![Christopher Hobson](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/7400?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Christopher Hobson
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for Christopher Hobson
Academic Director (DClinPsy)
Overview
I am the Academic Director for the south Wales Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy). The role involves leading the academic components of the programme, supervising doctoral-level research, and providing teaching. I also contribute to the MSc in Children's Psychological Disorders and am the Clinical Psychologist and a Co-Investigator for the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Research Unit.
My research interests fall into four broad categories.
Firstly, my research has covered various topics in relation to adults and parents, including topics relating to common mental health issues (e.g., anxiety), personailty and trauma, neurodiversity (ADHD and autism), parental perinatal mental health, and parenting intervention research.
Secondly, I am interested in the development of emotional and behavioural difficulties in children and young people and how best to intervene in such problems. Specific interests include the role of executive functioning, emotional development and empathy, parenting factors (the role of parental mental health, parental reflective capacities and parental expressed emotion) in the development of childhood emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Thirdly, but overlapping in terms of relevant theories, I am interested in understanding work-related stress/burnout and how best to provide psychological support to staff who work with complex populations (e.g. those cared for in secure services, homelessness or other social care/mental health settings).
Fourthly, I have also been involved in research into psychological factors in related to a variety of clinical health areas (e.g., Cystic Fibrosis).
Clinically, prior to working on the clinical psychology programme, I worked for six and a half years in secure settings with offenders, including in a Mentalisation Based Treatment service for men, and leading a specialist assessment and treatment service in a women’s prison. My clinical work is currently on an independent basis (mainly conducting assessments of parents involved in childcare proceedings for the family courts and local authorities).
Areas of interest
Attachment and Trauma, Personality Difficulties, Forensic Mental Health/Risk, Parenting, Neurodiversity (ADHD and Autism), Development of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Children/Adolescents, Mental Capacity, Homelessness, Clinical Health Psychology, Staff Work-Related Stress and Burnout.
Publication
2026
- Lavender, S. , Hobson, C. and Waters, C. 2026. The development of a brief parenting intervention to improve children's understanding of emotions: A Delphi study. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice 99 (2), pp.562-586. (10.1111/papt.70043)
- Freeman, K. M. , Hobson, C. W. and Samuel, V. M. 2026. The relationship between psychological flexibility and parental reflective functioning, and their association with parental stress. Journal of Family Issues (10.1177/0192513x261459409)
- Johnson, R. , Hobson, C. and Samuel, V. 2026. A COSMIN systematic review of the psychometric properties of coping skills outcome measures. Personality and Individual Differences 254 113643. (10.1016/j.paid.2026.113643)
- Mwelwa, M. et al. 2026. A qualitative exploration of the experiences of adults with cystic fibrosis unable to benefit from triple combination therapy. Journal of Health Psychology 31 (6), pp.2455-2469. (10.1177/13591053251369393)
2025
- Dorrans, E. M. et al. 2025. Associations between parental depression and anxiety and children’s internalizing and externalizing problems: Investigating expressed emotion as a transdiagnostic mechanism. Child Psychiatry and Human Development (10.1007/s10578-025-01916-1)
- Mwelwa, M. et al. 2025. P413 A qualitative exploration of the experiences of adults with cystic fibrosis unable to benefit from triple combination therapy. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis 24 (Supp 1) S200. (10.1016/j.jcf.2025.03.1297)
2024
- Scoberg, B. , Hobson, C. and van Goozen, S. 2024. Psychometric properties and validity of the screen for child anxiety related emotional disorders: parent version (SCARED-P) in an early childhood sample. Assessment 31 (7), pp.1442-1451. (10.1177/10731911231225203)
- Anning, K. L. et al. 2024. Cool and hot executive function problems in young children: Linking self-regulation processes to emerging clinical symptoms. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 33 , pp.2705-2718. (10.1007/s00787-023-02344-z)
- Anning, K. L. et al. 2024. Inattention symptom severity and cognitive processes in children at risk of ADHD: The moderating role of separation anxiety. Child Neuropsychology 30 (2), pp.264-288. (10.1080/09297049.2023.2190964)
- Ferguson, C. et al. 2024. Disentangling the relationships between motor control and cognitive control in young children with symptoms of ADHD. Child Neuropsychology 30 (2), pp.289-314. (10.1080/09297049.2023.2190965)
- Schneider, C. et al., 2024. ‘It’s intense’ – A mixed-methods analysis of how the COVID-pandemic is impacting on the wellbeing of practitioners in a UK homeless organisation. Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness 33 (1), pp.198-209. (10.1080/10530789.2022.2141870)
2023
- Anning, K. L. et al. 2023. Dimensional associations between executive function processes and symptoms of ADHD, ASD, oppositional defiance and anxiety in young school-referred children. Cortex 167 , pp.132-147. (10.1016/j.cortex.2023.06.005)
- Howe-Davies, H. et al. 2023. Emotional and socio-cognitive processing in young children with symptoms of anxiety. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 32 , pp.2077-2088. (10.1007/s00787-022-02050-2)
- Lavender, S. , Waters, C. S. and Hobson, C. 2023. The efficacy of group delivered mentalization-based parenting interventions: a systematic review of the literature. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 28 (2), pp.761-784. (10.1177/13591045221113392)
2022
- Burley, D. T. et al. 2022. Negative parental emotional environment increases the association between childhood behavioural problems and impaired recognition of negative facial expressions. Development and Psychopathology 34 (3), pp.936-945. (10.1017/S0954579420002072)
- Tucker, J. R. D. and Hobson, C. W. 2022. A systematic review of longitudinal studies investigating the association between early life maternal depression and offspring ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders 26 (9), pp.1167-1186. (10.1177/10870547211063642)
- Adegboye, D. et al. 2022. Understanding de novo onset of anxiety during COVID-19: Pre-pandemic socio-emotional functioning in vulnerable children. JCPP Advances 2 (2) e12076. (10.1002/jcv2.12076)
- Schneider, C. , Hobson, C. and Shelton, K. 2022. ‘Grounding a PIE in the sky’: laying empirical foundations for a psychologically-informed environment to enhance wellbeing and practice in a homeless organisation. Health and Social Care in the Community 30 (3), pp.e657-e667. (10.1111/hsc.13435)
- Peters, L. , Hobson, C. W. and Samuel, V. 2022. A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies that investigate the emotional experiences of staff working in homeless settings. Health and Social Care in the Community 30 (1), pp.58-72. (10.1111/hsc.13502)
- van Goozen, S. H. M. , Langley, K. and Hobson, C. W. 2022. Childhood antisocial behavior: a neurodevelopmental problem. Annual Review of Psychology 73 , pp.353-377. (10.1146/annurev-psych-052621-045243)
2021
- Adegboye, D. et al. 2021. Understanding why the COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown increases mental health difficulties in vulnerable young children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Advances 1 (1) e12005. (10.1111/jcv2.12005)
- Peters, L. , Samuel, V. and Hobson, C. W. 2021. Shining a light on the experiences of staff working with young homeless people: a grounded theory study. Children and Youth Services Review 121 105843. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105843)
2020
- Cooper, S. , Hobson, C. W. and van Goozen, S. H. M. 2020. Facial emotion recognition in children with externalising behaviours: A systematic review. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 25 (4), pp.1068-1085. (10.1177/1359104520945390)
2018
- Carter Leno, V. et al., 2018. Testing the specificity of executive functioning impairments in adolescents with ADHD, ODD/CD and ASD. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 27 (7), pp.899-908. (10.1007/s00787-017-1089-5)
2011
- Hobson, C. W. , Scott, S. and Rubia, K. 2011. Investigation of cool and hot executive function in ODD/CD independently of ADHD. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 52 (10), pp.1035-1043. (10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02454.x)
Articles
- Lavender, S. , Hobson, C. and Waters, C. 2026. The development of a brief parenting intervention to improve children's understanding of emotions: A Delphi study. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice 99 (2), pp.562-586. (10.1111/papt.70043)
- Freeman, K. M. , Hobson, C. W. and Samuel, V. M. 2026. The relationship between psychological flexibility and parental reflective functioning, and their association with parental stress. Journal of Family Issues (10.1177/0192513x261459409)
- Johnson, R. , Hobson, C. and Samuel, V. 2026. A COSMIN systematic review of the psychometric properties of coping skills outcome measures. Personality and Individual Differences 254 113643. (10.1016/j.paid.2026.113643)
- Mwelwa, M. et al. 2026. A qualitative exploration of the experiences of adults with cystic fibrosis unable to benefit from triple combination therapy. Journal of Health Psychology 31 (6), pp.2455-2469. (10.1177/13591053251369393)
- Dorrans, E. M. et al. 2025. Associations between parental depression and anxiety and children’s internalizing and externalizing problems: Investigating expressed emotion as a transdiagnostic mechanism. Child Psychiatry and Human Development (10.1007/s10578-025-01916-1)
- Mwelwa, M. et al. 2025. P413 A qualitative exploration of the experiences of adults with cystic fibrosis unable to benefit from triple combination therapy. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis 24 (Supp 1) S200. (10.1016/j.jcf.2025.03.1297)
- Scoberg, B. , Hobson, C. and van Goozen, S. 2024. Psychometric properties and validity of the screen for child anxiety related emotional disorders: parent version (SCARED-P) in an early childhood sample. Assessment 31 (7), pp.1442-1451. (10.1177/10731911231225203)
- Anning, K. L. et al. 2024. Cool and hot executive function problems in young children: Linking self-regulation processes to emerging clinical symptoms. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 33 , pp.2705-2718. (10.1007/s00787-023-02344-z)
- Anning, K. L. et al. 2024. Inattention symptom severity and cognitive processes in children at risk of ADHD: The moderating role of separation anxiety. Child Neuropsychology 30 (2), pp.264-288. (10.1080/09297049.2023.2190964)
- Ferguson, C. et al. 2024. Disentangling the relationships between motor control and cognitive control in young children with symptoms of ADHD. Child Neuropsychology 30 (2), pp.289-314. (10.1080/09297049.2023.2190965)
- Schneider, C. et al., 2024. ‘It’s intense’ – A mixed-methods analysis of how the COVID-pandemic is impacting on the wellbeing of practitioners in a UK homeless organisation. Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness 33 (1), pp.198-209. (10.1080/10530789.2022.2141870)
- Anning, K. L. et al. 2023. Dimensional associations between executive function processes and symptoms of ADHD, ASD, oppositional defiance and anxiety in young school-referred children. Cortex 167 , pp.132-147. (10.1016/j.cortex.2023.06.005)
- Howe-Davies, H. et al. 2023. Emotional and socio-cognitive processing in young children with symptoms of anxiety. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 32 , pp.2077-2088. (10.1007/s00787-022-02050-2)
- Lavender, S. , Waters, C. S. and Hobson, C. 2023. The efficacy of group delivered mentalization-based parenting interventions: a systematic review of the literature. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 28 (2), pp.761-784. (10.1177/13591045221113392)
- Burley, D. T. et al. 2022. Negative parental emotional environment increases the association between childhood behavioural problems and impaired recognition of negative facial expressions. Development and Psychopathology 34 (3), pp.936-945. (10.1017/S0954579420002072)
- Tucker, J. R. D. and Hobson, C. W. 2022. A systematic review of longitudinal studies investigating the association between early life maternal depression and offspring ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders 26 (9), pp.1167-1186. (10.1177/10870547211063642)
- Adegboye, D. et al. 2022. Understanding de novo onset of anxiety during COVID-19: Pre-pandemic socio-emotional functioning in vulnerable children. JCPP Advances 2 (2) e12076. (10.1002/jcv2.12076)
- Schneider, C. , Hobson, C. and Shelton, K. 2022. ‘Grounding a PIE in the sky’: laying empirical foundations for a psychologically-informed environment to enhance wellbeing and practice in a homeless organisation. Health and Social Care in the Community 30 (3), pp.e657-e667. (10.1111/hsc.13435)
- Peters, L. , Hobson, C. W. and Samuel, V. 2022. A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies that investigate the emotional experiences of staff working in homeless settings. Health and Social Care in the Community 30 (1), pp.58-72. (10.1111/hsc.13502)
- van Goozen, S. H. M. , Langley, K. and Hobson, C. W. 2022. Childhood antisocial behavior: a neurodevelopmental problem. Annual Review of Psychology 73 , pp.353-377. (10.1146/annurev-psych-052621-045243)
- Adegboye, D. et al. 2021. Understanding why the COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown increases mental health difficulties in vulnerable young children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Advances 1 (1) e12005. (10.1111/jcv2.12005)
- Peters, L. , Samuel, V. and Hobson, C. W. 2021. Shining a light on the experiences of staff working with young homeless people: a grounded theory study. Children and Youth Services Review 121 105843. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105843)
- Cooper, S. , Hobson, C. W. and van Goozen, S. H. M. 2020. Facial emotion recognition in children with externalising behaviours: A systematic review. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 25 (4), pp.1068-1085. (10.1177/1359104520945390)
- Carter Leno, V. et al., 2018. Testing the specificity of executive functioning impairments in adolescents with ADHD, ODD/CD and ASD. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 27 (7), pp.899-908. (10.1007/s00787-017-1089-5)
- Hobson, C. W. , Scott, S. and Rubia, K. 2011. Investigation of cool and hot executive function in ODD/CD independently of ADHD. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 52 (10), pp.1035-1043. (10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02454.x)
Research
Research Awards/Funding
- Van Goozen S.H.M, Thapar, A., Shelton, K.H, Langley, K. Hobson, C., Jones, C., Waters, C., & Higgins, A. (2021-2024). Neurodevelopmental Disorders Assessment Unit Feasibility Study: Extension. The Waterloo Foundation. £177,222 (Role – Co-Investigator / Clinical Psychologist)
- Van Goozen S.H.M, Thapar, A., Collishaw, S., Shelton, K., Langley, K. Hobson, C., Burley, D. (2020-2021). Psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: Identifying mental health problems and supporting wellbeing in vulnerable children and families. ESRC:Research Grant - £518k (ES/V009427/1) (Role – Co-Investigator)
- Shelton, K.H. (2018-2020). Evaluation of a Psychologically Informed Environment in Youth Homelessness Organisation. Llamau. (Role – involved in design/planning).
- Van Goozen, S.H.M, Thapar, A., Hay, D., & Waters, C. (2017-2020). Feasibility Study of a Neurodevelopmental Assessment Unit (Waterloo Foundation - £311K). (Role – Clinical Psychologist).
Current/Recent Research or Review Topics
Adult Mental Health/Parenting-Related Research:
- Parental reflective functioning, psychologial flexibility and parental stress.
- Perinatal Posttraumtic Growth (PTG) in fathers & mothers during the perinatal period.
- Impact of ADHD in parents.
- Autistic adults and parenting.
- Pilot and feasibility study of the Emoticoach mentalization-based parenting intervention.
- Development of an ACT-informed parenting intervention for parental anxiety.
- Best practice in cognitive and capacity assessments of parents social care/family court contexts.
- Experiences and perspectives of diagnosis and recovery in Borderline Personality Disorder.
- Psychometric measurement of coping style in adults.
- Relationship between PTSD and weapon carrying in young people.
Child Development
- Executive functioning in externalising behaviours (conduct and attention/hyperactivity difficulties).
- Parental Expressed Emotion and the association with emotional and behavioural problems in children.
- Reactive attachment disorder and disinhibited social engagement disorder, and their relationship to parental coherence and parental reflective functioning.
- Paediatric Epilepsy
- Socio-emotional processing in young children with anxiety.
- Validation the SCARED anxiety measure in young children.
- Impact of COVID on children's mental health.
Clinical Health
- Topics have included psychological issues and coping in relation to a variety of clinical health areas (including Cystic Fibrosis, Cleft Palate, Fibromyalgia, Lipalgia).
Homelessness Settings/ Staff Wellbeing Research
- Burnout and related factors in staff working in homelessness, clinical health or mental health settings.
- Psychologically informed environments (PIEs)
- Staff wellbeing in paediatric intensive care settings.
Teaching
I teach various topics on the South Wales DClinPsy and the MSc in Children's Psychological Disorders
Biography
Academic Employment
2022 – CUR Academic Director, South Wales Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Cardiff and Vale Health Board, Cardiff University, UK
2017 – CUR Clinical Psychologist, Neurodevelopmental Assessment Research Unit, Cardiff University, UK
2016 – 2021 Senior Clinical Tutor, South Wales Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Cardiff and Vale Health Board, Cardiff University, UK
2004 – 2007 Institute of Psychiatry (Research Assistant/PhD Student)
2003 – 2004 Manchester Univeristy (Research Assistant)
Clinical Employment
2011 – CUR Independent Practice (Private practice assessment, intervention, consultation, and expert witness work. Including for the family court and local authorities, criminal court, parole board, national probation service)
2014 – 2016 Clinical Lead, Nexus Personality Disorder Service, HMP Eastwood Park/Avon and Wiltshire NHS Trust
2010 – 2014 Clinical Psychologist, Llanarth Court Hospital, Partnerships in Care
2007 – 2010 Camden and Islington NHS Trust/Royal Holloway University (Trainee Clinical Psychologist)
Professional memberships
- Chartered Member, British Psychological Society
- Registered Psychologist, Health and Care Professions Council
Committees and reviewing
Academic and Curriculum Sub-Committe (DClinPsy) - Chair
Contact Details
[email protected]
+44 29206 88871
Tower Building, Floor 11th, Room 11.04, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT
+44 29206 88871
Tower Building, Floor 11th, Room 11.04, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT
Research themes
Specialisms
- Clinical psychology
- Neurodevelopment
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Parenting
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health