Dr Oscar Modesto
Senior Lecturer
Psychology
Areas of expertise: relationships; attachment; gay male relationships; wellbeing; qualitative methods
Phone: 9701 4612
Email: Oscar.modesto@acu.edu.au
Location: ACU Strathfield Campus
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9993-6364
Dr Modesto is the undergraduate course coordinator for psychology at Strathfield campus. He is a registered psychologist with over 20 years of experience working therapeutically with individuals, couples, and families. He is an AHPRA board-approved supervisor. Dr Modesto completed his undergraduate studies in Mexico and holds a Master in Family Therapy. His expertise includes mental health, sexuality, same-sex relationships, wellbeing, and quality of life, with a strong interest in qualitative research and reflective clinical practice.
In addition to his extensive clinical experience, Dr Modesto is committed to student success and academic excellence. He actively engages in developing innovative curricula that reflect current trends and empirical findings within the field of psychology. Dr Modesto promotes a supportive and inclusive learning environment, encouraging students to cultivate critical thinking, self-reflection, and cultural awareness in their studies and future professional practice.
Dr Modesto supervises Honours and Masters research projects in topics such as relationships, relationship satisfaction, clinical psychology and wellbeing, and lived experience. His research includes the psychological wellbeing of LGBTQ+ populations, family dynamics, the impact of cultural contexts on mental health outcomes. As an educator and mentor, he takes pride in guiding postgraduate students through all stages of their research, fostering a passion for inquiry and lifelong learning.
Projects
- Thriving without driving: A practical resource toolkit to support retirement from driving in the ACT - $49,658 ACT Road Safety Fund (2024)
- First Episode Psychosis in the inner city: A Qualitative study of caregiver's experiences in an early intervention program for young people. $25,000 St Vincent's Clinic Foundation (2023)
- Does a flexible mentoring arrangement between first - and third year psychology students promote psychological wellbeing, academic self-efficacy and student retention? $8,000 ACU Learning and Teaching Grant (2020)
Awards
- ACU Faculty of Health Sciences Employees Values Award (2023)
Selected publications
- Karakas, G., & Modesto, O. (2025). ‘You’re straight until proven gay’ – a qualitative exploration of identity development among gay men who have ‘come-out’ as ‘late bloomers.’ Psychology & Sexuality, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2025.2474247
- Chiew, F., Windsor, N., & Modesto, O. (In Press). Beautiful Even if it’s Very Sad: Psychologists’ Beliefs, Attitudes and Feelings about Death and Dying in Palliative Care. Death Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2025.2537968
- Beaton, L., & Modesto, O. (In press). Fun With Friends? Participation in the Gay Community Predicts Alcohol and Drug Consumption for Gay and Bisexual Men. Journal of Homosexuality.
- Norton, D. W., Modesto, O., Bennett, J. M., & Fraser, M. I. (2024). Sleep disturbance mediates the link between both self‐compassion and self‐criticism and psychological distress during prolonged periods of stress. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12474
- Nicholson, M., Bennett, J.M., Modesto, O., & Gould, R. (2023). Understanding university students during COVID-19: A longitudinal mixed-methods analysis of their experiences of online learning, mental health, academic engagement and academic self-efficacy. Psychopathology, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1159/000528441
- Wotton, M. E., Bennett, J. M., Modesto, O., Challinor, K. L., & Prabhakharan, P. (2022). Attention all 'drivers': You could be to blame, no matter your behaviour or the level of vehicle automation. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 87, 219-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2022.03.021
International journal review panels
- Family Process
- Frontiers in Psychology
- Applied Psychology Health and Wellbeing
- GLBTQ+ Family: An Interdisciplinary Journal
Appointments and Affiliations
- Australian Psychological Society
- American Psychological Society
- Society Scientific Study of Sexuality
