Kirsty Hird
Research assistant & PhD Candidate
BPsych (Hons)
kirsty.hird@postgrad.curtin.edu.au
she/her
Kirsty is a PhD student under the supervision of A/Prof Mark Boyes, Prof Penelope Hasking and Dr Penelope Strauss. She holds a Bachelor of Psychology with Honours (First Class) from Curtin University. The aim of Kirsty’s PhD is understanding non-suicidal self-injury among trans young people. In her honour’s thesis, Kirsty investigated cognitive and emotional factors related to non-suicidal self-injury.
Kirsty’s research interests include non-suicidal self-injury, emotion regulation, stigma, and the mental health and emotional wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ young people.
Projects
Upskilling Service Providers on LGBTQA+ Suicide Prevention
This project aims to implement LGBTQA+ youth suicide prevention guidelines in clinical and community services in Western Australia.
Published research
Trans Young People’s Experiences of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is particularly common among trans young people. Trans young people tend to experience high levels of emotional distress due to the unique stressors they face, and often use NSSI as an emotion regulation strategy. These stressors include gender dysphoria, body image concerns, and transphobic experiences.
Education and Qualifications
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) - Curtin University
Active Collaborations
- International Society for the Study of Self-Injury - Collaborative Research Program