Dr Elizabeth Edwards
Senior Lecturer
School of Education
+61 7 336 56215
Researcher biography
Dr Edwards' research collaborations span education, psychology and medical education. She has a growing track-record for conducting robust laboratory studies examining individual differences in cognitive performance under situational stress. Her work supports the notion that an inability to efficiently process information and maintain concentration, plays a critical role in the development and maintenance of emotional disorders. Her latest work focusses on the translation of theory-driven, lab-based science into treatments for clinical problems.
Dr Edwards completed a PhD and an honours degree in psychology (Bond University), and an undergraduate degree in education (Griffith University). For over two decades, she has worked as a primary classroom teacher, special education teacher, guidance officer, and psychologist. She has taught and supervised clinical, professional and research skills in education, psychology and medicine and worked in higher education in the United Kingdom and Australia. Dr Edwards joined The University of Queensland in 2020 to teach into the Master of Educational Studies (Guidance, Counselling and Careers).
Publications
Journal Articles
Khan, Asaduzzaman, Reyad, Md Amjad Hossain, Edwards, Elizabeth and Horwood, Sharon (2023). Associations between adolescent sleep difficulties and active versus passive screen time across 38 countries. Journal of Affective Disorders, 320, 298-304. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.137
Khan, Asaduzzaman, Ahmed, Kazi R., Hidajat, Tarissa and Edwards, Elizabeth J. (2022). Examining the association between sports participation and mental health of adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (24) 17078, 1-11. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192417078
Brimmell, Jack, Edwards, Elizabeth J. and Vaughan, Robert S. (2022). Executive function and visual attention in sport: a systematic review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1-34. doi: 10.1080/1750984x.2022.2145574
Edwards, Elizabeth J., Zhang, Xiaohan, Chu, Khanh Linh, Cosgrove, Louise K. and Vaughan, Robert S. (2022). Explaining individual differences in cognitive performance: the role of anxiety, social support and living arrangements during COVID-19. Personality and Individual Differences, 198 111826, 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111826
Edwards, Elizabeth J., Taylor, Caitlin S. and Vaughan, Robert S. (2022). Individual differences in self-esteem and social anxiety predict problem smartphone use in adolescents. School Psychology International, 43 (5), 460-476. doi: 10.1177/01430343221111061
Green, Patricia, Edwards, Elizabeth J. and Tower, Marion (2022). Core procedural skills competencies and the maintenance of procedural skills for medical students: a Delphi study. BMC Medical Education, 22 (1) 259, 259. doi: 10.1186/s12909-022-03323-9
Edwards, Elizabeth J., Zec, Dajana, Campbell, Marilyn, Hoorelbeke, Kristof, Koster, Ernst, H. W., Derakshan, Nazanin and Wynne, Jeffrey (2022). Cognitive control training for children with anxiety and depression: A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 300, 158-171. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.12.108
Edwards, Elizabeth J., Arora, Bharti, Green, Patricia, Bannatyne, Amy J. and Nielson, Tracy (2022). Teaching brief motivational interviewing to medical students using a pedagogical framework. Patient Education and Counseling, 105 (7), 2315-2319. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2022.01.012
Brimmell, Jack, Edwards, Elizabeth J., Smith, Martin and Vaughan, Robert S. (2021). Think, see, do: Executive function, visual attention, and soccer penalty performance. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 10 (2), 290-309. doi: 10.1037/spy0000265
Vaughan, Robert S., Hagyard, Jack D., Edwards, Elizabeth J. and Jackson, Robin C. (2021). Reflection-impulsivity in athletes: A cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation. European Journal of Sport Science, 21 (10), 1-12. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2020.1861106
Vaughan, Robert S., Edwards, Elizabeth J. and McIntyre, Tadhg E. (2020). Mental health measurement in a post Covid-19 world: psychometric properties and invariance of the DASS-21 in athletes and non-athletes. Frontiers in Psychology, 11 590559, 590559. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.590559
Vaughan, R. S., Hagyard, J. D., Brimmell, J. and Edwards, E. J. (2020). The effect of trait emotional intelligence on working memory across athletic expertise . Journal of Sports Sciences, 39 (6), 1-9. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2020.1840039
Hagyard, J. D., Brimmel, J., Edwards, E. J. and Vaughan, R. S. (2020). Inhibitory control across athletic expertise and its relationship with sport performance. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 43 (1), 14-27. doi: 10.1123/jsep.2020-0043
Vaughan, Robert S. and Edwards, Elizabeth J. (2020). Executive function and personality: the moderating role of athletic expertise. Personality and Individual Differences, 161 109973, 109973. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.109973
Smith, Janie Dade, Edwards, Elizabeth, Jones, Peter D, Cheek, Colleen and Hays, Richard B (2019). Transition from an MBBS to an MD program – Using innovation and thinking outside the square. MedEdPublish, 8 (3), 197. doi: 10.15694/mep.2019.000197.1
Edwards, Elizabeth J. and Edwards, Mark S. (2018). The link between anxiety and cognitive performance: What we know a decade on. The Cognitive Psychology Bulletin, 3, 11-13.
Edwards, Elizabeth J., Bannatyne, Amy J. and Stark, Ashley C. (2018). Twelve tips for teaching brief motivational interviewing to medical students. Medical Teacher, 40 (3), 231-236. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2017.1369503
Edwards, Mark S., Edwards, Elizabeth J. and Lyvers, Michael (2017). Cognitive trait anxiety, stress and effort interact to predict inhibitory control. Cognition and Emotion, 31 (4), 671-686. doi: 10.1080/02699931.2016.1152232
Edwards, Elizabeth J., Edwards, Mark S. and Lyvers, Michael (2016). Interrelationships between trait anxiety, situational stress and mental effort predict phonological processing efficiency, but not effectiveness. Emotion, 16 (5), 634-646. doi: 10.1037/emo0000138
Edwards, Elizabeth J., Edwards, Mark S. and Lyvers, Michael (2016). Individual differences in trait anxiety and goal-commitment predict updating efficiency on the reading span task. Motivation and Emotion, 40 (6), 936-945. doi: 10.1007/s11031-016-9572-8
Edwards, Elizabeth J., Edwards, Mark S. and Lyvers, Michael (2015). Cognitive trait anxiety, situational stress, and mental effort predict shifting efficiency: implications for attentional control theory. Emotion, 15 (3), 350-359. doi: 10.1037/emo0000051
Edwards, Elizabeth J., Stapleton, Peta, Williams, Kelly and Ball, Lauren (2015). Building skills, knowledge and confidence in eating and exercise behavior change: brief motivational interviewing training for healthcare providers. Patient Education and Counseling, 98 (5), 674-676. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2015.02.006
Edwards, Mark S., Moore, Philippa, Champion, James C. and Edwards, Elizabeth J. (2015). Effects of trait anxiety and situational stress on attentional shifting are buffered by working memory capacity. Anxiety, Stress and Coping, 28 (1), 1-16. doi: 10.1080/10615806.2014.911846
Conference Papers
Edwards, E. J., Boyne, N. and Hoorelbeke, K. (2019). Preliminary work in cognitive control training for reduction of anxiety and depression in children. British Psychological Society Division of Counselling Psychology Conference, Cardiff, Wales, 28-29 June 2019.
Vaughan, R. S., Hagyard, J. D., Edwards, E. J. and Smith, M. M. (2018). Executive function and athlete expertise: A longitudinal study over a playing season. British Association of Sport and Exercise Science 2018, Harrogate, United Kingdom, 27-28 November 2018.
Taylor, C. and Edwards, E. J. (2018). Individual differences in self-esteem and social anxiety predict nomophobia in adolescents. British Psychological Society Division of Counselling Psychology Conference 2018, Newcastle, United Kingdom, 6-7 July 2018.
Edwards, M. S., Edwards, E. J. and Needham, K. (2017). Decisions under pressure: Relationship between trait anxiety and situation stress on performance of an analogical reasoning task. 34th Annual British Psychology Society Cognitive Psychology Section Conference, Newcastle, United Kingdom, 30 August- 1 September 2017.
Needham, K., Edwards, E. J., Edwards, M. S. and Lyvers, M. (2017). Trait anxiety and situation stress interact to predict planning efficiency on the Tower of London task. 34th Annual British Psychology Society Cognitive Psychology Section Conference, Newcastle, United Kingdom, 30 August- 1 September 2017.
Edwards, E. J., Edwards, M. S. and Lyvers, M. (2017). Effort buffers memory shortfalls in anxious individuals. 34th Annual British Psychology Society Cognitive Psychology Section Conference, Newcastle, United Kingdom, 30 August- 1 September 2017.
Edwards, E. and Arora, B. (2016). Should brief motivational interviewing training be included in medical curricula? . 14th International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 7-10 December 2016. New York, NY United States: Springer.
Edwards, E. and Arora, B. (2016). Should brief motivational interviewing training be included in medical curricula?. *, *, *. New York, NY, United States: Springer.
Edwards, M. E., Edwards, E J. and Lyvers, M. (2015). Motivation moderates the relationship between situational stress and inhibitory efficiency in the presence of threat. 33nd Annual British Psychology Society Cognitive Psychology Section Conference, Kent, United Kingdom, 1-3 September 2015.
Edwards, E. J., Edwards, M. S. and Lyvers, M. (2015). Cognitive trait anxiety and updating efficiency: Differences in motivation on a reading span task. 33nd Annual British Psychology Society Cognitive Psychology Section Conference, Kent, United Kingdom, 1-3 September 2015.
Edwards, E. J., Edwards, M. S. and Lyvers, M. (2014). Contributions of trait anxiety, situational stress and mental effort on working memory performance. 49th Australian Psychological Society Annual Conference, Hobart, Australia, 29 September – 3 October 2014.
Edwards, E. J., Edwards, M. S. and Lyvers, M. (2014). Cognitive trait anxiety, situational stress and mental effort predict shifting efficiency. 31st Annual British Psychology Society Cognitive Psychology Section Conference, Nottingham, United Kingdom, 2-5 September 2014.
Edwards, E. J., Edwards, M. S., Lyvers, M. and Samios, C. (2014). Effects of trait anxiety and situational stress on backward word span efficiency are buffered by mental effort. Australasian Experimental Psychology Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 23-26 April 2014.
Scott, E. J. and Edwards, M. S. (2010). Anxiety and working memory. 27th International Congress of Applied Psychology, Melbourne, Australia, 11-16 July 2010.
Research Report
Edwards, Elizabeth J., Campbell, Marilyn, Carroll, Annemaree and Pennell, Donna (2021). Best practice guidelines for wellbeing of staff and students after a disruption in Queensland schools. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
Newspaper Articles
Edwards, Elizabeth (2021, 10 18). Anxiety can affect academic performance. Here are 10 things parents and teachers can do to relieve the pressure The Conversation 1-2.