People_
Dr Lauren Gardner
Senior Research Fellow and Program Lead of School-Based Health Interventions
NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use
Faculty of Medicine and Health
NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use
Faculty of Medicine and Health
Phone
02 8627 9012
Details
Member of the Brain and Mind Centre
Dr Lauren Gardner is a Senior Research Fellow and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow within the Matilda Centre at the University of Sydney. As Program Lead of School-Based Health Interventions, Lauren has expertise in the development,evaluation, and translation of digital preventive interventions to enhance adolescent health and wellbeing. Most recently, this includes leading the development of theOurFutures Vaping program, and its evaluation in the world's largest randomised controlled trial of a school-based digital intervention to prevent vaping (40 schools, >5,000 students). Lauren also leads implementation research to drive large scale dissemination of the OurFutures health and wellbeing programs into schools both nationally and internationally.
- School-based prevention;
- Vaping health interventions;
- eHealth or digital interventions;
- Clustering of multiple lifestyle risk behaviours
- Improving health and wellbeing through sport and physical activity;
- Drug and alcohol prevention and education;
- Mental health promotion.
- Australian Rotary Health and Alliance for the Prevention of Mental Disorders Awards for Research Excellence, Early Career Researcher Award, Nov 2023
- Mental Health Matters Youth Award, Highly Commended (OurFutures Mental Health Team), October 2023
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Makers and Shapers Award, Outstanding Research – Team (Health4Life). University of Sydney, September 2023
- Professional Rapid Presentation Prize, The Australasian Society for Behavioural Health and Medicine Conference, February 2023
- SEMCAN Good Mentor award, The University of Sydney, December 2022
- Best Presentation Award, The Faculty of Medicine and Health EMCR Showcase DHIN digital health session, December 2022
- Makers & Shapers Award for Outstanding Research (Individual), The University of Sydney, September 2022
- Rising Star Award, European Society for Prevention Research Awards 2022, September 2022
- Award for Early Career Researcher Potential, 42nd Annual Society for Mental Health Research Conference, Hobart, March 2022
- SEMCAN Viral Bytes People’s Choice Award, September 2021
- The Mental Health Services (TheMHS) Mental Health Promotion/Mental Illness Prevention Service and Program Award 2021 (Team Award), October 2021.
- The University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine & Health Q1 Makers and Shapers Award for Research Excellence - The Climate Schools Team
- Research Excellence Emerging Leader Award, 2020 Matilda Centre Award
- Early Career Research Award, 30th The Mental Health Services (TheMHS) Conference, Perth/Virtual, February 2021
- Early Career Research Award, 11th European Society for Prevention Research Conference, Portugal, October 2020.
| Project title | Research student |
|---|---|
| Addressing the rise of e-cigarette use: Exploring information exposure, knowledge and behaviours related to e-cigarettes among young Australians | Annabelle HAWKINS |
Publications
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Book Chapters
- Vella, S., Gardner, L., Liddle, S. (2016). Coaching, Positive Youth Development, and Mental Health. In Nicholas L. Holt (Eds.), Positive Youth Development Through Sport, (pp. 205-215). LONDON AND NEWYORK: Routledge. [More Information]
Journals
- Rowe, A., O'Dean, S., Champion, K., Barrett, E., Grummitt, L., Mills, K., Teesson, M., Newton, N., Gardner, L. (2025). Childhood traumatic experiences and vaping among Australian adolescents: A prospective investigation. Drug and Alcohol Review, 44(1), 267-272. [More Information]
- Gardner, L., Stockings, E., Champion, K., Rowe, A., Newton, N., Egan, L., Hunter, E., Devine, E., Aitken, T., Thornton, L., Teesson, M. (2024). A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of School-Based Preventive Interventions Targeting E-Cigarette Use Among Adolescents. Prevention Science. [More Information]
- Raeside, R., Todd, A., Sim, K., Kang, M., Mihrshahi, S., Gardner, L., Champion, K., Skinner, J., Laranjo, L., Steinbeck, K., Redfern, J., Partridge, S. (2024). Accelerating implementation of adolescent digital health prevention programs: analysis of insights from Australian stakeholders. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. [More Information]
show 56 more
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2025
- Rowe, A., O'Dean, S., Champion, K., Barrett, E., Grummitt, L., Mills, K., Teesson, M., Newton, N., Gardner, L. (2025). Childhood traumatic experiences and vaping among Australian adolescents: A prospective investigation. Drug and Alcohol Review, 44(1), 267-272. [More Information]
2024
- Gardner, L., Stockings, E., Champion, K., Rowe, A., Newton, N., Egan, L., Hunter, E., Devine, E., Aitken, T., Thornton, L., Teesson, M. (2024). A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of School-Based Preventive Interventions Targeting E-Cigarette Use Among Adolescents. Prevention Science. [More Information]
- Raeside, R., Todd, A., Sim, K., Kang, M., Mihrshahi, S., Gardner, L., Champion, K., Skinner, J., Laranjo, L., Steinbeck, K., Redfern, J., Partridge, S. (2024). Accelerating implementation of adolescent digital health prevention programs: analysis of insights from Australian stakeholders. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. [More Information]
- Smout, S., Champion, K., Oâ™Dean, S., Halladay, J., Gardner, L., Newton, N. (2024). Adolescent Lifestyle Behaviour Modification and Mental Health: Longitudinal Changes in Diet, Physical Activity, Sleep, Screen Time, Smoking, and Alcohol Use and Associations with Psychological Distress. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. [More Information]
show 5 more
2023
- Bóta, A., Gardner, L. (2023). A Generalized Framework for the Estimation of Edge Infection Probabilities. Algorithms, 16(8). [More Information]
- Egan, L., Gardner, L., Newton, N., Champion, K. (2023). A Systematic Review of eHealth Interventions Among Adolescents of Low Socioeconomic and Geographically Remote Backgrounds in Preventing Poor Diet, Alcohol Use, Tobacco Smoking and Vaping. Adolescent Research Review. [More Information]
- Gardner, L., Stockings, E., Champion, K., Mather, M., Newton, N. (2023). Alcohol initiation before age 15 predicts earlier hazardous drinking: A survival analysis of a 7-year prospective longitudinal cohort of Australian adolescents. Addiction. [More Information]
show 14 more
2022
- Bruner, M., McLaren, C., Sutcliffe, J., Gardner, L., Vella, S. (2022). Conceptualizing and measuring positive youth development in sport: a scoping review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. [More Information]
- Egan, L., Gardner, L., Newton, N., Champion, K. (2022). eHealth Interventions Targeting Poor Diet, Alcohol Use, Tobacco Smoking, and Vaping Among Disadvantaged Youth: Protocol for a Systematic Review. JMIR Research Protocols, 11(5), e35408. [More Information]
- Gardner, L., Debenham, J., Newton, N., Chapman, C., Wylie, F., Osman, B., Teesson, M., Champion, K. (2022). Lifestyle risk behaviours among adolescents: a two-year longitudinal study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ Open, 12(6). [More Information]
show 7 more
2021
- Thornton, L., Gardner, L., Osman, B., Green, O., Champion, K., Bryant, Z., Teesson, M., Kay-Lambkin, F., Chapman, C. (2021). A multiple health behavior change, self-monitoring mobile app for adolescents: Development and usability study of the Health4Life app. JMIR Formative Research, 5(4), e25513. [More Information]
- Bruner, M., McLaren, C., Swann, C., Schweickle, M., Miller, A., Benson, A., Gardner, L., Sutcliffe, J., Vella, S. (2021). Exploring the Relations Between Social Support and Social Identity in Adolescent Male Athletes. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 92(3), 566-572. [More Information]
- McLaren, C., Sutcliffe, J., Gardner, L., Vella, S., Bruner, M. (2021). Mapping the scientific structure of positive youth development research in sport. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. [More Information]
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2020
- Champion, K., Gardner, L., McGowan, C., Chapman, C., Thornton, L., Parmenter, B., McBride, N., Lubans, D., McCann, K., Spring, B., Teesson, M., Newton, N. (2020). A Web-Based Intervention to Prevent Multiple Chronic Disease Risk Factors Among Adolescents: Co-Design and User Testing of the Health4Life School-Based Program. JMIR Formative Research, 4(7), e19485. [More Information]
- Gardner, L., Champion, K., Parmenter, B., Grummitt, L., Chapman, C., Sunderland, M., Thornton, L., McBride, N., Newton, N. (2020). Clustering of six key risk behaviors for chronic disease among adolescent females. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(19), 1-12. [More Information]
- Thornton, L., Osman, B., Wescott, A., Sunderland, M., Champion, K., Green, O., Kay-Lambkin, F., Kay-Lambkin, F., Slade, T., Newton, N., Chapman, C., Teesson, M., Mills, K., Birrell, L., Lubans, D., Gardner, L., et al (2020). Measurement properties of smartphone approaches to assess key lifestyle behaviours: Protocol of a systematic review. Systematic Reviews, 9(1), 127. [More Information]
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2019
- Champion, K., Parmenter, B., McGowan, C., Spring, B., Wafford, Q., Gardner, L., Thornton, L., McBride, N., Barrett, E., Teesson, M., Newton, N., et al (2019). Effectiveness of school-based eHealth interventions to prevent multiple lifestyle risk behaviours among adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Digital Health, 1(5), e206-e221. [More Information]
- Vella, S., Gardner, L., Swann, C., Allen, M. (2019). Response: Sports participation and interventions to reduce risk of mental health problems during childhood: a response to Crowell (2018). Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 24(2), 152-153. [More Information]
- Vella, S., Gardner, L., Kemp, B., Schweickle, M., Cliff, D. (2019). Sports Participation, Health Behaviours, and Body Fat during Childhood and Early Adolescence: A Multiple Mediation. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 22(12), 1324-1329. [More Information]
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2018
- Gardner, L., Vella, S., Magee, C. (2018). Continued Participation in Youth Sports: The Role of Achievement Motivation. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 29, 17-31. [More Information]
- Vella, S., Gardner, L., Kemp, B., Swann, C. (2018). Health-related quality of life as a longitudinal mediator of the relationship between participation in organised sports and adiposity among young people. Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 66-70. [More Information]
- Gardner, L., Magee, C., Vella, S. (2018). Social climate profiles in adolescent sports: Associations with enjoyment and intention to continue. Journal of Adolescence, 52, 112-123. [More Information]
2017
- Gardner, L., Magee, C., Vella, S. (2017). Enjoyment and Behavioral Intention Predict Organized Youth Sport Participation and Dropout. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 14(11), 861-865. [More Information]
- Gardner, L., Vella, S., Magee, C. (2017). The role of implicit beliefs and achievement goals as protective factors in youth sport. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 30, 83-95. [More Information]
2016
- Gardner, L., Vella, S., Magee, C. (2016). A motivational model to understand youth sport dropout and enjoyment. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 47(3), 203-223. [More Information]
- Vella, S., Braithewaite, R., Gardner, L., Spray, C. (2016). A systematic review and meta-analysis of implicit theory research in sport, physical activity, and physical education. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 9(1), 191-214. [More Information]
- Basterfield, L., Gardner, L., Reilly, J., Pearce, M., Parkinson, K., Ashley J, A., Reilly, J., Vella, S. (2016). Can't play, won't play: Longitudinal changes in perceived barriers to participation in sports clubs across the child–adolescent transition. BMJ, 2(1), e00007. [More Information]
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2015
- Gardner, L., Vella, S., Magee, C. (2015). The Relationship Between Implicit Beliefs, Anxiety, and Attributional Style in High-Level Soccer Players. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 27(4), 398-411. [More Information]
Selected Grants
2023
- Rewarding Research 2024, Gardner L, Faculty of Medicine and Health/FMH Rewarding Research Success
- A cluster randomised controlled trial of a novel and scalable eHealth intervention to prevent e-cigarette use among adolescents: The OurFutures Vaping Program, Gardner L, Newton N, Stockings E, Hides L, McBride N, Champion K, Sunderland M, Mihalopoulos C, Freeman B, Teesson M, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)/Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies
2022
- A new scalable eHealth approach to prevent e-cigarette use among adolescents: The OurFutures Vaping program, Newton N, Gardner L, Stockings E, Freeman B, Allsop S, Leung J, Champion K, Sunderland M, Mihalopoulos C, McRobbie H, Stapinski L, McBride N, Lee N, Thornton L, Birrell L, Debenham J, Department of Health and Aged Care (Federal - administered by NHMRC)/2021 Maternal Health and Healthy Lifestyles
- Adolescent-led transformation of preventive and public health research using citizen science, Partridge S, Champion K, Mihrshahi S, Redfern J, Cheng H, Gardner L, Phongsavan P, Singleton A, Jay O, Hyun K, Thornton L, Department of Health and Aged Care (Federal - administered by NHMRC)/2021 MRFF Consumer-Led Research
- Enhancing engagement with eHealth approaches to prevent cardiovascular disease among adolescents: The Triple E Project, Thornton L, Sunderland M, Kay-Lambkin F, Zaman S, Champion K, Heinsch M, Spring B, Partridge S, Gardner L, Newton N, Rickwood D, Teesson M, Department of Health and Aged Care (Federal)/MRFF - Cardiovascular Health Mission
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