Wolfson Centre for Young People’s Mental Health

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 how we address those challenges through interventions that offer practical help to young people.

We include young people, schools, those at high-familial risk and patients, in every stage of our research. Our Youth Advisory Group and stakeholders help shape our research and practice aims, and work with us as we design and conduct 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 currently running our flagship Skills for Adolescent Wellbeing (SWELL) study where we will work with young people and their parents to develop new interventions to support 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 are 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

Using data uniquely available in Wales, our researchers at Cardiff University are working jointly with experts from Swansea University to better understand long-term outcomes for young people who experience anxiety and depression.