Kate Obst

Research Interests

Family Care Health Promotion Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology Maternal Health Mental Health Psychology Public Health and Health Services Child and Adolescent Health Fertility and Conception Men's Health Pregnancy and Birth

Dr Kate Obst

School of Psychology

College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences

I am a Clinical Lecturer in the School of Psychology, registered Health Psychologist at the Women's and Children's Hospital (WCH), and psychology board-approved supervisor. With a training background in both psychology and public health, I am broadly interested in interdisciplinary research and practice in the area of health psychology, particularly relating to child, family and reproductive health.

Clinically, I have a particular interest in the mind-body relationship and assisting young people experiencing co-morbid physical and mental health challenges. At the WCH, I work in the Consultation Liaison and Paediatric Chronic Pain Services, with young people aged 3-18 who have acute or chronic medical conditions, and their families.

My doctorate involved a mixed methods program of research exploring men's grief and support needs after pregnancy loss and neonatal death. Since completing my PhD, I have also worked on a funded interdisciplinary project exploring the information and support needs of men diagnosed with male-factor infertility, and as the Research Coordinator for the University's Healthy Societies FAME Strategy. Alongside my full-time clinical work, I continue to consult and collaborate on research relating to perinatal loss and child/family health. I have a particular interest in qualitative and mixed-methods research.

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Media/Outreach Activities:

Date Position Institution name
2024 - ongoing Yoga Therapy Group Facilitator Women's and Children's Health Network
2023 - 2024 Postdoctoral Research Fellow University of Adelaide
2023 - ongoing Clinical Lecturer University of Adelaide
2022 - ongoing Psychologist Women's and Children's Health Network
2022 - 2023 Postdoctoral Research Officer University of Adelaide

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2023 Award College of Health Psychologists Award for Excellent Higher Degree Thesis in Health Psychology Australian Psychological Society Australia -
2022 Award Doctoral Research Medal University of Adelaide Australia -
2020 Research Award School of Psychology Prize University of Adelaide Australia -
2020 Research Award Vernon Roy East Prize The Vernon Roy East Bequest Australia -
2018 Award School of Psychology Prize University of Adelaide Australia -
2018 Award Vernon Roy East Prize The Vernon Roy East Bequest Australia -
2018 Scholarship 2018 Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship Westpac Bicentennial Foundation Australia -
2017 Award Best Individual Oral Presentation University of Adelaide Australia -
2017 Scholarship Summer Research Scholarship South Australian Health and Medical Research Insititute Australia -
2016 Achievement Golden Key Scholar Golden Key International Honour Society Australia -
2016 Scholarship Summer Research Scholarship School of Psychology, University of Adelaide Australia -

Language Competency
English Can read, write, speak and understand spoken

Date Institution name Country Title
2018 - 2022 University of Adelaide Australia Combined PhD and Master of Psychology (Health)
2014 - 2017 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Psychology (First Class Honours)

Date Title Institution name Country
2022 Registered Psychologist Psychology Board of Australia -

Year Citation
2025 Pearson, T., Due, C., & Obst, K. (2025). Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Men's Grief Experiences Following Perinatal Death in Australia. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying, 91(3), 1331-1347.
DOI Scopus1
2023 Slade, L., Obst, K., Deussen, A., & Dodd, J. (2023). The tools used to assess psychological symptoms in women and their
partners after termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly: A scoping review. European Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 288, 44-48.
DOI Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC4
2023 Obst, K. L., Oxlad, M., Turnbull, D., & McPherson, N. O. (2023). "No One Asked Me If I'm Alright": A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Information/Support Needs and Challenges Engaging Men Diagnosed With Male-Factor Infertility. Am J Mens Health, 17(6), 1-15.
DOI Scopus7 WoS4 Europe PMC4
2023 Pearson, T., Obst, K., & Due, C. (2023). Culturally and linguistically diverse men's experiences of support following perinatal death: A qualitative study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 32(15-16), 4586-4598.
DOI Scopus6 WoS7 Europe PMC3
2022 Azeez, S., Obst, K. L., Due, C., Oxlad, M., & Middleton, P. (2022). Overwhelming and unjust: A qualitative study of fathers’ experiences of grief following neonatal death. Death Studies, 46(6), 1-12.
DOI Scopus16 WoS12 Europe PMC10
2022 Obst, K. (2022). "We Need Support Too": Recognising, understanding and supporting men through their grief after the death of a baby. Pediatric Palliative and Hospice Care Pediatric E-Journal, (67), 48-53.
2022 Obst, K. L., Due, C., Oxlad, M., & Middleton, P. (2022). Australian men's experiences of leave provisions and workplace support following pregnancy loss or neonatal death. Community, Work and Family, 25(4), 551-562.
DOI Scopus10 WoS12
2021 Obst, K., Oxlad, M., Due, C., & Middleton, P. (2021). Factors contributing to men's grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal death: further development of an emerging model in an Australian sample. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21(1), 29-1-29-16.
DOI Scopus49 WoS42 Europe PMC25
2021 Obst, K., Due, C., Oxlad, M., & Middleton, P. (2021). Men's experiences and need for targeted support after termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly: A qualitative study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 30(17-18), 2718-2731.
DOI Scopus12 WoS12 Europe PMC8
2021 Azeez, S., Obst, K. L., Oxlad, M., Due, C., & Middleton, P. (2021). Australian fathers’ experiences of support following neonatal death: a need for better access to diverse support options. Journal of Perinatology, 41(12), 2722-2729.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC4
2021 Obst, K. L., & Due, C. (2021). Men's grief and support following pregnancy loss: A qualitative investigation of service providers’ perspectives. Death Studies, 45(10), 772-780.
DOI Scopus22 WoS23 Europe PMC12
2020 Obst, K. L., Due, C., Oxlad, M., & Middleton, P. (2020). Men's grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20(1), 11-1-11-17.
DOI Scopus136 WoS121 Europe PMC78
2020 O'Donoghue, B., Mifsud, N. G., Tindall, R. M., Foote, L., Hartmann, J. A., Obst, K. L., . . . Killackey, E. (2020). Physical health assistance in early recovery of psychosis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 14(5), 587-593.
DOI Scopus6 Europe PMC6
2019 Obst, K., & Due, C. (2019). Australian men's experiences of support following pregnancy loss: a qualitative study. Midwifery, 70, 1-6.
DOI Scopus53 WoS49 Europe PMC32
2018 Due, C., Obst, K., Riggs, D., & Collins, C. (2018). Australian heterosexual women's experiences of healthcare provision following a pregnancy loss. Women and Birth, 31(4), 331-338.
DOI Scopus37 WoS35 Europe PMC24

Year Citation
2019 MEN'S GRIEF FOLLOWING PREGNANCY LOSS AND NEONATAL LOSS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW (2019). Poster session presented at the meeting of Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. Wiley.
DOI
2018 Obst, K., & Due, C. (2018). Australian men's experiences of support following pregnancy loss. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstract E-Book. Glasgow, UK: ISPID-ISA.

2018-2022
Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship: Australian Government.
Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship: Westpac Scholars Trust.

Westpac Scholar

 

 

I currently serve on the University's shortlisting committee for the Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship.

2025-ongoing
Psychology board-approved supervisor. I am available to supervise Masters of Psychology students on clinical and health promotion placements at the WCH.

2023-ongoing
Clinical Lecturer, School of Psychology. Activities include marking student theses, co-supervision of student Masters/PhD projects, supervising undergraduate Research Interns and Psychology Masters students on clinical placements at the WCH.

2020-2021
Co-supervisor for Psychology Honours students.

2018
Tutor and marker for third year Health and Lifespan Development, School of Psychology.

Date Role Membership Country
2019 - ongoing Member Stillbirth Advocacy Working Group Australia
2018 - ongoing Member Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand Australia
2018 - ongoing Member Healthy Development Adelaide Australia
2018 - ongoing Member Australian Psychological Society Australia
2018 - ongoing Member Australian College of Health Psychologists Australia

Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
2019 - ongoing GriefLink Management Committee Advocacy Australia
2017 - ongoing Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health Youth Research Council Scientific research Australia

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