Staff profile

Professor Eleanor H Wertheim FAPS

Deputy Head of School of Psychological Science

Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

School of Psychological Science
Department of Psychology

George Singer Building, room 402, Melbourne (Bundoora)

 

Qualifications

BA Brandeis University, MA., PhD University of Connecticut

Membership of professional associations

Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society, Registered Psychologist, Psychologist , Psychology Board of Australia,Member:College of Clinical Psychologists and of Community Psychologists

Area of study

Psychology

Brief profile

Eleanor received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in the United States at the University of Connecticut, having spent a one-year internship at a psychiatric hospital in California. She then worked for a year at a Community Mental Health Centre near Boston. Since joining La Trobe University  she has contributed to undergraduate and post-graduate programs and teaching in the areas of counselling and therapeutic skills, cognitive behavioural interventions and peace psychology.

Eleanor has been the recipient of several awards for excellence in teaching, including an Australian Award for University Teaching (Biological Sciences, Health and Related Studies) in 2004; an Australian Psychological Society Excellence in Teaching Award (2004); the Faculty Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (2003); a La Trobe Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2006); and a national Carrick Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2006).

Eleanor has conducted and facilitated many professional development programs in negotiation and conflict analysis. This has included working with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (Geneva) since 1995 on programs in Austria, Norway, and Africa which included facilitating and lecturing in programs for UN staff and diplomats on the topics of preventive diplomacy and peace making. She has also taught negotiation to Law and Legal Studies students at La Trobe, and has been on the national and state committees of Psychologists for Peace. Her current research interest in conflict resolution involves examining the factors that lead to forgiveness and reconciliation after perceived wrongs committed by others.

Eleanor is a co-investigator on the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities Project, in which teams of teachers and principals from schools take part in an 18-month program to build their capacity to resolve conflict constructively, promote cultural diversity and help children learn creative and positive ways to handle interpersonal challenges.  The project has been supported by a range of funders including an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grant.

Eleanor’s interest in the area of eating disorders, disordered eating, and body concerns in adolescents and women has been supported by ARC and Australian Rotary Health Research grants. Her research has examined body image changes over the course of pregnancy and the post-partum period, as well as the effects of mothers' eating patterns and body image on their children. In addition she has been actively evaluating prevention and early intervention programs for adolescent girls and women, including using internet technology. She has also conducted or supervised a variety of studies on topics including longitudinal predictors of disordered eating and examination of sociocultural influences in disordered eating and body concerns.

Research specialisation

- Clinical and health psychology

- Social psychology

Teaching units

Eleanor contributes to a range of undergraduate and postgraduate units in Psychological Science.

She coordinates the Honours in Psychological Science program and the Counselling and Professional Issues (PSY5CPI) unit that is part of the postgraduate programs in clinical and clinical neuropsychology.

Recent publications

Refereed journal papers

  • Donnoli, M., & Wertheim, E. H.  (in press).  Do offender and victim typical conflict styles affect forgiveness?  The roles of offender forcing style and perceived lack of offender remorse in response to a transgression and apology. International Journal of Conflict Management (Accepted 05-2010)
  • Forsythe, C., Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E. H., Paxton, S. J., & Milgrom, J. (in press). Men's emotional responses to their partner's pregnancy and their views on support and information received. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.  (Accepted 08-2010)
  • Trickey, M. L., Farhall, J., Wertheim, E. H., Hinch, C.,  & Ong, B.  (in press).  An examination of the relationships among emotion management, interpersonal hassles and depressive symptomatology.   Australian Journal of Psychology. (Accepted 03-2010)
  • Kamysheva, E., Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E. H., Paxton, S. J., & Milgrom, J.  (2010). A prospective investigation of the relationships among sleep quality, physical symptoms, and depressive symptoms during pregnancy.   Archives of Women's Mental Health, 123, 317-320.   doi:10.1016/j.jad.2009.09.015
  • Trinder, M., Wertheim, E. H., Freeman, E., Sanson, A., Richardson, S., & Hunt, S.  (2010). Comparison of the effectiveness of two forms of the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities program for promoting cooperative conflict resolution education in Australian primary schools.  Journal of Peace Education, 7, 85–105.
  • Wertheim, E. H., Freeman, E., Trinder, M. & MacNaughton, G. (2009).   New developments and lessons learned from the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities project, The Australian Community Psychologist, 21, 62-75. http://www.groups.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/Wertheim-21(2)-2009.pdf 
  • Clark, A., Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E. H., Paxton, S. J., & Milgrom, J. (2009).  My baby body: A qualitative insights into women’s body-related experiences and mood during pregnancy and the postpartum.  Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 27, 330-345.   
  • Clark, A., Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E., Paxton, S., & Milgrom, J. (2009).  The relationship between depression and body dissatisfaction across pregnancy and the postpartum: A prospective study. Journal of Health Psychology, 14, 27-35.  
  • Duncombe, D., Wertheim, E. H., Skouteris, H., Paxton, S. & Kelly, L. (2009).  Factors related to exercise over the course of pregnancy including women’s beliefs about the safety of exercise during pregnancy.   Midwifery, 25, 430-438.
  • Kamysheva, K., Wertheim, E., Skouteris, H., Paxton, S., & Milgrom, J. (2009). Frequency, severity and effect on life of physical symptoms experienced during pregnancy.  Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health, 54, 43-49.
  • Moss, K., Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E.H., Paxton, S.J., Milgrom, J. (2009). Depressive and anxiety symptoms through late pregnancy and the first year post birth: An examination of prospective relationships. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 12, 345-349.
  • Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E., Germano, C., Paxton, S., & Milgrom, J. (2009).  Assessing sleep during pregnancy: A study across two time points. Women’s Health Issues, 19, 45-51. 
  • Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E., Rallis, S., Paxton, S., & Milgrom, J. (2009). Depression and anxiety through pregnancy and the early postpartum: An examination of prospective relationships.  Journal of Affective Disorders, 113, 303-308.  
  • Zammit, S., Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E., Paxton, S., & Milgrom, J. (2008). Pregnant women’s alcohol consumption: The predictive utility of intention to drink and pre-pregnancy drinking behaviour, Journal of Women’s Health, 17, 1513-1522. doi:10.1089/jwh.2007.0595.
  • Duncombe, D., Wertheim, E. H., Skouteris, H., Paxton, S. J.  & Kelly, L. (2008).  How well do women adapt to changes in their body size and shape across the course of pregnancy?  Journal of Health Psychology, 13, 497-509.
  • Kamysheva, E.,  Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E. H., Paxton, S. J., & Milgrom, J. (2008). Examination of a multi-factorial model of body-related experiences during pregnancy:  The relationships among physical symptoms, sleep quality, depression, self-esteem, and negative body attitudes.  Body Image: An International Journal of Research, 5, 152–163
  • Koutsos, P., Wertheim, E. H., & Kornblum, J. (2008). Paths to interpersonal forgiveness: The roles of personality, disposition to forgive and contextual factors in predicting forgiveness following a specific offence. Personality and Individual Differences, 44, 337-348.
  • Rizkalla, L., Wertheim, E. H., & Hodgson, L. (2008).  An examination of relationships among disposition to forgive, conflict management styles, emotion management and perspective taking tendencies. Journal of Research in Personality, 42, 1594-1601.
  • Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E. H., Rallis, S., Germano, C., Paxton, S. J., Kelly, L. & Milgrom, J. (2008). Use of complementary and alternative medicines by a sample of Australian women during pregnancy, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 48. 384–390
  • Skouteris, H., Germano, C., Wertheim, E. H., Paxton, S. J. & Milgrom, J. (2008).  Sleep quality and depression during pregnancy: A prospective study.  Journal of Sleep Research, 17, 217–220.

 

Book chapters and other papers  

 

  • Wertheim, E. H.  and Paxton, S. J.  (2011).   Body image development in adolescent girls.  In T. F. Cash and L. Smolak (Eds.) Body image: A handbook of science, practice, and prevention (2nd Ed.), Chapter 9. Guilford Press.  ISBN 978-1-60918-182-6
  •  Wertheim, E. H. (in press). Conflict management styles. In Christie, D. J. (Ed). Encyclopedia of peace psychology. Wiley-Blackwell.
  •  Wertheim, E. H. (in press). Empathy and forgiveness.  In Christie, D. J. (Ed). Encyclopedia of peace psychology. Wiley-Blackwell.
  •  Wertheim, E. H. (in press). Preventive diplomacy.  In Christie, D. J. (Ed). Encyclopedia of peace psychology. Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Wertheim, E. H., Davis, K., Freeman, E., & Trinder, M. (I2010.)  Creating respectful and cooperative relationships with the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities program.  Education Horizons, 11(2), 21-23.
  • Wertheim, E. H., Freeman, E., & Trinder, M. (2009). Developing a safe and respectful learning environment with restorative practices and constructive conflict resolution. Learning Matters, 14, 32-34.
  • Wertheim, E.H., Paxton, S.J., & Blaney, S. (2009). Body image in girls.  In L. Smolak & J.K. Thompson (Eds.) Body image, eating disorders and obesity in youth (2nd edition). Chapter 4, (pp. 47-76). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  • Trinder, M., & Wertheim, E. H. (2007).   Training teachers in building empathy and compassion in young people. In M. Kostanski (Ed.).  The Power of Compassion: An Exploration of the Psychology of Compassion in the 21st Century. Chapter 13, (pp. 152-161), Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Older publications

Books

  • Wertheim, E. H., Love, A., Peck, C., & Littlefield, L. (2006).  Skills for resolving conflict: Creating effective solutions through co-operative problem solving (2nd edition).  Melbourne, Victoria: Eruditions.
  • Wertheim, E.H., Love, A., Littlefield, L., & Peck, C. (1992).  I win: You win.  Melbourne: Penguin Pub.

Refereed journal papers

  • Heinicke, B. E., Paxton, S. J., McLean, S. A., & Wertheim, E. H. (2007).  Internet-delivered targeted group intervention for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in adolescent girls: A randomized controlled trial.  Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 379-391.
  • Rallis, S., Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E. H., & Paxton, S. J. (2007).  Predictors of body image during the first year postpartum: A prospective study.  Women and Health, 45, l 87-104.
  •  Hodgson, L. K., & Wertheim, E. H. (2007). Does good emotion management aid in the process of forgiving? An examination of the role of multiple dimensions of empathy in the relationship between emotion management and forgiveness of self and others. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 24, 931-949.
  • Paxton, S. J., McLean, S., Gollings, E. K., Faulkner, C., & Wertheim, E. H. (2007). Comparison of face-to-face and internet interventions for body image and eating problems in adult women: A RCT. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 40, 692-704 .
  • Duncombe, D., Skouteris, H., Wertheim, E. H., Kelly, L., Fraser, V. & Paxton, S. J.  (2006). Vigorous exercise and birth outcomes in a sample of recreational exercisers: A prospective study across pregnancy.  Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 46, 288-292. 
  • Neumark-Sztainer, D., Levine, M., Paxton, S., Smolak, L., Piran, N., Wertheim, E. H. (2006).  Prevention of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating: What next? Eating Disorders: A Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 14, 265-285.
  • Wertheim, E. H., Freeman, E., Trinder, M., & Sanson, A. (2006).   Lessons learned from the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities project.   The Australian Community Psychologist, 18, 71-81.  http://www.groups.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/acp_vol18_no2_aug06.pdf
  • Evans, L. & Wertheim, E. H. (2006). Sexual abuse, bulimic symptoms, depression and satisfaction in adult relationships.  Eating and Weight Disorders, 11, 61-17.    
  • Durkin, S. J., Paxton, S. J., & Wertheim, E. H. (2005). How do adolescent girls evaluate body dissatisfaction prevention messages? Journal of Adolescent Health, 37, 381-390.
  • Evans, L., Kennedy, G. A., & Wertheim, E. H. (2005).   An examination of the association between eating problems, negative mood, weight and sleeping quality in young women and men. Eating and Weight Disorders, 10, 245-250.
  • Evans, L. & Wertheim, E. H.  (2005). Attachment styles in adult intimate relationships: Comparing women with bulimia nervosa symptoms, women with depression and women with no clinical symptoms. European Eating Disorders Review, 13, 285-293.
  • Nejad, L, Wertheim, E. H., & Greenwood, K. (2005). A comparison of the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Planned Behaviour in dieting and fasting behaviour.  E-Journal of Applied Psychology, 1, 63-74.  
  •  Skouteris, H., Carr, R., Wertheim, E., Paxton, S.J, & Duncombe, D.  (2005). A prospective study of factors that lead to body image dissatisfaction during pregnancy.  Body Image: An International Journal of Research, 2, 347-361. 
  • Weiss, K. & Wertheim, E. H. (2005). An evaluation of a prevention program for disordered eating in adolescent girls: Examining responses of high- and low-risk girls. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 13 (2), 143–156.
  • Ristovski, A. & Wertheim, E. H. (2005). The effects of source of compensation and trait empathy on forgiveness and satisfaction with outcome in the criminal context. Australian Psychologist, 40, 63-69.
  •  Paxton, S. J., Norris, M., Wertheim, E. H., Durkin, S. J., & Anderson, J. (2005).  Body dissatisfaction, dating, and importance of thinness to attractiveness in adolescent girls.  Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 53, 663-675.
  • Keery, H., Shroff, H., Thompson, J.K., Wertheim, E.H., Smolak, L. (2004). The Sociocultural Internalization of Appearance Questionnaire – Adolescents (SIAQ-A): Psychometric analysis and normative data for three countries. Eating and Weight Disorders, 9, 56-61.
  • Nejad, L., Wertheim, E. H., & Greenwood, K. (2004).  Predicting dieting behavior by using, modifying and extending the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 34, 2099-2131.
  • Tilgner, L., Wertheim, E. H., & Paxton, S. J. (2004).  The effect of social desirability on adolescent girls’ responses to an eating disorders prevention program.  International Journal of Eating Disorders, 35, 211-216.
  • Wertheim, E. H., Paxton, S. J., & Tilgner, L. (2004).  Test-retest reliability and construct validity of Contour Drawing Rating Scale scores in a sample of early adolescent girls. Body Image: An International Journal of Research, 1, 199-205.   
  • Withers, G. & Wertheim, E. H. (2004). Applying the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion to a videotape-based eating disorders prevention program for adolescent girls.  Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 12, 103-124.
  • Boscaglia, N., Skouteris, H., & Wertheim, E. H. (2003). Changes in body image satisfaction during pregnancy: A comparison of high exercising and low exercising women. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 43, 41-45.
  •  Evans, L. & Wertheim, E.H. (2002). An examination of willingness to self-disclose in women with bulimic symptoms considering context of disclosure and negative affect levels. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 31, 344-348.
  • Paxton, S.J., Wertheim, E.H., Pilawski, A., Durkin, S.J. & Holt, T. (2002).  Evaluations of dieting prevention messages by adolescent girls.  Preventive Medicine, 35, 474-491.
  • Schutz, H. K., Paxton, S. J., & Wertheim, E. H.  (2002).  Investigation of body comparison among adolescent girls. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32, 1906-1937
  • van den Berg, P., Wertheim, E. H., Thompson, J. K., & Paxton, S. J. (2002). Development of body image, eating disturbance, and general psychological functioning in adolescent females:  A replication using covariance structure modeling in an Australian sample. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 32, 46-51.
  • Wertheim, E. H., Martin, G., Prior, M. & Sanson, A. (2002).  Parent influences in the transmission of eating and weight related values and behaviours. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 10, 321-324.
  • Withers, G., Twigg, K., Wertheim, E.H., & Paxton, S.J. (2002). A controlled evaluation of an eating disorders primary prevention videotape using the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 53, 1021 – 1027.
  • Banasiak, S. J., Wertheim, E. H., Koerner, J., & Voudouris, N. J.  (2001). Test-retest reliability and internal consistency of a variety of measures of dietary restraint and body concerns in a sample of adolescent girls.  International Journal of Eating Disorders, 29, 85-89.
  • Dunkley, T. L., Wertheim, E.H., & Paxton, S. J.  (2001). Examination of a model of multiple sociocultural influences on adolescent girls’ body dissatisfaction and dietary restraint. Adolescence, 36, 265-279.
  • Wertheim, E.,  Koerner, J., and Paxton, S. J. (2001).  Longitudinal predictors of restrictive eating and bulimic tendencies in adolescent girls: Age differences between early and middle adolescence in predictions of change. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 30, 69-81.
  • Heinze, V., Wertheim, E. H., Kashima, Y. (2000). An evaluation of the importance of message source and age of recipient in a primary prevention program for eating disorders. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Prevention and Treatment, 8, 131-145.
  •  Lunner, K., Wertheim, E. H., Thompson, J.K., Paxton, S. J., McDonald, F., & Halvarsson, R.  (2000). A cross-cultural investigation of the role of teasing, and weight and dieting concerns in adolescent girls from Sweden and Australia. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 48, 430-435.
  • Martin, G., Wertheim, E. H., Prior, M., Smart, D., Sanson, A., & Oberklaid, F. (2000). A longitudinal study of the role of childhood temperament in the later development of eating concerns. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 27, 150-162.

 

 

 

 

 

Research projects

Recent grant-related projects include:   

  • Australian Research Council Discovery Grant, 2011-2013.  (Susan Paxton,  Eleanor Wertheim).  The development of body image attitudes in 3, 4 and 5 year old girls and boys: A prospective study of psychosocial predictor variables.   
  • Beyondblue, 2009-2011.   (Susan Paxton, Eleanor Wertheim).  Body image, eating disorders and depressive symptom outcomes following a school-based body image prevention intervention: A one year follow-up study.
  • Heart Foundation Grant-In-Aid, 2008-2009.  (Susan Paxton, Karen Campbell, Eleanor Wertheim, Kay Gibbons, Helen Skouteris). A test of a model predicting eating behaviours in young children: A prospective study.
  • Australian Research Council Linkage Grant, 2007-2009.  (Glenda MacNaughton, Eleanor Wertheim, Elizabeth Freeman).  Linkage partners include Scanlon Foundation,  Catholic Education Office Victoria, Australian Psychological Society, Haig St. Primary School, St. Anthony’s Primary School, Alphington.  Creating culturally respectful primary schools: Enhancing Relationships through Strategic Professional Learning
  •  La Trobe University Online Teaching Fund, 2007-2008 (Eleanor Wertheim, Anthony Love, Ben Ong, Bradley Wright)  Grant to develop an online unit entitled “Ethics and professional Issues in Professional Psychology”
  • Morawetz Social Justice Fund (Melbourne Community Foundation), 2006-2007 (Eleanor Wertheim, Elizabeth Freeman, Margot Trinder, & A/Prof Ann Sanson) Enhancing relationships in school communities ( a program to support primary school teachers in providing conflict resolution training and promoting cultural diversity).
  • Australian Rotary Health Grant 2006 (Susan Paxton & Eleanor Wertheim).   Development and evaluation of a group cognitive behavioural body image and eating behaviour intervention for women in midlife.
  • Scanlon Foundation (formerly Brencorp Foundation)  2005-2007 (Elizabeth Freeman, Eleanor Wertheim, Margot Trinder, & A/Prof Ann Sanson) Enhancing relationships in school communities ( a program to support primary school teachers in providing conflict resolution training and promoting cultural diversity).
  •  Australian Government Department of Health and Aging (Alcohol and Harm Reduction Initiatives Section), 2005-2006 (Dr. Helen Skouteris, Wertheim,  Prof Susan Paxton). A prospective study of the factors that predict abstinence and low to moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy
  • ARC Discovery Grant  2005-2007 (Eleanor Wertheim,  Prof Susan Paxton, Dr Helen Skouteris & Prof. Jeanette Milgrom)  Body image concerns during pregnancy and the post-partum: What are the predictors and consequences? 
  • Australian Rotary Health Grant 2005 (Paxton & Wertheim).   An examination of the efficacy of an internet delivered group therapy program for body image and eating problems: A randomised controlled trial.