School of Psychological Science

		Dr Ben Ong Senior Lecturer Coordinator PSY40THS		Phone: +61 3 9479 1119 Fax: +61 3 9479 1956 b.ong@latrobe.edu.au Room 119 Biological Sciences 2 Building
		B.Sc. (Tas), Ph.D. (La Trobe), Grad.Dip. Computer Science (La Trobe)

I graduated from La Trobe University in 1981 and worked in computer science and statistical computing before returning to teach research methods in 1994. My research interests are in the areas of:

(a) Working Memory and Prospective Memory (aging, clinical syndromes)

(b) gambling (predisposition and maintenance)

	Recent Publications
	Postgraduate Research Projects		Grants

Memberships and Associations
School Selection and Admission
Faculty Ethics Committee
Faculty Computing Committee
Faculty International Activities Committee
University Learning Management System Advisory Group (LMSAG)
University LMSAG Working Group on Automated Updating of WebCT units

Recent Publications (last 5 years)

Hester, R.L., Kinsella, G.J., Ong, B., & Turner, M. (2004). The Hopkins Verbal Learning Test: Normative data for older Australian adults. Australian Psychologist, 39 (3), 251-255.

Jones, K., Kinsella, G.J., & Ong, B., & Scheinkestel, C. (2004). Supervisory attentional control following carbon monoxide poisoning. J. International Neuropsychological Society, 10 (6), 843-850.

Hester, R., Kinsella, G.J., & Ong, B. (2004). Effect of Age on Forward and Backward Spatial Span J. International Neuropsychological Society, 10 (4), 475-481.

Kinsella, G, Ong, B, Mullaly, E., Rand, E., & Storey, E. (2004). Spaced Retrieval: A Memory Management Strategy. A manual for families. Melbourne: School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University.

Hester, R., Kinsella, G.J., Ong, B. & MacGregor, J. (2005). Demographic influences on baseline and derived scores from the Trail Making Test in healthy older Australian adults. The Clinical Neuropsychologist. The Clinical Psychologist, 19 (1) 45-54.

Bennett, P., Ong, B., & Ponsford, J. (in press). Measuring executive dysfunction in an acute rehabilitation setting: using the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX). J. International Neuropsychological Society.

Bennett, P., Ong, B., & Ponsford, J. (in press). Assessment of executive dysfunction following traumatic brain injury: Comparison of the ‘BADS’ with other clinical neuropsychological measures J. International Neuropsychological Society.

Goff, D.A., Pratt, C., & Ong, B. (2005). The relations between Children’s Reading Comprehension, Working Memory, Language Skills and Components of Reading Decoding in a Normal Sample. Reading & Writing, 18, 583-616.

Kinsella, G.J., Ong, B., Storey, E., Wallace, J., & Hester, R.L. (in press). Elaborated Spaced-Retrieval and Prospective Memory in Mild Alzheimer’s Disease. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation.

Mandalis, A., Kinsella, G.J., Ong, B. & Anderson, V. (in press). Working Memory and New Learning following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Developmental Neuropsychology, Special Edition,

Ramsden, C.M., Kinsella, G.J., Ong, B., & Storey, E. (in press). Performance of Everyday Actions in mild Alzheimer’s Disease. Neuropsychology.

Research Projects and Postgraduate student projects for the last 3 years

Completed
Daniel George (PgDP, 2005). Heuristic bias in blackjack gambling decisions.

Helen McConnell (PgDP, 2006). Verbal and nonverbal executive functioning in independent and assisted living adults.

Kate Noonan (Honours, 2006). Auditory processing and language.

Linda Farkas (M.Psych, 2004). The Role of Emotions in Complex Decision-Making.

Jodie Tucker (M.Psych, 2005). Prospective remembering in an applied multiple-errands task.

Martyn Newman (D.Psych, 2005). Psychological assessment as brief psychotherapy: Therapeutic effects of providing MMPI-A test feedback to adolescents.

Deborah Goff (Ph.D., 2005) Children’s reading comprehension, working memory, language skills and components of reading decoding.

Brooke Froud (D.Psych, 2006). The impact of traumatic brain injury on cognition and working memory.

Megan Andrews (D.Psych, 2006). Mental health professional-family interaction.

Loretta Evans (D.Psych, 2006). Verbal and non-verbal components of executive skills in the elderly.

Ongoing
Belinda Driden (Honours). Scoring the simple copy test.

Matthew Page (Honours). Independent Activities of Daily Living Scale.

Maria Talarico (M.Psych). Effects of multitasking and interruptions of prospective memory.

Cindi Hinch (M.Psych). Emotional Intelligence.

Pamela Chew (M.Psych). Prospective Remembering in Children with Reading Disabilities.

Laura Capitanio (D.Psych). Memory and executive skills in mental arithmetic.

Beth Plowright (D.Psych). Independent living skills after traumatic brain injury.

Sarah Ong (D.Psych). Working memory in Alzheimer Disease.

Jo Sinni (D.Psych). Working memory in Parkinson’s Disease.

Chris OHalloran (D.Psych). The impact of cerebellar infarction on executive attention and social cognition.

Luke Smith (D.Psych). Cognitive functioning and financial decision-making in people with younger onset dementia.

Eliot Goldstone (D.Psych). Predispositions of sub-clinical auditory hallucinations and delusions in subsequent psychotic disorders.

Sarah McLean (D.Psych). Executive functioning in mild traumatic brain injury.

Simone Kurlender (D.Psych). Central executive functioning in Bipolar disorder.

Ron Grounds (Ph.D). Central executive deficits in patients with Parkinson Disease.

Carmela Germano (Ph.D.). Memory functioning in adults with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Bonnie Alexander (Ph.D.). Neuroanatomical correlates of working memory and attention.

Grants

R.Mitchell, G.Galloway & B.Ong (2004). Wine industry and tourism (Otago University, NZ$7,400).

G.Kinsella , E.Storey, D.Ames & B.Ong (2005). Remembering to Remember: Prospective memory in older adults and in adults with Alzheimer’s Disease (La Trobe University Incentive Grant, $20,000).

G.Kinsella, J.Olver, T.Kossman & B.Ong (2007-2009). Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults: Does Age matter? (Victorian Neurotrauma Initiative, $303,000).

E.Wertheim, A.Love, B.Wright, B.Ong (2007). Ethics and Professional Issues for Psychologists (La Trobe University Grants for Development of Online Units, $57,656).