Funded by the Australian Research Council (DP260102399), this project aims to address Australia’s unfolding fertility crisis by uncovering how increases in virtual connecting and mental health problems are contributing to changes in family formation behaviours. Offering a novel theory on humans’ changing pathways to social connecting, it expects to generate new knowledge on how recent changes in virtual connectivity and mental well-being impact Australians' motivation to form a family, and affect their subsequent reproductive behaviours. 

Expected outcomes are the capacity to monitor family formation motivations with a path-breaking new measurement tool, and develop policies that promote mental well-being and assist with family formation of Australians, benefiting youth, families, and governments.

This project is led by Professor Edith Gray.