Developmental Neuropsychology Lab
We are a dedicated research group focused on enhancing life outcomes for children who have experienced early life adversity—environmental challenges during pregnancy or childhood that require significant neurological adaptation.
Early life adversity can impact mental health, behavior, and brain function. Through our research, we develop strategies to help children reach their full potential.
We appreciate the generous financial support of these organisations:
Research
Our research interests can be broadly categorised into those that rely on acute cross-sectional experimental techniques, and those which rely on data collected from longitudinal studies.
Cross-sectional Experimental Research
Our experimental work combines techniques from cognitive neuroscience (e.g., functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG)) and clinical neuropsychology. We are currently involved in a large fMRI study out of the Matai Medical Research Institute to determine the neural basis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other neurodiverse conditions.
National Longitudinal Studies
The DEN Lab’s involvement with national longitudinal studies (Dunedin Study, Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study, Growing Up in New Zealand) reflects our interest in life-span development as well as the precursors and determinants of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Growing Up in New Zealand
Growing Up in New Zealand is Aotearoa's largest longitudinal study on child health and well-being, following the journeys of over 6,000 rangatahi (young people) and their families. The valuable insights gained from this research are helping to build brighter futures for all young people in New Zealand.
The Dunedin Study
The Dunedin Study has tracked the lives of 1,037 individuals born at Queen Mary Maternity Hospital in Dunedin, New Zealand, between April 1, 1972, and March 31, 1973. Now in its fifth decade, this groundbreaking research has led to over 1,300 publications and reports, many of which have shaped policies both in New Zealand and internationally.
Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study
The Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study examines the long-term effects of birthweight and early life factors on children's health and development. Following a cohort of babies born in Auckland between 1996 and 2000, the study explores how prenatal and early childhood influences impact growth, cognitive development, and overall well-being into later life. Its findings help inform healthcare policies and interventions aimed at improving outcomes for children.
Our Team
Karen Waldie
DEN Lab Director, Professor
Karen graduated from the University of Victoria (Canada). She completed a Masters and PhD in neuropsychology at the University of Calgary in 1998. Following graduate school, she became a research fellow with the Dunedin Study. In 2001 she joined the School of Psychology at the University of Auckland where she now teaches developmental psychology, quantitative research and directs the Developmental Neuropsychology (DEN) Lab. During her time at Auckland, Karen has served as a Named Investigator in the "Growing Up in New Zealand" and the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study, is a Principal Investigator for the Centre for Brain Research and works closely with the Matai Medical Research Institute in Gisborne.
Paula Araya-Herrera
Doctoral Candidate, Psychology
Paula joined the lab as a PhD student in 2023. She graduated from the University of Valparaiso (Chile) in 2011 with a bachelor's in physiotherapy. Then she completed her master's in government and public management. She integrates longitudinal data analysis (Growing Up in New Zealand) with NZ therapists’ perspectives to study the impact of gross motor development on cognitive, social, communication, and behavioural outcomes in autistic children. Supervised by Dr. Katrina Phillips, Dr. Lisa Underwood, and Prof. Karen Waldie, Paula also teaches in universities for 15 years now. She is an internationally certified aquatic therapist.
Qiongxi (Sylvia) Zhang
Doctoral Candidate, Psychology
Sylvia joined the DEN Lab after achieving First-Class Honours in Psychology from the University of Auckland. She initially earned a BSc in Psychology and Mathematics from Otago University, followed by an MSc in Actuarial Science from Bayes Business School in London. After a career as a financial analyst and director in portfolio investment, Sylvia returned to academia to focus on developmental psychology. Her PhD research investigates peer aggression and bullying among school-aged children, aiming to identify factors and interventions to create safer, supportive educational environments across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Claire Reid
Doctoral Candidate, Psychology
Claire joined the DEN Lab in 2024 after earning First-Class Honours in Psychology. With a BCom and BSc, she spent 15 years in corporate and start-up roles across New Zealand, Melbourne, and London. After having her youngest child, she shifted focus to child development, driven by concerns about screen time. Her Honours research linked increased screen time to lower language scores in children, emphasizing parental engagement. For her PhD, she expands this to 12-year-olds and explores ADHD-related screen use, executive functioning impacts, and practical strategies to help parents foster healthier screen habits.
Francesca Pigatto
Doctoral Candidate, Psychology
Francesca completed the MBChB from the University of Trieste (Italy) in 1996, followed by specialist vocational training in Clinical Genetics at the University of Genoa (Italy) in 2003. As a Clinical Geneticist, she worked in Milan (Italy), Townsville (QLD), and Auckland until 2013. In 2019, she joined the UoA to pursue a research master's in Public Health and is currently completing a PhD focused on adolescent mental health. Her research explored risk factors for depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents enrolled in the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) longitudinal study.
Contact
Location:
The DEN Lab is located in Room 333 of Building 301 at the University of Auckland Science Centre,
23 Symonds Street,
Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010
Email: k.waldie@auckland.ac.nz
Publications (selected)
- Pigatto, F., Grant, C., Marks, E., Walker, C., Fletcher, B., & Waldie, K. E. (2025). Perinatal cumulative risk scores for depression symptoms in young people from the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 369, 303–311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.09.143
- Marsh, S., Bullen, C., Chu, J., Einstein, D., & Reid, C. (2025). Social media and youth wellbeing: The need for a multi-layered public health approach. Public Health Expert Briefing. https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/social-media-and-youth-wellbeing-need-multi-layered-public-health-approach
- Zheng, Y., Kirk, I., & Waldie, K. (2024). Oscillatory features of German–English sentence processing: Evidence from an EEG study. International Journal of Bilingualism, 1(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/13670069241285332
- Neumann, D., Peterson, E. R., Underwood, L., Morton, S. M. B., & Waldie, K. E. (2024). The association between persistence and change in behavioral difficulties during early to middle childhood and cognitive abilities at age 8. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 55, 1031–1043. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01453-1
- Zhang, Q., Underwood, L., Peterson, E. R., Fenaughty, J., & Waldie, K. E. (2024). Psychometric properties and factor structure of the Aggressive Student Culture Scale administered to the age 8 Growing Up in NZ cohort. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 42(2), 131–146. https://doi.org/10.1177/07342829231218036
- Theunissen, G., D'Souza, S., Peterson, E. R., Walker, C., Morton, S. M. B., & Waldie, K. E. (2022). Prenatal determinants of depressive symptoms in childhood: Evidence from Growing Up in New Zealand. Journal of Affective Disorders, 302, 41–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.01.076
- Zheng, Y., Kirk, I., Chen, T., O’Hagan, M., & Waldie, K. E. (2022). Task-modulated oscillation differences in auditory and spoken Chinese-English bilingual processing: An electroencephalography study. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 823700. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.823700
- Neumann, D., Peterson, E. R., Underwood, L., Morton, S. M. B., & Waldie, K. E. (2021). The development of cognitive functioning indices in early childhood. Cognitive Development, 60, Article 101098. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101098
- Waldie, K. E., Badzakova-Trajkov, G., Park, H. R. P., Zheng, Y., Neumann, D., & Foroushani, N. Z. (2021). The cognitive and neural correlates of written language: A selective review of bilingualism. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 51(1), 81–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/03036758.2020.1779093
- Waldie, K. E., D’Souza, S., Bibby, C., Thompson, J. M. D., & Mitchell, E. A. (2021). Early life adversity and the role of the dopamine transporter (DAT1) gene in predicting childhood symptoms of ADHD and depression. In Factors Affecting Neurodevelopment: Genetics, Neurology, Behavior, and Diet (pp. 15–25). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-817986-4.00002-X
- Waldie, K. E., Cornforth, C. M., Webb, R. E., Thompson, J. M. D., Murphy, R., Moreau, D., Slykerman, R., Morgan, A. R., Ferguson, L. R., & Mitchell, E. A. (2017). Dopamine transporter (DAT1/SLC6A3) polymorphism and the association between being born small for gestational age and symptoms of ADHD. Behavioural Brain Research, 333, 90–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2017.06.040
- D’Souza, S., Underwood, L., Peterson, E. R., Morton, S. M. B., & Waldie, K. E. (2020). The association between persistence and change in early childhood behavioural problems and preschool cognitive outcomes. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 51(3), 416–426. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-019-00953-x
- D’Souza, S., Underwood, L., Peterson, E. R., Buckley, J., Morton, S. M. B., & Waldie, K. E. (2019). Determinants of persistence and change in early childhood behavioural problems: The roles of parenting and maternal mental health. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(7), 1826–1842. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01404-w