Christopher Barnes

Biography

I have always had an interest in working with newborn babies, children and their parents, and in 2004 I was awarded a PhD scholarship (entitled “Cognitive, Emotional and Environmental Mediators of Early Parenting in High risk families”) at the University of Wolverhampton, under the direction of Emeritus Professor Elvidina Adamson-Macedo. My research aimed to provide evidence on the benefits of environmental support programmes (in the form of tactile interventions) to the mental health of mothers and the development of their prematurely born babies. Before I came to Derby I was working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement. I joined the University of Derby in September 2009 and am currently a full-time Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Programme Leader for the MSc Applied Developmental Psychology. My professional role is an academic one so my duties are split between teaching and research.

Research Interest

My main research interests include: Parenting with a specific focus on maternal self-efficacy Child development with a focus on categorisation and health beliefs Newborn development and assessment focusing on hospitalised preterm babies My general interests more broadly cover the following: Newborn Cognitive, Motor and Social Development Maternal Mental Health Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem and Attachment Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Development of Health and Developmental Measurement Outcome Scales