Michael Gradisar

My research is focussed primarily in the area of sleep problems in typically developing children and adolescents - specifically sleep disturbances not unlike that of adult insomnia, as well as circadian rhythm disorders. I am also investigating the consequences of sleep disorders on school-children's cognitive abilities and academic achievement. In 2006, I have developed the Child and Adolescent Sleep Clinic under the auspices of the Flinders University Psychology Clinic. The Child and Adolescent Sleep Clinic provides a valuable service to the South Australian community whilst also playing a central role in my research.

My research collaborators locally include Prof. Leon Lack, Dr. Helen Wright, Assoc. Prof. Tracey Wade, Dr. Reg Nixon, and Dr. Julie Robinson (School of Psychology, Flinders University), and Dr Nicola Spurrier (Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Flinders University), with national collaborators Dr. Jennifer Hudson and Dr. Amanda Gamble (Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, NSW), and international collaborators Prof. Mary Carskadon (Brown University, Rhode Island, USA), Dr Allison Harvey (University of California, Berkeley, USA), and Prof. Richard Bootzin (University of Arizona, Tuscon, USA).

Publications (2006 -)

Lack, L.C., Wright, H.R., Gradisar, M., & Lushington, K. (2008, in press). The relationship between insomnia and body temperatures. Sleep Medicine Reviews.

Robinson, J., Alexander, D., & Gradisar, M. (2008, in press). Preparing for Year 12 examinations: Predictors of psychological distress and sleep. Australian Journal of Psychology.

Gradisar, M., Lack, L., Richards, H., Harris, J., Gallasch, J., Boundy, M., & Johnston, A. (2007). The Flinders Fatigue Scale: Preliminary psychometric properties and clinical sensitivity of a new scale for measuring daytime fatigue associated with insomnia. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 3, 722-728.

Gallasch, J., & Gradisar, M. (2007). The relationships between sleep knowledge, sleep practice, and sleep quality. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 5, 63-73.

Harris, J., Lack, L. C., Wright, H. R., Gradisar, M., & Brooks, A. (2007). Intensive sleep retrainging treatment for chronic primary insomnia: A preliminary investigation. Journal of Sleep Research, 16, 1-9.

Gradisar, M., Lack, L., Wright, H., Harris, J., & Brooks, A. (2006). Do chronic primary insomniacs have impaired heat loss when attempting sleep? American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 290, R1115-R1121.

Conference Papers (2006-)

Gradisar, M. (2007). An insomnia severity index for adolescents. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 5, A37.

Gradisar, M., & Paine S. (2007). Adolescent napping behaviour. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 5, A89.

Gradisar, M. (2007, September). Thermoregulation in insomnia: Psychophysiological indicator of hyperarousal? Worldsleep07: 5th World Sleep Congress of the WFSRSMS, Cairns, Australia.

Moseley, L., & Gradisar, M. (2007). A school-based intervention for adolescent sleep problems. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 5, A34.

Terrill, G., & Gradisar, M. (2007). Insomnia and working memory in children and adolescents. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 5, A70.

Paine, S., Gradisar, M., Wright, H., Slater, A., & Hudson, J. (2007). Sleep and anxiety parameters of children diagnosed with Behavioural Insomnia of Childhood at a university-based insomnia clinic. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 5, A72.

Dawson, S., Gradisar, M., & Lack, L. (2007). The effect of brief and long daytime naps on subsequent nocturnal sleep and daytime functioning. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 5, A96.

Vu, M-T., Lack, L., Gradisar, M., Harris, J., & Richards, H. (2007). Cognitive-behavioural treatment of insomnia with co-morbid depression. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 5, A189.

Harris, J. K., Lack, L. C., Gradisar, M., Richards, H., Vu, T., McEvoy, D., & Antic, N. (2006). Does co-morbid OSA impact on insomnia treatment outcome? Sleep 29, (Suppl.), A233.

Gradisar, M., Lack L., Harris, J., Richards, H., Gallasch, J., Boundy, M., & Garrett, A. (2006, June). Psychometric properties of two new scales for measuring daytime functioning in insomnia. The 20th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, Salt Lake City, USA.

Gradisar, M., Robinson, J., Stone, S., & Wright, H. (2006, July). Adolescent's internet usage and its effect on sleep and daytime functioning. The 19th Biennual Meeting for the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development, Melbourne, Australia.

Research Grants (2006-)

Gradisar, M. A revised school-based intervention for adolescent sleep problems. 2008. $11,000, Flinders Research Grant.

Lack, L., Gradisar, M., Wright, H., & Carskadon, M. The prevalence and cross-cultural comparison of daytime sleepiness in adolescents, 2008-2010, $345,000, Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grant.

Spurrier, N., Gradisar, M., Sved-Williams, A., & Jackson, K. Mental health outcomes of infants enrolled in a randomised controlled sleep intervention trial, 2008-2009, $44,226, Australian Rotary Health Research Fund.

Gradisar, M., Hudson, J., & Gamble, A. Understanding the relationship between sleep disturbance and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, 2007, $2,000, Flinders Research Support Grant.

Gradisar, M. The assessment and treatment of co-morbid sleep and depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. 2006, $7,500, Faculty of Social Sciences Establishment Grant.

Gradisar, M. Assessment of adolescents' cognitions and behaviours about sleep and daytime functioning. 2006, $3,530, Flinders Research Grants - Revised.

Gradisar, M. Evaluation of a cognitive-behavioural therapy program for insomnia in school-aged children. 2007, $12,500, Flinders Research Grant.

Lack, L., & Gradisar, M. The prevalence of sleepiness and delayed sleep phase disorder in adolescents. 2007, $10,000, Flinders Research Grant.

Gradisar, M., & Hudson, J. The assessment and treatment of co-morbid anxiety and sleep disorder symptomatology in children and adolescents. 2007, $14,000, Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation Grant.

Jackson, K., & Gradisar, M. Infant sleep disturbance: A randomised controlled trial of behavioural interventions. 2007, $12,000, Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation Grant.

Further information is available from Michael Gradisar's website