In the current climate, it is more important than ever that we support young people's mental health. We are running a study looking at whether a free 30-minute online intervention can improve how young people feel and help them cope with stressful situations. This intervention has previously been trialled in the USA and improvements in anxiety and low mood were shown over a 9-month period. We are hoping to replicate these findings in the UK with the aim of increasing the availability of evidence-based support for young people. 

We are looking to recruit young people aged 8-16 who are struggling with symptoms of low mood or anxiety, and their parent/ caregiver. Young people and their parents/caregivers will be asked to complete some questionnaires and then will be randomly allocated to one of two 30-minute online educational interventions.

We are looking for schools to advertise this research to parents through newsletters or on their social media. In exchange for support with recruitment we will be offering participating schools a 30-minute webinar for parents or teachers on how to support young people's mental health during the pandemic. Alternatively, for secondary schools, we are willing to do a presentation on careers in psychology if that would be of interest. 

If you are interested in finding out more about this research or in collaborating, please contact Harriet Clarkson via email on: harriet.clarkson.2018@live.rhul.ac.uk 

Poster

Info video

We are looking for young people to take part in a project to understand how teenagers manage emotions, such as anger, sadness and worry. It also looks at teenagers’ families and the ways in which different members of their family interact with one another and how this connects to their expressions of emotions. We know that the ways in which teenagers manage their emotions is closely linked with their experience of worry and low mood. Therefore, by looking at these relationships we can better understand how to prevent and support them with these issues.

What will students’ participation involve? 

The study will involve students providing some demographic information and filling out four short questionnaires regarding their home life, the experience of dealing with emotions and feelings of worry and/or low mood. The study takes about 45- 60 minutes to complete online and can be easily delivered as a whole class activity as part of a relevant lesson.

Information Sheet

Royal Holloway Clinical Psychology student Olivia Tomaselli under the supervision of Dr Helen Pote. To find out more about this project please contact Olivia.Tomaselli.2017@live.rhul.ac.uk.

We are trying to evaluate a free web-based application called MindAid, which is a tool designed for the use of children and young.  people to help improve their knowledge and mental health. We need children and young people who are 12-16 years of age attending secondary school. During a pre-agreed class, students will be asked to complete 4 core modules of MindAid over a 6-week period. Teachers will be asked to keep a log of completed modules for each child during the classes to ensure completion of the core modules. Teachers will be trained in the use of MindAid.

Royal Holloway clinical Psychology student Sophie Good under the supervision of Dr Helen Pote. To find out more about this project please contact Sophie.Good2017@live.rhul.ac.uk

One of the current studies being undertaken by Dr Jessie Ricketts and the Language and Reading Acquisition (LARA) lab is the Vocabulary and Reading in Secondary School (VaRiSS) project. The project is examining reciprocal relationships between oral vocabulary and reading in secondary school pupils. We have seen around 200 students following them through years 7, 8 and 9 to look at how their oral vocabulary and reading abilities develop.

To find out more about the VaRiSS project: variss.org/, @varissproject, www.facebook.com/varissproject/

If you are interested in hearing more about the LARA lab research and/or in taking part, please send your contact details to jessie.ricketts@rhul.ac.uk.

LARA website  |  Latest news and events  |  @ricketts_lara

Understanding tactics for reputation management: The role of personality and feelings of self

Dr Dawn Watling ais exploring 8- to 15-year-olds understanding of the role that verbal tactics may play in making positive impressions. We are particularly interested in how individuals with different personality traits and levels of anxiety in social situations may impact the understanding of reputation management tactics.

If your school might be interested in participating please contact Dawn on email: Dawn.Watling@royalholloway.ac.uk

Social Development Lab website  |  Latest news and events  |  @dawn_watling 

Dr Dawn Watling is exploring if changes in wellbeing influence resiliency and behaviours in two groups of pupils: year 6 pupils (as they prepare for transition) and year 7 pupils (as they settle into the new school following transition).

If your school might be interested in participating please contact Dawn on email: Dawn.Watling@royalholloway.ac.uk 

Social Development Lab website  |  Latest news and events  |  @dawn_watling

Beatrice Hayes is investigating children's risk and benefit awareness of social networking sites (in particular, Facebook, Instagram and SnapChat), how children access these sites and what their behaviour online involves.

This project is seeking primary schools and Year 7/middle schools (ages 7-12). Taking part involves completing an online survey (approximately 20 minutes). 

For more information, or if your schoold might be interested in participating, please contact Beatrice on email: Beatrice.Hayes.2017@live.rhul.ac.uk

Social Development Lab website  |  Latest news and events  |  @dawn_watling

One of the current studies being undertaken by Prof Manos Tsakiris, Dr Vivien Ainley and Dr Mariana von Mohr at the Lab of Action and Body is examining how pre- and post-puberty girls perceive themselves and their body. We are looking for primary and secondary schools (girls in Year 6 & 7) that would be interested to take part in this new and exciting project. We will ask each girl to focus on her heartbeats while we measure her heart rate. She will then play a computerized game in which she can shrink or enlarge a body on the screen while answering some questions about how she feels

Information sheet
Poster

If you  are interested in hearing more about this research, and/or in taking part, please send your contact details to mariana.vonmohr@rhul.ac.uk , vivien.ainley.2008@live.rhul.ac.uk or manos.tsakiris@rhul.ac.uk

One of the current studies being undertaken by Alex Lloyd at the emotion, development & brain lab is looking at how young people approach new situations in everyday life. There will be a short computer game to play that will ask you to make decisions and then answer a questionnaire. Part of this study will take place in an MRI scanner. 

Poster

If you would like to know more about this study please contact Alex Lloyd 

One of the current studies being undertaken by Melissa Barker is looking at how our understanding of body signals and sensations (including feeling hungry, thirsty, cold or tired) is related to eating. We are looking for 9, 10 or 11 year old girls. 

Jessica Dyson is currently running a project exploring sleep and learning in adolescents. You must be age 13-16 to take part and will be asked to learn made-up words and wear sleep monitoring equipment. 

Poster

To find out more about this project please contact Jessica Dyson

Alice Parker is currently running a study looking at how our values link to how we think and feel about ourselves in a three-part study. You need to be in year 10 or 11 and be able to complete all sessions. In the first session, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire in a group setting and perform a writing task on your own. The subsequent sessions will be follow up sessions where you answer a questionnaire. 

Poster

If you would like more information then please contact Alice Parker