Bec Sampson
PhD Candidate
BSc, BPsych (Hons)
bec.sampson@thekids.org.au
Bec is a PhD student under the supervision of Dr Amy Finlay-Jones in the Early Neurodevelopment and Mental Health team, Professor Peter McEvoy and Dr Vincent Mancini at Curtin University and Dr Pandora Patterson and Dr Fiona McDonald at Canteen Australia. The focus of her PhD project is on understanding the role of friends in supporting young people with cancer. The aim is to give friends the resources and skills to be able to effectively support their friend through the challenges young people with cancer face.
Her research interests are centred around the mental health of young people with chronic health conditions. She is particularly focused on promoting wellbeing, from a strengths-based approach, and minimising distress in young people with cancer. Bec is passionate about consumer engagement, with a goal to have end-users involved at every stage of the research.
Bec completed her Bachelor of Psychology with Honours in 2020 and holds a Bachelor of Science (Psychology and Human Resource Management), both from Curtin university. She is currently completing her Doctor of Philosophy.
Projects
Priority-setting in youth with chronic conditions
Published research
The Role of Friends in Supporting Young People With Cancer: A Scoping Review
Peers play a crucial role in supporting wellbeing and psychosocial development for young people aged 12-25. However, a cancer experience often leads to challenges maintaining friendships. There have been no prior attempts to map or synthesise available research or resources on support specifically from friends for young people with cancer, limiting the capacity to draw conclusions or determine next steps for how to best support young people with cancer. This review aims to address this gap by mapping and synthesising the available literature and resources.
Priority setting for children and young people with chronic conditions and disabilities
The aim of this project was to identify the top 10 priorities for childhood chronic conditions and disability (CCD) research from the perspectives of children and young people with lived experience, their parents and caregivers and the professionals who work with them.
Education and Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science (Psychology and Human Resource Management) – Curtin University
- Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) – Curtin University