Dr Lauren M Francis
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laurenmfrancis.bsky.social
Dr Lauren M Francis
@laurenmfrancis.bsky.social
she/her | Associate Research Fellow investigating mental health at Deakin University | Project Manager of the 1 in 10 Men Project: Informing prevention of and treatment for paternal mental health problems
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4050-5711
Reposted by Dr Lauren M Francis
📢 Just published: New research investigating how dads respond when a baby cries. Open access 🔗: doi.org/10.1111/jopy... Key findings and implications in the below🧵 1/6
Father Trait Anger and Exposure to Infant Cry: Effects on Emotion, Appraisals of Infants, and Cognitive Performance
Objective Trait anger can impact emotional states, appraisals of others, and cognition. The study aim was to assess in fathers whether these associations are exacerbated by infant crying. Method T...
doi.org
May 26, 2025 at 3:21 AM
New research from the MAPP Study shows that men who had poor relationships with their parents were more likely to experience shame as adults doi.org/10.1007/s442... 🧵1/4
July 21, 2025 at 12:36 AM
"Most strikingly, we found separated men under 35 years of age had nearly nine times greater odds of suicide than married men of the same age. The short-term period after relationship breakdown therefore appears particularly risky for men’s mental health"

theconversation.com/separated-me...
Separated men are nearly 5 times more likely to take their lives than married men
Some men struggle to cope with the stress of a relationship breakdown.
theconversation.com
July 18, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Men and Parenting Pathways (MAPP) Study research shows that shame is a strong predictor of depression in men, but psychological wellbeing might offer protection! doi.org/10.1177/0020... 🧵1/6
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
doi.org
July 17, 2025 at 9:32 PM
📢 Just published: New research investigating how dads respond when a baby cries. Open access 🔗: doi.org/10.1111/jopy... Key findings and implications in the below🧵 1/6
Father Trait Anger and Exposure to Infant Cry: Effects on Emotion, Appraisals of Infants, and Cognitive Performance
Objective Trait anger can impact emotional states, appraisals of others, and cognition. The study aim was to assess in fathers whether these associations are exacerbated by infant crying. Method T...
doi.org
May 26, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Reposted by Dr Lauren M Francis
My first study from my PhD has been published! This paper investigates the feasibility, usability and validity of a mobile cognitive momentary assessment task in breast cancer survivors and a non-cancer control group. Read the paper below 👇
doi.org/10.1007/s005...
A novel ecological momentary assessment app for the investigation of daily cognitive functioning in breast cancer survivors: a feasibility study - Supportive Care in Cancer
Purpose Breast cancer survivors often experience cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), such as problems with memory and attention. However, typical neuropsychological test batteries are unable t...
doi.org
April 30, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Thrilled to have been awarded a Deakin Science and Society Network grant for 2025! Read about our project "The Mental Health Treatment Gap: Identifying Targets for Gender-Informed Solutions" and the other fantastic awardees here: scienceandsocietynetwork.deakin.edu.au/grants/
@deakinssn.bsky.social
| Deakin Science and Society Network
The Deakin Science and Society Network supports science-literate social research and socially-engaged science that makes an impact. It aspires to be an engine for interdisciplinary collaboration at Deakin.
scienceandsocietynetwork.deakin.edu.au
December 12, 2024 at 4:04 AM
Reposted by Dr Lauren M Francis
#Fatherhood researchers, services and practitioners, reminder to SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT to present at the Australian Fatherhood Research Symposium 2025. Only one week to go!

Submissions close 16 Dec. mappresearch.org/australian-f...
Melbourne & online, 1st & 2nd of May 2025
hashtag#AFRS2025
December 10, 2024 at 12:11 AM
"Findings suggest that men's loneliness can be detected prospectively and under varying levels of social restriction, presenting possible targets for prevention efforts for those most vulnerable":
doi.org/10.3389/fpsy...
Frontiers | Pre-pandemic Predictors of Loneliness in Adult Men During COVID-19
Loneliness is a major public health issue, with its prevalence rising during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and mandated “social distancing” practices. A 2020 g...
doi.org
November 28, 2024 at 8:39 AM
Reposted by Dr Lauren M Francis
Did you know that some dads don't get to spend much time with friends? And that this can affect their mental health?

Watch this short video from the AFRC to find out more about the importance of peer support for fathers.
youtu.be/4DXUlIsENpE

#fatherhood #PMHWeek2024
Fathers & Peer Support
YouTube video by Australian Fatherhood Research Consortium
youtu.be
November 22, 2024 at 4:20 AM
Reposted by Dr Lauren M Francis
The AFRC is sponsor of Day 7 (Fathers & Peer Support) of Perinatal Mental Health Week, 17 – 24 November.

Thank you to Frank Alexopoulos for sharing his story of struggling with depression and anxiety after his children were born, on the lived experience panel, at the PMHWeek launch in Canberra.
November 21, 2024 at 11:31 PM
Reposted by Dr Lauren M Francis
Today is International Men’s Day. It is also men’s health awareness month. One of the best things you can do to celebrate is to check in with the men in your lives. Here are some tips for having deeper conversations courtesy of #Movember. #menshealth
ALEC Conversation Strategy | Movember Conversations
Learn how ALEC can help guide conversations with men who might be struggling. Movember provides insights into utilizing the tool to navigate conversations.
conversations.movember.com
November 19, 2024 at 10:34 PM
Reposted by Dr Lauren M Francis
Today is International Men's Day and the theme is "Positive Male Role Models".
Few male roles are as important as being a positive and involved father. Share the AFRC's Fatherhood Bulletin with a dad you know, to find stories from fathers and the latest research.
mappresearch.org/fatherhood-c...
November 18, 2024 at 11:54 PM
Father trait anger and associations with father-infant bonding and caregiving: The mediating role of mentalizing
Open access🔗: doi.org/10.1111/famp... (including video 🎥 abstract)
Key findings and implications in the 🧵below.
1/3
#research #fathers #dads #mentalhealth #parenting #science
Father trait anger and associations with father–infant bonding and caregiving: The mediating role of mentalizing
Trait anger reflects a tendency to feel irritation, annoyance, and rage, and involves a narrowing of cognition and attention. This narrowed scope may impact the capacity to understand the mental stat....
doi.org
November 15, 2024 at 12:06 AM
Systematic review: Unintended fatherhood is associated with a doubling of the odds of depression, but few studies exist on men’s reproductive intentions and other mental health outcomes
doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...
#research #MensHealth #MensMentalHealth #science #mentalhealth #fathers #dads
Redirecting
doi.org
November 15, 2024 at 12:00 AM
After adjusting for prior depressive symptoms, the number of friends in close and extended networks was protective against men's depressive symptoms 1 year later:
doi.org/10.1111/aphw...
#MensHealth #MensMentalHealth #research #science #psychology
Social network investment of men: Cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations with mental health problems
Internationally, there is growing attention on links between social isolation and mental health problems. Here, we use unique Australian longitudinal data to investigate associations between adult me...
doi.org
November 14, 2024 at 11:57 PM
Despite the potentially disastrous impact of IPV against women on health and well-being of men, women, and children, we identified only 15 studies reporting on interventions targeting fathers to prevent or reduce IPV
doi.org/10.1177/1524...
#IPV #science #research
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
doi.org
November 14, 2024 at 11:50 PM
Check out our recent paper on shame and depressive symptoms in men: Red zones show that when well-being (mastery & purpose in life) is low and shame is high, depressive symptoms are highest (Figure 1 of doi.org/10.1177/0020...). #research #mentalhealth #psychology #science
November 14, 2024 at 11:45 PM