she/her | Associate Research Fellow investigating mental health at Deakin University | Project Manager of the 1 in 10 Men Project: Informing prevention of and treatment for paternal mental health problems https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4050-5711https://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3msaoqzzph22v✨ Our new systematic review and meta-analysis is hot off the press in time for #LonelinessAwarenessWeekAU ✨ Read our new research in full in Journal of Advanced Nursing: https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.70677 1/404 Aug 2026 09:21 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3msaoqzzph22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lq27t4d36s2n📢 Just published: New research investigating how dads respond when a baby cries. Open access 🔗: https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.13029 Key findings and implications in the below🧵 1/626 May 2025 03:21 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lq27t4d36s2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lugqplzofc2dNew research from the MAPP Study shows that men who had poor relationships with their parents were more likely to experience shame as adults https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-025-00369-w 🧵1/421 Jul 2025 00:36 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lugqplzofc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lu7a5svbbs2v"Most strikingly, we found separated men under 35 years of age had nearly nine times greater odds of suicide than married men of the same age. The short-term period after relationship breakdown therefore appears particularly risky for men’s mental health" https://theconversation.com/separated-men-are-nearly-5-times-more-likely-to-take-their-lives-than-married-men-25819618 Jul 2025 00:51 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lu7a5svbbs2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lu6uz7bn3s2hMen and Parenting Pathways (MAPP) Study research shows that shame is a strong predictor of depression in men, but psychological wellbeing might offer protection! https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640241263245 🧵1/617 Jul 2025 21:32 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lu6uz7bn3s2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lq27t4d36s2n📢 Just published: New research investigating how dads respond when a baby cries. Open access 🔗: https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.13029 Key findings and implications in the below🧵 1/626 May 2025 03:21 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lq27t4d36s2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3ld3fb775zc2lThrilled to have been awarded a Deakin Science and Society Network grant for 2025! Read about our project "The Mental Health Treatment Gap: Identifying Targets for Gender-Informed Solutions" and the other fantastic awardees here: scienceandsocietynetwork.deakin.edu.au/grants/ @deakinssn.bsky.social https://scienceandsocietynetwork.deakin.edu.au/grants/12 Dec 2024 04:04 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3ld3fb775zc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lbyo56yidk2i"Findings suggest that men's loneliness can be detected prospectively and under varying levels of social restriction, presenting possible targets for prevention efforts for those most vulnerable": https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.77558828 Nov 2024 08:39 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lbyo56yidk2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lax3g2l7qk2sFather trait anger and associations with father-infant bonding and caregiving: The mediating role of mentalizing Open access🔗: https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12912 (including video 🎥 abstract) Key findings and implications in the 🧵below. 1/3 #research #fathers #dads #mentalhealth #parenting #science15 Nov 2024 00:06 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lax3g2l7qk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lax32ob3722sSystematic review: Unintended fatherhood is associated with a doubling of the odds of depression, but few studies exist on men’s reproductive intentions and other mental health outcomes https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.06.065 #research #MensHealth #MensMentalHealth #science #mentalhealth #fathers #dads15 Nov 2024 00:00 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lax32ob3722shttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lax2urgfxk2sAfter adjusting for prior depressive symptoms, the number of friends in close and extended networks was protective against men's depressive symptoms 1 year later: https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12475 #MensHealth #MensMentalHealth #research #science #psychology14 Nov 2024 23:57 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lax2urgfxk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lax2jhwvsk2sDespite the potentially disastrous impact of IPV against women on health and well-being of men, women, and children, we identified only 15 studies reporting on interventions targeting fathers to prevent or reduce IPV https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380241277270 #IPV #science #research14 Nov 2024 23:50 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lax2jhwvsk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/laurenmfrancis.bsky.social/post/3lax27a57v22sCheck out our recent paper on shame and depressive symptoms in men: Red zones show that when well-being (mastery & purpose in life) is low and shame is high, depressive symptoms are highest (Figure 1 of https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640241263245). #research #mentalhealth #psychology #science14 Nov 2024 23:45 +0000at://did:plc:w2v465agbp4yfpcbjer44gg7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lax27a57v22s