Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career
Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Promoting gender equality
  • Masculinity and mental health
  • Primary prevention of violence against women
  • Community attitudes towards intimate partner violence
  • Policing intimate partner violence

Available to supervise research students

Not available for media queries

About Kim Shearson

Kim is a lecturer in Psychology with particular interest in social research methodologies. She is also a fellow of the Institute for Health and Sport. Her main areas of research are preventing and responding to intimate partner violence and understanding the relationship between masculinity and men's well-being.

This work started with her PhD: Policing Intimate Partner Violence Involving Female Victims: An Exploratory Study of the Influence of Relationship Stage on the Victim-Police Encounter. Kim is committed to exploring ways in which the safety and well-being of women experiencing intimate partner violence can be enhanced. Her more recent work has focussed on gender equality and the primary prevention of violence against women. Kim was the lead researcher in a project evaluating VicHealth's Gender Equality through the Arts grants program. This work involved collaboration with seven local government councils and artists to deliver gender equality initiatives at a local community level.

Kim is also a member of a group of researchers who investigate the relationship between conformity to traditional masculine norms and issues of public health concern such as men's health, violence and suicidality. This builds on previous research with the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation that examined masculinity, health self-efficacy and men's health behaviour change.

Qualifications

  • PhD, VicMelb, 2015
  • BSc (Hons, Psych), VicMelb, 2002
  • Grad Cert Tertiary Education, VicMelb, 2010

Key publications

Kim has over 11 publications, with a selection listed here.


A more comprehensive list of Kim's publications is available in the VU Research Repository.

Year Citation
2020 Shearson, K., Bottomley, D., & Livingstone, A. (200403). Project Momentum - Final Evaluation.

Year Citation
2023 Gill, P. R., Arena, M., Rainbow, C., Hosking, W., Shearson, K. M., Ivey, G., & Sharples, J. (231201). Social connectedness and suicidal ideation: the roles of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness in the distress to suicidal ideation pathway. BMC Psychology, 11(1),

doi: 10.1186/s40359-023-01338-5
2022 Griffin, L., Hosking, W., Gill, P. R., Shearson, K., Ivey, G., & Sharples, J. (220901). The Gender Paradox: Understanding the Role of Masculinity in Suicidal Ideation. American Journal of Men's Health, 16(5),

doi: 10.1177/15579883221123853
2021 Shearson, K. M. (210201). Seeking Help From Police for Intimate Partner Violence: Applying a Relationship Phase Framework to the Exploration of Victims Evolving Needs. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(3-4), (1745-1771).

doi: 10.1177/0886260517744185
2021 Vassallo, J. S., Shearson, K. M., Dell Aquila, C., & Sharples, J. M. (210101). Outcomes of a Gender-Sensitized Health Behavior Program Delivered Through a Professional Sports Club. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 22(4), (810-820).

doi: 10.1037/men0000345

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Western Bulldogs Community Foundation: Project Schedule 3B of Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Western Bulldogs and Victoria University
From: Western Bulldogs Community Foundation
Other investigators: Prof Jenny Sharples
For period: 2021-2022
 Not disclosed

Evaluation of the gender equality through the Arts Grants Program
From: VicHealth, VU Internal Funding
Other investigators: Aspr Gavin Ivey, Prof Christopher Sonn, Prof Jenny Sharples
For period: 2019-2020
 Not disclosed

Western Bulldogs Community Foundation: Activity Schedule 3 of Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Western Bulldogs and Victoria University
From: Western Bulldogs Community Foundation
Other investigators: Dr Carolyn Deans, Prof Jenny Sharples
For period: 2018-2022
 Not disclosed

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Not available for media queries

Currently supervised research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
2 PhD Associate supervisor

Currently supervised research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (2) Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
1 PhD Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (1) Associate supervisor

Other supervision of research students

Supervision Completions at Victoria University Honours (Psych): 12 Master of Applied Psychology: 9

Teaching activities & experience

Kim has experience teaching, developing and coordinating the following units

 

  • Undergraduate unit: APP3027 Relationship and Family Wellbeing
  • Undergraduate unit: APP2023 Interpersonal Skills 2
  • Undergraduate unit: APS3030 Social Research Methods
  • Undergraduate unit: APP2013 Psychology 2A
  • Undergraduate unit: APP2014 Psychology 2B
  • Postgraduate unit: APT6006 Research Methods in Counselling

Careers

Details of this Researcher's career are currently unavailable.