Dr Sze Yan Cheung
Lecturer
School of Psychology
College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences
I am a lecturer in the School of Psychology at the Adelaide University. I am also a health and clinical psychologist and have previously worked with people having burn injuries, chronic pain and cardiac issues within a hospital setting, and in private practice. In addition, I am a board-approved supervisor and am committed to mentoring new graduates, fostering their professional growth through reflective practice and evidence-based training. My current research focuses on the relationship between physical and mental health and areas of interest include chronic illnesses (in particular, persistent pain) and psychological wellbeing in people from migrant backgrounds.
I am interested to explore how management of chronic diseases are influenced by various biopsychosociocultural factors and would like to continue working with other healthcare professionals, organisations, and policymakers to develop effective strategies and improve patient outcomes. I am also interested in improving healthcare access and psychological wellbeing of migrants with chronic diseases. Clinical practice has provided me a unique opportunity to witness the influences of social interactions and cultural contexts on migrants’ beliefs, attitudes, and health behaviours. Apart from challenges in acculturation and language barriers, migrants have their unique challenges when accessing healthcare services, which are likely to exacerbate psychological distress and affect chronic diseases outcomes. I am passionate about working with other healthcare professionals and stakeholders in identifying and addressing these challenges to promote health equity.
Research supervision
I am available to supervise students at various levels, including interns, summer research scholarships, Honours and Masters). My main area of research is in the field of pain management, and I am happy to consider other areas as long as they are broadly related to Health Psychology.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 - ongoing | Lecturer | Adelaide University |
| 2024 - 2025 | Lecturer | University of Adelaide |
| 2024 - 2024 | Course Coordinator | University of South Australia |
| 2023 - 2024 | Health Psychologist | CALHN Heart Failure Service |
| 2022 - 2025 | Health Psychologist | CALHN Pain Management Unit |
| 2021 - 2023 | Psychologist | Adult Burns Service |
| 2020 - 2022 | Psychologist | Bower Place |
| Language | Competency |
|---|---|
| Chinese (Cantonese) | Can read, write, speak and understand spoken |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | Can read, write, speak and understand spoken |
| English | Can read, write, speak and understand spoken |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 - 2020 | University of Adelaide | Australia | Master of Psychology (Health) |
| 2012 - 2017 | University of Adelaide | Australia | Doctor of Philosophy |
| 2011 - 2011 | University of Adelaide | Australia | Honours Degree of Bachelor of Psychology |
| 2008 - 2010 | University of Melbourne | Australia | Bachelor of Science |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Cheung, S., & Delfabbro, P. (2016). Are you a cancer survivor? A review on cancer identity. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 10(4), 759-771. Scopus69 WoS68 Europe PMC47 |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Cheung, S. Y., Orlando, J., Keripin, S., & Afford, J. (2025). Delivering interdisciplinary pain management services to rural and regional areas of South Australia.. Poster session presented at the meeting of 10th Association of Southeast Asian Pain Societies (ASEAPS) Congress. |
| 2024 | Littlechild, D., & Cheung, S. Y. (2024). Multi-disciplinary interventions preparing Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) patients for heart transplant.. Poster session presented at the meeting of 2024 SA Health Allied Health Advanced Clinical Practice Symposium. |
| 2021 | Robinson, M., Cheung, S. Y., Duigan, J., & Paterson, K. (2021). Technology and family and systemic therapy. Poster session presented at the meeting of 2021 Australian Association of Family Therapy Conference. |
| 2021 | Cheung, S. Y., & Parker, A. (2021). Trial by fire: How do you support people who have a burns injury?. Poster session presented at the meeting of 2021 APS College of Health Psychologists Conference. |
| 2021 | Cheung, S. Y., & Sanders, C. (2021). Supporting an individual with chronic health conditions: The benefits of involving the support system.. Poster session presented at the meeting of 2021 APS College of Health Psychologists Conference. |
| 2021 | Cheung, S. Y., & Oxlad, M. (2021). Knowledge and attitudes towards cervical cancer screening in young Australian women.. Poster session presented at the meeting of 2021 APS College of Health Psychologists Conference. |
| 2019 | Cheung, S. Y., Delfabbro, P., & Denson, L. (2019). Cancer coverage and portrayal of identity changes in Australian printed news. Poster session presented at the meeting of 2019 APS College of Health Psychologists Conference. |
| 2015 | Cheung, S. Y., & Delfabbro, P. (2015). Who is a cancer survivor? a study into the lay understanding of cancer identity using a crowdsourced population. Poster session presented at the meeting of ANNALS OF ONCOLOGY. Singapore, SINGAPORE: OXFORD UNIV PRESS. DOI WoS1 |
| Date | Project | Investigators | Funding Body | Amount (AUD) |
| 2025 | Build environment factors influencing pain management service engagement | Bower I., Cheung S.Y. | JUS University of South Australia | $3,000 |
Course Co-ordination:
| Date | Course | Level |
| 2026 - Ongoing | Research Project in Health Psychology (PSYC 6023 / 6024) | Postgraduate (Masters) |
| 2026 - Ongoing | Applied Psychological Interventions and Research (PSYC 4008) | Undergraduate (Level IV) |
| 2026 - Ongoing | Foundations of Psychology (PSYC 5027) | Postgraduate (GDP) |
| 2025 | Applied Psychological Interventions and Research (PSYCHOL 4313) | Undergraduate (Level IV) |
| 2025 | Foundations of Psychology (PSYCHOL 6503OL) - OTP5 | Postgraduate (GDP) |
| 2025 | Psychological Health and Wellbeing (PSYCHOL 6503OL) - OTP2 | Postgraduate (GDP) |
| 2024 | Health Psychology, Behavioural Medicine and Psychopharmacology (BEHL 6011) | Postgraduate (Masters- UniSA) |
Teaching/Guest lectures:
| Date | Course | Level |
| 2026 - Ongoing | Master of Psychology (Health) Placement Internal Supervisor (PSYC 5902/6912/6915) | Postgraduate (Masters) |
| 2026 - Ongoing | Applied Psychological Interventions and Research (PSYC 4008) | Undergraduate (Level IV) |
| 2026 - Ongoing | Foundations of Psychology (PSYC 5027) | Postgraduate (GDP) |
| 2025 | Master of Psychology (Health) Placement Internal Supervisor (PSYCHOL 7241/7243) | Postgraduate (Masters) |
| 2025 | Evidence-based Practice (PSYCHOL 7130/7230/7330) | Postgraduate (Masters) |
| 2025 | Applied Psychological Interventions and Research (PSYCHOL 4313) | Undergraduate (Level IV) |
| 2025 | Foundations of Psychology (PSYCHOL 6503OL) - OTP5 | Postgraduate (GDP) |
| 2025 | Psychological Health and Wellbeing (PSYCHOL 6503OL) - OTP2 | Postgraduate (GDP) |
| 2024 | Health Psychology, Behavioural Medicine and Psychopharmacology (BEHL 6011) | Postgraduate (Masters - UniSA) |
| 2022 - 2025 | Health Psychology (PSYCHOL 7134 & PSYCHOL 7234) | Postgraduate (Masters) |
| 2022 - 2025 | Foundations Health & Lifespan Development (PSYCHOL 2005) | Undergraduate (Level II) |
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Location | Program | Supervision Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 - 2026 | Principal Supervisor | Culturally adapted or culturally appropriate pain management psychotherapies for CALD populations | The University of Adelaide | Bachelor of Psychology (Advanced) | Other | - | Elaaf Gill |
| 2025 - ongoing | Principal Supervisor | Understanding Public Perception of Death Doulas: A Mixed-Methods Study of Awareness, Attitudes, and Access in Australia | The University of Adelaide | Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) | Honours | Full Time | Stephanie Pollifrone |
| 2025 - ongoing | Principal Supervisor | Barriers and Facilitators Influencing Access to Tertiary Pain Management Clinics in Australia: A Quantitative study | The University of Adelaide | Bachelor of Psychology (Advanced) (Honours) | Honours | Full Time | Sanjana Moosapeta |
| 2022 - 2022 | Principal Supervisor | The use of virtual reality in patients with a burn injury | The University of Adelaide | Bachelor of Psychological Science | Other | Full Time | Lauren Harcourt |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 - ongoing | Chair | APS SA Committee College of Health Psychologists | Australian Psychological Society | Australia |
| Date | Role | Membership | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 - ongoing | Member | Australian Association of Psychologists Inc | Australia |
| 2023 - ongoing | Member | Australian Pain Society | Australia |
| 2011 - ongoing | Member | Australian Psychological Society | Australia |
Connect With Me
External Profiles
