Keywords

Paediatric pain; Pain science education; Concept of pain; Clinical measurement; Knowledge translation; Health communication; Generative AI in health; Behavioural data science; Digital health; School-based pain education; Culturally safe assessment.

Joshua’s research interests are organised around two connected programs:

1. Paediatric pain, measurement and education

This program investigates how children, caregivers, teachers and health professionals conceptualise pain and how those concepts affect communication, clinical care and learning. It includes the development and validation of the Concept of Pain Inventory (COPI), COPI-Adult and COPI-Proxy. Joshua uses qualitative research, co-design, psychometric evaluation, longitudinal studies and single-case experimental methods to develop and evaluate pain education. His interests include conceptual change, story- and video-based education, school resources, prevention-oriented pain education and culturally safe approaches to pain assessment. A central aim is to determine whether educational resources change understanding and practice, rather than assuming that dissemination alone creates benefit.

2. Responsible AI and behavioural data science

This program examines the quality, safety, stability and responsible use of generative AI in health communication and education. Current interests include how AI systems communicate about childhood pain, how their responses change over time, how clinicians and consumers can evaluate AI-generated health information, and how assessment can preserve authentic learning in AI-rich environments. The program also explores interdisciplinary research governance, behavioural data science, digital inclusion and the co-design of health technologies with clinicians, educators, communities and lived-experience contributors.