Dr Megan Hobbs

Senior Research Fellow, New England Institute of Healthcare Research - Faculty of Medicine and Health

Phone: +61 +61 2 6773 4544

Email: megan.hobbs@une.edu.au

Biography

Dr Hobbs is a Senior Research Fellow at the New England Institute of Healthcare Research at UNE, and an Honorary Conjoint Senior Lecturer at the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression, University of New South Wales and St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. Her research focuses on the coverage and quality of healthcare with a particular focus on the efficient treatment of psychiatric disorders and chronic diseases across the lifespan.

Qualifications

BA Psychol(Hons)(First Class) (University of Wollongong)

Juris Doctor (Australian National University)

PhD (University of New South Wales)

Research Interests

Recent Grants

Hobbs, M. J., Guppy, M. van de Ven, K., Mahoney, A. E. J., Millard, M., & Quirk, F. Impact of COVID-19 on the coverage of telehealth services, and provider and community experiences. 2020 University of New England Faculty of Medicine and Health Collaborative Research Scheme ($9,750).

Curley, D., Lower, A., Kinsman, L., Whiteford, G., Strazzari, R., Reymond, L., Morris, B., Quirk, F., & Hobbs, M. J. Enhancing advance care planning systems to facilitate patient-centred care towards the end of life. 2019 NSW Regional Health Partners: MRFF Rapid Applied Research Translation Grants ($648,910).

Hobbs, M. J., Ketheesan, N., Massey, P., Guppy, M., & Norton, R. Assessing the risk of Q fever among UNE agricultural student, animal and rural science students. 2019 University of New England Faculty of Medicine and Health Collaborative Research Scheme ($9,750).

Wuthrich, V., Rapee, R., Draper, B., Broadty, H., Cuijpers, P., Cutler, H., Hobbs, M. J., Johnco, C., & Jones, M. Translating evidence-based psychological interventions for older adults with depression and anxiety into public and private mental health settings using a stepped care framework. NHMRC Targeted Call into Depression, Anxiety and Suicide Among Elderly Australians ($1,022,889).

Publications

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0131-0089

Link to Google Scholar Profile

In Press Research Articles:

Luu, J., Millard, M., Newby, J. M., Haskelberg, H., Hobbs, M. J., & Mahoney, A. E. J. (In press). Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy is effective for treating symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder in routine care. Journal of Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders.

Published Research Articles:

Bore, M., Laurens, K. R., Hobbs, M. J., Green, M. J., Tzoumakis, S., Harris, F., & Carr, V. J. (2020). Item response theory analysis of the Big Five Questionnaire for Children Short-Form (BFC-SF): A self-report measure of personality in children aged 11-12 years. Journal of Personality Disorders 34, 40-63.

Grierson, A., Hobbs, M. J., & Mason, E. (2020). Self-guided online cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia: A naturalistic evaluation in patients with potential psychiatric comorbidities. Journal of Affective Disorders 266, 305-310.

Hobbs, M. J. & Laurens, K. R. (2020).  Psychometric comparability of self-report by children aged 9-10 versus 11 years on the strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Child Indicator Research 13, 301-318.

Newby J. M., Haskelberg, H., Hobbs M. J., Mahoney, A. E. J., Mason, E. & Andrews, G. (2020). The effectiveness of internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for health anxiety in routine care. Journal of Affective Disorders 264, 535-542.

Sunderland, M., Afzali, M. H., Batterham, P. J., Calear, A. L., Carragher, N., Hobbs, M. J., Mahoney, A. E. J., Peters, L., & Slade, T. (2020). Comparing scores from full length, short form, and adaptive tests of the Social Interaction Anxiety and Social Phobia Scales. Assessment 27, 518-532.

Heffernan, M.,Andrews, G., Fiatarone Singh, M., Valenzuela, M., Anstey, K., Maeder, A., McNeil, J., Jorm, L., Lautenschlager, N., Sachdev, P., Chau, T., Ginige, A., Hobbs, M. J., Kochan, N., Mavros, M., Noble, Y., Maintain Your Brain Collaborative Team, Brodaty, H. (2019). Maintain Your Brain: Protocol for a 3-year randomized controlled trial of an individualized multi-modal eHealth intervention to prevent cognitive decline and incident dementia amongst community dwelling 55-77 year olds. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 70(Suppl. 1), S221-S237.

Loughnan, S. A., Butler, C., Sie, A., Grierson, A., Chen, A. Z., Hobbs, M. J., Joubert, A. E., Haskelberg, H., Mahoney, A. E. J., Holt, C., Milgrom, J., Austin, M. –P., Andrews, G., & Newby, J. M. (2019). A randomized controlled trial of ‘MUMentum Postnatal’: Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and depression in postpartum women. Behaviour Research Therapy 116, 94-103.

Loughnan, S. A., Sie, A., Hobbs, M. J., Joubert, A. E., Smith, J., Haskelberg, H., Mahoney, A. E. J., Kladnitski, N., Black, E., Holt, C., Milgrom, J., Austin, M. –P., Andrews, G., & Newby, J. M. (2019). A randomized controlled trial of ‘MUMentum Pregnancy’:  Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for antenatal anxiety and depression. Journal of Affective Disorders 243, 381-390.

Mahoney, A. E. J., Newby, J. M., Hobbs, M. J., Williams, A. D., & Andrews, G. (2019). Reducing behavioral avoidance with internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Internet Inventions 15, 105-109.

Smith, J., Faux, S. G., Gardner, T., Hobbs, M. J., James, M. A., Joubert, A. E., Kladnitski, N., Newby, J. M., Schultz, R., Shiner, C., & Andrews, G. (2019). ‘Reboot Online’: A randomized controlled trial comparing an online, multi-disciplinary pain management program to usual care for chronic pain. Pain Medicine 20, 2385-2396.

Hobbs, M. J., Joubert, A. E., Mahoney, A. E. J., & Andrews, G. (2018). Treating late-life depression: Comparing the effects of internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy across the adult lifespan. Journal of Affective Disorders 226C, 58-65.

Mahoney, A. E. J., Hobbs, M. J., Newby, J. M., Williams, A. D., & Andrews, G. (2018). Psychometric properties of the Worry Behaviors Inventory: Replication and extension in a large clinical and community sample. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 46, 84-100.

Mahoney, A. E., Hobbs, M. J., Newby, J. M., Williams, A. D., & Andrews, G. (2018). Maladaptive behaviors associated with generalized anxiety disorder: An item response theory analysis. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 4, 479-496.

Mahoney, A. E. J., Hobbs, M. J., Williams, A. D., Andrews, G., & Newby, J. M. (2018). Mediating relationship between maladaptive behavior, cognitive factors and generalized anxiety disorder. Behavior Change 35, 123-138.

Hobbs, M. J., Mahoney, A. E. J., & Andrews, G. (2017). Integrating iCBT for generalized anxiety disorder into routine clinical practice: Treatment effects across the adult lifespan Journal of Anxiety Disorders 51, 47-54.

Morgan, C., Mason, E., Newby J. M., Mahoney, A. E. J., Hobbs, M. J., McAloon, J., & Andrews, G. (2017). The effectiveness of unguided internet cognitive behavioural therapy for mixed anxiety and depression. Internet Interventions 10, 47-53.

Newby, J. M., Hobbs, M. J., Mahoney, A. E. J., Wong, S., & Andrews, G. (2017). DSM-5 illness anxiety and somatic symptom disorders: Comorbidity, correlates and overlap with DSM-IV hypochondriasis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 101, 31-37.

Andrews, G & Hobbs, M. J. (2016). Pragmatic treatment options for depression and the anxiety disorders are needed. World Psychiatry 16, 241-242.

Andrews, G., Hobbs, M. J., & Newby, J. (2016). Computerised cognitive behavior therapy for major depression: A reply to the REAACT trial. Evidenced Based Mental Health 19, 43-45.

Bromet. E. J., Hobbs, M. J., Clouston, S. A. P., Gonzalez, A., Kotov, R, & Luft, B. J. (2016).DSM-IV post-traumatic stress disorder among World Trade Center responders 11-13 years after the disaster of 11 September 2001 (9/11).Psychological Medicine 46, 771-783.

Friedberg, F., Adamowicz, J. L., Caikauskaite, I., Napoli, A., Shapira, O., Hobbs, M. J., Bromet, E. J., Kotov, R., Gonzalez, A., Clouston, S., & Luft, B. (2016). Fatigue severity in World Trade Center (9/11) responders: a preliminary study. Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health and Behavior 4, 70-79.

Mahoney, A., Hobbs, M. J.,Newby, J. M., Williams, A. D., Sunderland, M., & Andrews, G. (2016). The Worry Behaviors Inventory: Assessing the behavioral avoidance associated with generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders 203, 256-264.

Mewton, L., Kessler, R. C., Slade, T., Hobbs, M. J., Brownhill, L., Birrell, L., Tonks, Z., Teesson, M., Newton, N., Chapman, C., Allsop, S., Hides, L., McBride, N., & Andrews, G. (2016). The psychometric properties of the Kessler psychological distress scale (K6) in a general population sample of adolescents. Psychological Assessment 28, 1232-1242.

Harris, M. G., Hobbs, M. J.,Burgess, P., Pirkis, J., Diminic, S., Siskind, D., Andrews, G. & Whiteford, H. (2015). Frequency and quality of mental health treatment for affective and anxiety disorders among Australian adults. Medical Journal of Australia 202, 185-189.

Stockings, E., Degenhardt, L., Lee, .Y-.Y., Lui, A., Hobbs, M. J., & Patton, G. (2015). Symptom screening scales for detecting major depressive disorder in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of reliability, validity and diagnostic utility. Journal of Affective Disorders 174, 447-463.

Mewton, L., Hobbs, M. J.,Sunderland, M., Newby, J. & Andrews, G. (2014). Reductions in the internalizing trait following internet-delivered transdiagnostic treatment for anxiety and depression in primary care. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 63, 132-138.

Hobbs, M. J., Anderson, T. M., Slade, T., & Andrews, G. (2014). Structure of the DSM-5 generalized anxiety disorder criteria in a large community sample of worriers. Journal of Affective Disorders 157, 18-24.

Hobbs, M. J., Anderson, T. M., Slade, T., & Andrews, G. (2014). Relationship between measurement invariance and age related differences in the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders 152-154, 306-312.

Wright, A., Krueger, R. F., Hobbs, M. J., Markon, K. E., Eaton, N. R., & Slade, T. (2013). The structure of psychopathology: Toward an expanded quantitative empirical model. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 122, 281-294.

Laurens, K., Hobbs, M. J., Sunderland, M., Green, M. J., & Mould, G. (2012). Psychotic-like experiences in a community sample of 8,000 children aged 9 to 11 years: An item response theory analysis. Psychological Medicine 42, 1495-1506.

Sunderland, M., Hobbs, M. J., Anderson, T. M., & Andrews, G. (2012). Psychological distress across the lifespan: Examining age-related item bias in the Kessler 6 Psychological Distress scale. International Psychogeriatrics 24, 231-242.

Sunderland, M., Hobbs, M. J., Andrews, G., & Craske, M. G. (2012). Assessing symptoms of panic attack in the general population: An item response analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders 143, 187-195.

Andrews, G., Hobbs, M. J., Borkovec, T. D., Beesdo, K., Craske, M. G., Heimberg, R. G., Rapee, R. M., Ruscio, A., & Stanley, M. A. (2010). Generalized Worry Disorder: A review of DSM-IV Generalized Anxiety Disorder and proposals for DSM-V. Depression and Anxiety 27, 134-147.

Andrews, G., & Hobbs, M. J. (2010). The effect of the draft DSM-5 criteria for GAD on prevalence and severity. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 44, 784-790.

Sachdev, P., Andrews, G., Hobbs, M. J., Sunderland, M., & Anderson, T. M. (2009). Neurocognitive disorders: Cluster 1 of the proposed meta-structure for DSM-V and ICD-10. Psychological Medicine 39, 2001-201.

Andrews, G., Pine, D. S., Hobbs, M. J., Anderson, T. M., & Sunderland, M. (2009). Neurodevelopmental disorders: Cluster 2 of the proposed meta-structure for DSM-V and ICD-10. Psychological Medicine 39, 2013-2023.

Goldberg, D. P., Andrews, G., Krueger, R. F., & Hobbs, M. J. (2009). Emotional disorders: Cluster 4 of the proposed meta-structure for DSM-V and ICD-10. Psychological Medicine 39, 2043-2059.

Goldberg, D. P., Andrews, G., & Hobbs, M. J. (2009). Where should bipolar disorder appear in the meta-structure? Psychological Medicine 39, 2071-2081.

Hobbs, M. J., Clarke, A. R., Barry, R. J., McCarthy, R., & Selikowitz, M. (2007). EEG abnormalities in adolescent males with AD/HD. Clinical Neurophysiology, 118, 363–371.

Textbooks:

Andrews, G., Mahoney, A., Hobbs, M. J.,& Genderson, M. (2016). Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorders: Therapist Guides and Patient Treatment Manual. Oxford University Press.

Book Chapters:

Hobbs, M. J.(2015). Evidenced-based psychiatry. In: J. D. Wright, International Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Sciences (2nd edn), pp. 339-343.

Andrews, G., Hobbs, M. J., Borkovec, T. D., Beesdo, K., Craske, M. G., Heimberg, R. G., Rapee, R. M., Ruscio, A., & Stanley, M. A. (in press). Generalized Worry Disorder: A review of DSM-IV Generalized Anxiety Disorder and proposals for DSM-V. DSM-5 Source Books.

Sachdev, P., Andrews, G., Hobbs, M. J., Sunderland, M., & Anderson, T. M. (In press). Neurocognitive disorders: Cluster 1 of the proposed meta-structure for DSM-V and ICD-10. DSM-5 Source Books.

Andrews, G., Pine, D. S., Hobbs, M. J., Anderson, T. M., & Sunderland, M. (In press). Neurodevelopmental disorders: Cluster 2 of the proposed meta-structure for DSM-V and ICD-10. DSM-5 Source Books.

Goldberg, D. P., Andrews, G., Krueger, R. F., & Hobbs, M. J. (In press). Emotional disorders: Cluster 4 of the proposed meta-structure for DSM-V and ICD-10. DSM-5 Source Books.

Goldberg, D. P., Andrews, G., & Hobbs, M. J. (In press). Where should bipolar disorder appear in the meta-structure? DSM-5 Source Books.

Consultancy Interests

Mental health; Epidemiology; Digital Health Technology; Health Systems and Service Delivery;