical risk factor for comorbidity.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Early Childhood Development Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research School and Community WellbeingApril 2021Identifying how the principles of self-determination could be applied to create effective alcohol policy for First Nations Australians: Synthesising the lessons from the development of general public policy
Harmful alcohol consumption contributes to poorer health for all people. For Indigenous Peoples of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand alcohol impacts their wellbeing significantly, this is partially explained by both their experiences of colonisation and the resulting impact on structural and social determinants of health. Indigenous Peoples have a recognised right to self-determination, which includes their right to contribute to policy decisions that affect them.
Published research Child DisabilityDecember 2020Community Priority setting for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research in Australia
Introduction Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). FASD research is a rapidly growing field that crosses multiple disciplines. To ensure research is relevant and meaningful for people living with FASD, their families, and the broader public there is a need to engage community members in setting priorities for research.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD ResearchMarch 2020RE-AIM evaluation of a teacher-delivered programme to improve the self-regulation of children attending Australian Aboriginal community primary schools
Benefits in teaching the Alert Program® to students in a region with high reported rates of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and self-regulation impairment
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research Group A Streptococcal & Rheumatic Heart Disease School and Community WellbeingMarch 2020A preliminary investigation of the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on facial morphology in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
While early exposure to alcohol may influence the development of facial structures, it does not appear to be associated with ASD phenotypic variability
Autism Spectrum Disorders Published research Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research Child Disability Autism ResearchApril 2019The provision of alcohol and breastfeeding information by maternal health practitioners in the Australian setting
Despite the existence of a national alcohol guideline for breastfeeding women, maternal health practitioners are not incorporating this advice
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Breastfeeding Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research School and Community WellbeingApril 2019Machine learning vs addiction therapists: A pilot study predicting alcohol dependence treatment outcome from patient data in behavior therapy with adjunctive medication
The majority of staff and machine learning models were not more accurate than suggested by chance
Published research Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD ResearchNovember 2018A systematic review of prevention interventions to reduce prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in indigenous communities
There is little evidence that previous interventions aiming to reduce the risk of prenatal alcohol exposure or FASD in Indigenous populations have been effective
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Published research Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research Child EpidemiologyMarch 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 Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research School and Community Wellbeing -
Education and Qualifications
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Active Collaborations