At Understanding Minds we are committed to ongoing professional development. As part of that commitment we continue to be involved in research. This page provides a summary of current research projects, recent seminars given by staff, and research publications and other articles.

Research Articles

Selected Publications
Developmental & Cognitive Neuropsychology

Wright, C., & Conlon, E. (2009). Critique: Amon, K., & Campbell, A.(2008). Can children with AD/HD learn relaxation and breathing techniques through biofeedback video games? Australian Journal of Educational & Developmental Psychology, Vol. 9, 47-52.

Conlon, E., Sanders, M., & Wright, C. (2009). Global motion and global form processing, practice, cognitive and visual processing in adults with dyslexia or visual discomfort. Neuropsychologia, 47, 907-915.

Wright, C. & Conlon, E. (2009).
Auditory and visual processing in children with dyslexia. Developmental Neuropsychology, 34(3), 330-355.

Wright, C. (in press).
Comment on Gingko biloba in dyslexia: A pilot study. Phytomedicine.

Wright, C. Shelton, D., & Wright, M. (in press)
A contemporary review of the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties.

Wright, C. (2007).  ADHD in the classroom. Special Education Perspectives, 15(2), 3-8.

Wright, C. (2007). Learning disorders, dyslexia and vision. Australian Family Physician, 36(9), 843-845.

Wright, C. (2007). Early identification and treatment of reading difficulties. SPELD News , 40(1), 8-10 .

Wright, C. (2007). To repeat or not to repeat - That is the question. Learning Difficulties Australia Bulletin, 39(4), 10.

Wright, C. (2007). Increasing academic output in students with ADHD. Learning Difficulties Australia Bulletin, 39(4), 11.

Wright, C. & Conlon, E.  (2001).  Is visual attention the link between poor magnocellular processing and dyslexia?  Australian Journal of Psychology, 53 (Suppl), 65.

Wright, C. & Conlon, E.  (2002).  Neurological processing in difficult-to-remediate primary school children.  Australian Journal of Psychology, 54 (Suppl), 65.

Books and Book Chapters

Wright, C. (2008). Understanding Words: A complete reading program. Understanding Minds: Mermaid Beach, Qld.

Current Projects

Visual attention, the magnocellular pathway and dyslexia
(collaboration with Dr. Liz Conlon, School of Psychology, Griffith University).

In this study we tested the hypothesis that deficits in the visual magnocellular system lead to visual attention deficits, which in turn lead to reading disability (dyslexia). We found evidence for magnocellular deficits in ~30% of our sample with dyslexia and evidence for slower performance on visual attention tasks. However, no evidence was found for a link between magnocellular and visual attention deficits in the same individuals. A paper is under review for the journal Developmental Neuropsychology.

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An effectiveness study of individual response to theoretically-motivated reading intervention
(collaboration with Dr. Liz Conlon and Professor Murray Dyck, School of Psychology, Griffith University).

This study looked at how effectively a synthetic phonics intervention could be delivered in a clinic setting. Results showed that 84% of children made clinically significant gains in word-reading ability and 52% in reading comprehension. Oral language skills and teacher ratings of attention were correlated with reading gains. A paper is under review for the Journal of Learning Disabilities.

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The effectiveness of a synthetic phonics program in a real world setting
(collaboration with Dr. Liz Conlon and Professor Murray Dyck, School of Psychology, Griffith University).

This study investigated if an efficacious reading intervention method could be delivered effectively and cost-effectively in a real-world setting by naïve and minimally- trained teacher assistants working with small groups of students who had complex developmental disorders. The study was principally concerned with whether intervention would produce clinically significant gains (defined as standard scores ≥92 at post-test). Program efficacy was equivalent to that seen in existing literature. Clinically significant response was seen in word-level skills for ~84% of the treatment group. The data show real world instruction can be effective and cost-effective, even when delivered to individuals with complex disorders. In contrast, clinically significant change in text reading accuracy and comprehension was achieved only for a single student. Data suggest factors beyond phonological skill affect response to reading intervention – a hypothesis that requires further investigation. Future research also needs to address how to achieve clinically significant change in nonresponders. A paper is under review for the Journal of Research in Reading.

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Child & Adolescent Psychology
Wright, M., Creed, P., & Zimmer-Gembeck, M. (2009). The development and initial validation of a brief daily hassles scale suitable for use with adolescents. European Journal of Psychological Assessment.

Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., Hunter, T. A., Waters, A. M., & Pronk, R. (2009). Depression as a longitudinal outcome and antecedent of preadolescents' peer relationships and peer-relevant cognition. Development & Psychopathology, 21(2), 555-577.

Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., Hunter, T. A., & Pronk, R. (2007). A model of behaviors, peer relations and depression: Perceived social acceptance as a mediator and the divergence of perceptions. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 26, 273-283.

Hunter, T. A., & Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J. (July, 2003). Social cognitions and interpersonal stress as predictors of depressive symptoms in childhood. Australasian Human Development Association (AHDA) Conference, Auckland, New Zealand.

Hunter, T. A., & Roberts, R. (1999). Peer effects in the development of attributional style in children. Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 9, 133-146.

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Books and Book Chapters

Pithers, W, Gray, A, & Davis (Wright), M.  (2003). Investing in the future of children: Building programs for children or prisons for adult offenders.  In Winick, Bruce J., & La Fond, John Q. (Eds). (2003). Protecting society from sexually dangerous offenders: Law, justice, and therapy. (pp. 231-248). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.

Conference Presentations, Seminars and Invited Talks

Lismore Catholic Education
Working memory in the classroom
Mullumbimby, October 2008

Paediatric Society of Queensland
Approaches to assessing learning problems: The psychologist’s perspective
Gold Coast, September 2008

SPELD, Qld Public Lecture
Normal reading development and dyslexia
Merrimac, August 2008

Brisbane Catholic Education
Designing, implementing and evaluating educational interventions
Brisbane, March 2008

Cairns Catholic Education
Understanding reading and reading disability
Cairns, November 2007

Cairns Catholic Education
The use and misuse of IQ tests in special education
Cairns, November 2007

SPELD, Qld Invited Address
Dyslexia and public policy?
Brisbane, September 2007

Combined LDA, SPELD, RTSQ Conference
Reading instruction for dyslexic children: What we know and what we don’t know
Brisbane, September 2007

Combined LDA, SPELD, RTSQ Conference
The use of IQ tests in diagnosing reading and learning disorders
Brisbane, September 2007

Combined LDA, SPELD, RTSQ Conference
To repeat or not to repeat: That is the question
Brisbane, September 2007

Brisbane Catholic Education
Dyslexia and learning disorders: Assessment and treatment within the school setting
Brisbane, September 2007

Public Lecture
Dyslexia: What it is and how to help!
Gold Coast, October 2007

SPELD, Qld
Dyslexia: What is it and how to help?
Brisbane, June 2007

Understanding Words: An evidence-based reading intervention
St. Anthony’s Primary Catholic Primary School
Kingscliff, March 2007

Understanding Words: An evidence-based reading intervention
Mount Saint Patrick’s College
Murwillumbah February 2007

Understanding Words: An evidence-based reading intervention
Catholic Education (Lismore Diocese)
Tweed Heads 2006

Reading difficulties in the special education classroom
Catholic Education (Brisbane Diocese)
Brisbane 2005

Dyslexia: Assessment and intervention
Queensland University of Technology
Brisbane 2005

Reading difficulties: Issues in assessment and intervention for students with dyslexia
Griffith University Clinical Workshop Series
Griffith University 2005

Reading difficulties: Assessment and intervention in clinical practice
Gold Coast Paediatric Unit
Gold Coast Base Hospital
May 2004

Dyslexia: current perspectives
Child and Youth Community Health
Gold Coast August 2004

Learning disorders: Research and practice
Gold Coast Paediatric Unit
Gold Coast Base Hospital
May 2004

Dyslexia, learning disorders and (central) auditory processing disorder: Myth, reality and the role of the medical practitioner
Gold Coast Paediatric Unit
Gold Coast Base Hospital
March 2003

The magnocellular pathway and visual attention in dyslexia
Australian Psychological Society Annual Conference
Adelaide 2001

Neurological processing in difficult-to-remediate primary school children
Australian Psychological Society Annual Conference
Gold Coast 2003

Sensory processing in dyslexic children
British Dyslexia Association International Conference
Warwick, UK 2004