Understanding how family processes affect children's mental health: Implementing an international and interdisciplinary programme of research
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sussex
Department Name: Sch of Psychology
Abstract
Mental health problems among youth in the UK are steadily on the increase. Family relationship experiences and parent mental health symptoms have been identified as factors that may underlie individual differences in children's symptoms of psychopathology. Yet questions remain as to the relative role of family level influences on children's mental health problems and the factors that may mediate and/or moderate these associations. The proposed programme of research will employ four complementary datasets that together will advance understanding of the interplay between family interaction patterns, parent mental health problems and child symptoms of psychopathology (e.g., depression, conduct problems). These datasets include a longitudinal US adoption-at-birth sample (N>500), a UK sample of children conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF, N>1000), a UK longitudinal sample of adolescent children at familial risk for depression (N>300), and a cohort longitudinal study of children followed from birth to present age 38+ years (N>900, living in New Zealand). The proposed programme of research will advance three core objectives: (1) to substantively improve understanding of how family relationship processes and parent mental health problems affect mental health outcomes for children and adolescents, and to identify factors that mediate and moderate pathways, (2) to implement a mentorship model that will help develop world-class methodological and knowledge-transfer skills that will promote prospects for a sustainable career of international standing in the future, while also contributing to the promotion of transferable skills for UK social science, and (3) to facilitate engagement with relevant practice and policy agencies to promote knowledge transfer and implementation of findings in order to advance the next generation of intervention and prevention programmes with the objective of improving outcomes for children and families in the UK (and internationally). Collectively, a central objective of the proposed programme of research is to facilitate advanced training in two primary areas. First, training in the application of advanced multivariate statistics and the analysis of longitudinal data will be emphasised throughout the training/fellowship period. Second, training will be directed toward promoting skills development that facilitate engagement with practice and policy agencies in relation to dissemination and impact related activities specific to the programme of research outlined. Mentorship, training and support in these areas will allow the applicant to compete at an international level in relation to emerging knowledge and skills in this area in the future, and also contribute to the development of a recognised skills deficit in the UK in the area of advanced multivariate statistics, thereby improving the knowledge base in this area and increasing the prospect of knowledge transfer for future UK social scientists. Principal mentorship support will be provided by Professor Gordon Harold (University of Sussex) within the research environment provided by the School of Psychology and the Rudd Centre for Adoption Research and Practice. This Centre is a newly established centre of excellence for the study of family processes and child development and the utilisation of large-scale data resources with the expressed purpose of generating evidence-led knowledge for the development of intervention-prevention programmes and working with practice and policy agencies in the UK and internationally. Collectively, the proposed programme of research, mentorship model, and access to practice and policy partners will help locate the applicant as a future world leader in the field of child and adolescent mental health, an area of recognised critical social, clinical and policy relevance to the UK.
Planned Impact
The proposed programme of research linked to this fellowship application will offer benefits in the short and long-term to academic, child and family policy, practitioner, and advocacy agencies working to help promote positive outcomes for children and families in the UK and internationally. In addition, advanced training in multivariate statistics and the analysis of longitudinal data will be provided for the applicant that will both promote the prospects of an independent academic career and help consolidate an emerging reputation as a researcher of international standing. As outlined in the proposed programme of research, the project will utilise a longitudinal US adoption-at-birth sample (N>500), a UK sample of children conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF, N>1000), a UK longitudinal sample of adolescents at familial risk for depression (N>300), and a cohort longitudinal study of children followed from birth to present age 38+ years (N>900, living in New Zealand). Across the complementary research design attributes that these national and international data resources represent, the project will advance three core objectives: (1) to substantively advance understanding of how family relationship processes and parent mental health problems influence adverse mental health outcomes for children and adolescents, and to identify factors that mediate and moderate pathways, (2) to implement a mentorship model that will help develop world-class methodological and knowledge-transfer skills that will promote prospects for a sustainable career of international standing in the future, while also contributing to the promotion of skills in this area for UK social science, and (3) to facilitate engagement with relevant practice and policy agencies in the UK and internationally to promote knowledge transfer and implementation of findings to advance the next generation of intervention and prevention programmes with the objective of improving outcomes for children and families in the UK (and internationally). While findings derived from the proposed programme of research will retain relevance to promoting new knowledge relating to family process influences on child and adolescent mental health among biologically related parents and children (as has been the predominant focus of past research in this area), the project also offers unique opportunity to advance knowledge and understanding of these questions and related processes specific to children and parents who are not fully genetically related to each other (e.g. adoption, foster-care, assisted reproduction). Practice and policy based partnerships already established through the Rudd Centre for Adoption Research and Practice will facilitate impacts of benefit to children, parents and families in the UK (and internationally), as represented by core study objectives and proposed pathways to impact. In addition, training and dissemination activities linked specifically to the application of advanced statistical methods to the analysis of longitudinal data will be a core focus of project linked impact activities. Utilisation of secondary data resources (both nationally and internationally) requires the application of state-of-the-art data analytic approaches if these resources are to be fully maximised and if the UK is to retain capacity at an international level in this area of expanding interest (e.g., utilising existing UK and international cohort studies). Training in the application, interpretation and implementation of research findings to relevant practice and policy domains using advanced statistical methods, as well as dissemination of knowledge to other UK social scientists using these approaches will serve as a centrepiece of the proposed programme of research.
Organisations
- University of Sussex (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER (Collaboration)
- Cardiff University (Collaboration)
- University of Otago (Collaboration)
- University of Oregon (Collaboration)
- University College Dublin (Collaboration)
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Collaboration)
- Government of Wales (Collaboration)
- Trinity College Dublin (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
- UK Clinical Research Collaboration (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Ruth Sellers (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Harold GT
(2017)
How Can Genetically Informed Research Help Inform the Next Generation of Interparental and Parenting Interventions?
in Child development
Marquez J
(2022)
Life satisfaction and mental health from age 17 to 21 years in a general population sample.
in Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.)
Collishaw S
(2016)
Mental health resilience in the adolescent offspring of parents with depression: a prospective longitudinal study.
in The lancet. Psychiatry
Sellers R
(2020)
Partnership Relations from Adolescence to Adulthood
Mahedy L
(2018)
Resilience in high-risk adolescents of mothers with recurrent depressive disorder: The contribution of fathers
in Journal of Adolescence
Sellers R
(2020)
Using a cross-cohort comparison design to test the role of maternal smoking in pregnancy in child mental health and learning: evidence from two UK cohorts born four decades apart.
in International journal of epidemiology
Grabow AP
(2017)
Using an adoption-biological family design to examine associations between maternal trauma, maternal depressive symptoms, and child internalizing and externalizing behaviors.
in Development and psychopathology
| Description | Evidence from several key papers sourced from this grant (Harold, Leve, Sellers, 2017 Child Development; Sellers et al., 2019 Adoption and Fostering) demonstrates robust associations between the inter-parental relationship, parenting and risk for child mental health difficulties using biosocial research designs (such research designs aim to understand the interplay between biology, experiences and behaviours over time and thus enable our understanding of the complex pathways and mechanisms that impact on child mental health). Interventions targeting the inter-parental relationship and parenting processes show significant intervention related reductions in child internalizing and externalizing problems. However, most evidence-based parenting and couple-focused interventions result in small to medium effects on children's emotional and behaviour problems. Findings from this research proposes that there is opportunity to improve upon these interventions through incorporation of knowledge from genetically sensitive research designs. Three core recommendations are provided for practitioners engaging in intervention work with children and families. These recommendations are contextualized relative to what genetically sensitive research designs can tell us about the role of the inter-parental relationship and parenting behaviours on child outcomes (Harold et al, 2017; Sellers, Smith et al., 2019). I contributed to an annual review paper (Harold & Sellers, 2018 Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry). This reviews evidence and presents a theoretical model highlighting how children can be affected by inter-parental conflict whether parents are living together or not (e.g., context of separation or divorce) and whether parents are biologically related to their child or not (e.g., context of adoption, foster care, step parents). We also review the evidence base of effect intervention and prevention program development and policy implications of the research. This represents a comprehensive review of the most-up-to-date evidence in this area. I also lead a review in Adoption & Fostering. This was a practitioner-focused review outlining how genetically-informed research designs can develop better understand family processes and child development, with a focus on adoption and foster care (Sellers, Smith et al., 2019) In addition to comprehensive reviews of the current evidence, there are a number of specific research findings from this project that have examined how family processes (e.g. parent-child relationships; inter-parental relationships) and parent mental health can impact on child outcomes (including emotional problems, disruptive behaviours, inattention problems, peer problems and academic outcomes). These are outlined briefly below: (i) We have examined a cascade model of family processes on child development and mental health employing general population cohorts (Millennium cohort Study, MCS; Growing up in Ireland, GUI), with a view to employ cost-benefit approaches to cascade models. This research found that, across both datasets, parent depression was associated with lower inter-parental relationship quality, which in turn was associated with increased hostility in the parent-child relationship. This was linked to early child emotional dysregulation. Both parent-child relationship quality and early child emotional dysregulation were linked to a range of later child outcomes (emotional problems, behavioural problems, hyperactivity problems, peer problems, and academic problems). This paper is currently in development. (ii) We have examined inter-generational processes using a longitudinal cohort (Christchurch Health and development Study), examining bidirectional/reciprocal processes in a general population cohort (Christchurch Health and Development Study; CHDS). We identified reciprocal processes between maternal depression symptoms and child conduct problems across late childhood to early adolescence. These findings have been replicated across additional representative cohorts (Millennium Cohort Study; Growing up in Ireland). Further collaborative work is ongoing to examine the role of genetic risk (e.g., Polygenic Risk Scores) for child mental health (using CHDS). (iii) We have examined the directional of associations between parenting and child psychopathology (depression and aggression) in a longitudinal high-risk sample of parents with recurrent depression and their adolescent offspring (Early Prediction of Adolescent Depression; EPAD). We found that maternal hostility was associated with an increase in adolescence aggression symptoms (boys and girls). In addition, for boys, aggression symptoms predicted change in maternal hostility. Maternal hostility and warmth were not related to change in offspring depression symptoms or vice versa. Findings suggest different risk pathways to depression and aggression in offspring of depressed parents. Together these studies suggest a cascade of risk such that family processes (parent mental health, inter-parental conflict; parenting) can impact on a range of child outcomes. In addition, child mental health can also impact on parents (both in terms of their mental health and parenting) highlighting the importance of holistic supports within families. (iv) We have also examined trends in mental health using a range of UK cohort studies to further-develop understanding of risk processes for child mental health (National Child Development Study, NCDS; Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, ALSPAC; British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Surveys, BCAMHS; Millennium Cohort Study, MCS). These studies suggested that (a) Child mental health problems have become more strongly associated with negative social, educational and mental health outcomes in recent generations and (b) that marked child mental health inequalities exist. The mental health gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children has not reduced over the last 20 years and may be getting worse. These two studies have both been published (Sellers, R., Warne, N., Pickles, A., Maughan, B., Thapar, A., & Collishaw, S. (2019). Cross-cohort change in adolescent outcomes for children with mental health problems. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.; Collishaw, S., Furzer, E., Thapar, A. K., & Sellers, R. (2019). Brief report: a comparison of child mental health inequalities in three UK population cohorts. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 1-3) (v) Additional work employing this (cross-cohort comparison) approach examines the role of maternal smoking in pregnancy on child development. The study examined associations in two cohorts 40 years apart: cross-cohort designs can aid causal inference through comparison of associations across populations with different confounding structures. The study finds that maternal smoking in pregnancy was less common and more strongly associated with social disadvantage in the more recent cohort. Maternal smoking in pregnancy was robustly and equivalently associated with infant low birth weight (LBW) in both cohorts. In contrast, maternal smoking was more strongly associated with conduct problems, hyperactivity and reading in the more recent cohort. Evidence therefore supports a causal link between maternal smoking and child birth weight, but links between maternal smoking and child conduct problems, hyperactivity and reading are likely influenced by residual confounding. This study provides proof of principle that the cross-cohort comparison design works as expected and is a useful complement to other research designs testing causal explanations. This paper has recently been published. (vi) We have examined a range of family processes on child development in families who were not genetically related (Early Growth and Development Study: Adoption-at-birth design) to examine environmental processes for the inter-generational processes of mental health. We focus on both maternal and paternal mental health, maternal and paternal parenting, as mediating and moderating processes for the development and child depression and aggression as well educational outcomes. Recent work from this strand has now been published (e..g, Psychological Medicine; Behavior Genetics). Ongoing work also examines the role of maternal and paternal positive parenting, as well as considering whether environmental processes (e.g., parenting) and moderate (i.e., modify) genetic risk. These findings have been presented at a range of conferences and are in the process of being submitted to journals. Further work in this area and further outputs are pending. |
| Exploitation Route | These findings highlight the importance of family factors for the development of child mental health. This work has already been taken forward, with evidence used in policy (see Harold et al., 2016; Acquah, Sellers, Stock & Harold 2017). In addition, this work has led to ongoing collaborative efforts with staff at the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) to assist in screening and measuring inter-parental conflict with the aim to target supports for families and improve outcomes for children. Further work in this area is on-going. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Description | This work has been taken forward and used in policy: research has informed a report for the Department for Work and Pensions, examining family processes, specifically inter-parental conflict on child mental health outcomes (see Harold et al., 2016). This has also informed further work with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Early Intervention Foundation. This work examines the inter-parental relationship quality for child mental health outcomes in the context of poverty (see Acquah, Sellers, Stock & Harold 2017) and examines cost-benefit analyses to reduce societal costs of inter-parental conflict (Harold, Chowdry et al., 2017). The works has provided an evidence base to inform policy and identify how to train frontline practitioners in these key areas to identify risk processes. The government is supporting the development of training for frontline practitioners in this area with evidence of postive impacts on targeted outcomes. This work is ongoing. |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Assisted in the development of an evidence resource for Department for Work and Pensions which accompanies a policy document to assist with knowledge tranfser to practitioners |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The evidence resource accompanies a policy document (Helping Workless Families) and has led to government announcements on the importance of investing in inter-parental relationship support regardless of whether parents are living together or not to help remediate risks for children. This represents a fundamental shift in policy which has previously focused on marital status. This has led to on-going discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to assist in appropriate recognition of adults with high levels of inter-parental conflict. |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/605988/evidence-resource-i... |
| Description | Barnardos training |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | upskilling of workforce in areas of adult and youth mental health, interparental conflict. Upskilling in delivery and scoring of standardised assessments & recommendations linked to such assessments as standard practice for practitioners |
| Description | Evidence review for Government: face-to-face to online offer |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Government Internal working document: Reducing Societal Costs of Inter-Parental Conflict: Introducing a Cascade Model to Estimate Cumulative Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA): see publications section |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Inter-parental conflict and outcomes for children in the contexts of poverty and economic stress: Implications aimed at improving outcomes for children (see publications section) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The evidence resource accompanies a policy document (Helping Workless Families) and has led to government announcements on the importance of investing in inter-parental relationship support regardless of whether parents are living together or not to help remediate risks for children, with a particular focus on workless families. This represents a fundamental shift in policy which has previously focused on marital status. This has led to on-going discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to assist in appropriate recognition of adults with high levels of inter-parental conflict. |
| Description | NSPCC Roundtable on Mental Health Support for Abused and Neglected Children, Conservative Party Conference October 2016 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Review: What Works to Enhance Inter-parental Relations |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The Review: 'WHAT WORKS TO ENHANCE INTER-PARENTAL RELATIONSHIPS AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN' outlines key evidence on the relevance of inter-parental relationships for child outcomes for children, as well as evaluating intervention evidence. This evidence has led to a shift in policy thinking with evidence included in a forthcoming government policy statements. It has also prompted additional work of policy relevance with the Department for Work and Pensions to focus on specific vulnerable groups. This will lead to more sustainable outcomes for the present generation of children and the next generation of parents and families in the areas of education, health, employment, family stability, and the overall welfare of society, for example reduced anti-social behaviour, mental health, and related impacts. This review has impacted on policy changes by recognising the importance of inter-parental relationship on child mental health. This has now re-directed policy focus within the Department of Work and Pensions. This has led to subsequent reports on this issue in the context of poverty which will be included in a forthcoming green paper by the present Government. |
| Description | contributed to evidence review (right to family life) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | Evidence presented covered: Whether the right to family life of unmarried mothers and their children, as we understand it now, respected at the time? How the experience of being adopted, or having a child who was adopted between 1949 and 1976 impacted the family life of the unmarried mother, child, and others? How social practices at the time contributed to unmarried women not being able to keep their babies and what, if any, other reasons contributed to women feeling compelled to have their babies adopted? |
| Description | work contributed to the development of UK government policy document (Helping Workless Families) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The evidence resource (see relevant policy impact sections) accompanies this specified policy document (Helping Workless Families) and has led to government announcements on the importance of investing in inter-parental relationship support regardless of whether parents are living together or not to help remediate risks for children. This represents a fundamental shift in policy which has previously focused on marital status. This has led to on-going discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to assist in appropriate recognition of adults with high levels of inter-parental conflict - this involves training the workforce in understanding the implementation of standardized assessments, as well as understanding the importance of inter-parental conflict for youth mental health . |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/621364/improving-lives-hel... |
| Description | Applied Research Collaborations, Kent Surrey, Sussex (ARC KSS), development award for applied research. Supporting contraception and parenting choices and associated mental health among asylum seeking and citizen care leavers |
| Amount | £14,972 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Sussex |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2022 |
| Description | Funding to examine the added value of Child Contact Centres in Wales |
| Amount | £4,999 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Welsh Assembly |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2016 |
| End | 09/2016 |
| Description | Access to Christchurch Health and Development data set |
| Organisation | University of Otago |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Have begun conducting analyses with the data set. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided access to the data and contributed to scientific papers for publication. Collaboration as part of this Fellowship also will provide additional data access and statistical training. |
| Impact | Data analysis and preparation for publication is ongoing during the life of this grant. Therefore it is too early to report outputs specific to this grant. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | CEDAR group, Cambridge |
| Organisation | UK Clinical Research Collaboration |
| Department | Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Early stages of collaboration, considering potential areas for joint outputs (research papers & grant applications). Setting up a joint journal club to foster knowledge exchange. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Early stages of collaboration, considering potential areas for joint outputs (research papers & grant applications). Setting up a joint journal club to foster knowledge exchange. |
| Impact | n/a early stages of collaboration. Setting up a joint journal club to foster knowledge exchange. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Cardiff University |
| Organisation | Cardiff University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Attend regular meetings at Cardiff University to contribute to scientific discussions. Have contributed to research papers. I also contribute to teaching |
| Collaborator Contribution | Part of the collaboration is to access data. |
| Impact | Relevant papers have been included in the publication section. This collaboration is multi-disciplinary spanning developmental psychology, psychiatry and genetics. My Fellowship is in collaboration with researchers at Cardiff University. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Collaboration with Public Health Wales (PHW) |
| Organisation | Government of Wales |
| Department | Health Statistics Wales |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Advising on evaluation of trauma-informed training, including expertise and knowledge of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This has involved providing expertise on measurement (qualitative and quantitative assessments), training in assessments, and assisting with data collection for the evaluation. Ongoing partnership will advise on data analysis. |
| Collaborator Contribution | partners are conducting ethical approval procedures, as well as primary data collection. Partners contribute with expertise specific to policing - the primary target of the proposed trauma-informed strategy. |
| Impact | This partnership is ongoing and it is too early to state outputs - several outputs are planned during the course of 2019-2020 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Dr Elizabeth Nixon, Trinity College Dublin |
| Organisation | Trinity College Dublin |
| Country | Ireland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | A number of research papers currently in preparation using data supported by collaboration; continue to further collaboration with ongoing research papers & developed grant application |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supporting data access to Growing up in Ireland Cohorts Supporting grant application as Co-I |
| Impact | a number of papers and grant proposals are currently in preparation. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Child Health & Development Division |
| Organisation | Norwegian Institute of Public Health |
| Country | Norway |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Building on work from the Fellowship - developing grant application to further develop understanding of family processes including in the context of separation and divorce (specific to data resources as part of collaboration). Sharing knowledge & expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | facilitate data access and understanding of potential policy impacts. Continue to further develop partnership |
| Impact | This is new partnership that is in development. We have submitted a grant application (as PI / Co-I). |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | O'Reilly |
| Organisation | University of Leicester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I have contributed to a grant application. This grant is being redeveloped following feedback to be submitted later this year. I am contributing to grant application with expertise in child development, family processes and mental health |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners are providing expertise in moral ethics and online learning of empathy |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary grant application. Pilot funding for the grant is leading to further grant application. Disciplines include child development, digital world, ethics, mental health, education |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Oregon collaboration and data access |
| Organisation | University of Oregon |
| Department | Oregon Social Learning Centre |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Writing papers and presenting at conferences the findings |
| Collaborator Contribution | Providing data access and contributing to writing papers for publication |
| Impact | Two poster presentations have been accepted at SRCD. Several papers are currently under review by the team before submitting for publication. The fellowship is in collaboration with Oregon and visits to their site to develop skills in data analyses are planned as part of the fellowship. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Rudd Centre Cambridge |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Department | Faculty of Education |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I have contributed to a number of policy/practice linked outputs. These include being named co-author to evidenced-based governmental reports: contributions to an evidence review of face-to-face and online interventions to support parental/interparental relationships; contributions to evidence review focusing on Right to Family Life). A number of additional outputs are ongoing |
| Collaborator Contribution | Contributed to a number of policy/practice linked outputs. Evidence review of face-to-face and online interventions to support parental/interparental relationships; contributions to evidence review focusing on Right to Family Life). A number of additional outputs are ongoing |
| Impact | Government-linked reports (i) evidence review of face-to-face and online interventions to support parental/interparental relationships; (ii) contributions to evidence review focusing on Right to Family Life). A number of additional outputs are ongoing |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | University College Dublin |
| Organisation | University College Dublin |
| Country | Ireland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | analysis of cohort data to support a number of publications currently in development |
| Collaborator Contribution | contributing practie & policy implications specific to Republic of Ireland; contributing to write-up of research output (publication) |
| Impact | multi-disciplinary spanning psychiatry, psychology, epidemiology, and statistics |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Article for 'The Conversaton' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Article written for The Conversation (https://theconversation.com/impact-of-child-mental-health-problems-is-worse-than-40-years-ago-our-new-study-suggests-112020) outlining evidence of trends in youth mental health and their impacts |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://theconversation.com/impact-of-child-mental-health-problems-is-worse-than-40-years-ago-our-ne... |
| Description | Attend Parliamentary event hosted by Caroline Lucas |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Attended parliamentary event at the House of Comments, November 2017. This involved discussions with policy makers, practitioners and third sector organizations. Discussions focused on the importance of youth mental health, and the relevance of intervention and preventions strategies across child development. The discussions outlined the importance of considering multiple factors that can impact on youth mental, and discussed the utility of the evidence resource (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/605988/evidence-resource-improving-lives-helping-workless-families-web-version.pdf ; see other entry in policy impact section) for all practitioners working with adults or children with an interest in promoting positive youth mental health. Discussions with members of ACAMHS (Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) have led discussions of potential opportunities (either via blog posts or video links) to help promote research in this area, with a key focus on translating research into practice, and promoting the evidence tool as an important and relevant resource. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Blog for eNurture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Invited to write blog for eNurture in role as advisory board member. The blog was written for Child Mental Health Week (2023), with the theme 'let's connect'. eNurture has a large and multi-disciplinary network who receive content through mailing lists, widening reach. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.enurture.org.uk/blog/2023/2/9/lets-connect-a-how-to-guide-for-young-people-wanting-to-ma... |
| Description | Blog post focusing on ADHD in women & adults |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Blog post written as evidence - a companion piece to lived experience piece focusing on ADHD diagnoses in adulthood, and ADHD in women. Published March 2023 so too early in report on impact |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/centres/rudd/blog/its-not-only-young-boys-affected-by-adhd/ |
| Description | Blog post for Capita One following keynote presentation at Youth Justice Convention |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The blog post outlined the evidence for the importance of the inter-parental relationship for child outcomes, specifically in the context of Youth Justice Services. The piece also outlined policy and practice implications of the evidence as well as providing recommendations and areas for future research (Family Relationship Influences on Youth Mental Health: Moving from Evidence to Implementation. Blog post, Capita One. https://www.capita-one.co.uk/resources/blog/family-relationship-influences-on-youth-mental-health-moving-from-evidence-to) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.capita-one.co.uk/resources/blog/family-relationship-influences-on-youth-mental-health-mo... |
| Description | Cambridge festival - photography exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | project using creative arts to promote effective science communication & outreach. Series of photographs produced by research group with support from artist - to engage discussions around understanding of mental ill health, mental health and wellbeing. Development of project Oct 2022 to Feb 2023, with launch event with Q&A to public to be held Mid-March so too early to report impact |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Cambridge festival - short animation exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | project using creative arts to promote effective science communication & outreach. Developed a short animation (in conjunction with animator) focusing on a research group research paper, to consider how to discuss research findings to the general public. Development of project Oct 2022 to Feb 2023, with launch event with Q&A to public to be held Mid-March so too early to report impact |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Contribute to IPPO briefing document |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Following on from engagement with William Templeton Foundation, and the associated report, I was invited to contribute to The IPPO (International Public Policy Observatory) briefing document regarding child mental health post-covid. This was due to expertise in links between physical exercise and mental healt. This led to being invited to participate in IPPO round table discussion & report (https://covidandsociety.com/wellbeing-recovery-what-should-summer-support-look-like-schoolchildren-2021/ ) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Contribution to Atlantic Magazine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Research Contribution to Atlantic Magazine article (April 2020) (https://www.magzter.com/article/News/The-Atlantic/Childhood-in-an-anxious-age-and-the-crisis-of-modern-parenting) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Deliver presentation at Council conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Delivering presentation to Hertfordshire Council regarding the importance of inter-parental relationship for child mental health. This presentation outlines recent research evidence and policy and practice implications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Edinburgh University Network Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The aim was to discuss intersections of violence in childhood, learning outcomes and educational practices to help develop a new conceptual model. The working group discussed key research areas that would be relevant to a new conceptual model. Some members of the group were organising travel to a range of different countries e.g. war torn countries and areas where domestic abuse is common to conduct focus groups. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Editorial for Public Sector Focus |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Article outlining trends in mental health and mental health impacts across generations (https://flickread.com/edition/html/index.php?pdf=5d67acffb3d60#70) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://flickread.com/edition/html/index.php?pdf=5d67acffb3d60#70 |
| Description | ISSBD conference: Examining a cascade model of inter-parental conflict effects on outcomes for children in two longitudinal general population samples |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Examining a cascade model of inter-parental conflict effects on outcomes for children in two longitudinal general population samples. (Oral Presentation). Presentation as part of Symposium for International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD) conference, Rhodes, June, 2022. Presentation which sparked discussion afterwards |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | ISSBD conference: Using a genetically sensitive design & strength-based approaches: examining the role of interparental relationship quality |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | presentation at international conferences (ISSBD) , which sparked discussion afterwards. Also developed collaboratative output plans with collaborators |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Presentation at conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Oral presentation (Disentangling Nature from Nurture: Unpacking the Malleability of Heritability in Adopted Children's Academic Attainment) as part of a symposium for Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD). Baltimore, Maryland, March 2019. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Presentation at conference (GUI) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation at Growing Up in Ireland Conference - a policy and practice focused conference based on findings from cohorts from the area (Growing up in Ireland Study). Presentation focused on results using Growing up in Ireland Study, examining a cascade model of Inter-parental conflict effects on outcomes for children in two longitudinal general population samples. The study highlighted the importance of considering the interparental relationship for youth mental health (traditionally interventions have primarily focused on parenting practices). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation at conference (royal college of psychiatrists) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Online presentation to psychiatrists 'Unpacking Nature from Nurture: Examining How Family relationship processes affect child and adolescent mental health'. Questions and discussion following presentation highlighting importance of considering role of both mothers and fathers, and also how genetically informative designs can aid our understanding of malleable intervention targets |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Presentation to Brighton & Sussex Medical School (BSMS) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presented initial research findings to researchers and practitioners at Presentation to Brighton & Sussex Medical School (October 2017). The presentation examined the interplay between parent - child mental health, considering an intergenerational transmission framework. The presentation involved outlining complex statistics and research designs to address specific research questions to a non-specialist audience. Discussions following the presentation involved requests for further information and discussions around future inter-disciplinary research projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2018,2021 |
| Description | Presentation to Practitioners regarding the Evaluation of the AdOpt parenting programme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Outlined an evaluation of the AdOpt parenting programme to practitioners who delivered the AdOpt parenting programme across the UK |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Presentation to genetic counselling students (annually) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A lecture on genetics of child and adolescent depression. This involved outlining existing and on-going research including a discussion on the environmental risks and gene environment interplay. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017,2018 |
| Description | Presenting to Specialist Registrars (SpRs) South Wales (Quarterly) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presented to Specialist Registrars - clinicians in psychiatry regarding evidence-base to inform practice. These are in the form of presentations and discussion Groups. I have presented on a number of relevant topics including: resilience-based processes, the importance of including fathers in research and interventions, trends in child mental health, as well as how genetically informed research can help to inform the next generation of interparental and parenting interventions. This is an ongoing engagement activity, with additional workshops invited. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Think Piece for Action for Children |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Think piece for Action for Children written outlining the evidence for the importance of the inter-parental relationships for child positive outcomes. The piece also outlined policy and practice implications of the evidence as well as providing recommendations and areas for future research. (What Role does the Inter-parental Relationship play in Supporting Positive Child Development in the Early Years and Enhancing Outcomes in Later Life? Think Piece, Action for Children. https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/media/8960/think-piece_inter-parental-relationships.pdf) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Training to Barnardos (Wales) Practitioners |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Developed and trained Barnardo's (Wales) workers in delivery and interpretation of an assessment tool that increases understanding of child mental health outcomes following exposure to inter-parental conflict |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
| Description | University of Cambridge, Research Practice Masters Student Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited keynote for University of Cambridge, Research Practice Masters Student Conference focusing on Family Processes, Youth Mental Health & Future 'Life Chances': Building Evidence-Based Bridges between Research, Practice & Policy. (Oral presentation). Cambridge March 2022 (key note). Sparked discussion and question afterwards with students reporting it had increased their interest and opened new ideas and areas of interest |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | invited expert for series of group workshops around depression & prevention |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Contributed to series of workshop with William Templeton Foundation focusing on youth mental health. Three workshops outline of current research and gaps, development of innovative possible intervention targets, feasibility, as well as gaps in knowledge. This led to contributing to a report aimed at policy makers and practitioners, as well as researchers (https://www.ypmh.org/changing-hearts-changing-minds-september-2021/ ) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | invited presentation to special interest group (time trends) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | presentation of preliminary findings of paper (currently under review) - Time trends in youth mental health: A review of possible explanatory factors (Oral presentation). Cardiff University, Time trends Special Interest Group. Cardiff, October 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | online webinar for Child Mental Health Week |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Webinar for child mental health week as part of wider networks with Cardiff University. Event was organised by National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH). Presented evidence regarding risks and opportunities of digital world for youth mental health. This was followed by a discussion and Q&A with audience. The webinar was also recorded as a podcast and has been posted on YouTube, NCMH website, as well as eNurture website. Have also been approached by NCMH to develop content for youth focused science festival. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | outlining research area to GPs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Summarised examples of two recently published articles, and their relevance to general practice. This has led to a number of approaches for collaborations, as well as setting up a special interest group focusing on the area of mental health |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | presentation & school visit (Supporting Student Mental Health: Understanding Risk and Resilience Processes) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Presented to all school staff at a secondary school for CPD training. Presented research evidence regarding risk factors and processes for the development of mental health problems. This led to a discussion regarding identification of mental health problems and the importance of mental health training and awareness. Met with all senior leadership team, as well as support staff. This has led to a subsequent invitation from the school to discuss mental health with school pupils, and discussions regarding assisting with the identification of mental health difficulties in students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | presentation & workshop with county council |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | outlining rationale and logic of how to assess (and interpret) a range of family processes and child mental health |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | presentation to aid collaboration with University of Otago |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation (Examining the interplay between parent-child mental health: Revisiting an Inter-generational transmission framework) of research profile and ongoing research proposals to aid collaborations with University of Otago. This led to the discussion of the importance of environmental processes for child development and mental health, as well as considering child-effects on parents in relation to inter-generational transmission processes. Some practitioners reported a change of opinion and a reduction of negative attitudes towards some of the parents they worked with to support children. Audience members requested further information, and links to published works from the research group to use evidence in teaching and practice. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | presentation to youth workers (youth mental health and lockdown) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to youth workers regarding impacts of lockdown on youth mental health and wellbeing. this was attended by 10 regional team leads. Was subsequently invited to deliver presentation across all teams. Staff recognised importance of supporting mental health and a range of processes that can work together to support young people. Also developed understanding of range of skills already existing within the team that could be shared to support other staff members following presentation the Team formed a mental health working group that focuses on supporting youth mental health, as well as a working group to support staff and other adult mental health. I have been invited to be an expert advisor as part of this working group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
| Description | presenting at collaborators seminar series regarding research and evidence updates (Cardiff) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presenting research findings to collaborators as part of a Child Psychiatry Group seminar series at Cardiff University. Also presented to collaborators at University of Oregon (via webinar links) . This includes presentations regarding gene-Environment Interplay & Intergenerational Transmission; and examining the interplay between parent-child mental health; role of paternal parenting for youth outcomes; cascade models for youth mental health. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019,2020,2021 |
| Description | school engagement |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | As part of ESRC Festival of Social Science seminar, was invited by School to run a workshop to ascertain young people's views on research priorities. Also contributed to primary school engagement, again to ascertain young people's views on research priorities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |
| Description | working group examining causal processes to inform depression intervention |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited to be part of a working group with subgroup focusing on relationship between physical exercise and youth depression. Involved (i) presentation at a briefing workshop of current evidence base (ii) innovation workshop (iii) exploration and mapping workshop (Foundation for Young People's Mental Health) which will inform a policy briefing document and guidelines for research and practice priorities in this area Have been further invited to contribute to the briefing document based on expertise |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |