About Us

The Study Without Stress Online Programs were developed by a team of psychologists from the Lifespan Health & Wellbeing Research Centre at Macquarie University.

About the Team

  • Dr Jessica Belcher

    Dr Jessica Belcher

    Dr Belcher is a Clinical Psychologist and Research Fellow at the Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre and School of Psychological Sciences Macquarie University. Dr Belcher’s research focuses on academic stress and anxiety among adolescents, as well as translating this research into interventions to help adolescents manage symptoms of stress and anxiety.

  • Jennifer Kashro

    Jennifer Kashro

    Jennifer Kashro is a registered psychologist in the Emotional Health Clinic in the Lifespan Health & Wellbeing Research Centre at Macquarie University. She has supported research trials focused on evaluating current evidence-based therapies for children who experience anxiety. Jennifer also delivers the Study Without Stress student workshops and parent presentations. These workshops aim to help students and their parents to understand study stress during their final years of secondary school.

  • Professor Viviana Wuthrich

    Professor Viviana Wuthrich

    Professor Wuthrich, is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor in the School of Psychological Sciences at Macquarie University. She is also the Director of the Macquarie University Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre. Professor Wuthrich developed the original Study Without Stress program, and all its adaptations and evaluations. Her research expertise is in understanding and treating mental disorders across the lifespan.

Acknowledgements

  • Programming and graphical design

    We would like to acknowledge Samantha Khun’s contribution in creating the online platform for SWoS Uni Online.

  • Advice and Development

    We would like to acknowledge the assistance of staff and students from the Lifespan Health & Wellbeing Research Centre and its Emotional Health Clinic in developing this program.

  • References

    Belcher, J., & Wuthrich, V.M. (2025). The Study Without Stress -Uni Edition (SWoS-Uni). The Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

  • Journal Articles

    Belcher, J., Wuthrich, V. M. & Lowe, C. (2021). Teachers use of fear appeals: Association with student and teacher mental health, Educational Psychology, 92, 610-626. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12467.

    Lowe, C. & Wuthrich, V. (2021). Randomised Controlled Trial of Study Without Stress: A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Program to Reduce Stress in Students in the Final Year of High School, Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 52: 205-216. doi: 10.1007/s10578-020-01099-x.

    Jagiello, T., Belcher., J., Neelakandan, A., Boyd, K. & Wuthrich, V. M. (2024). Academic stress interventions in high schools: A systematic literature review, Child Psychology and Human Development, online ahead of print, doi: 10.1007/s10578-024-01667-5.

    Jagiello, T., Wuthrich, V. M. & Ellis, L. A. (2022). Implementation trial of a cognitive behavioural therapy programme for reducing student stress in the final year of secondary school. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 502-517. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12460502.

    Salter, D., Neelakandan, A., Wuthrich, V. M. (2024). Anxiety and Teacher-Student Relationships in Secondary School: A Systematic Literature Review, Child Psychology and Human Development, online ahead of print, doi: 10.1007/s10578-024-01665-7.

    Wuthrich, V. M., Jagiello, T. & Azzi, V. (2020). Academic Stress in the Final Years of School: A Systematic Literature Review, Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 51, 986-1015. doi: 10.1007/s10578-020-00981-y.

    Wuthrich, V. M., Belcher, J.,Kilby, C., Jagiello, T., Lowe, C. (2021). Tracking stress, depression, and anxiety across the final year of secondary school: A longitudinal study. Journal of School Psychology, 88, 18-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jsp.2021.07.004