Dr Shelley Wright

I have been a lecturer in the occupational therapy program at the University of South Australia (UniSA) for over 15 years. I am also an experienced occupational therapy clinician who has a long-standing interest in child protection and the impact of child trauma throughout life, from a clinical, research and education perspective. I have a research interest in child protection, completing my PhD in 2016 on Playfulness in Preschool Children: The Impact of Parental Characteristics and Child Abuse and Neglect. I am currently the chief investigator for a pilot study which is examining a play-based intervention aimed at improving the social play skills and pragmatic language skills of children who have experienced trauma. I am also involved in a UniSA Alliance for Research into Domestic Violence and Trauma – this alliance is currently conducting a preliminary study into mental health support for women and children who have experienced domestic violence.

In addition to my academic career, I have worked clinically in a range of mental health and paediatric roles and in the area of child abuse and neglect. Consequently, other research interests relate to children and mental health topics.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy University of South Australia

• Master of Philosophy (OT) University of Queensland

• Bachelor of Occupational Therapy The University of Queensland