Researcher biography
Tianyi is an Early Career Researcher in the field of Parenting and Family Psychology. His research has been recognised through over AU$100,000 in research grants and awards, 15 refereed journal articles, one book chapter, one report, one working paper, over 10 conference presentations, and various academic prizes. His earlier work investigated family-level risk and protective factors of positive child development and child mental health and their integration into the wider ecological system. He is also interested in the evaluation of evidence-based strategies to promote child mental health, such as evidence-based parenting programs. He is skilled in advanced quantitative analyses and modelling, evidence synthesis methodologies, conducting clinical trial research, as well as research project management. Tianyi leads research projects in the field and is a sought-after contributor to other research projects as a methodologist and statistician. Tianyi is currently serving on the Early-Career Editorial Board of Prevention Science, the flagship journal of the Society for Prevention Research (USA).
Publications
Book Chapter
Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi, Hoang, Nam-Phuong T. and Turner, Karen M. T. (2024). Enhancing outcomes for vulnerable parents, children, and communities using the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program System: Innovations and future directions. Routledge handbook of child and family social work research: knowledge-building, application, and impact. (pp. 217-230) edited by Elizabeth Fernandez, Penelope Welbourne, Bethany Lee and Joyce L. C. Ma. London, United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. doi: 10.4324/9781003241492-16
Journal Articles
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L. and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). Facilitators, barriers, and enablers of social workers’ utilization of an evidence-based parenting program: An exploratory mixed-method study. Children and Youth Services Review, 166 107922, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107922
Morawska, Alina, Mitchell, Amy E., Etel, Evren, Armstrong, Rebecca, McAuliffe, Tomomi, Ma, Tianyi, McBryde, Cathy and Johnston, Leanne M. (2024). A systematic review of parents’ experiences during their child’s transition to school. Early Childhood Education Journal, 1-12. doi: 10.1007/s10643-024-01780-z
Ma, Tianyi, Sanders, Matthew R., Hodges, Julie, Boyle, Christopher, Healy, Karyn L. and Morawska, Alina (2024). Extended Child Adjustment and Parent Efficacy Scale (CAPES): inclusion of the peer relationship problems subscale and updated psychometric properties. Australian Psychologist, 59 (6), 533-540. doi: 10.1080/00050067.2024.2411354
Hoang, Nam-Phuong T., Ma, Tianyi, Silverwood, Amy J. and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). Place-based approach to support children’s development towards sustainable development goals: A scoping review of current effort and future agenda. Children and Youth Services Review, 164 107873, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107873
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L., Hodges, Julie and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). The associations between parenting self-efficacy and parents’ contributions to the home-school partnership among parents of primary school students: a multilevel meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 36 (3) 93. doi: 10.1007/s10648-024-09937-3
Sanders, Matthew R., M. T. Turner, Karen, Baker, Sabine, Ma, Tianyi, Chainey, Carys, Horstead, Siân K., Wimalaweera, Subodha, Gardner, Susan and Eastwood, John (2024). Supporting families affected by adversity: an open feasibility trial of Family Life Skills Triple P. Behavior Therapy, 55 (3), 621-635. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2023.09.004
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L. and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). The role of parenting self-efficacy on teacher-child relationships and parent-teacher communication: evidence from an Australian national longitudinal study. Journal of School Psychology, 103 101296. doi: 10.1016/j.jsp.2024.101296
Moller, Nicholas, Tellegen, Cassandra L., Ma, Tianyi and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). Facilitators and barriers of implementation of evidence-based parenting support in educational settings. School Mental Health, 16 (1), 189-206. doi: 10.1007/s12310-023-09629-3
Boyle, Christopher, Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi, Hodges, Julie, Allen, Kelly-Ann, Cobham, Vanessa E., Darmawan, Igusti, Dittman, Cassandra K., Healy, Karyn L., Hepburn, Stevie-Jae, MacLeod, Lynda M., Teng, Jiachen and Trompf, Madilyn (2023). The thriving kids and parents schools project: protocol of an incomplete stepped wedged cluster randomised trial evaluating the effectiveness of a Triple P seminar series. BMC Public Health, 23 (1) 2021. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-16962-4
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L., McWilliam, Jenna and Sanders, Matthew R. (2023). Predicting the sustained implementation of an evidence-based parenting program: a structural equation modelling approach. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 50 (1), 114-127. doi: 10.1007/s10488-022-01226-x
Dean, Julie, Cleary, Anne, Ma, Tianyi, McDaid, Lisa, Pollock, Danielle and Boyle, Frances (2023). Scoping review of nature-based interventions in bereavement care: what are the implications for perinatal loss?. Social Sciences and Humanities Open, 8 (1) 100690, 100690. doi: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2023.100690
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L. and Sanders, Matthew R. (2023). Predictors of champion behaviors in an evidence‐based parenting program: A structural equation modeling approach. American Journal of Community Psychology, 71 (1-2), 211-223. doi: 10.1002/ajcp.12623
Kelly, Eliza, Day, Jamin J., Hodges, Julie, Tellegen, Cassandra L., Ma, Tianyi, Sanders, Matthew R., Tonge, Bruce, Einfeld, Stewart, Sofronoff, Kate, Gray, Kylie M., Mazzucchelli, Trevor G. and The MHYPeDD Team (2022). Parental Adjustment Scale: Validation of a brief, five-item measure of parental adjustment for use with families of typically developing children and children with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities in Australia. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 128 104304. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104304
Ma, Tianyi, Moore, Jane and Cleary, Anne (2022). Climate change impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of young people: a scoping review of risk and protective factors. Social Science and Medicine, 301 114888, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114888
Tellegen, Cassandra L., Ma, Tianyi, Day, Jamin J., Hodges, Julie, Panahi, Babak, Mazzucchelli, Trevor G. and Sanders, Matthew R. (2022). Measurement properties for a scale assessing self-regulation in parents and parenting practitioners. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31 (6), 1736-1748. doi: 10.1007/s10826-022-02307-z
Conference Papers
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L., Hodges, Julie, Boyle, Christopher and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). Preparing parents to be partners in children’s education: examining the spillover effects of school-based implementation of evidence-based parenting program [Paper Presentation]. Australian Association for Research in Education 2024 Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 1-5 December 2024.
Boyle, Christopher, Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi and Hodges, Julie (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of a Triple P seminar series in Australian primary schools: findings from a cluster randomised trial [Paper presentation]. Australian Association for Research in Education 2024 Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 1-5 December 2024.
Sanders, Matthew R., Hodges, Julie, Ma, Tianyi and Morawska, Alina (2024). A public health approach to evidence-based parenting support [Symposium]. The 44th Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AACBT) Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 17-18 October 2024.
Sanders, Matthew R., Metzler, Carol W., Ma, Tianyi and Prinz, Ron (2024). Advances in population-based implementation and evaluation of the Triple P System of parenting support [Symposium]. Society for Prevention Research 32nd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC United States, 28-31 May 2024.
Boyle, Christopher, Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi and Hodges, Julie (2024). Findings from a large-scale evaluation of a low-intensity, parenting seminars series in Australian schools [Paper presentation]. European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) 2024, Nicosia, Cyprus, 27-30 August 2024.
Ma, Tianyi, Chainey, Carys, Sanders, Matthew R. and Dadds, Mark (2023). Enhancing the policy and social impact of evidence-based parenting support [Symposium]. Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AACBT) 43rd National Conference, Sydney, NSW Australia, 19-20 October 2023.
Ma, Tianyi, Hoang, Nam-Phuong T., Moller, Nicholas and Matthews, Hannah (2023). Strengthening the training and implementation of evidence-based parenting support program: An example of the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program [Video poster presentation]. International Congress on Evidence-based Parenting Support (I-CEPS), Online, 6-8 June 2023.
Kirby, Grace, Hodges, Julie and Ma, Tianyi (2023). Families and schools working together to enhance children’s learning and wellbeing [Symposium]. International Congress on Evidence-based Parenting Support, Online, 6-8 June 2023.
Chainey, Carys, Sanders, Matthew R., Turner, Karen, Baker, Sabine, Ma, Tianyi, Horstead, Sian, Wimalaweera, Subodha, Gardner, Susan and Eastwood, John (2023). Supporting families affected by adversity: Recommendations drawn from the context, development and testing of a novel intervention, Family Life Skills Triple P. International Congress on Evidence-based Parenting Support, Online, 6-8 June 2023.
Adina, Japheth, Morawska, Alina, Mitchell, Amy E. and Ma, Tianyi (2022). From perinatal care to school involvement: supporting parents and their children’s development through parenting interventions [Symposium]. Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AACBT) 42nd NationalConference, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 13-14 October 2022.
Ma, Tianyi, Sanders, Matthew R., Khalid, Amina and Gonzalez, Carolina (2022). Building evidence to improve access and effectiveness of parenting interventions for caregivers, children, and families [Symposium]. Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AACBT) 42nd NationalConference, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 13-14 October 2022.
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L., McWilliam, Jenna and Sanders, Matthew R. (2022). Predicting the sustained implementation of an evidence-based parenting program. Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy (AACBT) 42nd National Conference, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 13-14 October 2022.
Morawska, A., Mitchell, A., Etel, E., Ma, T., McAuliffe, T., Armstrong, R., McBryde, C. and Johnston, L. (2022). A systematic review of barriers and facilitators experienced by parents of typically developing and preterm children during the transition to school. 76th Annual Meeting of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine, Las Vegas, NV United States, 21-24 September 2022.
Working Paper
Sanders, Matthew R., Ma, Tianyi and Meester-Buma, Eva (2024). National Parenting Pulse Survey: Understanding the current parenting experiences, challenges, and needs for support in Australia. LCC Working Paper Series. 2024-32. Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland Australia. doi: 10.14264/f8f903f
Research Report
Boyle, Christopher, Sanders, Matthew R., Hodges, Julie and Ma, Tianyi (2024). The Thriving Kids and Parents Schools Project: Can a low-intensity seminar series for parents promote the wellbeing of children and families?. Adelaide, SA, Australia: The University of Adelaide.
Thesis
Ma, Tianyi (2021). Predicting the sustained implementation of an evidence-based parenting program. Honours Thesis, School of Psychology, University of Queensland.
Seminar Papers
Ma, Tianyi (2025). Parents as partners in children's education: Evaluating the role of parental self-regulation in effective home-school partnership. PFSC Seminar Series. Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland Australia.
Ma, Tianyi (2025). Preparing parents to be partners in children's education: What works? For whom? Under what circumstances? And how?. School of Psychology Seminar Series. School of Psychology, The University of Queensland.
Ma, Tianyi, Hodges, Julie, Boyle, Christopher and Sanders, Matthew R. (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of a Triple P seminar series in Australian primary schools: Findings from a cluster randomised trial. PFSC Seminar Series. Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland Australia.
Ma, Tianyi, Tellegen, Cassandra L. and Sanders, Matthew R. (2021). Predicting the sustained implementation of Triple P. PFSC Seminar Series. Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland Australia.