2025 RTP round - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Emotion Regulation.

Curtin University, Australia

Updated: 2 days ago
Location: Perth, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Status: Opening

Applications open: 1/07/2024
Applications close: 20/08/2024

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About this scholarship

 

Project Overview

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) causes substantial burden of disease in children and adults. It is associated with problems in daily functioning and a range of other psychopathologies. Whilst the DSM-5-TR criteria for ADHD emphasise core symptom clusters comprised of (1) inattention and (2) hyperactivity/impulsivity, various conceptual models of ADHD also highlight a prominent role for deficits in emotion regulation. However, the nature of these emotion regulation deficits remains under explored. More comprehensive efforts are needed to understand the links between ADHD and emotion regulation problems, because such knowledge could inform more effective assessments and treatments for ADHD.

 

Aims

The aim of this PhD project is to enhance the understanding of ADHD and its relationships with emotion regulation problems. The project will take advantage of recent theoretical (Gross, 2015) and measurement (Preece et al., 2018) advances from the affective science field to examine emotion regulation in ADHD more comprehensively than has previously been possible.

 

Objectives

The PhD candidate will work with the supervision team to determine the scope of the project, thus there is freedom to craft it to fit the candidates interests and strengths. Possible project objectives can include, but are not limited to: 
-Understanding how ADHD impacts emotion regulation at different stages of the emotion regulation process (e.g., identifying when to regulate, selecting emotion regulation strategies, implementing those strategies successfully in one's context, and monitoring the impact of the emotion regulation to decide whether to continue, stop, or switch the emotion regulation efforts). This could be explored using online survey, ecological momentary assessment, and/or experimental methodologies, and could focus on adult or child samples. 
-Applying Gross's (2015) process model of emotion regulation to the understanding of ADHD. 
-Exploring the definition/structure of ADHD statistically, and whether emotion regulation problems should be considered an additional core symptom of ADHD. 
-Exploring whether the links between ADHD and problematic outcomes (e.g., poor well-being, interpersonal difficulties) are explained, at least in part, by emotion regulation difficulties. 
-Developing and testing an emotion regulation-focused treatment program for people with ADHD.

 

Significance 

ADHD causes substantial burden of disease, and thus is of high interest to clinical psychology and psychiatry. Many conceptual models of ADHD specify that emotion regulation difficulties may contribute prominently to poor well-being and functioning in people with ADHD. By applying recent advances in emotion regulation theory (Gross, 2015) and measurement (Preece et al., 2018) to the ADHD field, this project has the potential to significantly enhance understanding of ADHD and provide new assessment and treatment directions.

 

The successful candidate will be part of the Perth Emotion and Psychopathology Lab (www.emotionpsychopathologylab.com). This lab, directed by Dr David Preece, is comprised of over 35 academics, clinicians, and research students, all doing work on the understanding, assessment, and treatment of emotional disorders. The project will form part of an internationally recognised emotion regulation research program occurring at the Perth Emotion and Psychopathology Lab, which includes close collaborations with research labs in the United States and Belgium, as well as several clinical treatment centers in Western Australia.

 

An internship may be available for this project. Our lab has close ongoing collaborations with the psychiatry departments of Fiona Stanley Hospital and Perth Children's Hospital. Thus, there are several excellent opportunities for fulfilling PhD internship opportunities linked to the clinical applications of this research area.


  • Future Students

  • Faculty of Health Sciences

  • Higher Degree by Research

  • Australian Citizen
  • Australian Permanent Resident
  • New Zealand Citizen
  • Permanent Humanitarian Visa
  • International Student

  • Merit Based

The annual scholarship package, covering both stipend and tuition fees, amounts to approximately $70,000 per year.

In 2024, the RTP stipend scholarship offers $35,000 per annum for a duration of up to three years. Exceptional progress and adherence to timelines may qualify students for a six-month completion scholarship.

Selection for these scholarships involves a competitive process, with shortlisted applicants notified of outcomes by November 2024.


Scholarship Details

1


All applicable HDR courses.


We are looking for a motivated PhD candidate with an interest in clinical and emotion research. Candidates should ideally have strong skills in quantitative statistics. Must be eligible to enrol in PhD programs at Curtin University.
 


Application process

Please send your CV, academic transcripts and brief rationale why you want to join this research project via the HDR Expression of Interest form to the project lead researcher, listed below. 


Enrolment Requirements

You must be enrolled in a Higher Degree by Research Course at Curtin University by March 2025.


Enquiries

Project Lead: Dr David Preece



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