Qualifications Bachelor of Behavioural Sciences with Honours Graduate Diploma Applied Child Psychology Master of Psychology Doctor of Philosophy Vicki Bitsika began her career as an outreach psychologist for a Victorian service specifically designed to meet the educational and training needs of adolescents and adults with Pervasive Developmental Disorder. She lectured at Monash University on the Special Education and Psychology programs for twelve years. During this time she was responsible for developing and coordinating the practicum stream in Applied Behaviour Analysis that was taught to Special Education students. Vicki is a practising psychologist and has maintained her professional practice since 1986. She is registered as a psychologist in the states of Victoria (with specialist registration in the area of Educational and Developmental Psychology) and Queensland. Vicki has specialised in the assessment and management of learning and behavioural difficulties with a particular focus on Autism Spectrum Disorders across the lifespan. She is a consultant psychologist to various private/ state schools and Human Service Facilities in various states of Australia. As well as working hands-on with children, adolescents, and adults with learning and behaviour problems, Vicki has also trained and supported parents who care for children with learning and behaviour problems. Vicki has developed and conducted numerous workshops and training sessions for professionals who work with individuals with disabilities and special needs.
Articles
The diverse neurogeography of emotional experience: Form follows function (with Christoper Francis Sharpley), Behavioural brain research (2010)
The experience of emotion underlies emotional expression and consequent action. Although several theoretical models of...
The contribution of anxiety and depression to fatigue among a sample of Australian university students: Suggestions for university counsellors (with Christopher F. Sharpley and Ryan Bell), Counselling psychology quarterly (2009)
Responses to the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS: Zung, W. (1971). A rating instrument for...
Helping prostate cancer patients understand the causes of anxiety and depression: Comparing cancer-caused vs patient response events (with Christopher F. Sharpley and David R. H. Christie), Journal of men's health (2009)
Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) patients have elevated anxiety and depression, often showing impairments in decision-making...
Positive (but not negative) punishment predicts anxiety and depression among prostate cancer patients: An exploration of the behaviour analytic model of depression (with Christopher Sharpley and David R. H. Christie), Behaviour change (2009)
The relative power of Positive and Negative Punishment as predictors of anxiety and depression was...
Understanding the causes of depression among prostate cancer patients: Development of the effects of prostate cancer on lifestyle questionnaire (with Christopher F. Sharpley and David R. H. Christie), Psycho-oncology (2009)
Objective: Depression among prostate cancer patients remains a major source of distress for them and...