Research
We work across developmental and clinical psychiatry, genetics, social sciences and neuroscience, to better understand depression and anxiety in young people.
Our work aims to achieve transformational change in the way we understand the challenges of adolescent mental health and the way we address it through interventions that offer practical help to young people.
We aim to include young people, schools, those at high-familial risk and patients, in every stage of our research. Engaging young people and stakeholders in shaping our research and practice aims, and designing and conducting new interventions to improve adolescent mental health in health and school settings.
Our ambition is for our scientific discoveries to rapidly inform policy and practice, and act as a catalyst in the field of youth anxiety and depression.
Themes
Population mental health
We examine longitudinal data that tracks children over time to better understand how anxiety and depression develop.
Theme lead

Professor Stephan Collishaw
Personal Chair, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences
- collishaws@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2068 8436
Genetics
Investigating the role genetic and environmental factors play in anxiety and depression in young people is essential to understanding these conditions.
Theme lead

Professor Anita Thapar
Professor, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences
- thapar@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2068 8478
Interventions in adolescents at high familial risk
We are developing new interventions to support young people and families where a parent suffers from depression.
Theme lead

Professor Frances Rice
Professor of Developmental Psychopathology, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences
- ricef2@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2068 8384
Mental health interventions in schools
We’re looking at the role schools play in promoting positive mental health in youngsters.
Theme leads

Professor Graham Moore
Professor of Social Sciences & Public Health
- mooreg@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2087 5387

Professor Simon Murphy
Professor in Social Interventions and Health, Director DECIPHer and Lead for the Schools Health Research Network
- murphys7@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 29208 79144
Population and patient e-data cohort
Our researchers at Cardiff University are working jointly with experts from Swansea University, using information uniquely available in Wales to better understand long-term outcomes of those young people who experience anxiety and depression.
Theme lead

Professor Ann John
Professor, Medicine (Swansea University)
- a.john@swansea.ac.uk
- +44 (0)17 9260 2568
Quantitative methods and open science
An over-arching Centre wide theme focused on ensuring our teams are well-trained in research methods and open science practices.
Theme leads

Dr Lucy Riglin
Lecturer, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences
- riglinl@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 (0)29 2068 8419