I am a Research Fellow within Bristol Medical School (Population Health Sciences) at the University of Bristol. My research interests are in mental health in young people. I am interested in working out what factors can increase risk for mental health problems and how we can target these factors to prevent and treat mental illness. 

I am currently working on a fellowship funded by The Prudence Trust and the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for my project: “Preventing anxiety and depression in schools: Co-production of a novel arts-based programme” (November 2022-June 2026). In this fellowship, I will work with young people, parents, schools, art therapists and mental health professionals to:
1) Explore current experiences of school staff supporting student mental health and assess barriers for an arts-based prevention programme in schools;
2) Co-develop a novel arts-based programme aimed at preventing anxiety and depression in UK secondary schools; and
3) Provide preliminary evidence of whether the programme can be implemented in schools.

My previous work has focused on the psychology and epidemiology of mental health problems in young people. Most recently, I examined the bidirectional relationships between mental health problems and incontinence using methods to improve causal inference. I have also investigated the comorbidity of, and shared underlying risk factors for, disordered eating and self-harm. When based at Cardiff University, I conducted a study assessing the acceptability and feasibility of collecting genetic data in schools. 

For my PhD (Cardiff University), I examined whether overgeneral autobiographical memory could be a potential risk factor for early-onset depression using a number of different approaches (epidemiology, psychology, neuroimaging). I also worked on a project looking at changes in child mental health and associated outcomes over time.