Researcher Details |

Ashling Bourke

Contact Details

Assistant Professor

SPC M 305
T:Ext. 9254

E:Ashling.Bourke@dcu.ie

Dr Ashling Bourke is an Associate Professor in Psychology and Human Development at the Institute of Education. Her research and teaching interests include the processes that impact on child and adolescent wellbeing, children's rights, and understanding climate change using a psychological lens.

She is the Principal Investigator on NextGen: The Next Generation Calls to Action: Exploring Adolescents' Climate Change Attitudes, Knowledge, and Actions.

Ashling is a Senior Fellow, Advance HE. In 2023 she was awarded a Presidents' Medal for Research Impact. She was awarded a Dean's Research Fellow at the Anti-Bullying Centre in 2024-2025, and she currently sits on the ABC Management Committee and the Centre's Advisory Board.

Her current research projects inlcude:

Adolescents' climate change knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours
Climate change and mental health and wellbeing
School's roles in child protection
Relationships and Sexuality Education
Psychological correlates of bullying behaviour
Arts based methodologies and the study of climate change

Ashling completed her BA (hons) in Psychology at the National University of Ireland, Galway, a Masters in Forensic Psychology at University College Cork, and a PhD at Trinity College Dublin. She has held a number of academic and research roles in Trinity College Dublin, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and Dublin City University, as well as advocacy roles with children and vulnerable populations in Irish and UK NGOs.

Peer Reviewed Journal

	Year	Publication
	2025	A Bourke, S Jabbour, A Martin, L Walsh, K Hadfield (2025) 'Understanding Climate Change Attitudes in Europe: A Systematic Review using Social Ecological Framework'. Current research in ecological and social psychology, . [Link]
	2025	Barry, M; Mallon, B; Bourke, A; Usher, J; Daly, A (2025) 'Spaces between importance and enactment: building from teachers’ everyday understanding of, and capacity for, global citizenship education'. Irish Educational Studies, . [Link] [DOI]
	2025	Bourke, A.; Irwin, J.; McCabe, U; Murphy, F. (2025) 'Exploring well-being and ill-being in education: disciplinary insights and curriculum perspectives'. Irish Educational Studies, . https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2025.2519145
	2025	Emma Craven; Ashling Bourke (2025) '“You learned the language without even realising”: Resilience and challenges of second-language learning for learners with dyslexia in immersion education/acmhainneacht agus dúshláin a bhaineann le foghlaim an dara teanga i gcás foghlaimeoirí tumoideachais a bhfuil disléicse orthu'. REACH - Journal of Inclusive Education in Ireland, 38 (1):22-28.
	2025	Bourke, A.; Cullen, C.; Maunsell, C. (2025) 'Preparing to teach relationships and sexuality education: student teachers’ perceived knowledge and attitudes'. Sex Education, 25 . [Link] [DOI]
	2024	Azza Warraitch; Ciara Wacker; Emer Buckley; Ashling Bourke; Kristin Hadfield (2024) 'How to address the barriers to meaningful adolescent involvement in health research: A qualitative study'. Journal Of Research On Adolescence : The Official Journal Of The Society For Research On Adolescence, . [DOI]
	2024	Warraitch, A., Wacker, C., Bruce, D., Bourke, A., & Hadfield, K. (2024) 'A rapid review of guidelines on involvement of adolescents in health research'. Health Expectations : An International Journal Of Public Participation In Health Care And Health Policy, .
	2022	Bourke, A., Mallon, B., & Maunsell, C. (2022) 'Realisation of Children’s Rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to, in, and through Sexuality Education'. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHILDRENS RIGHTS, .
	2022	Costello, A., Maunsell, A., Cullen, C., & Bourke, A. (2022) 'A Systematic Review of the Provision of Sexuality Education to Student Teachers in Initial Teacher Education'. Frontiers in Education, 7 . [DOI]
	2020	Bourke, A., Morris, S., & Maunsell, C. (2020) 'Adults’ Endorsement of Children’s Protection and Participation Rights and Likelihood of Reporting Abuse'. International Journal of Children's Rights, 28 (2):352-377. https://doi.org/10.1163/15718182-02802006
	2015	Bourke, A., Kelleher, C., Boduszek, D., and Morgan, K. (2015) 'Factors associated with crisis pregnancies in Ireland: Findings from three nationally representative sexual health surveys'. Reproductive Health, 14 (12).
	2015	Bourke, A. and Maunsell, C. (2015) '‘Teachers Matter’: The Impact of Mandatory Reporting on Teacher Education in Ireland'. Child Abuse Review, 25 (4):314-324.
	2014	Bourke, A., Doherty, S., McBride, O., Morgan, K., and McGee, H. (2014) 'Female perpetrators of child sexual abuse: characteristics of the offender and victim'. Psychology, Crime and Law, 20 (8):769-780.
	2014	Bourke, A., Boduszek, D., Kelleher, C., McBrides, O., & Morgan, K. (2014) 'Sex Education, first sex and sexual health outcomes in adulthood: findings from a nationally representative sexual health survey'. Sex Education, 14 (3):299-309.
	2013	Boduszek, D.; Hyland, P.; Bourke, A.; Shevlin, M.; Adamson, G. (2013) 'Assessment of psycho-social factors predicting recidivistic violent offenses within a sample of male prisoners'. Irish Journal of Psychology, 34 . [Link] [DOI]
	2013	Yogalingam, K., Kelleher, C., Bourke, A., Boduszek, D., & Morgan, K. (2013) 'Experiences of crisis pregnancy among Irish and non-Irish adults living in Ireland: findings from the Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy Survey 2010 (ICCP-2010)'. IRISH JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE (ONLINE), . [DOI]
	2013	Bourke, A.; Boduszek, D.; Hyland, P. (2013) 'The role of criminal cognitions and personality traits in non-violent recidivism: An empirical investigation within a prison sample'. JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY, 3 . [Link] [DOI]
	2013	Boduszek, D., Hyland, P. & Bourke, A. (2013) 'An investigation of the role of personality, familial, and peer-related characteristics in homicidal offending using retrospective data'. JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY, 2 (2):96-106.
	2013	Kelleher, C., Boduszek, D., Bourke, A., McBride, O., & Morgan, K. (2013) 'Parental involvement in sexuality education: advancing understanding through an analysis of findings from the 2010 Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy Study'. Sex Education, 13 (4):459-469.
	2012	Bourke, A. & Gormley, M. (2012) 'Comparing a pictorial Stroop task to a viewing time measure of sexual interest'. Sexual Abuse: Journal of Research and Treatment, 24 (5):479-9-500. [DOI]
	2012	McNally, S. & Bourke, A. (2012) 'Factors affecting periconceptional folic acid supplementation in a nationally representative sample of mothers in Ireland'. Irish Medical Journal, 105 (7).

Book Chapter

	Year	Publication
	2023	Ashling Bourke (2023) 'Exploring Child Well-being: An Integration of Children’s Rights and Psychological Perspectives' In: Pushing the Boundaries of Human Rights Education Concepts, Challenges and Contexts. London : Taylor and Francis.
	2023	Maunsell, C., Bourke, A., Mallon, B., & Cullen, C. (2023) 'Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Ireland: A Children’s Rights Perspective' In: Sex and Sexualities in Ireland Interdisciplinary Perspectives. London : Palgrave Macmillan Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36550-8

Published Report

	Year	Publication
	2024	(2024) A Review of Climate Change Attitudes Using a Person-Centred Framework. Environmental Protection Agency, .
	2023	Maria Barry; Benjamin Mallon; Ashling Bourke; Joe Usher; Anna Daly (2023) Teachers and Global Citizenship Education: Values, Attitudes and Practices. Global Village, . [Link]
	2021	(2021) TEACH-RSE Teacher Professional Development and Relationships and Sexuality Education RSE: Realising Optimal Sexual Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifespan. HSE: Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme, .
	2013	Kelleher, Caroline; Smith, Gemma; Bourke, Ashling; Boduszek, Daniel; McBride, Orla (2013) Sex in Ireland in the last decade: sexual health research and its policy implications. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, .

Conference Contribution

	Year	Publication
	2025	Ashling Bourke; Aisling Martin; Pablo Lorenzo Esteve; Jordan Eustace; Alison Norman (2025) Educational Studies of Ireland Annual Conference Young people’s perspectives on climate change education: A youth participative approach Dublin, Ireland, .
	2025	Ashling Bourke; Margaret Nohilly; Catherine Maunsell; Mia Treacy (2025) Educational Studies of Ireland Annual Conference Teachers' attitudes towards, and knowledge of, child protection issues Dublin, Ireland, .
	2025	Anne Marie Kavanagh; Ashling Bourke (2025) Educational Studies of Ireland Annual Conference Psychological perspectives and climate change education (CCE): Transformative potential or preservation of the status quo? Dublin, .
	2025	Mia Treacy; Ashling Bourke; Margaret Nohilly; Catherine Maunsell (2025) Educational Studies of Ireland Annual Conference Irish primary school teachers’ views of the role they should play in child protection Dublin, Ireland, .
	2024	Bourke, A., Martin, A., Eustace, J., Esteve, L., & Norman, A. (2024) Children’s Research Network and University College Dublin CHilD-RC Annual Conference CC-EASE: Climate Change Education for Action, Sustainability, and Empowerment: The role of climate emotions Dublin, Ireland, .
	2024	Bourke, A., Jabbour, S., Martin, A., Walsh, L., & Hadfield, K. (2024) Everyday climate action: What’s preventing behaviour change? Person-Centred Models of Climate Change Attitudes ESRI, Dublin, Ireland, .
	2024	Bourke, A., Treacy, M., Maunsell, C. and Nohilly M. (2024) Children’s Research Network and University College Dublin CHilD-RC Annual Conference Schools at the Coalface of Child Protection Dublin, Ireland, .
	2024	Kristin Hadfield; Salam Jabbour; Aisling Martyn; Lauren Walsh; Ashling Bourke (2024) Irish Global Health Network Conference Systematic review of influences on climate change attitudes in Europe Dublin, .
	2023	Bourke, A (2023) Children's Rights, Participation & Education Symposium Children’s Rights in a Climate Crisis: Participation, Education, and Wellbeing Belfast, UK, .
	2023	Ashling Bourke (2023) SPHE Network Conference Well-being in a Climate Crisis: Understanding current well-being and possibilities for ‘well-becoming’ through education Dublin, Ireland, .
	2022	Bourke, A. (2022) Social Sciences Education Consortium Conference From risk and adversity to resilience and flourishing: The impact of quality relationships in children’s lives Dublin, .
	2021	Ashling Bourke, Benjamin Mallon & Catherine Maunsell (2021) Gender Equality Matters Ensuring gender equality and optimal sexual health and well-being for girls and women through comprehensive sexuality education, grounded in human rights Dublin City University, 12/02/2021-.
	2021	Aisling Costello, Ashling Bourke and Catherine Maunsell (2021) SPHE Network Conference Emerging adults’ experiences and perceptions of social media: Impact on well-being Dublin, .
	2021	Benjamin Mallon & Ashling Bourke (2021) Gender Equality Matters A Gender Perspective on Children's Rights within Peace Agreements Dublin City University, 12/02/2021-.
	2020	Maunsell, C., Bourke, A., Costello, A., Cullen, C. & Machowska-Kosciak, M. (2020) European Association of Research on Adolescence Preparing teachers to teach comprehensive sexuality education to children and young people: Findings from the Irish TEACH-RSE Research Study Online, .
	2019	Bourke, A. & Maunsell, C. (2019) International Convention of Psychological Science (ICPS) The Child-Parent Relationship, Negative Life Events, and Psychopathology in Childhood Paris, France, .
	2019	Catherine Maunsell and Ashling Bourke (2019) World Anti-Bullying Forum WABF The Potential of Teacher Professional Development for Relationships and Sexuality Education as a Protective Factor against School-Based Bullying: Some Proposals from the TEACH-RSE Research Study Dublin, Ireland, .
	2019	Hadfield, K., Bourke, A. & Maunsell, C. (2019) International Convention of Psychological Science (ICPS) The Spillover Hypothesis: How Family Dyads Impact Parent-Child Relationship Quality Paris, France, .
	2019	Maunsell, C. and Bourke, A. (2019) National Sex Education Conference NSEC TEACH-RSE: A Study of the Role of Irish Initial Teacher Education Programmes in Preparing Teachers to Teach Sex Education Newark, USA, .
	2016	Costello, A., Bourke, A., & Maunsell, C. (2016) European Association for Research on Adolescence Biannual Conference, Cadiz, Spain An investigation of the relationship between Objectification Theory, Facebook use and Mood Cadiz, Spain, .
	2016	Bourke, A. & Maunsell, C. (2016) European Association for Research on Adolescence Biannual Conference, Cadiz, Spain The role of family relationships on sex education provided in the home Cadiz, Spain, .
	2016	Maunsell, C. & Bourke, A. (2016) European Association for Research on Adolescence Biannual Conference, Cadiz, Spain The Role of the School in Learning about Sex and Relationships in Early Adolescence Cadiz, Spain, .
	2015	Bourke, A., Hadfield, K., & Maunsell, C. (2015) Society for Research in Child Development Biannual Conference Spillover Hypothesis: The Influence of Familial Subsystems on the Quality of the Parent-Child Relationship Philadelphia, USA, .
	2015	Costello, A., Bourke, A., & Maunsell, C. (2015) International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture and Society (IASSCS) An Investigation of Objectification Theory within the Context of the Internet Dublin, Ireland, .
	2014	Bourke, A. (2014) The National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers Annual Conference, Dublin The role of implicit social cognition in sexual deviance Dublin, Ireland, .
	2014	Maunsell, C. & Bourke, A. (2014) Self, Selves and Sexualities Conference. Dublin City University, Dublin Learning About Sex and Relationships in Early Adolescence: From Here, There and Nowhere Dublin, Ireland, .
	2013	Bourke, A. & Maunsell, C. (2013) Growing Up in Ireland Annual Conference, Dublin Communication and Closeness: Parent-child relationships Dublin, Ireland, .
	2013	Bourke A., Kelleher C., Boduszek D., McBride O., & Morgan, K. (2013) Sex in Ireland: Recent research and policy implications Consequences of early heterosexual intercourse Dublin, Ireland, .
	2013	Greene, N., Bourke, A., Maunsell, C., & Gallagher, J. (2013) European Child Health Conference. Dublin City University, Dublin An investigation into the relationship between psychological vulnerabilities and chronic illness in Irish Children Dublin, Ireland, .
	2013	Bourke, A. & Maunsell, C. (2013) Child Abuse and Neglect 13th ISPCAN European Regional Conference ‘Teachers matter’: the impact of the introduction of mandatory reporting on teacher training and education Dublin, Ireland, .
	2013	Bourke A., Kelleher C., Boduszek D., McBride O., & Morgan, K. (2013) Sex in Ireland: Recent research and policy implications Experiences of crisis pregnancy in Ireland Dublin, Ireland, .
	2012	Bourke, A., Boduszek, D., Kelleher, C., McBride, O., & Morgan, K. (2012) International Conference in Behavioural Medicine, Budapest Sex education, sexual debut and sexual outcomes in adulthood in Ireland Budapest, Hungary, .
	2012	McBride, O., Bourke, A., Doherty, S., Morgan, K., & McGee, H. (2012) Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Research Day Clustering of childhood and adulthood experiences of sexual abuse and violence in Ireland Dublin, Ireland, .
	2011	McNally, S., Bourke, A. & McCrory, C. (2011) Growing Up in Ireland Annual Conference, Dublin Determinants of periconceptional folic acid supplementation in Ireland: findings from the Infant Cohort of Growing Up in Ireland Dublin, Ireland, .
	2011	Bourke, A. & Gormley, M. (2011) Association for the Treatment of Abusers Annual Conference, Toronto The Relationship between Theory of Mind and Empathy Toronto, Canada, .
	2011	Bourke, A. & Gormley, M. (2011) National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers Annual Conference, Brighton Development and Factor Analysis of an Implicit Theories Questionnaire Brighton, England, .
	2010	Gormley, M & Bourke, A. (2010) National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers Annual Conference, Belfast The use of an implicit association task to investigate gender sex cognitive association and analytical issues Belfast, Northern Ireland, .
	2010	Bourke, A. & Gormley, M. (2010) British Psychological Society, Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference, Kent The Viewing Time measure of sexual interest: Implications of differing methodology and analysis on correct classification Kent, England, .
	2010	Bourke, A. & Gormley, M. (2010) National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers Annual Conference, Belfast The relationship between pornography use, implicit theories and propensity to sexually aggress Belfast, Northern Ireland, .
	2009	Bourke, A. & Gormley, M. (2009) Association for the Treatment of Abusers Annual Conference, Texas A comparison of attentional measurements of sexual interest and methods of data analysis Texas, USA, .

Conference Publication

	Year	Publication
	2016	Maunsell, C. & Bourke, A. (2016) SPHE Network Conference Proceedings Social, Personal and Health Education and Intimate Citizenship Education in 21st Century Irish Post-Primary Schools: Meeting Opportunities and Challenges of Junior Cycle Reform through Teacher Professional Development
	2023	Costello, A., Bourke, A., & Maunsell, A. (2023) SPHE Network Conference . In: Keating, S., Morrissey, B., Nohilly, M., Maunsell, C eds. *Emerging adults’ experiences and perceptions of social media: Impact on well-being*

Professional Associations

Association	Function	From / To
Society for the Teaching of Psychology	Member	-
SPHE Network	Advocacy and Research on SPHE	-
Ireland Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect	Prevention of Child Abuse and neglect	-
Society for Research in Child Development	Member	-

Honors and Awards

Date	Title	Awarding Body
01/01/2008	Trinity School of Psychology Postgraduate Studentship	TCD
01/01/2019	Institute of Education Research Fellowship	DCU
01/05/2023	Research Impact Awards	Dublin City University
01/06/2024	Dean's Research Fellowship with the Anti-Bullying Centre	Dublin City University

Committees

	Committee	Function	From / To
	Quality Promotion Committee		-
	BAJH Programme Board		-
	IoE Faculty Research Ethics Committee		-

Employment

Employer	Position	From / To
Dublin City University	Lecturer in Psychology	01/10/2012 - 06/10/2016
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland	Research Officer	01/01/2011 - 01/10/2011
St. Patrick's College	Teaching Fellow	11/09/2011 - 01/07/2012
Trinity College Dublin	Adjunct Professor	03/01/2010 - 01/05/2010
Equinox Substance Misuse Services	Advocacy and support worker	01/10/2006 - 01/04/2007
Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children	Training and Awareness Officer	03/01/2005 - 01/03/2006
Trinity College Dublin	Seminar Instructor and Tutor	01/10/2007 - 01/05/2011

Education

	Start date	Institution	Qualification	Subject
		University College Cork	Master of Arts
		Trinity College Dublin	PhD
		National University of Ireland, Galway	BA (Hons.)

Reviews

	Journal	Role
	Wellcome Open Research	Reviewer
	CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT	Reviewer
	Sex Education	Reviewer
	Reproductive Health	Reviewer
	Irish Educational Studies	Reviewer
	Violence Against Women	Reviewer
	JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY	Reviewer
	Cogent Education	Reviewer

Enterprise Engagement

	Year	Engagement Type	Client	Description
	2023	Consultancy	Teaching Council Researcher in Residence Scheme	Advising school on integrating wellbeing into practice
	2024	Continuous Professional Development/Training	Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications	Member of the Advisory Group on Social and Behavioural Research

Research Interests

Children's rights

Climate change attidues, knowledge, and actions

Climat change and psychological wellbeing

Climate change education

Child abuse and child protection

Adversity and resilience

Sexual health

Sexuality and Relationships Education

Developmental forensic psychology

Research Projects

Title	Role	Start date	End date
Longitudinal study of climate change attitudes, knowledge and action in adolescence	DCU PI	11/08/2025	10/08/2029
The impacts of climate change on individual and community mental health and wellbeing.	Co-Investigator	14/07/2025	26/01/2026
SHIFT study - Sexual Health in Ireland: Factors affecting Transmission and prevention	Co-Investigator	01/12/2024	01/12/2026
CC-EASE: Climate Change Education for Action, Sustainability, and Empowerment	Principal Investigator	01/12/2023	01/12/2024
Person Centered Attitudes to Climate Change	Principal Investigator	13/08/2023	11/02/2024
Meaningful involvement of young people in health research	Co-Principal Investigator	01/02/2024	29/11/2024
Teachers and Global Citizenship Education: values, attitudes and practices	Researcher	01/02/2022	01/10/2023
Knowledge Exchange to build research capacity on childhood adversity and resilience in Ireland	DCU PI	01/05/2020	31/12/2021
TEACH-RSE Teacher Professional Development and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE): Realising Optimal Sexual Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifespan	Co-Principal Investigator	01/04/2019	30/09/2020
Perceptions of Children's Rights	Principal Investigator	01/01/2012
Sexual Health Behaviour in Ireland	Researcher	24/01/2011	02/10/2011

Current Postgraduate Students

Student Name	Degree	Supervision
Joseph,Rajesh	PhD	Supervisor
Mcguirk,Jennifer	Doctor of Education	Supervisor
Mukherjee,Meghmala	PhD	Supervisor
O'Toole,Andrea	PhD	Supervisor
Farrell,Niall	PhD-track	Supervisor

Teaching Interests

Modules Coordinated

	Term	Title	Subject
	2024		HD311