Ms Elaheh Ghaemi Mahdavi

Higher Degree by Research Candidate

School of Psychology

College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences


Elaheh Ghaemi Mahdavi is a Psychology researcher and PhD candidate at Adelaide University. Her research interests include reproductive health, gender-based violence, migrant and refugee health, and health inequalities. She has a particular interest in qualitative research and approaches that explore lived experiences, social contexts and the complex factors shaping health and wellbeing. Her doctoral research examines Reproductive Coercion and Abuse among women from Afghan and Iranian backgrounds living in Australia, with a focus on the sociocultural and structural factors influencing reproductive autonomy. Elaheh is particularly interested in producing research that amplifies underrepresented perspectives and informs policy and practice.

My current research focuses on Reproductive Coercion and Abuse (RCA), particularly RCA towards having children that results in birth, and women's experiences of these forms of reproductive control. I am interested in the socio-cultural and structural factors that shape women's experiences of RCA, including gender norms, cultural expectations, migration and settlement experiences, and broader social and institutional contexts. My current work particularly explores RCA towards having children among women from Iranian and Afghan backgrounds living in Australia, with the aim of advancing understanding of how RCA is experienced, shaped and perpetuated across different contexts.

Date Position Institution name
2025 - ongoing Tutor University of Adelaide
2023 - 2024 Research Assistant Flinders University
2022 - 2023 Research Assistant Flinders University
2022 - 2023 Research Assistant Diabetes SA
2022 - 2023 Instructor (Flinders Foundation Studies) TAFE SA
2021 - 2021 Research Assistant University of Adelaide
2017 - 2021 Interpreter Oncall Translators and Interpreters
2016 - 2021 Interpreter ABC Multilingua

Language Competency
Persian Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
2023 Adelaide University Australia Doctor of Philosophy
2020 - 2021 University of Adelaide Australia Honours Degree of Bachelor of Psychological Science
2019 - 2019 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Psychological Science (Graduate Entry)
2006 - 2010 Allameh Tabatabaee University Iran, Islamic Republic of Bachelor of English Literature

Year Citation
2026 Myles, A. B., Ejova, A., de Zoete, R. M. J., Ghaemi Mahdavi, E., & Roberts, R. M. (2026). Medically Unexplained Symptoms: A Systematic Umbrella Review of Current Terminology and Reported Rationales. Clinical Journal of Pain, Publish Ahead of Print(10), 14 pages.
DOI
2026 Ghaemi Mahdavi, E., Taylor, A., Due, C., & Sharman, L. S. (2026). A Scoping Review of Reproductive Coercion and Abuse During Pregnancy. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 1-13.
DOI
2023 Mahdavi, E. G., Due, C., Walsh, M., & Ziersch, A. (2023). Service providers' experiences of interpreter-assisted mental health care for people with refugee backgrounds. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 54(3), 203-212.
DOI Scopus9 WoS7
2023 Ziersch, A., Mahdavi, E. G., Levin, I., Walsh, M., Due, C., & Green, E. (2023). Health and wellbeing impacts of experiences of public spaces for young people from refugee backgrounds in Australia. Wellbeing, Space and Society, 5, 100178.
DOI Scopus7 WoS6

Teaching has been a lifelong passion of mine, and I am committed to supporting students' learning, engagement and academic development. Over the past two years, I have worked as a tutor at Adelaide University, facilitating tutorials across undergraduate courses. Prior to this, I spent two years as an instructor in the Flinders University Foundation Studies program, supporting students in developing their academic skills, particularly in essay writing and critical thinking. Teaching is an area I am particularly passionate about and one I hope to continue pursuing alongside my research career.


Connect With Me

External Profiles

Other Links