Lesley Pascuzzi
PGC Perinatal Mental Health, MSc, BSc
PhD Candidate, 3rd Year (M2 complete), School of Nursing, Curtin University
PhD Project
Are We Well on the Way to Parenthood; An intervention to strengthen mental health and emotional wellbeing of women in pregnancy using an Intervention Mapping approach
Supervisory Committee
Professor Zoe Bradfield, Professor Karen Heslop, Professor Helen Skouteris
This PhD investigates how maternal mental health and emotional wellbeing can be actively strengthened during pregnancy within routine antenatal care. While maternity systems largely focus on identifying and responding to mental illness, most women enter pregnancy mentally well. Using Intervention Mapping and participatory co-design with mothers, midwives, multidisciplinary health professionals and public health experts, this research developed Space for You, a mental health promotion intervention designed to support emotional wellbeing and resilience during pregnancy. The project concluded with a feasibility and acceptability pilot trial in a continuity model in a metropolitan public hospital. The research aims to generate practical, evidence-informed approaches that enable maternity services to move beyond risk screening towards proactive promotion of maternal mental wellbeing.
Awards & Funding
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Australian Commonwealth Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship awarded January 2024
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Curtin University HDR Engagement and Dissemination Grants 2024, 2025
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CRE-HiPPP Postgraduate Research Development Grant awarded 2023
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Curtin University Faculty of Health Sciences 3MT People's Choice and Expert Panel Winner 2024
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Monash University Program Development Using Intervention Mapping Short Course, Pass with Distinction awarded 2024
Experience and Research Focus
Lesley Pascuzzi is a trained applied psychologist, Lamaze International Certified Childbirth Educator and PhD candidate whose research is focused on strengthening mentally healthy mothers. Her PhD explores what it means to be emotional well and centring the voice of lived experience to explore how we can be promote mental health and wellbeing during pregnancy. Drawing on participatory research and co-design through an innovative methodology, she collaborated with mothers and midwives to develop a collection of practical interventions that aim to strengthen maternal mental health during the transition to motherhood. Lesley’s research interests include perinatal mental health, Salutogenesis, and equitable public health approaches to maternity care. Her PhD work aims to contribute evidence that supports more holistic, prevention-focused maternity services.
