Dr Madelaine de Valle

I am a Research Fellow in the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work. I currently work full-time across two externally funded research contracts.

One of my roles is funded by a grant my team received from Australian Rotary Health. For this project, we are revising a parent-guided cognitive behaviour intervention for childhood perfectionism. Our pilot trial of this intervention showed promising outcomes, so we are now adapting it to make it more engaging and testing its effects in a larger randomised controlled trial.

My other current role is funded under the Right Care Right Place grant, headed by the National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC). This program aims to facilitate access to evidence-based eating disorder treatment within a stepped-care model by positioning eating disorder care coordinators in diverse primary health networks around Australia. Under the guidance and mentorship of Prof Tracey Wade through the Blackbird Initiative, my role is to carry out the evaluation of this program.

My research interests extend beyond eating disorders and disordered eating to include body image concerns, perfectionism, social media, and clinical interventions. On previous postdoctoral research contracts, I helped to adapt an evidence-based treatment for perfectionism to be delivered by parents to children with perfectionism and ran an interview study to investigate initiatives that can support people while they are on the waitlist to receive specialist mental health treatment. My PhD research investigated factors contributing to the development of disordered eating, focussing on how social media use impacts body image in young people, the roles of self-criticism and perfectionism, and strategies for intervening in this relationship. My Honours research evaluated a brief, online cognitive behaviour therapy intervention for perfectionism.

I am also a clinical psychologist, having worked in both public and private settings with a range of age groups and presenting concerns.