DrSandra Garrido

Dr Sandra Garrido is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Psychology.. Her work bridges arts, psychology, and health, with a strong focus on translational research that uses music and other creative practices to improve mental wellbeing across the lifespan. Although arts engagement is known to support positive mental health, little is understood about what works, for whom, and why. Dr Garrido’s research addresses this gap. Her experimental studies have identified the mechanisms by which elements of music influence mood—particularly for people with depression or anxiety—and have informed evidence-based protocols, guidelines, and digital tools used in clinical and community settings.

Her work in aged care has shown that personalised music programs can significantly improve quality of life, relationships, enjoyment, and engagement for older adults, including people living with dementia. These findings have shaped national practice: she co-developed evidence-based guidelines and an online training course now used widely by the Dementia Centre and available through musicfordementia.com.au.

Dr Garrido also leads research in youth mental health. She developed MoodyTunes, an evidence-based smartphone app funded by the Mental Health Commission of NSW to help young people understand how music influences mood and support their mental health self-management. Her broader program of youth mental health research includes large-scale mixed-methods studies and collaborations with government, digital service providers, and lived-experience groups.

In addition to her arts-and-health program, Dr Garrido is the Project Manager for an MRFF-funded initiative developing culturally safe, clinically relevant tools for assessing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in diverse Australian families. This work includes co-design with parents, practitioners, and communities to ensure the tool is appropriate for use in real-world clinical settings.