I am an active researcher with numerous national competitive grants. My work spans two interconnected programs:
Flexible Strength
I study psychological flexibility — what I term "flexible strength" — a cluster of skills that promote personal growth, vitality, and valued action. These include emotional intelligence, mindfulness, psychological flexibility, nonattachment, grit, equanimity, and emotion regulation. I investigate three core questions:
- How do we measure aspects of flexible strength?
- How do different aspects of flexible strength develop and change?
- How do we promote flexible strength?
Idionomic & Personalized Approaches
I am pioneering idionomic methods — person-specific analyses that move beyond group averages to understand each individual's unique patterns of change. Using intensive longitudinal data (e.g., experience sampling), machine learning, and time-series analysis, my collaborators and I develop tools for personalized, process-based assessment and intervention. This work bridges the gap between psychological science and clinical practice by enabling truly individualized treatment planning.
I am a top-2% scientist worldwide across all disciplines, and ranked 60th most cited Australian psychologist of all time.
Psychological Flexibility
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
Process-Based Therapy
Relational Frame Theory
Experience Sampling
Idionomic Analysis
Personalized Interventions
Time-Series Analysis
Emotional Intelligence
Mindfulness
Nonattachment
EEMM
Adolescent Development
DNA-v
11. Hayes, L., Ciarrochi, J., & Bailey, A. (2022). What Makes You Stronger: How to Thrive in the Face of Change and Uncertainty Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New Harbinger Publications: Oakland, CA.
10. Ciarrochi, J. & Hayes, L. (2020).
Your Life, Your Way: Skills to Help Teens Gain Perspective, Manage Emotions, and Build Resilience Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New Harbinger Publications: Oakland, CA.
Translated into: Chinese · Italian · Korean · Polish · Russian · Turkish · Persian
9. Hayes, L., & Ciarrochi, J. (2015).
The Thriving Adolescent: Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Positive Psychology to Help Young People Manage Emotions, Achieve Goals, and Build Positive Relationships. New Harbinger Publications: Oakland, CA.
Translated into: Chinese · Dutch · Italian · Korean · Polish · Russian · Turkish
8. Ciarrochi, J., Bailey, A., & Harris, R. (2014).
The Weight Escape. Penguin Publishers, Australia. [Also published by Shambhala (US) and Robinson (UK)]
Translated into: Dutch · French · Polish
7. Kashdan, T. B. & Ciarrochi, J. (Eds.). (2013).
Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Positive Psychology: The Seven Foundations of Well-Being. Context Press: Oakland, CA.
Translated into: Spanish · Japanese
6. Ciarrochi, J., Hayes, L., & Bailey, A. (2012).
Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: Teens. New Harbinger Publications: Oakland, CA.
Translated into: Dutch · French · Chinese · Japanese · Spanish · Turkish · Polish
5. Blackledge, J. T., Ciarrochi, J., & Deane, F. (Eds.). (2009). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Contemporary Theory, Research and Practice. Australian Academic Press: Queensland.
4. Ciarrochi, J. & Bailey, A. (2008).
A CBT-Practitioner's Guide to ACT: How to Bridge the Gap Between Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New Harbinger Publications: Oakland, CA.
Translated into: Japanese · Korean · German
3. Ciarrochi, J. & Mayer, J. (Eds.). (2007). Applying Emotional Intelligence: A Practitioners Guide. Psychology Press/Taylor & Francis: New York.
2. Ciarrochi, J., Forgas, J., & Mayer, J. (Eds.). (2006). Emotional Intelligence in Everyday Life: A Scientific Inquiry. 2nd edition. Psychology Press/Taylor & Francis: New York.
1. Ciarrochi, J., Forgas, J., & Mayer, J. (Eds.). (2001).
Emotional Intelligence in Everyday Life: A Scientific Inquiry. Psychology Press/Taylor & Francis: Philadelphia.
Translated into: Japanese · Korean · Hungarian
32
Hayes, L., & Ciarrochi, J. (in press). DNA-v: The youth model of acceptance, mindfulness and positive growth in adolescence. In International Practical Handbook of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
31
Devine, E. K., Elphinstone, B., Ciarrochi, J., & Sahdra, B. K. (2025). Nonattachment Scale (NAS). In Medvedev, O. N., Krägeloh, C. U., Siegert, R. J., & Singh, N. N. (Eds.),
Handbook of Assessment in Mindfulness Research. Springer.
9
30
Hayes, L., & Ciarrochi, J. (2025). DNA-V: The Youth Model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Social–Emotional Learning in Schools. Using Mindfulness to Promote Mental Health in Schools. Oxford University Press.
29
Basarkod, G., Ciarrochi, J. V., & Sahdra, B. (2023). Six Ways to Well-Being (6W-WeB).
Handbook of Assessment in Mindfulness Research, 1–36.
1
28
Fraser, M. I., Ciarrochi, J. V., Sahdra, B. K., & Hunt, C. (2023). To Be Compassionate and Feel Worthy: The Bidirectional Relationship Between Self-Compassion and Self-Esteem.
Handbook of Self-Compassion, 33–51.
8
27
Petersen, J. M., Hayes, L., Gillard, D., & Ciarrochi, J. (2023). ACT for children and adolescents. In Twohig, M. P., Levin, M. E., & Petersen, J. M. (Eds.),
The Oxford Handbook of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Oxford University Press.
12
26
Ciarrochi, J., Hayes, S., Hayes, L., Sahdra, B., Ferrari, M., Yap, K., & Hofmann, S. (2022). From package to process: An evidence-based approach to processes of change in psychotherapy. In Hofmann,
Comprehensive Clinical Psychology: Foundations. Gordon Asmundson.
12
25
Ciarrochi, J., Hayes, L., Quinlen, G., Sahdra, B., Ferrari, M., & Yap, K. (2022). Letting go, creating meaning: The role of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in helping people confront existential concerns and lead a vital life. In Menzies, R. G., Menzies, R. E., & Dingle, G.,
Existential Concerns and Cognitive-Behavioral Procedures: An Integrative Approach. Springer Nature.
14
24
Ciarrochi, J., Hayes, L., & Sahdra, B. (2022). Understanding and improving emotion regulation: Lessons from psychological science and the humanities. In
Handbook of Positive Psychology on the Arts and Humanities: Theory and Research. Oxford University Press.
4
23
Hayes, L. L., & Ciarrochi, J. (2020). Growing up flexibly: DNA-v as a contextual behavioral science approach to working with young people. In Levin, M. E., Twohig, M. P., & Krafft, J. (Eds.),
Innovations in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Clinical Advancements and Applications in ACT. New Harbinger.
12
22
Hayes, S., Hofmann, S., & Ciarrochi, J. (2020). Building a process-based diagnostic system: An extended evolutionary approach. In Hayes, S. & Hofmann, S. (Eds.),
Beyond the DSM. 21
21
Hayes, S., Hofmann, S., & Ciarrochi, J. (2020). Creating an alternative to syndromal diagnosis: Needed features of processes of change and the models that organize them. In Hayes, S. & Hofmann, S. (Eds.),
Beyond the DSM. 18
20
Ciarrochi, J., & Hayes, L. (2018). Shaping DNA (Discoverer, Noticer, Advisor): A contextual behavioral science approach to youth intervention. In D. Wilson & S. C. Hayes (Eds.),
Evolution and Contextual Behavioral Science: A Reunification. 3
19
Ciarrochi, J., Brockman, R., Duguid, J., Parker, P., Sahdra, B., & Kashdan, T. (2016). Measures that make a difference: Optimizing psychological measurement to promote well-being and reduce suffering. In Zettle, R., Hayes, S., Biglan, T., & Barnes-Holmes, D. (Eds.), Handbook of Contextual Behavioral Science (pp. 320–347). John Wiley and Sons.
18
Hayes, L., & Ciarrochi, J. (2015). Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help young people develop and grow to their full potential. In B. Kircaldy (Ed.),
Promoting Psychological Well-Being in Children and Families (pp. 102–122). Palgrave Macmillan.
12
17
Ciarrochi, J., Kashdan, T. B., & Harris, R. (2013). The foundations of flourishing. In T. B. Kashdan & J. Ciarrochi (Eds.), Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Positive Psychology: The Seven Foundations of Well-Being (pp. 1–29). Context Press.
16
McLeod, H., & Ciarrochi, J. (2012). The Self in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. In L. McHugh & I. Stewart (Eds.), The Self and Perspective Taking: Research and Applications (pp. 161–180). New Harbinger Publications.
15
Ciarrochi, J., Bilich, L., & Godsel, C. (2010). Psychological flexibility as a mechanism of change in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. In R. Baer (Ed.),
Assessing Mindfulness and Acceptance: Illuminating the Processes of Change (pp. 51–76). New Harbinger Publications.
439
14
Ciarrochi, J. V., & Bilich-Erich, L. (2009). Promoting social intelligence using the experiential role-play method. In J. T. Blackledge, J. V. Ciarrochi & F. P. Deane (Eds.),
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Contemporary Theory Research and Practice (pp. 247–262). Australian Academic Press.
19
13
Ciarrochi, J., Blackledge, J., Bilich, L., & Bayliss, V. (2007). Improving Emotional Intelligence: A guide to mindfulness-based emotional intelligence training. In J. Ciarrochi & J. Mayer,
Applying Emotional Intelligence: A Practitioners Guide (pp. 89–124). Psychology Press.
38
12
Ciarrochi, J. (2006). Buddhist Practices and Emotional Intelligence: Finding the Convergence. In D. Nauriyal, M. Drummond, & Y. Lal,
Buddhist Thought and Applied Psychology: Transcending the Boundaries (pp. 452–471). Routledge.
5
11
Ciarrochi, J. (2006). The current state of emotional intelligence research: Answers to some old questions and the discovery of some new ones. In Ciarrochi, J., Forgas, J., & Mayer, J. (Eds.), Emotional Intelligence in Everyday Life (2nd ed., pp. 251–260). Psychology Press/Taylor & Francis.
10
Ciarrochi, J., & Blackledge, J. (2006). Emotional intelligence and interpersonal behaviour: A theory and review of the literature. In J. Forgas (Ed.), Affect in Social Thinking and Behavior (pp. 291–310). Psychology Press.
9
Ciarrochi, J., & Blackledge, J. (2006). Mindfulness-Based Emotional Intelligence Training: A new approach to reducing human suffering and promoting effectiveness. In Ciarrochi, J., Forgas, J., & Mayer, J. (Eds.),
Emotional Intelligence in Everyday Life (2nd ed., pp. 206–228). Psychology Press/Taylor & Francis.
59
8
Ciarrochi, J., & Godsell, C. (2006). Mindfulness-Based Emotional Intelligence: Research and Training. In V. Druskat, F. Sala, & G. Mount (Eds.),
Linking Emotional Intelligence and Performance at Work (pp. 21–52). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
65
7
Ciarrochi, J., & Mayer, J. D. (2006). Clarifying concepts related to emotional intelligence: A proposed glossary. In Ciarrochi, J., Forgas, J., & Mayer, J. (Eds.),
Emotional Intelligence in Everyday Life (2nd ed., pp. 261–268). Psychology Press/Taylor & Francis.
71
6
Ciarrochi, J., & Godsell, C. (2005). Mindfulness-Based Emotional Intelligence: a theory and review of the literature. In R. Shultz & R. Roberts (Eds.),
Emotional Intelligence: An International Handbook (pp. 69–90). Hogrefe and Hugar Publishers.
18
5
Ciarrochi, J., Chan, A. Y., Caputi, P., & Roberts, R. (2001). Measuring Emotional Intelligence (EI). In J. Ciarrochi, J. Forgas, & J. Mayer (Eds.),
Emotional Intelligence in Everyday Life: A Scientific Inquiry (pp. 25–45). Psychology Press/Taylor & Francis.
349
4
Forgas, J., & Ciarrochi, J. (2000). Affect infusion and affect control: The interactive role of conscious and unconscious processing strategies in mood management. In Y. Rossetti & A. Revonsuo (Eds.),
Beyond Dissociation: Interaction Between Dissociated Implicit and Explicit Processing (pp. 243–271). Benjamins Press.
7
3
Forgas, J., Ciarrochi, J., & Moylan, S. (2000). Subjective experience and mood regulation: The role of information processing strategies. In H. Bless & J. Forgas (Eds.),
The Message Within: The Role of Subjective Experiences in Social Cognition and Behavior. Psychology Press.
38
2
Forgas, J. P., Johnson, R., & Ciarrochi, J. (1998). Affect control and affect infusion: A multi-process account of mood management and personal control. In M. Kofta, G. Weary, & G. Sedek (Eds.),
Personal Control in Action: Cognitive and Motivational Mechanisms. Plenum Press.
21
1
Voss, J. F., Wiley, J., Ciarrochi, J., & Carretero, M. (1998). Causality in history: On the nature of “intuitive” understanding of the concepts of sufficiency and necessity (pp. 199–213). In J. F. Voss & M. Carretero (Eds.),
International Review of History, Volume 2: Learning and Reasoning in History. Woburn Press.
19
Total funding: ~$5.2 Million
2024–2027
$119,589
Personalised recommendations for interventions for improving individuals' psychosocial prosperity. Industry partner: IBH. CIs: Ciarrochi, J. & Sahdra, B.
2022
$68,425
Evaluating a humanities-based curriculum for promoting social and emotional learning amongst those at risk of dropping out of education. Industry partner: Clemente. Sahdra, B.; Ciarrochi, J.; Reeve, J. M.; Jang, H.
2021
$30,000
Developing a humanities-based curriculum for social and emotional learning. Industry partner: Clemente. McNeeilly, J.; Ciarrochi, J.; Sahdra, B.
2021
$45,000
Enabling Thriving Futures: Forging an Innovative Positive Psychology Multi-Dimensional Well-Being Framework. Craven, R.; Ciarrochi, J.; Sahdra, B.
2016–2018
$231,852
Compassion at the Heart of Well-Being (Templeton Foundation). Huppert, F.; Atkins, P.; Ciarrochi, J.; Sahdra, B.; et al.
2016–2019
$264,000
A RCT of an Education Re-engagement Program for At-Risk Youth (LP160100332). ARC Linkage. Ciarrochi, J.; Parker, P.; Craven, R.; Ryan, R.; Sahdra, B.; et al.
2014–2017
$300,000
The Helmsman Project: Giving At-risk Adolescents Skills to Navigate Life's Journey (LP140100041). Marsh, H.; Ciarrochi, J.; Parker, P.; Huppert, F.; Kemp, T.
2014–2016
$324,000
ARC (DP140103874). Identifying biopsychosocial factors promoting healthy transitions from high school: A seven-year longitudinal study. Ciarrochi, J.; Heaven, P.; Huppert, F.; Kashdan, T.
2013–2016
$223,838
ARC (DP130104468). Emotional responses to comparisons in romantic relationships: Implications for relationship well-being. Pinkus, R.; Williams, L.; Fitness, J.; Ciarrochi, J.; Murray, S.
2013–2014
$120,000
Beyond Blue: ACT wherever they are — A randomised controlled trial of online self-help ACT for adolescents with anxiety. Hayes, L.; Ciarrochi, J.; Billich, L.; Marshall, S.; Dodd, S.
2011–2014
$743,416
ARC Future Fellowship (FT100100656). A longitudinal study into the development of personal vulnerabilities and well-being in Adolescence.
1
Steven Anderson (with Steven Roodenrys)
2001
2
Sarup Akgun
2002
3
Jane Bajgar (with Frank Deane)
2004
4
David Rosete
2005
5
Linda Bilich (with Frank Deane)
2007
6
Elizabeth Cooper (with J.T. Blackledge)
2007
7
Fiona Davies (with Patrick Heaven)
2007
8
Clair Godsell
2011
9
David St. Quinten (with Patrick Heaven)
2011
10
Greg Scott
2011
11
Jodie Landstra (with Frank Deane)
2013
12
Katherine Williams (with Peter Caputi)
2015
13
Diane Whiting (with Frank Deane & Hamish McLeod)
2016
14
Loch Forsyth (with Philip Parker)
2016
15
Lee Huskees (with Philip Parker & Peter Leeson)
2016
16
Jasper Duineveld (with Philip Parker)
2016
17
Robert Brockman (with Philip Parker)
2017
18
James Donald (with Baljinder Sahdra)
2018
19
Geetanjali Baskaraod (with Baljinder Sahdra)
2019
20
Darren Coppin (with Baljinder Sahdra)
2019
21
Emma Devine (with Baljinder Sahdra)
2021
22
Melissa Schellekens (with Anthony Dillon)
2023
23
Sylvia Wong (with Baljinder Sahdra)
2023
24
Nanette Gerlach
2023
25
Rory Darkins (with Baljinder Sahdra)
2024