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. |
| 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. |
| 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. 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. 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.