I joined the University of Bath as a Lecturer in Developmental Psychology in 2014. My background prior to joining the University of Bath was in the field of Developmental Psychopathology at the University of Manchester and the University of Cambridge.  In particular, I developed expertise in large scale, complex data analysis across several different projects. In 2020 I was promoted to Senior Lecturer. 

My current research interests focus on several related aspects of developmental psychology. In particular, my research team at Bath is investigating how early language delay and disorder, in particular Developmental Language Disorder, influences long term child, adolescent and adult outcomes.  We are particularly interested in investigating the developmental pathways from early language difficulties to the increased rates of emotional and social difficulties which are commonly found in this population.  As Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) has a high prevalence rate (approximately 7.6%), understanding the pathways to the increased maladaptive outcomes found in this population is of importance. We also are interesting in highlighting the positive aspects of DLD and ways in which individuals with DLD learn to thrive, often because of their neurodiversity. 

Alongside Professor Nicola Botting at City, University of London and Dr Jenny Gibson at the University of Cambridge, in 2020 I launched an ambitious new project - Engage with Developmental Language Disorder. This project aims to do two main things.  First, we aim to make research on DLD more accessible to those who need to understand it most - the parents of children with DLD and adults with DLD. One way we do this is by summarising scientific papers into an accessible format for non-experts.  Secondly, this project has built a research database of families, adolescents and individuals with DLD.  Regular emails are sent advertising different DLD research projects from a wide variety of researchers. The overall aim of this project is to create a resource for the entire DLD community - information for parents and increased research capacity for DLD researchers. 

Adult outcomes in individuals with identified and unidentified Developmental Langauge disorder

Developmental Language Disorder and emotional self regulation in children

Developmental Language Disorder and peer victimisation/friendship difficulties

Rates and importance of unsuspected language disorders in either the a.) unemployed population; b) CAMHS referred population; c) children/adolescence/youth in juvenile detention centres.

How parental mobile phone use influences the child language environment and the pace of language development