Professor of Psychology

PhD GDipEdPsych DipTeachSec BEd

Professor Tess Knight is Head of the School of Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy, and a registered Psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia. Tess’s teaching and research is primarily in developmental psychology, education, and health.

Research Interests

Tess’s research interests include successful or positive ageing; depression across the lifespan; barriers to social inclusion and connectedness of older adults; and body image and self-perceptions.

Recent Publications

Journal Articles

  • Bailey, C., Knight, T., Koolmatrie, J., Brubacher, S., & Powell, M. (2-18). Indigenous stakeholders; evaluation of a community engagement initiative to address child sexual abuse in remote Indigenous communities. Australian Psychologist. Doi:10.1111/ap.12349
  • McVean, E., Yuen, E., Tooley, G., Traino, H., & Knight, T. Attitudes of physicians in Australia when converting potential organ donors: A qualitative analysis. Journal of Health Psychology. (Accepted February, 2018).
  • Kings, C. A., Moulding, R., Knight, T. (2017). You are what you own: Reviewing the link between possessions, emotional attachment, and the self-concept in Hoarding Disorder. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 14, 51-58. doi: 10.1016/j.jocrd.2017.05.005
  • Yuen, E. Y. N., Knight, T., Dodson, S., Chirgwin, J., Ricciardelli, L. A., Burney, S., Parente, P., & Livingston, P. M. (2017). Measuring cancer caregiver health literacy: Validation of the Health Literacy of Caregivers Scale-Cancer (HLCS-C). Health and Social Care in the Community. Doi:10.1111/hsc.12524
  • Poole, L. A., Knight, T., Toumbourou, J. W., Lubman, D. I., Bertino, M. D., & Lewis, A. J. (2017). A randomized controlled trial of the impact of a family-based adolescent depression intervention on both youth and parent mental health outcomes. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1-13. DOI 10.1007/s10802-017-1292-7.
  • Yuen, E. Y. N., Knight, T., Ricciardelli, L. A., & Burney, S. (2016) Health literacy of caregivers of adult care recipients: A systematic review. Health and Social Care in the Community. doi: 10.1111/hsc.12368
  • Mummé, T., Mildred, H., & Knight, T. (2016). How do people stop Non-Suicidal Self-Injury? A systematic review. Archives of Suicide Research, DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2016.1222319
  • Poole, L. A., Lewis, A. J., Toumbourou, J. W., Knight, T., Bertino, M. D., & Pryor, R. (2016). A Multi-Family group intervention for adolescent depression: the BEST-MOOD program. Family Process.  doi: 10.1111/famp.12218. IF 3.0
  • Kings, C. A., Knight, T., Ryan, D., & Macdonald, J. A. (2017). The “Sensory Deprivation Tank”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of men’s expectations of first-time fatherhood.  Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 18, 112-122. doi.org/10.1037/men0000046
  • Stewart, M., Knight, T., Mcgillivray, J., Forbes, D., & Austin, D. (2016). Through a trauma-based lens: A qualitative analysis of the experience of parenting a child with autism. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability. doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2016.1232379
  • Day, A., Boni, N., Evert, H., & Knight, T. (2016). An assessment of interventions that target risk factors for elder abuse: A systemic review of the literature.  Health and Social Care in the Community (submitted December, 2015). DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12332
  • Lloyd, B., Macdonald, J. A., Youssef, G., Knight, T., Letcher, P., Sanson, A., & Olsson, C. (2016). Negative reactivity and parental warmth in early adolescence, and depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood.  Australian Journal of Psychology, DOI10.1111/ajpy.12129
  • Brown, A., & Knight, T. (2015). Shifts in media images of women’s appearance and social status: A content analysis of beauty advertisements. Journal of Aging Studies, 35, 74-83. doi:10.1016/j.jaging.2015.08.003
  • Lewis, A. J., Knight, T., Germanov, G., Benstead, M., Joseph, C. & Poole, L. (2015) The impact on family functioning of social media use by depressed adolescents: a qualitative analysis.  Frontiers in Psychiatry, doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00131
  • Yuen, E. Y. N., Dodson, S., Batterham, R. W., Knight, T., Chirgwin, J., & Livingston, P. M. (2015). Development of a conceptual model of cancer caregiver health literacy. European Journal of Cancer Care,25(2) 294-306. doi: 10.1111/ecc.12284.
  • Di Manno, L., Macdonald, J., & Knight. T. (2015).  The intergenerational continuity of breastfeeding intention, initiation and duration: A systematic review. Birth, DOI: 10.1111/birt.12148
  • Di Manno, L., Macdonald, J. A., & Knight, T. (2015). Family dissolution and offspring depression and depressive symptoms: A systematic review of moderation effects. Journal of Affective Disorders, 188, 68-79. DOI:  10.1016/j.jad.2015.08.017
  • Yuen, E.Y.N, Knight, T., Dodson, S., Ricciardelli, L., Burney, S., & Livingston, P.M. (2014). Develepment of the Health Literacy of Caregivers Scale-Cancer (HLCS-C): Item generation and content validity testing. BMC Family Practice, 15, 1471-2296. doi:10.1186/s12875-014-0202-9.
  • Gilbo, C., Knight, T., Lewis, A. J., Toumbourou, J. W., & Bertino, M. D. (2014).  A qualitative evaluation of an intervention for parents of adolescents with mental disorders: The Parenting Challenging Adolescents Seminar.  Journal of Child and Family Studies. DOI 10.1007/s10826-014-0055-9
  • Evans, S., Knight, T., Sonderlund, A., & Tooley, G. (2014). Facilitators’ experience of delivering asynchronous and synchronous online interprofessional education. Medical Teacher, DOI 10.3109/0142159X.2014.918254
  • Knight, T., Skouteris, H., Townsend, M., & Hooley, M. (2014). The act of giving: A systematic review of non-familial intergenerational interaction. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, Vol 12(3), 257-278. DOI 10.1080/15350770.2014.929913
  • Knight, T., Skouteris, H., Townsend, M., & Hooley, M. (2014).  The act of giving: A pilot and feasibility study of The My Life Story program designed to foster positive mental health and wellbeing in adolescents and older adults. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, DOI 10.1080/02673843.2014.
  • Lewis, A.J., Bertino, M.D., Skewes, J., Shand, L., Borojevic, N., Knight, T., Lubman, D.I., Toumbourou, J.W. (2013). Adolescent depressive disorders and and family based interventions in the family options multicentre evaluation: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 14 (1): 384. DOI:10.1186/1745-6215-14-384.
  • Bertino, M. D., Richens, K., Knight, T., Toumbourou, J. W., Ricciardelli, L., & Lewis, A. J. (2013).  Reducing parental anxiety using a family based intervention for youth mental health: A randomized controlled trial. Open Journal of Psychiatry, 3(1A), 173-185. Tabak, S. J., Klettke, B., & Knight, T. (2013). Simulated jury decision making in online focus groups. Qualitative Research Journal, 3(1), 102-113.
  • Henderson, L. W., Knight, T., & Richardson, B. (2013). The hedonic and eudaimonic validity of the Orientations to Happiness Scale. Social Indicators Research, 1-13. DOI 10.1007/s11205-013-0264-4.
  • Henderson, L. W., Knight, T., & Richardson, B. (2013). An exploration of the well-being benefits of hedonic and eudaimonic behaviour.  The Journal of Positive Psychology. DOI:10.1080/17439760.2013.803596.
  • Davison, T. E., McCabe, M. P., Knight, T., & Mellor, D. (2012).  Biopsychosocial factors related to depression in aged care residents. Journal of Affective Dosorders, 142(3), 290-296.
  • Lewis, A. J., Bertino, M. D., Robertson, N., Knight, T., & Toubmourou, J. W. (2012). Consumer feedback following participation in a family-based intervention for youth mental health.  Depression Research and Treatment, 2012, 1-8.
  • Henderson, L. W., & Knight, T. (2012). Integrating the hedonic and eudaimonic perspectives to more comprehensively understand wellbeing and pathways to wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 2(3), 196-221.
  • Mackintosh, V. J., & Knight, T. (2012).  The notion of ‘self’ in the journey back from addiction. Qualitative Health Research, 22(8), 1094-1101, DOI 10.1177/1049732312450325.
  • Cook, K., McKenzie, H., & Knight, T. (2011). Child support research in Australia: A critical review. Journal of Family Studie, 17(2), 110-125.
  • Knight, T., Davison, T. E., McCabe, M. P., & Mellor, D. (2011).  Environmental mastery and depression in older adults in residential care.  Ageing and Society, 31(5), 870-884.
  • Latner, J. D., Knight, T., & Illingworth, K. (2011). Body Image and Self-esteem among Asian, Pacific Islander, and White College Students in Hawaii and Australia.  Submitted to Journal of Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 19(4) 355-368.
  • Knight, T., Latner, J. D., & Illingworth, K. (2010). Tolerance of larger sizes by young adults living in Australia and Hawaii. Journal of Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 18, 425-434.
  • Pennington, J., & Knight, T. (2010).  Through the lens of hetero-normative assumptions: Participants’ attitudes toward gay parenting.  Revised and resubmitted to Culture, Health and Sexuality, 13(1), 59-72.

Book Chapters

  • Knight, T. (2012). Body image in older adults. In Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human Appearance. Elsevier, doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-384926-7.00016-5.

Non-refereed Publications, Conference Proceedings and Original Contributions

  • Ryan, D., Kings, C., Knight, T., & Macdonald, J. A (2015). Perceptions of the role of fatherhood and the desire to have children by men in the peak age for transition to parenthood. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Infant Mental Health (AAIMH) Conference in Sydney.
  • Knight, T., Davison, T., McCabe, M., & Mellor, D. (2014). The association between environmental mastery and depression in aged-care residents. Paper presented at the 28th International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP) in Paris.
  • Brown, A., & Knight, T. (2014). Ageing and Social Visibility. Paper presented at Appearance Matters Conference in Bristol.
  • Knight, T. (2014).  Memories for safe keeping and Positive relationships in the lives of people ageing successfully. Invitation from the Dean of Faculty of Education,Sichuan Normal University, China to present to colleagues interested in research on ageing.
  • Lewis, A.J., Pryor, R., Bertino, M. D., Toumbourou, J., & Knight, T. (2012). Behaviour Exchange and Systems Therapy – MOOD: Treatment Manual. Deakin University. Geelong, Australia.
  • Bertino, M., Lewis, A., Knight, T., Ricciardelli, L., & Toumbourou, J. (2010). Deakin Family Options Family Interview Protocol. Retrieved 23 February 2011, from http://www.deakin.edu.au/hmnbs/psychology/research/dfo/inforeferrers.php

Manuscripts under review

  • Mummé, T. A., Mildred, H., & Knight, T.  A qualitative investigation into the experience of stopping non-suicidal self-injury. Archives of Suicide Research. (Submitted April, 2018)
  • Poole, L. A., Toumbourou, J. W., Knight, T., Lubman, D. I., Skewes, J., Bertino, M. D., & Lewis, A. J. Family functioning following a family-based treatment for adolescent depression: Outcomes of a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (IF 4.027) (Submitted January, 2017).
  • Bouguettaya, A., Klas, A., Moulding, R., King, R., & Knight, T. The perfect identity: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of perfectionism as a social identity in eating disorders.  Journal of Clinical Psychology (IF 2.123) (Submitted June, 2018)
  • Jelicic, L., Brooker, J., Shand, L., Knight, T., Ricciardelli, L., Dunham, G., & Burney, S. Experiences and healthcare preferences of women with ovarian cancer during the diagnosis phase. Psycho-Oncology (IF 3.095) (Submitted May, 2018 – Revise and resubmit August 17th, 2018)
  • Kings, C. A., Knight, T., & Moulding, R. “They’re all linked”: A photo-elicitation study of possessions as links to self-concept and the identities of others in hoarding disorder. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders. (IF 1.634) (Revise and resubmit, August 2018)
  • Smith, I., Knight, T., Fletcher, R., Macdonald, J. A. When men choose to be childless: an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Journal of Family Psychology (IF 1.742) (Submitted August, 2018).
  • Newman, P., Mildred, H., & Knight, T. Discovering self-harm and seeking help – the parents’ perspective: A systematic review. Journal of Family Psychology (IF 1.742 Submitted August, 2018).