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Dr Andrew Campbell
Sydney University Links:
CyberPsychology Research Group
In today’s episode of Confessions of a CyberPsychologist, I chat about Digital Mental Health with Dr Andrew Campbell.
He is an Associate Professor of Cyberpsychology at The University of Sydney, a founding member of their Cyberpsychology Research Group and part of the team hosting the 2025 CyberPsychology conference.
During our chat, we focus on:
00:45 Andrew’s background in child and cyberpsychology and the exponential growth of CyberPsychology in Australia.
07:06 How technology affects young people’s developmental growth and wellbeing.
9:28 The development of a social media platform, My Circle, to support young Australians’ mental wellbeing using a combination of community and professional clinicians.
15:11 Why ‘screentime’ is the wrong way to view the time a child spends on a digital device – and meaningful online experiences. Check out the REFLCT tool created by the CyberPsychology Research Group (CRG) at Sydney University, for HP, to get an insight into how balanced your tech use is.
22:24 The main research focus of the CRG in 2024: security issues such as AI and deep fakes, the cyberpsychology of deception and applied mental health concerning digital technology – amongst youth, adults, retirees and veterans.
31:09 What postgraduate options are available in CyberPsychology at Sydney University.
34:06 The origins and outcomes of gaming disorder.
37:13 What children are searching for in online game play, warning signs that indicate they are at risk of gaming disorder, and how to help.
45:02 The projected future of CyberPsychology in industry – understanding of complex systems and human factors in being productive and healthy.
48:50 The threat of future technology – not using technology in the best ways possible.
51:29 How the media sensationalises academic findings, and the need for a more balanced argument around technology use.
Andrew has experience in several areas of CyberPsychology. He focuses on young people and digital technology use.
If you are a parent, especially if you are worried about your child and gaming, you will probably find this episode interesting.
Dr Andrew Campbell's Research and Publications
Source (and more details available): Dr Campbell’s Profile at the University of Sydney.
Books
- Using technologies safely and effectively to promote young people’s wellbeing: A better practice guide for services.
- Psychology and Life
- PHE1IDH Individual Determinants of Health.
- Psychology and Life: Australian Edition.
Book Chapters
- Communicating Electronically with Adolescents. [More Information]
- Online Social Networking and the Experience of Cyber-Bullying. [More Information]
- The effect of e-health contents on health science students’ attitude toward the efficiency of health ICT in care provision. [More Information]
- Game-based learning: Current research in games for health, a focus on biofeedback video games as treatement for AD/HD. [More Information]
- Healthy Connections: Online Social Networks and Their Potential for Peer Support.
- Online Social Networking Amongst Teens: Friend or Foe? [More Information]
Journals
- Exploring Discussions About Virtual Reality on Twitter to Inform Brain Injury Rehabilitation: [More Information]
- Health Professionals’ Use of Online Communities for Interprofessional Peer Education. [More Information]
- The Reel Health Care Professionals of Instagram. [More Information]
- Increasing Access to Mental Health Services: Videogame Players’ Perspectives. [More Information]
- Mental Health Help-Seeking Behavior of Male Video Game Players [More Information]
- Speech-Language Pathologists’ Views of Using Virtual Reality for Managing Cognitive-Communication Disorders Following Traumatic Brain Injury. [More Information]
- Exploring the use of virtual reality to manage distress in adolescent patients in emergency departments. [More Information]
- Online Group Counseling for Young People Through a Customized Social Networking Platform: Phase 2 of Kids Helpline Circles. [More Information]
- A comparison design study of feedback modalities to support deep breathing whilst performing work tasks. [More Information]
- A National Survey of Children’s Experiences of Parental Separation and Support Needs in Australia. [More Information]
- Effectiveness of virtual reality interventions for adolescent patients in hospital settings. [More Information]
- Psychoeducational social anxiety mobile apps. [More Information]
- BRecommendations for the Design and Implementation of Virtual Reality for Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation. [More Information]
- The Use of Virtual Reality for Managing Psychological Distress in Adolescents. [More Information]
- A scoping review identifying the need for quality research on the use of virtual reality in workplace settings for stress management. [More Information]
- Social Media Use by Young People Living in Conflict-Affected Regions of Myanmar. [More Information]
- A Customized Social Network Platform (Kids Helpline Circles) for Delivering Group Counseling to Young People Experiencing Family Discord That Impacts Their Well-Being [More Information]
- Augmented Experiences: Investigating the Feasibility of Virtual Reality as Part of a Workplace Wellbeing Intervention. [More Information]
- Internet-Delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety Treatment: [More Information]
- Social Connection and Online Engagement: Insights From Interviews With Users of a Mental Health Online Forum. [More Information]
- A Preliminary Understanding of Search Words used by Children, Teenagers and Young Adults in Seeking information about Depression and Anxiety Online. [More Information]
- RDigital Health in Melanoma Posttreatment Care in Rural and Remote Australia. [More Information]
- Representation of Women in Video Games. [More Information]
- The Use of Social Networking Sites in Mental Health Interventions for Young People. [More Information]
- Development and evaluation of an online acceptance and commitment therapy program for anxiety: Phase I iterative design. [More Information]
- Virtual World Interview Skills Training for Students Studying Health Professions. [More Information]
- Facebook as a Recruitment Tool for Adolescent Health Research. [More Information]
- Using Facebook to deliver a social norm intervention to reduce problem drinking at university. [More Information]
- ‘Off your Face(book)’: Alcohol in online social identity construction and its relation to problem drinking in university students. [More Information]
- Comparing online and offline self-disclosure. [More Information]
- “I did not realize so many options are available”: Cognitive authority, emerging adults, and e-mental health. [More Information]
- Comparative randomised trial of an online cognitive-behavioural therapy program and an online support group for depression and anxiety.
- Understanding e-mental health resources: Personality, awareness, utilization, and effectiveness of e-mental health resources amongst youth. [More Information]
- The Use of Computerized Self-Help Packages to Treat Adolescent Depression and Anxiety. [More Information]
- Ageing, social capital and the Internet: Findings from an exploratory study of Australian ‘silver surfers’. [More Information]
- Biofeedback video games to teach ADHD children relaxation skills to help manage symptoms.
- Can children with AD/HD learn relaxation and breathing techniques through biofeedback video games?
- Internet use and loneliness in older adults. [More Information]
- Perceptions and behaviour of access of the Internet: A study of women attending a breast screening service in Sydney, Australia. [More Information]
- Internet Use by the Socially Fearful: Addiction or Therapy? [More Information]
- Stress and Psychological Well-Being among Allied Health Professionals. [More Information]
Conferences
- Understanding the First Person Experience of Walking Mindfulness Meditation Facilitated by EEG Modulated Interactive Soundscape. [More Information]
- An Interactive Soundscape to Assist Group Walking Mindfulness Meditation. [More Information]
- Mediscape: Preliminary Design Guidelines for Interactive Rhythmic Soundscapes for Entraining Novice Mindfulness Meditators. [More Information]
- Sounds in the Moment: Designing an Interactive EEG Nature Soundscape for Novice Mindfulness Meditators. 30th Australian Computer-Human Interaction Conference (OzCHI 2018). [More Information]
- Online communication in different contexts: Social and eHealth Disclosures.
- Virtual world interview skills training for Health Professionals.
Report
- Evaluation of SANE Australia Thriving Communities project: The University of Sydney.
Research Reports
- Mobile Myanmar: The Impact of Social Media on Youth Living in Conflict-Affected Regions of Myanmar.
- A National Online Survey about Children’s Experiences of Parental Separation.
