Prof Pasco Fearon

Research summary

My research focuses on the factors that influence children's socio-emotional and cognitive development and what places some children at greater risk of struggling socially, academically or with their mental health. I am particularly interested in how social and biological processes interact in children's development, and how tracing these processes over time can help us understand the different pathways development can take and the differing outcomes children experience. I use a range of methods in my research, including longitudinal cohort studies, observational techniques for measuring family processes (attachment, parent-child interactions, children's temperament and play), quantitative and molecular genetics for examining genes and gene-environment interactions, and biological measurements for capturing peripheral physiology (e.g. cortisol, heart rate) and brain function (EEG, fMRI). My ultimate aim is to use learning from these kinds of studies to develop good policy to support children and families and find new and better ways to support children to thrive.

Teaching summary

Taught Courses

• Joint Course Director for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

Education

University of Wales, Bangor

Doctorate, Doctorate in Clinical Psychology | 2004

University College London

Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy | 1999

University of Cambridge

Other higher degree, Master of Arts | 1996

University of Cambridge

First Degree, Bachelor of Arts | 1993

Publications

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