Sarah Halliday
School of Psychology
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD (as Co-Supervisor) - email supervisor to discuss availability.
I have a diverse range of research interests, but I aim to focus my efforts in the following areas:
- Adolescent Health and Wellbeing
My PhD research examined the impact of early adolescent bullying victimisation on emotional wellbeing, psychosocial, and academic outcomes, which sparked an ongoing interest in adolescence as a critical developmental stage. Since then, research projects I have conducted with honours students have explored how cyberbullying influences learning readiness and academic achievement, the role of friendships on resilience, and the ways in which school belonging can moderate the relationship between cognitive engagement and a growth mindset. Given that schools play a pivotal role in adolescent health, wellbeing, and development, I am particularly passionate about research focused on prevention and early intervention within educational settings.
- Psychology Teaching and Learning
As an Education Specialist in the School of Psychology, I am interested in the pedagogy of psychology, particularly in the design and evaluation of assessment methods. My focus so far has been on reviewing the evidence-base on best practice guidelines for assessment methods. With the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI), I am also exploring how psychology educators and students can thoughtfully integrate AI into assessment methods while maintaining a strong emphasis on developing essential skills and knowledge that will support students’ future success.
- How Nihilistic Beliefs Impact Psychosocial Wellbeing
Recently, I have been collaborating with colleagues, honors students, and research interns to explore the impact of nihilistic beliefs on various aspects of mental health and wellbeing. Our research focuses on understanding the relationship between nihilism and wellbeing, grief, social support, and life decisions. Given that the intersection of nihilism and psychology remains underexplored, our goal is to shed light on how the growing prevalence of nihilistic beliefs is shaping individuals and communities.
Research Projects 2025
I am keen to supervise research projects in the areas outlined above at all student levels (undergraduate research internships, Honours, Masters, and PhD) either as a primary supervisor or co-supervisor in 2025. I also welcome the opportunity to co-supervise projects outside of these areas and am happy to discuss potential collaborations.
My supervision style is both collaborative and goal-oriented. I believe in setting clear expectations, goals, and timelines early in the project to create a structured yet supportive research experience. I strongly encourage students to publish their work and am more than happy to guide them through the publication process. I have experience in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and am also open to supervising students conducting systematic reviews or meta-analyses.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2022 - ongoing Lecturer University of Adelaide 2019 - 2022 PhD Candidate University of Adelaide -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2024 Fellowship Advance HE Fellowship Advance HE United Kingdom - 2023 Award Executive Dean's Team Prize The University of Adelaide Australia - 2022 Research Award University Doctoral Research Medal The University of Adelaide Australia - 2019 Achievement Golden Key Scholar Golden Key International Honour Society Australia - 2019 Scholarship Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarship Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Australia - -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title University of Adelaide Australia PhD in Psychology University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Psychological Science (First Class Honours) University of South Australia Australia Bachelor of Psychological Science -
Research Interests
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Journals
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Conference Items
Year Citation 2021 Halliday, S., Turnbull, D., Digenis, C., Taylor, A., & Gregory, T. (2021). Psychosocial outcomes associated with traditional and cyber bullying in early adolescence: A cross-sectional, population-based study. Poster session presented at the meeting of INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE. SPRINGER.
| Date | Project | Investigators | Funding Body | Amount (AUD) |
| 2024/2025 | Finding meaning in the absence of meaning: Exploring motivations and experiences associated with existential nihilism | van Antwerpen, N., Halliday, S., Chang, R., Tagabuan, A., Clarke, A., Seslija, T. & Billah, A. |
University of Adelaide Summer Research Scholarship School of Psychology Research Committee Funding |
$8990 |
| 2024 | Do best practice guidelines exist for assessment methods in the undergraduate psychology program? | Halliday, S., Callaghan, P., Lavis, T. & Chur-Hansen, A. | Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences - Conference Travel Grant | $1500 |
| 2019 - 2022 | PhD - Bullying in Early Adolescence: The Psychosocial, Emotional Wellbeing, and Academic Outcomes of Victimisation | Halliday, S | Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Divisional Scholarship: Australian Government | $82,788 |
| 2019 | PhD - Bullying in Early Adolescence: The Psychosocial, Emotional Wellbeing, and Academic Outcomes of Victimisation | Halliday, S | Rural and Regional Enterprise Scholarship: Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) |
Teaching Awards and Recognition
| Date | Award | Organisation |
| 2024 | Fellow | Higher Education Academy (UK) |
| 2023 | Executive Dean's Award - Psychology Online Programs Team Prize | University of Adelaide, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences |
Course Coordination
| Date | Course | Level |
| 2025 (OTP4) | Learning and Behaviour | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2025 (OTP3) | Developmental Psychology | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2025 (OTP1) | Psychological Applications and Interventions | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology - Advanced) |
| 2024 (OTP6) | Learning and Behaviour | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2024 (OTP5) | Developmental Psychology | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2024 (Semester 1) |
Research Internships (Interim) | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| 2024 (OTP1) | Developmental Psychology | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2023 (OTP5) | Professional and Interpersonal Skills | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology - Advanced) |
| 2023 (OTP4) | Applying Research Methods in Psychology | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2023 (OTP3) | Developmental Psychology | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2023 (OTP1) | Research Methods, Design, and Analysis | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2022 (OTP6) | Applying Research Methods in Psychology | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2022 (OTP5) | Developmental Psychology | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2022 (OTP3) | Research Methods, Design, and Analysis | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
| 2022 (OTP2) | Applying Research Methods in Psychology | Postgraduate (Graduate Diploma of Psychology) |
Teaching
| Date | Course | Level |
| 2025 (Semester 2) | Health and Lifespan Development | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| 2025 (Semester 2) | Advanced Career and Research Skills (B) | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| 2025 (Semester 2) | Technology in Psychological Research and Practice | Undergraduate (Level I) |
| 2024 (Semester 2) | Health and Lifespan Development | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| 2024 (Semester 2) | Advanced Career and Research Skills (B) | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| 2024 (Semester 2) | Technology in Psychological Research and Practice | Undergraduate (Level I) |
| 2023 (Semester 2) | Health and Lifespan Development | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| 2023 (Semester 2) | Advanced Career and Research Skills (B) | Undergraduate (Level III) |
| 2022 (Semester 2) | Health and Lifespan Development | Undergraduate (Level III) |
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Memberships
Date Role Membership Country 2025 - ongoing Member International Society for Research on Aggression United States 2024 - ongoing Member Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators Australia 2023 - ongoing Member Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Australia 2020 - ongoing Member Australian Psychological Society Australia 2019 - ongoing Member Healthy Development Adelaide Australia 2019 - ongoing Member Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association Australia
Connect With Me
External Profiles
