Graduate Research Degree Awarded - Tamera Clancy

Congratulations to Tamera Clancy - Graduate Research Degree Awarded 29th January 2026

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Supervisors: A/Prof Brigid Jordan, Dr Frank Muscara, Prof Carolina DeWeerth
Advisory Committee: Prof Cathy Catroppa, A/Prof Karli Treyvaud

Thesis Title: From cardiac surgery in infancy to emotional and behavioural regulation as a preschooler: How infant and parent adaptation to surgery predicts child mental health, stress physiology, and the parent-child relationship

Thesis Summary:

This study examined psychosocial development in children with congenital heart disease following infant cardiac surgery. Over a quarter of preschoolers showed emotional and behavioural problems, predicted by prenatal diagnosis, prolonged postoperative hospitalisation, and emotional dysregulation in infancy. Longer postoperative admission and greater parental stress response predicted dampened physiological stress response as a preschooler, while emotionally available parent–child relationships supported adaptive stress regulation. Early medical adversity affects preschooler’s emotional and behavioural regulation and hospital care should include early relationship-focused interventions.

Date awarded: 29th January 2026