University of Southampton

Biography

1984   BSc (Hons) in Psychology, UCNW Bangor University of Exeter
1988   PhD in Psychology, UCNW Bangor University of Exeter
1987-88  Research Psychologist, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London
1988-89  Lecturer, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London
1989-95  Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of Southampton
1995–97  Reader in Developmental Psychopathology, University of Southampton
since 1997  Professor of Developmental Psychopathology, University of Southampton
1997-2002  Head of Department of Psychology, University of Southampton
2002-03  Visiting Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of California, Irvine
2003-08  Visiting Professor of Development Psychopathology, Institute of Psychiatry, King\\\\\'s College London
2004 -05  Centre for Advanced Studies at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letter
since 2004 Adjunct Professor, Child Study Centre, New York University, New York
2007-09  Visiting Chair, Ghent University, Belgium

Duties

Director of the Developmental Brain Behaviour Laboratory, University of Southampton

Director of the Institute for Disorders of Impulse and Attention, University of Southampton

Editor - Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry

Associate Editor - Behaviour and Brain Functions

Member WHO/APA/NIH workgroup on \\\\\'future of psychiatric diagnosis\\\\\' - externalising disorders work group

Member of European ADHD Guidelines Group

Joint Convenor Mental Health Research Network - Preschool Prevention Research Group

Member of Executive Committee of EINAQ

Teaching Activities

My main teaching activities are currently restricted to the supervision of final year projects and dissertations and the supervision of 6 PhD students.

Research Interests

I: The neuro-developmental basis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Our past research in this area has focused on the role of motivational factors such as delay aversion in AD/HD. Experimental studies have explored this across paradigms - memory, cognitive style, self-control, timing and time use. More recently our studies of the relationship between cognitive and motivational factors have led to the adoption of a dual pathway model. We are currently exploring the relationship between delay aversion, executive function and millisecond timing in causal models of ADHD using genetic, imaging and neuropsychological technologies. Most recently our work with Xavier Castellanos in New York has focused on the possible role of default mode network as an alternative site for dysfunction in ADHD. We are currently establishing a new EEG lab to study this phenomenon as it is expressed in very low frequency oscillation in patterns of brain activity. II.Parenting (and grand parenting) as a moderator of developmental risk: There is a strong interest in the unit in the ways in which social context moderates the risk of the development of disorder. Studies have focused on parental style, parental attributions, parental expressed emotion and mother -child interaction. The role of maternal mental health (including ADHD symptoms) in mediating these effects has also been investigated. I personally have a special interest in the role that grandparents play in the adjustment of their grandchildren and have studied this in a number of different cultural settings. III: Therapeutic potential of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in AD/HD: I work in collaboration with Dr. Margaret Thompson (Reader in Child Psychiatry) on these studies which include RCTs of psycho-social and pharmacological interventions for AD/HD. Pharmacological studies have focused on both stimulants and novel non-stimulant pharmacueticals as well as alternative dosing regimes of stimulants. Theoretically derived models for non-pharmacological intervention that focus on delay and executive skills training (informed by the dual pathway model) are currently being explored in children in preschool age group in collaboration with Howard Abikoff and Laurie Miller-Brotman. IV:Non-genetic origins of psychopathology: (i) The role early deprivation: I work in collaboration with Professor Sir Michael Rutter and colleagues on the The English-Romanian Adoptees (ERA) study. This is a longitudinal study of the impact early institution-based deprivation on long term outcome. Child outcome has been measured at 4, 6 and 11 and are now 15. Previous assessment revealed considerable catch-up but significant residual problems especially amongst those children who experienced the most extended period of institutional care. Problems most characteristic of this group were hyperactivity, difficult attachment, quasi-autistic features and some degree of cognitive impairment. We are exploring the extent to which the links between deprivation and outcome are mediated by specific alterations in brain structure and function suing functional and structural MRI. (ii) The role artificial food preservatives and colourings: I work in collaboration with Professor Jim Stevenson and Professor John Warner on the Food Additives and Behaviour in Children (FABiC) which is a RCT placebo controlled cross-over trial of the acute and chronic effects on children\\\\\'s behaviour of food additives. It was undertaken following promising findings in a previous trial using a more limited range of measures with pre-school children. FABIC will also look at neurochemical mediators and genetic moderators of any additive effects that are found.