Associate Professor Melissa Day

Associate Professor

School of Psychology
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences
m.day@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 56421

Overview

I am an endorsed Clinical and Health Psychologist, and my main area of research interest is in optimising non-pharmacological treatment options for chronic pain. My program of research is primarily focused on implementing randomised controlled trials designed to evaluate the efficacy and mechanisms of cognitive-behavioural and mindfulness-based interventions for heterogeneous chronic pain conditions. My concurrent line of research aims to further our understanding of the experience of chronic pain via converging methodologies (including experimental pain paradigms and electroencephalogram), as well as advance our capacity to accurately assess its multidimensional nature. I have led the development, application, and evaluation of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for chronic pain, and I disseminated this treatment approach for research and clinical use via my sole-authored book, published by Wiley in 2017. My US-based collaborators and I have a number of on-going NIH and foundation funded treatment trials underway at the University of Washington, Seattle. I am also an Affiliate Associate Professor at the University of Washington.

As of 2021, I was elected the inaugural Chairperson of the Australian SHAPE Futures EMCR Network, which is in development with the support of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Australian Academy of the Social Sciences. The purpose of the Network is to ensure SHAPE disciplines (Social Sciences, Humanities, and the Arts for People and Environment) thrive and excel in Australia, by fostering an inclusive and diverse community that supports, empowers and promotes early and mid-career researchers (EMCRs) in Australia, within and beyond academia.

Research Interests

  • Chronic pain
    Assessment and management of chronic pain
  • Pain
    Understanding the mechanisms of pain and its relief
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
    Efficacy and mechanisms for chronic pain management
  • Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
    Efficacy and mechanisms for chronic pain management; adapting the literacy level of CBT for use in low-SES groups. We are currently piloting the use of Dr Beverly Thorn's literacy adapted CBT approach -- further adapted for the Australian context -- within a low-SES hospital in Logan.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Alabama
  • Masters (Coursework), The University of Alabama
  • Bachelor of Science, The University of Alabama

Publications

View all Publications

Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

View all Supervision

Publications

Book

Book Chapter

  • Day, Melissa A. and Thorn, Beverly E. (2022). Psychological interventions: A focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy. Clinical pain management: a practical guide. (pp. 272-281) edited by Mary E. Lynch, Kenneth D. Craig and Philip W. Peng. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781119701170.ch26

  • Day, Melissa A. (2019). Chronic pain. Handbook of health psychology. (pp. 369-380) edited by Tracey A. Revenson and Regan A. R. Gurung. New York, NY United States: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781315167534-27

  • Day, Melissa A. and Thorn, Beverly E. (2019). Group therapy for chronic pain. Bonica’s management of pain. (pp. 1439-1469) edited by Jane C. Ballantyne, Scott M. Fishman and James P. Rathmell. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Wolfers Kluwer.

  • Day, Melissa (2017). Pain and its optimal management. Health psychology in Australia. (pp. 261-281) Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

  • Day, Melissa A. (2016). The application of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for chronic pain. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: innovative applications. (pp. 65-74) edited by Stuart J. Eisendrath. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-29866-5_6

  • Day, Melissa A., Eyer, Joshua C. and Thorn, Beverly E. (2014). Therapeutic Relaxation. The Wiley handbook of cognitive behavioral therapy. 1. (pp. 157-180) edited by Stefan G. Hofmann. Chichester, W Sussex, England: Wiley-Blackwell.

Journal Article

Conference Publication

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: