Dr Kimberly Petersen

Profile

I joined the University of Leeds in January 2022 as a Lecturer specialising in the Psychology of Childhood and Education, and became Programme Leader for the BSc Psychology with Education programme in 2023.

My academic career began with an MA (Hons.) in Psychology from the University of Glasgow. Following this, I supported children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in various educational and residential settings, and trained as a primary school teacher. I furthered my studies with an MEd in the Psychology of Education and a PhD in Education from the University of Manchester. My doctoral research focused on the mental health and wellbeing of children during primary school, particularly examining the impact of social support on mental health. Post-PhD, I served as a Lecturer in Psychology at Leeds Trinity University.

As a researcher, I have contributed to several large-scale projects funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). These projects include a randomised control trial of the Good Behaviour Game, a universal school-based behaviour intervention, a trial of the social and emotional learning intervention PATHS to Success, and the SPECTRUM review, a systematic review of psychosocial measures for children and young people. Recently, I have been a co-investigator on a project exploring the affordances of trauma-informed circus practice on children’s wellbeing, and a project exploring social isolation among children in hospital school, that uses participatory methods.

Responsibilities

• Programme Leader for BSc Psychology with Education

Research interests

My research interests encompass child and adolescent mental wellbeing and loneliness, with a particular focus on the role of schools and communities in supporting wellbeing and reducing loneliness. I am especially interested in understanding and addressing child loneliness, exploring how it develops and identifying effective strategies to mitigate it.

I have a keen interest in school-based and community interventions, particularly arts-based interventions. My work aims to uncover the transformative power of the arts in fostering social connections and improving wellbeing among children and adolescents.

I employ a range of research methods in my work, with particular expertise in survey methods, quantitative data analysis, and data modelling.

Qualifications

• PhD Education
• MEd Psychology of Education
• PGCE (Primary)
• MA (Hons.) Psychology

Professional memberships

• Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society (CPsychol)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Student education

I am the Programme Leader for BSc Psychology with Education programme. Further, I lead and contribute to a range of modules on the BSc Psychology with Education, BA Childhood Studies, BA Education, MA Childhood Studies, and MA Education programmes.

Research groups and institutes

• ICY: Inclusion, Childhood & Youth Research Centre