Cognitive / Developmental Psychology Researcher
DR EMILY FREEMAN
Naturally Curious
ABOUT
What is it that fuels you? For me, it’s psychological research. I love examining human behaviour, the role that parents play in a child's development, and the processes underlying cognition.
My research career started in pure Cognitive Psychology. In my PhD and Post Doctoral work I examined the processes that underlie recognition memory decisions and the influence of item characteristics on performance. I have since broadened my research focus to include such things as working memory and the relationship between working memory and intelligence.
My current research passion is much more applied than my earlier work. For the past few years I have been working with a bunch of researchers examining the role that parents, and particularly fathers, play in child development. I'm particularly interested in how father-child rough-and-tumble play is related to fewer behavioural problems, better emotion regulation, and improved cognitive development in their young children.
This site outlines some of the work my team and I have been developing. I hope you enjoy learning about our projects. Take a look around; perhaps you’ll discover what fuels you as well, or maybe you'd like to join our team and collaborate on some future projects. Read on and enjoy!
MY TEAM
My team of research higher degree students. I also work with numerous wonderful colleagues and have a number of Masters and Honours students working on these projects each year.
DR EMILY FREEMAN
Lecturer and Team Leader
DR ERIN ROBINSON
PhD (Psychology)
DR JADE GOODMAN
PhD (Clinical Psychology)
DR ASHEEK SHIMUL
PhD (Psychology)
Dr Emily Freeman studies both cognitive and developmental psychology. Her research spans areas such as recognition memory, working memory, academic achievement, and the role fathers play in child development.
Erin's work focuses on the impact of father-child play interactions on child development, with a particular emphasis on cognition and emotional regulation. She completed her PhD in 2022 and is currently training as a Clinical Psychologist..
Jade's work focuses on the relationship between early life stress and working memory. She completed her PhD in 2020 and is now a practicising Clinical Psychologist.
Asheek's work focuses on the relationship between working memory and autobiographical memory, with a cross-cultural emphasis. He completed his PhD in 2022.
KEIRA GOULDING
AMELIA ROFE
TAHLIA O'KEEFE-QUINN
PhD Candidate
PhD Candidate
PhD Candidate
Keira is looking at the impact of anxiety on academic achievement for autistic students.
Amelia is exploring how to make parenting programs more father-friendly.
Tahlia is examining the transition to adulthood for autistic young adults.
PROJECTS
FATHER-CHILD PLAY
Improving Child Development
Most father-child interactions revolve around play. This study looks at the links between high quality father-child rough-and-tumble play and improved emotional, behavioural, and cognitive outcomes in young children.
EARLY LIFE STRESS
Long-Lasting Cognitive Consequences
Early life stress, such as childhood trauma, can result in ongoing psychological problems. This project examines how early life stress may be predictive of lower cognitive ability, particularly working memory, in adulthood.
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMORY
What do you remember about your life?
Our ability to retrieve in-depth autobiographical memories, memories from our past experiences, may be related to numerous aspects of our cognitive abilities. This study is a cross-cultural exploration of the role of working memory in retrieval of autobiographical memories.
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
Academic Achievement, Working Memory, and Anxiety
This study, starting in 2020, will aim to investigate the role of anxiety, working memory and intelligence in predicting academic achievement in individuals with and without ASD.
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
The Transition to Adulthood
The transition out of High School and into young adulthood is a time of numerous changes. This study is looking at the supports available and needed for autistic young adults to navigate this time in their lives.
PARENTING PROGRAMS
Father-Focussed Parenting Programs
Parenting programs are one of the best tools we have to assist children's behavioural problems, but Dads rarely participate in them. This study is looking at what Dads want in parenting programs with the goal of developing a father-focussed program that Dads will want to be a part of.
GET INVOLVED
We are currently looking for participants in the following studies:
What Do Dads Want in a Parenting Program?
Study Type: Anonymous Online Survey
Who Can Participate: ALL Australian Dads responsible for a child aged 0 to 18 years
To Participate: https://uninewcastle.questionpro.com.au/t/ARnUCZRqse
The Australian Parent-Child Play Study
Study Type: Anonymous Online Survey
Who Can Participate: ALL Australian parents responsible for a child aged 0 to 10 years
To Participate: https://limesurvey.newcastle.edu.au/index.php/347555?lang=en
PUBLICATIONS
JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
Freeman, E.E. (accepted). Fathers’ preferences for parenting programs: Program attributes that encourage father engagement. Australian Psychologist.
Freeman, E.E. & Robinson, E.L. (2022). The Relationship between Father–Child Rough-and-Tumble Play and Children’s Working Memory. Children, 9(7), 962. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children9070962
Campbell, L.E., Swaab, L., Freeman, E.E., McCormack, L., Simon, T.J., Angkustsiri, K., & McCabe, K.L. (2022). The importance of understanding individual differences of emotion regulation abilities in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52, 3076-3087. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05172-9
Robinson, E.L., StGeorge, J., & Freeman, E.E. (2021). A Systematic Review of Father–Child Play Interactions and the Impacts on Child Development. Children 8(5), 389. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children8050389 FWCI:1.36
StGeorge, J.M., Campbell, L.E., Hadlow, T., & Freeman, E.E. (2021). Quality and Quantity: A Study of Father Toddler Rough-and-Tumble Play. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30, 1275-1289.
St George, J. & Freeman, E.E. (2020). Social-emotional learning through a drumming intervention. Approaches: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Music Therapy, 12(1), 30-42.
Goodman JB, Freeman, E.E., & Chalmers KA. (2019). The relationship between early life stress and working memory in adulthood: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Memory, 27, 868-880.
Chalmers KA, & Freeman, E.E., (2019). Working Memory Power Test for Children. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 37, 105-111.
Chalmers KA, & Freeman, E.E. (2019) A Comparison of Single and Multi-Test Working Memory Assessments in Predicting Academic Achievement in Children. Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 152, 613-629.
Chalmers KA, & Freeman, E.E. (2018). Does accuracy and confidence in working memory performance relate to academic achievement in NAPLAN, the Australian national curriculum assessment? Australian Journal of Psychology, 70, 388-395.
St George JM, & Freeman, E. (2017). Measurement of rough-and-tumble play and its relations to child behaviour. Journal of Infant Mental Health, 38, 709-725.
Freeman, E.E., Karayanidis F, & Chalmers KA. (2017) Metacognitive monitoring of working memory performance and its relationship to academic achievement in Grade 4 children. Learning and Individual Differences, 57, 58-64.
StGeorge, J., Fletcher, R., Freeman, E., Paquette, D., & Dumont, C. (2015). Father–child interactions and children's risk of injury. Early Child Development and Care. DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2014.1000888.
Fletcher, R., Freeman, E., Ross, N., & StGeorge, J. (2013). A quantitative analysis of practitioners’ knowledge of fathers and fathers’ engagement in family relationship services. Australasian Dispute Resolution Journal, 24, 270-277.
Fletcher, R., StGeorge, J., & Freeman, E. (2012). Rough and tumble play quality: theoretical foundations for a new measure of father–child interaction. Early Child Development and Care, 1-14.
Freeman, E., Fletcher, R., Collins, C.E., Morgan, P.J., Burrows, T., & Callister, R. (2012). Preventing and treating childhood obesity: Time to target fathers. International Journal of Obesity, 36, 12-15.
Fletcher, R., Freeman, E., Garfield, C., & Vimpani, G. (2011). The effects of early paternal depression on children’s development. Medical Journal of Australia, 195, 685-689.
Fletcher, R., Freeman, E., & Matthey, S. (2011). The Impact of Behavioural Parent Training on Fathers' Parenting: A Meta-Analysis of the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program. Fathering, 9, 291-312.
Freeman, E., Heathcote, A., Chalmers, K., & Hockley, W. (2010). Item effects in recognition memory for words. Journal of Memory and Language, 62, 1-18.
Heathcote, A., Bora, B., & Freeman, E. (2010). Recollection and confidence in two-alternative forced choice recognition. Journal of Memory and Language, 62, 183-203.
Heathcote, A., Freeman, E.E., Etherington, J.L., Tonkin, J., & Bora, B. (2009). A dissociation between similarity effects in episodic face recognition. Journal of Memory and Language, 62, 183-203.
CONFERENCE PUBLICATIONS
Freeman, E., Dennis, S., & Dunn, J. (2010). An examination of the ERP correlates of recognition memory using state-trace analysis. In S. Ohlsson & R. Catrambone (Eds.), Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
Freeman E. (2019). Kids learn valuable life skills through rough-and-tumble play with their dads. https://theconversation.com/kids-learn-valuable-life-skills-through-rough-and-tumble-play-with-their-dads-119241: The Conversation.
Kelly, M., Pohlman, S., Marlin, S., Shaw, G., Shadbolt, J., & Freeman, E., et al. (2019). Brain @ Watt Space. Watt Space Gallery, Newcastle, Australia. https://wattspacegallery.wordpress.com/2019/06/03/brain-watt-space/
INDUSTRY REPORTS
Freeman, E. (2022). The Working Memory Power Test for Children: Mahidol Study. Report prepared for Industry Partner: eBilities.
Chalmers, K., Karyanidis, F., Freeman, E., Pritchard, L., Dando, L. (2014). Assessment of Children’s Working Memory: Final Report on the Working Memory Power Test. Report prepared for Industry Partner: eBilities.
CONTACT
The School of Psychology
The University of Newcastle
AUSTRALIA 2308