
Miss Casey Regan
Research Associate
School of Psychological Sciences (Psychology)
- Email:casey.regan@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:(02) 4055 0218
Career Summary
Biography
Casey Regan is an early career Research Associate in the School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Newcastle, with a research focus on health psychology and the integration of mental and physical health care. She holds a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) from the University of Newcastle, awarded in 2019. Her PhD thesis (currently under review) examined implementation support strategies to increase preventive care delivery for chronic disease risk factors in community mental health settings.
Casey is currently involved in several projects targeting men’s mental health, including a Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)-funded clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of walk-and-talk therapy with traditional psychotherapy for men experiencing low mood. Her broader research interests include men’s health, paternal perinatal support, innovative models of mental health care, and health behaviour change interventions, reflected in a growing body of multidisciplinary peer-reviewed publications.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), University of Newcastle
Keywords
- Chronic Disease Prevention
- Digital Health Interventions
- Health Behaviour Change
- Health Promotion
- Health Psychology
- Implementation Science
- Men's Health
- Mental Health
- Perinatal Mental Health
Languages
- English (Mother)
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
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520304 | Health psychology | 40 |
420313 | Mental health services | 30 |
420603 | Health promotion | 30 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
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Research Associate | University of Newcastle School of Psychological Sciences Australia |
Casual Academic | University of Newcastle School of Psychological Sciences Australia |
Academic appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
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1/3/2024 - 28/2/2025 | Research Associate | School of Psychological Sciences University of Newcastle Australia |
27/1/2020 - 16/8/2024 |
Higher Degree Research Student - PhD (Psychology - Science) Thesis Title: Design and Evaluation of Implementation Support Strategies to Increase Preventive Care Delivery for Chronic Disease Risk Factors in Community-Based Mental Health Settings |
School of Psychological Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle Australia |
Professional appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
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2/8/2021 - 7/8/2024 | Research Assistant - SMS4dads | School of Health Sciences - University of Newcastle Australia |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Journal article (13 outputs)
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2025 |
Fletcher R, Regan C, May C, White S, St George J, 'Developing a text message intervention for fathers with partners experiencing perinatal depression or anxiety', JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE AND INFANT PSYCHOLOGY [C1] Background: Support from fathers to their partners is important to reduce distress in mothers during the perinatal period when conditions such as depression and anxiety can be com... [more] Background: Support from fathers to their partners is important to reduce distress in mothers during the perinatal period when conditions such as depression and anxiety can be common. The SMS4dads digital platform delivers text messages to fathers but has not previously addressed specific messages to fathers with partners who are experiencing perinatal depression and/or anxiety (PNDA). Aim: To develop messages, in collaboration with experienced parents and clinicians, that are suitable for fathers whose partner is experiencing PNDA. Methods: Messages designed to enhance the quality of partner support for mothers experiencing PNDA were drafted by the SMS4dads team based on suggestions from mothers with lived experience of PNDA. Mothers and fathers with lived experience and expert clinicians rated the messages for importance and understanding. Clinicians additionally rated clinical relevance. Open response comments from parents and clinicians were collated for each message. Re-drafted messages were screened again and checked for literacy level. Results: Forty-one draft messages received a total of 170 ratings from 24 parents and 164 ratings from 32 clinicians. Over three quarters of parents and clinicians agreed or strongly agreed that messages were understandable (parents 85.6%; clinicians 77.4%), important (parents 86.3%; clinicians 86.6%), and 85.5% of clinicians rated the messages as clinically relevant. Comments from clinicians (n = 99) and parents (n = 46) were reviewed and guided message development. Thirty re-drafted messages were screened and 16 edited based on a second round of ratings and comments from parents and clinicians. Conclusion: Messages for fathers whose partners are experiencing depression and anxiety can be developed and evaluated in collaboration with lived experience of parents and clinicians.
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2025 |
Dascombe EM, Morgan P, Drew RJ, Regan CP, Turner-McGrievy GM, Young MD, 'Podcasts in Mental, Physical, or Combined Health Interventions for Adults: Scoping Review', Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27 (2025) [C1]
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2025 |
Regan C, Bartlem K, Hollis J, Dray J, Fehily C, Campbell E, Leask S, Leigh L, Orr M, Govindasamy S, Bowman J, 'Evaluation of Co-Developed Strategies to Support Staff of a Mental Health Community Managed Organisation Implement Preventive Care: A Pilot Controlled Trial', Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 36 (2025) [C1] Background: Mental health community managed organisations (CMOs) are well placed to provide preventive care, including behaviour change conversations to address smoking, nutrition... [more] Background: Mental health community managed organisations (CMOs) are well placed to provide preventive care, including behaviour change conversations to address smoking, nutrition, alcohol and physical activity (snap). This study evaluates the impact of co-developed preventive care implementation support strategies, including Healthy Conversation Skills (HCS) training on CMO staff attitudes and perceptions relating to preventive care for snap behaviours. Methods: A non-randomised controlled pilot trial was undertaken (October 2021¿May 2022) with two branches of a mental health CMO (n = 1 target; n = 1 control) in NSW, Australia. Target group staff received a three-month implementation support package co-developed by staff and researchers, including HCS training and educational materials. Staff from both groups completed an online survey at baseline and follow-up, reporting barriers and facilitators and perceived individual and organisational ability to provide preventive care for each behaviour. Pre and post HCS training, target staff completed surveys reporting barriers and facilitators to having behaviour change conversations, and competency of using 'open discovery questions' (a key HCS skill). Results: Baseline (n = 27) and follow-up (n = 17) surveys showed mean scores increased for the target group and decreased for the control group for n = 4/8 barrier and facilitator outcomes, and n = 7/8 perceived individual and organisational ability of providing care outcomes. Sixteen target group staff participated in HCS training and surveys, with scores improving for skills (p = 0.0009), beliefs about capabilities (p = 0.0035), intentions (p = 0.0283), participant confidence (p = 0.0043), perceived usefulness (p = 0.004), and competence in using open discovery questions (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: This pilot trial demonstrates the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a co-developed implementation support package at increasing mental health CMO staff capacity to provide preventive care for multiple health behaviours. So What?: This evidence can inform future research trials and health policy aimed at supporting CMO staff in delivering comprehensive preventive care.
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2025 |
Philpott-Robinson K, Blackwell D, Regan C, Leonard C, Haracz K, Lane AE, Wales K, 'Conflicting Definitions of Self-Regulation in Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Review', PHYSICAL & OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN PEDIATRICS [C1]
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2024 |
Regan C, Dray J, Fehily C, Campbell E, Bartlem K, Orr M, Govindasamy S, Bowman J, 'Co-development of implementation strategies to assist staff of a mental health community managed organisation provide preventive care for health behaviours', HEALTH PROMOTION JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA [C1] Issue Addressed: People with a mental health condition are at risk of developing chronic physical disease due to smoking tobacco, inadequate nutrition, high alcohol consumption, l... [more] Issue Addressed: People with a mental health condition are at risk of developing chronic physical disease due to smoking tobacco, inadequate nutrition, high alcohol consumption, low physical activity and poor sleep (SNAPS). Community managed organisations (CMOs) represent an opportune setting to support mental health consumers to improve their health behaviours through providing preventive care. Reporting of methods used to co-develop implementation strategies to assist CMO staff to deliver preventive care for SNAPS are scarce yet warranted. Objectives: This study aims to: (1) describe a co-development workshop involving CMO staff and researchers to identify preferred implementation support strategies to help staff routinely provide preventive care; (2) describe the strategies that emerged from the workshop; and (3) report staff ratings of the workshop on four co-development principles. Methods: A three-hour co-development workshop was conducted on two occasions with staff of one CMO in New South Wales, Australia. Twenty staff participated in the workshops. Results: Participants generated and ranked a total of seven discrete implementation strategies within five categories (training, point of care prompts, guidelines, continuous quality improvement and consumer activation). Training for staff to have difficult conversations about behaviour change was ranked highest in both workshops. Participants rated the workshops positively across four co-development principles. Conclusions: The co-development workshop enabled implementation strategies to be developed within the context in which they were to be delivered and tested, potentially increasing their feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness and impact. So What?: Implementation strategies selected from the workshops will inform a pilot implementation support trial to assist CMO staff to provide preventive care to people with mental health conditions.
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Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
2024 |
Fletcher R, Regan C, StGeorge J, 'Providing clinicians with 'how to' knowledge for technology-based innovation: Introducing the SMS4dads texts', HEALTH PROMOTION JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, 35, 481-486 (2024) [C1] Issue Addressed: Male partners are key supports for women in birth preparation and postnatally. Text-messaging can deliver timely information to expectant and new fathers to incre... [more] Issue Addressed: Male partners are key supports for women in birth preparation and postnatally. Text-messaging can deliver timely information to expectant and new fathers to increase their support of the mother. However, technological innovations in healthcare often fail to be adopted. This study aims to assess the impact of disseminating a 'taster' set of SMS messages to increase clinicians' engagement with the intervention. Methods: Example messages from SMS4dads were delivered to clinicians over a 3-week period and a link provided to an evaluation survey. Agreement to two closed questions was rated on a five-point Likert scale; the frequency of specific recalled messages was calculated for the first open-ended question. Responses to the remaining open-ended questions were analysed with a descriptive thematic approach. Results: A total of 418 participants (female 61.5%) working in health organisations (80.4%), mostly in nursing (33.9%) or midwifery (19.6%) enrolled. Of the 77 (18.4%) participants who provided an evaluation, 96% agreed or strongly agreed that the Professional Taster gave them a better understanding of how to explain the program, and 88% agreed or strongly agreed that they are now more likely to tell parents about the program. Analysis of the remaining two open-ended questions revealed clinicians' concerns for fathers alongside their primary focus on maternal wellbeing. Conclusion: Providing 'how to' knowledge through receiving a sample of the intervention may increase clinicians' acceptance of technological innovation. So What?: Health-promoting digital interventions using text are increasing. Novel tested strategies for gaining buy-in from healthcare staff will be needed.
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Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
2024 |
Fletcher R, Regan C, May C, Rennie A, Ludski K, St George J, 'Developing text-messaging support for fathers after perinatal loss', WOMEN AND BIRTH, 37 (2024) [C1] Background: Perinatal loss is a devastating occurrence for expecting parents. Although both parents are affected, research on fathers' grief has not resulted in effective sup... [more] Background: Perinatal loss is a devastating occurrence for expecting parents. Although both parents are affected, research on fathers' grief has not resulted in effective support services for fathers. Aim: To describe a multi-stage co-design process for developing text messaging support for fathers experiencing perinatal loss. Methods: Co-designed text messages were developed in collaboration with a perinatal bereavement organisation, mothers and fathers with lived experience of perinatal loss, and clinicians working with bereaved parents. Bereaved parents responded to a survey about bereaved fathers' information needs (stage 1). A qualitative descriptive data analysis created topics for the generation of text messages (stage 2). Parents with lived experience and clinicians evaluated the messages on importance and clinical fit (stage 3). Messages were revised (stage 4), followed by parent and clinician evaluation and final message revision (stage 5). Findings: There were 959 survey respondents; the majority agreed that support for fathers would have been useful; 539 provided comments. Qualitative analysis created twelve topics within three themes, leading to the generation of 64 text messages. Messages were evaluated by 27 lived experience parents and 19 clinicians as important (91.6%) and understandable (91.3%), and 92.5% of clinicians agreed the messages fitted clinical guidelines. Message revision resulted in 59 messages across three themes. The final evaluation by 12 parents and 14 clinicians led to a final revised set of 52 messages. Conclusion: Text-based support for bereaved fathers can be developed in a co-design process to accord with clinical practice, from topics suggested parents with lived experience.
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2024 |
Fletcher R, Forbes F, Dadi AF, Kassa GM, Regan C, Galle A, Beyene A, Liackman R, Temmerman M, 'Effect of male partners' involvement and support on reproductive, maternal and child health and well-being in East Africa: A scoping review', HEALTH SCIENCE REPORTS, 7 (2024) [C1] Background and Aims: East African countries have high rates of maternal and child mortality and morbidity. Studies have shown that the involvement of male partners in reproductive... [more] Background and Aims: East African countries have high rates of maternal and child mortality and morbidity. Studies have shown that the involvement of male partners in reproductive health can benefit maternal and child health (MCH). This scoping review aims to provide an overview of the evidence across East Africa that describes male partner involvement and its effect on maternal, reproductive, and child well-being. Methods: Ten databases were searched to identify quantitative data on male's involvement in East Africa. Studies reporting qualitative data, "intention to use" data or only reporting on male partner's education or economic status were excluded. Studies were organized into five a priori categories: antenatal care (ANC), human immunodeficiency virus, breastfeeding, family planning, and intimate partner violence with further categories developed based on studies included. Results: A total of 2787 records were identified; 644 full texts were reviewed, and 96 studies were included in this review. Data were reported on 118,967 mothers/pregnant women and 15,361 male partners. Most of the studies (n = 83) were reported from four countries Ethiopia (n = 49), Kenya (n = 14), Tanzania (n = 12) and Uganda (n = 10). The evidence indicates that male partner involvement and support is associated with improved reproductive, MCH across a wide range of outcomes. However, the studies were heterogeneous, using diverse exposure and outcome measures. Also, male partners' lack of practical and emotional support, and engagement in violent behaviors towards partners, were associated with profound negative impacts on MCH and well-being. Conclusions: The body of evidence, although heterogeneous, provides compelling support for male involvement in reproductive health programs designed to support MCH. To advance research in this field, an agreement is needed on a measure of male partner "involvement." To optimize benefits of male partners' involvement, developing core outcome sets and regional coordination are recommended.
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Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
2023 |
Fletcher R, Regan C, May C, White S, St George J, 'Equipping fathers to support distressed mothers: What do mothers want fathers to know and do?', HEALTH PROMOTION JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA, 34, 683-690 (2023) [C1]
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2023 |
Fletcher R, Regan C, Dizon J, Leigh L, 'Understanding Attrition in Text-Based Health Promotion for Fathers: Survival Analysis', JMIR FORMATIVE RESEARCH, 7 (2023) [C1]
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2023 |
Fletcher R, Regan C, Leigh L, Dizon J, Deering A, 'Online mental health screening for rural fathers over the perinatal period', AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, 31, 796-804 (2023) [C1]
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2023 |
Regan C, Bartlem K, Fehily C, Campbell E, Lecathelinais C, Doherty E, Wolfenden L, Clancy R, Fogarty M, Conrad A, Bowman J, 'Evaluation of an implementation support package to increase community mental health clinicians’ routine delivery of preventive care for multiple health behaviours: a non-randomised controlled trial', Implementation Science Communications, 4 (2023) [C1]
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Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
2022 |
Regan C, Fehily C, Campbell E, Bowman J, Faulkner J, Oldmeadow C, Bartlem K, 'Clustering of chronic disease risks among people accessing community mental health services', PREVENTIVE MEDICINE REPORTS, 28 (2022) [C1]
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Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
Show 10 more journal articles |
Preprint (2 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
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2024 |
Dascombe EM, Morgan PJ, Drew RJ, Regan CP, Turner-McGrievy GM, Young MD, 'Podcasts in Mental, Physical, or Combined Health Interventions for Adults: Scoping Review (Preprint)' (2024)
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2022 |
Fletcher R, Regan C, Dizon J, Leigh L, 'Understanding Attrition in Text-Based Health Promotion for Fathers: Survival Analysis (Preprint)' (2022)
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Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
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2024 | PhD | A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Men’s Engagement in Walk-and-Talk Therapy Compared to Usual Care | PhD (Psychology - Science), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2024 | PhD | Engaging Men in Therapy: Examining How Men’s Preferences Relate to Engagement and Clinical Outcomes in Indoor Compared to Outdoor Psychotherapy. | PhD (Clinical Psychology), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Miss Casey Regan
Positions
Research Associate
Active Living and Learning Research Program
School of Psychological Sciences
College of Engineering, Science and Environment
Casual Research Assistant
Active Living and Learning Research Program
School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy
College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing
Casual Academic
Active Living and Learning Research Program
School of Psychological Sciences
College of Engineering, Science and Environment
Focus area
Psychology
Contact Details
casey.regan@newcastle.edu.au | |
Phone | (02) 4055 0218 |
Office
Room | W102 |
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Building | Behavioural Sciences Building (W) |
Location | Callaghan University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |