Researcher Profile

Dr Thomas Whelan

Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Health Sciences

Areas of expertise: Perinatal mental health; Early parenting; Parent wellbeing during early childhood
HDR Supervisor accreditation status: Full
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9549-7651
Phone: (03) 9953 3127
Email: tom.whelan@acu.edu.au
Location: ACU Melbourne Campus

Tom Whelan (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of the School of Behavioural and Health Sciences. He has taught for over 20 years at university and currently teaches at both undergraduate and graduate levels in Developmental and Abnormal Psychology. Tom has published widely in academic journals, text books and the popular press. In addition, he is a clinical psychologist working in youth mental health. His current field of research involves the relationship between emotions, parenting and mental health. He has specific interests in parent wellbeing during early childhood.
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Select publications:

• Wilson, M., Whelan, T., Milne, L., Hamilton, D., Jacobs, D., Pilkington, P. (2021). A thematic analysis of influences on parents’ autism intervention decisions
  Research in Developmental Disabilities, 117, 104035
• Wilson, M., Hamilton, D., Whelan, T., & Pilkington, P. (2018). A systematic review of factors related to parents’ treatment decisions for their children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 48, 17-35.
• Rominov, H., Giallo, R., Pilkington, P., & Whelan, T. (2018). “Getting help for yourself is a way of helping your baby”: Fathers experiences of support for mental health and parenting in the perinatal period. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 19, 457-468.
• Rominov, H., Giallo, R., Pilkington, P., & Whelan, T. (2017). Midwives perceptions and experiences of engaging fathers in perinatal services. Women and Birth, 30, 308-318.
• Pilkington, P.D., Rominov, H., Milne, L., Giallo, R., & Whelan, T.A. (2017). Partners to parents: Development of an on-line intervention for enhancing partner support and preventing perinatal depression and anxiety. Advances in Mental Health, 15, 42-57. DOI:10.1080/18387357.2016.1173517
• Rominov, H., Giallo, R., & Whelan, T.A. (2016). Fathers’ postnatal distress, parenting self-efficacy, later parenting behaviour and children’s emotional-behavioural functioning: A longitudinal study. Journal of Family Psychology, 30, 907-917. doi: .1037/fam0000216
• Rominov, H., Pilkington, P.D., Giallo, R., & Whelan, T.A. (2016). A systematic review of interventions targeting paternal mental health in the perinatal period. Infant Mental Health Journal,37(3), 289-301. DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21560
• Pilkington, P., Milne, L., Cairns, K., Whelan, T. (2016) Enhancing reciprocal partner support to prevent perinatal depression and anxiety: A Delphi consensus study. BMC Psychiatry, 16 (1). DOI: 10.1186/s12888-016-0721-0
• Pilkington, P.D., Whelan, T.A, & Milne, L.C. (2016). Maternal crying and postpartum distress: The moderating role of partner support. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 34, 64-76.
• McGeorge, K., Milne, L., Cotton, L., & Whelan, T. (2015). Effects of infant and maternal sensory processing on infant fussing, crying and sleep. Infant Mental Health Journal. 36 (3), 275-286.
• Pilkington, P.D., Milne, L.C., Cairns, K.E., Lewis, J., & Whelan, T.A. (2015). Modifiable partner factors associated with perinatal depression and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Journal of Affective Disorders, 178, 165-180. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.02.023
• Pilkington, P.D., Whelan, T.A, & Milne, L.C. (2015). A review of partner-inclusive interventions for preventing postnatal depression and anxiety, Clinical Psychologist, 19, 63-75. doi: 10.1111/cp.12054