Rate My Professor Kristen Tulloch

Dr Kristen Tulloch is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology within the School of Health at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She joined the university in 2021 after completing a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at The University of Queensland. Tulloch earned her PhD in Psychology from Macquarie University and her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology from Deakin University. Her research program is grounded in positive psychology, emphasizing strength-based approaches to enhance wellbeing, life satisfaction, and performance aligned with individuals' values. She investigates topics such as older adults' wellbeing and community mobility, positive aspects of dementia caregiving, strategies to mitigate student biases against older people through research engagement, building self-efficacy for clinical placements, family-centred care in audiology, and interprofessional education and practice.

Throughout her career, Tulloch has attracted over $258,000 in competitive research funding from sources including Dementia Australia ($15,000, 2025), UniSC Launch Partnership Grant ($28,734, 2022), and the Australian Association of Gerontology ($19,980, 2021). Her key publications include Tulloch, K., McCaul, T., & Scott, T. L. (2021). Positive aspects of dementia caregiving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical Gerontologist, 1-11; Scott, T. L., Kugelman, M., & Tulloch, K. (2019). How medical professional students view older people with dementia: Implications for education and practice. PLoS One, 14(11), e0225329; Scott, T. L., et al. (2022). Well-Being Benefits of Horticulture-Based Activities for Community Dwelling People with Dementia: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17), 10523; and Wadsworth, D. P., et al. (2024). Conducting mental health research with rural and regional older Australians: Reflections and recommendations. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 32(5), 1076-1081. Recognized with AdvanceHE Senior Fellowship, nomination for the International Psychogeriatrics Association President's Award for Junior Researchers (2023), and a Tutor and Demonstrator Commendation from The University of Queensland (2019), she holds leadership roles as Acting Chair of the Queensland Division of the Australian Association of Gerontology, member of the International Psychogeriatrics Association Membership Committee, and editorial board member for Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice. As Program Coordinator for the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), she coordinates courses like PSY102 Current Directions in Psychology and supervises student research on intergenerational friendships, place attachment, and dementia-related leisure experiences.