Research, policy and practice

Drawing on the different socio-cultural and cognitive factors associated with critical thinking skills for students (particularly ESL students), we propose a model for teaching these skills through situated simulation and authenticity. The aim of the project is to develop, implement, and evaluate a programme of situated learning experiences to support postgraduate learners to engage more critically with academic texts prior to commencing with the dissertation phase of their studies. This project is funded by the Principal’s Teaching Award. If you would like further information, please contact Dr Julie Smith.

Contact Dr Julie Smith

Through this project we aim to develop and implement a peer support system that would enhance social interaction and wellbeing whilst also providing academic support during the period that is associated with higher perceived isolation in taught master’s programme.  This project is funded by a Student Experience Grant and is being led by DPiE member Dr Julie Smith.

Contact Dr Julie Smith ​​​​​​

Dr Sarah Foley is part of the global birth-cohort Evidence for Better Lives Study team, an innovative project, involving a collaboration of 13 universities, following 150 mothers and children in eight sites in four different continents.

Evidence for Better Lives study 

With funds from the CAHSS Challenge Investment Fund, Dr Sarah Foley and Dr Aja Murray in Psychology are testing the psychometric properties of widely-used questionnaires and exploring links between maternal risk factors and early child outcomes across sites.   ​​​​​

Contact Dr Sarah Foley ​​​​​

Physically Active Learning (PAL) combines physical activity with academic lessons in school, aiming to reduce sedentary time and increase physical activity, but without taking time away from lessons. Move & Read is one such PAL programme, which was co-developed with teachers to support early literacy skills.

Move & Read is being led by Dr Josie Booth.

Learn more about Move & Read

Contact Dr Josie Booth

This project examines family functioning and children’s adjustment and experiences of post-separation parenting in Scottish and English families (i) with children aged 4 to 8 years old, and (ii) who have post-separation parenting arrangements that are not court ordered. This multi-method project aims to increase understanding of the structural and psychological differences between families who are sharing parenting post separation, and whether these matter for children's relationships with their parents, adjustment and their experiences of family life.

Funder: Economic and Social Research Council New Investigator Grant

Academic: Dr Sarah Foley

Adolescents with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience significant difficulties in a broad range of domains, but peer problems and emotion regulation problems can cause particular distress. These issues have also been linked to the higher rates of anxiety, depression and behavioural problems experienced by adolescents with ADHD. However, there is currently a lack of effective support suitable for adolescents with ADHD to help them develop skills to overcome these issues and apply them in a real-life context.

The purpose of the present project is to pilot smartphone-based data collection on the daily life functioning and experiences of adolescents with ADHD to inform and improve the assessment, monitoring and treatment of ADHD and associated issues, especially peer problems and emotional regulation problems. Findings can inform better and more tailored interventions to help adolescents with ADHD in these domains.

They can also inform the development of smartphone-based interventions, making support more immediate and accessible for adolescents affected by ADHD symptoms. Indeed, in other areas of mental health, smartphone-based applications to collect information on daily life symptoms and functioning and to deliver interventions has proven highly promising. However, the techniques have yet to be fully developed for adolescents with ADHD. While many ADHD-focused smartphone applications exist, they are not backed up by rigorous evidence. It is crucially important, however, that smartphone-based applications for adolescents with ADHD are based on high-quality scientific evidence.

Collaborators:

• Dr Aja Murray, PI (Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh)
• Dr Anastasia Ushakova (Medical School, Lancaster University)
• Dr Sinead Rhodes (Child, Life and Health / Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh)
• Dr Lydia Speyer (Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge)
• Professor Dr Luis Rohde (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul)
• Dr Ingrid Obsuth (Clinical Psychology, University of Edinburgh)
• Professor John Devaney (School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh)
• Dr Tracy Stewart (Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh)

If you would like further information, please contact Dr Tracy Stewart.

Contact Dr Tracy Stewart ​​​​​​