Rate My Professor Martin Whitely

Dr. Martin Whitely is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the John Curtin Institute of Public Policy within the Faculty of Business and Law at Curtin University. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, a Diploma of Education, and a PhD from Curtin University, awarded in 2014 for his thesis titled 'ADHD Policy, Practice and Regulatory Capture in Australia 1992-2012.' Before entering academia, Whitely worked as a high school economics teacher from 1995 to 2001 and served as a Member of the Western Australian Parliament for the electorate of Bassendean from 2001 to 2013. He has also been a prominent mental health patient's rights advocate, including roles with the Health Consumers' Council of Western Australia.

Whitely's research specializations center on public policy aspects of mental health, with a particular emphasis on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and treatment practices, psychostimulant overprescribing, the relative age or late birthdate effect in ADHD medication, links between amphetamine prescriptions and later use, and trends in antidepressant prescribing alongside youth suicide and self-harm rates. Notable publications include his book 'Speed Up and Sit Still: The Controversies of ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment' (UWA Publishing, 2010); 'Influence of birth month on the probability of Western Australian children being treated for ADHD' (Medical Journal of Australia, 2017); 'Annual Research Review: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder late birthdate effect common in both high and low prescribing international jurisdictions: a systematic review' (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2019); and 'Antidepressant Prescribing and Suicide/Self-Harm by Young Australians: Regulatory Warnings, Contradictory Advice, and Long-Term Trends' (Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2020). His findings have garnered international attention and media coverage, contributing to debates on child mental health medication policies. In recognition of his work, Whitely received a 2017 Curtin University Research and Engagement Award. He engages in public outreach through seminars like Curtin Corner presentations on ADHD trends in Western Australia.