Laura Fox, Research Associate, Department of Education
Laura is a developmental psychologist who is a Research Associate in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and part of the GOALS team.
Her research interests focus on exploring how children and young people with additional needs experience friendship.
email: laura.fox@york.ac.uk
Our 60-second interview with Laura:
Could you please tell us what work you do in the field of mental health?
My research interests focus on the impact friendship experiences can have on children and young people’s mental health and well-being. I am currently working on projects that aim to advance our understanding of how children and young people with additional needs, such as autism and Down Syndrome, choose to communicate so that we can include more of these individuals in research. I am interested in understanding the experiences of disabled and neurodivergent children and their families and ensuring their voices are prioritised in research.
What do you find most rewarding and inspiring in this work?
Being able to speak with individuals about their personal experiences is a really big privilege and providing a space for under-represented groups to have their say is a really rewarding experience.
What is the most challenging or complicated aspect of this work?
Researching relationships and mental health can be a sensitive topic and engaging neurodivergent individuals in research can have additional ethical implications. There is also the additional challenge of wanting to speak with children and young people who may not be able to, or want to, communicate in traditional ways.
What impact do you hope your work is having - or can potentially have?
I hope that my research can help amplify the voices of under-represented groups in research on education, and mental health and wellbeing. I would like my work to help co-produce research that is important to neurodivergent children and their families and that my work on communication choices can help research be more inclusive.
Could you share with us one piece of advice that you follow for your own mental health?
I’m notorious for always having too many plates spinning and never asking for help, so finding time throughout the week to sit and have a chat with a friend about everything really helps me. Even if it’s just space for a 10-minute two-way rant!