Dr Susan Abel

Dr Susan Abel
NameDr Susan Abel
Email Addresssusan.abel@unisq.edu.au
Job TitleCasual Employment
QualificationsBEcon Qld, GDipFinMgt UNE, GDipPsychSt USQ, BSc(Hons) USQ, PhD USQ
DepartmentSchool of Psychology and Wellbeing
AffiliationsCentre for Heritage and Culture
ORCIDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4703-8415
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Biography

Susan's research interests lie in neurodiversity and digital technology use and impact across the lifespan. She has more recently focused on early career researchers through interdisciplinary research collaborations. In addition to her academic work, Susan is a board member for the Massim Cultural Foundation in PNG and supports the Massim Musem.

Employment

PositionOrganisationFromTo
LecturerUniversity of Southern Queensland20222023

Teaching

RES9005 Qualitative Research Techniques

RES9004 Research Design and Methodologies

PSY2010 Social Processes of Behaviour

PSY2030 Developmental Psychology

Fields of Research

  • 430204. Digital heritage
  • 430205. Heritage and cultural conservation
  • 430206. Heritage collections and interpretations
  • 441099. Sociology not elsewhere classified
  • 520101. Child and adolescent development
  • 520199. Applied and developmental psychology not elsewhere classified
  • 520505. Social psychology
  • 520599. Social and personality psychology not elsewhere classified

Professional Membership

Professional MembershipYear
Australian Psychological Society
BEcon
Qld
1990
GDipFinMgt
UNE
2001
GDipPsychSt
USQ
2015
BSc(Hons)
USQ
2017
PhD
USQ
2022

Current Supervisions

Research TitleSupervisor TypeLevel of StudyCommenced
The Pressure to Conform to Neurotypical Workplace Expectations: Adaptive Behaviours in the Workplace and their Impact on Self-Esteem and Autistic Identity.Associate SupervisorDoctoral2025
Autistic + Parent = ? Exploring the experiences of autistic parents in a predominantly neurotypical worldAssociate SupervisorDoctoral2024
Autistic Burnout - how it differs from 'regular' burnout and how we can measure itAssociate SupervisorDoctoral2022
Prosocial behaviours online: Internal Drives of Online BehavioursAssociate SupervisorDoctoral2021

Autistic Burnout on Reddit: A Sisyphean Struggle with Daily Tasks

Clarey, Megan M., Abel, Susan, Ireland, Michael J. and Brownlow, Charlotte. 2025. "Autistic Burnout on Reddit: A Sisyphean Struggle with Daily Tasks." Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-06765-4

Experiences of Autistic Parents, From Conception to Raising Adult Children: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Thom-Jones, Sandra, Brownlow, Charlotte and Abel, Susan. 2024. "Experiences of Autistic Parents, From Conception to Raising Adult Children: A Systematic Review of the Literature." Autism in Adulthood. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2024.0181

Human development: how and why we change

Abel, Susan, Brownlow, Charlotte, Selkirk, Belle, Alexi, Joanna and Hirvonen, Tanja. 2025. "Human development: how and why we change." Lilienfeld, Scott O., Lynn, Steven Jay and Namy, Laura L. (ed.) Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding . Australia. Pearson Australia Group.

Better than Scrolling: Digital Detox in the Search for the Ideal Self

Vialle, Stephanie J., Machin, Tanya and Abel, Susan. 2024. "Better than Scrolling: Digital Detox in the Search for the Ideal Self." Psychology of Popular Media. 13 (4), pp. 687-695. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000496

Playing tertiary tetris: Valuing the voices of casual educators in higher education

Davis, Ian, Abel, Susan, Feldman, Courtney and Bedford, Alison. 2022. "Playing tertiary tetris: Valuing the voices of casual educators in higher education." 44th Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference (HERDSA 2022). Melbourne, Australia 27 - 30 Jun 2022 Australia.

The impact of ease of online self-expression during adolescence on identity in young adulthood

Stuart, Jaimee, Scott, Riley, O'Donnell, Karlee and Jose, Paul E.. 2022. "The impact of ease of online self-expression during adolescence on identity in young adulthood." Machin, T., Brownlow, C., Abel, S. and Gilmour, J. (ed.) Social Media and Technology Across the Lifespan. switzerland . Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 43–59

Links between telehealth, work, and caring responsibilities

Russo, Fiona and Werth, Shalene. 2022. "Links between telehealth, work, and caring responsibilities." Machin, Tany, Brownlow, Charlotte, Abel, Susan and Gilmour, John (ed.) Social Media and Technology Across the Lifespan. Switzerland . Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 81-96

Children and social media

Machin, Tanya and Abel, Susan. 2022. "Children and social media." Childhood Studies. 25 April 2022, pp. 1-2. https://doi.org/10.1093/OBO/9780199791231-0198

The Australian Handbook for Careers in Psychological Science

Machin, Tony, Machin, Tanya, Jeffries, Carla, Hoare, Nancey and Abel, Susan. Rowling, Samara and Andersen, Nikki (ed.) 2022. The Australian Handbook for Careers in Psychological Science. Australia. University of Southern Queensland.

Social Media and Technology Across the Lifespan

Machin, Tanya, Brownlow, Charlotte, Abel, Susan and Gilmour, John. Machin, Tanya, Brownlow, Charlotte, Abel, Susan and Gilmour, John (ed.) 2022. Social Media and Technology Across the Lifespan. Cham, Switzerland. Palgrave Macmillan.

Social media, rituals, and long-distance family relationship maintenance: A mixed-methods systematic review

Abel, Susan, Machin, Tanya and Brownlow, Charlotte. 2021. "Social media, rituals, and long-distance family relationship maintenance: A mixed-methods systematic review." New Media and Society. 23 (3), pp. 632-654. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820958717

Making time online: exploring social media as a tool for family connection

Abel, Susan. 2021. Making time online: exploring social media as a tool for family connection. PhD Thesis Doctor of Philosophy. University of Southern Queensland. https://doi.org/10.26192/q713w

Support, socialise and advocate: An exploration of the stated purposes of Facebook autism groups

Abel, Susan, Machin, Tanya and Brownlow, Charlotte. 2019. "Support, socialise and advocate: An exploration of the stated purposes of Facebook autism groups." Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 61, pp. 10-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.01.009