I am deeply engaged in researching and enhancing youth mental health, with a focus on understanding new methods. My journey began with an undergrad project in 2020, where I collaborated with Dr. Elizabeth Peterson, Selena Lee, and Morgan Solecki. Using data from the Growing Up in New Zealand cohort, we explored positive youth self-concepts, presenting our findings at the Centre for Longitudinal Research (He Ara ki Mua) Conference in 2022. In 2021, I partnered with Dr. Peterson and Dr. Shiloh Grooth to craft an equity, belonging, and inclusion module, funded by the University of Auckland. The following year, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (First Class Honours), focusing on how intellectual humility affects university students’ sense of belonging, supervised by Dr. Peterson.

My research interests primarily involve child development, education, and parenting. Specifically, I’m interested in how parents influence their children and what motivates parents to parent the way that they do. In line with this, my honours research project seeks to uncover what New Zealand mothers want for their preschool-age children. I also hope to investigate what factors might underlie these aspirations.

Outside of research, I work part-time at Kadimah Preschool where I am fortunate enough to be able to support young children educationally, morally and emotionally. I also enjoy reading and spending as much time as possible with animals.

Lauren completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) with supervisor Liz Peterson in 2021.

I am completing a Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) in Psychology at The University of Auckland. Although originally from Russia, I grew up in Japan for 10 years, lived in South Korea for 4 years, and now I’m in beautiful Aotearoa.

The research project I’m currently undertaking uses the Growing Up In New Zealand data and is centred around parental educational expectations. Specifically, I’m exploring which mechanisms are involved in influencing children’s own educational expectations, academic self-competence, and school liking.

Elizaveta completed a research project with supervisor Liz during her third year.

I am epidemiologist and postdoctoral researcher with a strong interest in child behaviour and temperament. My major research question is: What causes the large differences in babies’ temperament? And is there anything we can do to give children and their parents an easier start? I am currently working with the large dataset from the Growing Up in New Zealand cohort to identify prenatal and preconceptional factors that influence the development of behaviour and temperament early on. I also want to look into environmental factors that have a positive effect on temperament development from infancy to preschool and school age.

Anja completed her postdoctoral fellowship with Liz in 2020.

I am a Canadian born New Zealander — a citizen of both countries. During my time living in New Zealand, I’ve spent years in many places, from the very South of the South Island, to the tip of the North. I’ve also explored the mountains and prairies of Canada, and I love New York City. I’ve been studying psychology for decades, first in Canada, and more recently, in New Zealand. I’m also a registered Psychotherapist, and work with creative and out-of-the-box adults around the world. My research and teaching interests reflect my broad curiosity about life and the world, as well as my passion for a more socially just world.

A PhD scholar, Fulbright Alumna and Clinical Psychologist. Have previously served as a Clinical Psychologist (trainee) at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Services Hospital and Centre for Clinical Psychology, Lahore.

I was a doctoral student at The University of Auckland, graduating in 2021. I am a NZ registered clinical psychologist working in child and adolescent mental health sector. As part of my doctorate, I investigated patterns of socio-emotional competence across early childhood in a community sample. In addition, I examined predictors and outcomes associated with socio-emotional competence.

Maria was a doctoral student whose research focused on the role of media exposure in early childhood development and parental influence on children’s screen exposure. She has used data from the Growing Up in New Zealand study to identify factors associated with higher use of screen time for preschool children, and has investigated whether screen use during the preschool years might be related to attention and executive functions. She also conducted a study in the Early Learning Lab (ELLA), looking at whether parents’ use of screen technology might impact how they interact with their children and whether this might affect children’s language development. A highlight of her research is knowing that her findings could potentially help parents make decisions about their preschool children’s screen time, something that she knows can be very difficult now that we are all surrounded by screen media.

Jasmine is an alumnus of the 5E lab. She submitted her PhD for examination in 2021 and was supervised by Elizabeth Peterson. Jasmine’s doctoral research focused on the cognitive and emotional indicators of engagement among tertiary-level learners and the personal and contextual conditions that facilitated this engagement. She used a mixed methods approach, including qualitative (thematic) analysis of interviews conducted with students about their experiences as undergraduates at the University of Auckland and quantitative (factor, cluster) analysis of undergraduate survey data collected across several faculties.

Jasmine’s academic and research interests in Psychology are wide-ranging. Her postgraduate journey at the University of Auckland has included training in social, organisational, educational, and clinical psychologies as well as a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Across this time, she has developed a personal interest in the neurophysiological impacts of psychological trauma and an appreciation of the importance of person-centred approaches to neurodiversity. Jasmine enjoys exploring connections between subdisciplines and has a particular fondness for wellbeing-focused and qualitative research work.

Jasmine loves tea, social partner dancing, and long-form conversation. She is also rather fond of other people’s animals (pets).