![Jennifer Keating](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/3007?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Overview
My main research interests lies in identifying and understanding factors which support children's development. I am also interested in sensory processing difficulties and sensory experiences and their impact on child development. I currently work in the Education Data Lab at the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data. In my research I undertake analysis of administrative education data, large scale survey data, and data linkage, focusing on children with additional learning needs.
I previously worked as a Research Associate at the School of Healthcare Sciences and School of Psychology at Cardiff University. In this role, I worked on research projects with a focus on cognitive flexibility, developmental coordination disorder, and the benefits of play for social and emotional development. I use a variety of research methods including behavioural assessments, caregiver-reports, electroencephalography (EEG), and functional near-infared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
Publication
2023
- Keating, J., Gerson, S. A., Jones, C. R., Vanderwert, R. E. and Purcell, C. 2023. Possible disrupted biological movement processing in Developmental Coordination Disorder. Cortex 168, pp. 1-13. (10.1016/j.cortex.2023.06.018)
- Keating, J., Hashmi, S., Vanderwert, R. E., Davies, R. M., Jones, C. R. G. and Gerson, S. A. 2023. Embracing neurodiversity in doll play: Investigating neural and language correlates of doll play in a neurodiverse sample. European Journal of Neuroscience (10.1111/ejn.16144)
- Keating, J., Van Goozen, S., Uljarevic, M., Hay, D. and Leekam, S. 2023. Restricted and repetitive behaviors and their developmental and demographic correlates in 4-8-year-old children: A transdiagnostic approach. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 17, article number: 1085404. (10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1085404)
2022
- Hasshim, N. et al. 2022. Links between daytime napping, night-time sleep quality and infant attention: an eye-tracking, actigraphy and parent-report study. Children 9(11), article number: 1613. (10.3390/children9111613)
- Keating, J., Hasshim, N., Bramham, J., McNicholas, F., Carr, A. and Downes, M. 2022. An exploration of early sleep development in preschool children with and without a familial history of ADHD. Sleep Medicine 100, pp. S27-S28. (10.1016/j.sleep.2022.05.088)
- Keating, J., Gaffney, R., Bramham, J. and Downes, M. 2022. Sensory modulation difficulties and assessment in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review. European Journal of Developmental Psychology 19(1), pp. 110-144. (10.1080/17405629.2021.1889502)
2021
- Keating, J., Bramham, J. and Downes, M. 2021. Sensory modulation and negative affect in children at familial risk of ADHD. Research in Developmental Disabilities 112, article number: 103904. (10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103904)
Articles
- Keating, J., Gerson, S. A., Jones, C. R., Vanderwert, R. E. and Purcell, C. 2023. Possible disrupted biological movement processing in Developmental Coordination Disorder. Cortex 168, pp. 1-13. (10.1016/j.cortex.2023.06.018)
- Keating, J., Hashmi, S., Vanderwert, R. E., Davies, R. M., Jones, C. R. G. and Gerson, S. A. 2023. Embracing neurodiversity in doll play: Investigating neural and language correlates of doll play in a neurodiverse sample. European Journal of Neuroscience (10.1111/ejn.16144)
- Keating, J., Van Goozen, S., Uljarevic, M., Hay, D. and Leekam, S. 2023. Restricted and repetitive behaviors and their developmental and demographic correlates in 4-8-year-old children: A transdiagnostic approach. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 17, article number: 1085404. (10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1085404)
- Hasshim, N. et al. 2022. Links between daytime napping, night-time sleep quality and infant attention: an eye-tracking, actigraphy and parent-report study. Children 9(11), article number: 1613. (10.3390/children9111613)
- Keating, J., Hasshim, N., Bramham, J., McNicholas, F., Carr, A. and Downes, M. 2022. An exploration of early sleep development in preschool children with and without a familial history of ADHD. Sleep Medicine 100, pp. S27-S28. (10.1016/j.sleep.2022.05.088)
- Keating, J., Gaffney, R., Bramham, J. and Downes, M. 2022. Sensory modulation difficulties and assessment in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review. European Journal of Developmental Psychology 19(1), pp. 110-144. (10.1080/17405629.2021.1889502)
- Keating, J., Bramham, J. and Downes, M. 2021. Sensory modulation and negative affect in children at familial risk of ADHD. Research in Developmental Disabilities 112, article number: 103904. (10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103904)
Research
Current projects:
Wales Education Data Lab: In this research, I undertake analysis of administrative education data, large scale survey data, and data linkage, focusing on children with additional learning needs.
Coordination, Movement, and the Brain Study (CoMB): The CoMB study is investigating the neural correlates of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Specifically, I am using electroencephalography (EEG) to examine mirror neuron system activity in children with DCD.
The benefits of doll play: I am working on a number of studies investigating the impact of doll play across a wide number of areas including empathy, social skills, and language. This project involves using functional near-infared spectroscopy, behavioural assessments, caregiver reports, and observational measures.
The role of cognitive flexibility in children's repetitive behaviour: This study examines the role of subtypes of cognitive flexibility (set shifting and representational flexbility) on children's repetitive behaviours.
Biography
Undergraduate education
2017: BA Psychology, University College Dublin (First Class Honours)
Postgraduate education
2020: PhD Psychology, University College Dublin
Employment
2023-present: Research Associate, Wales Insitute of Social and Economic Research and Data
2021-2023: Research Associate, School of Psychology, Cardiff University
2020-2021: Research Associate, School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University
Honours and awards
- University Innovation Institute Strategic Research and Development Fund, Cardiff University - April 2022
- Research Infastructure Bid for Neonatal Brain Imaging Equipment (Co-Investigator), Cardiff University - August 2021
- Shortlisted for Psychological Society of Ireland Division of Neuropsychology Early Career Award – November 2019
- SPARC Public Engagement Funding, UCD – November 2019
- Seed Funding – Dissemination and Outputs, UCD – April 2019
- Graduate Research and Innovation Fund, UCD – March 2019
- Graduate Research and Innovation Fund, UCD – October 2018
- Travel Award, Guarantors of Brain – May 2018
- Postgraduate Scholarship in Arts, UCD – March 2018
Research themes
Specialisms
- Neurodevelopment
- Neurodiversity
- Neuropsychology
- Child and adolescent development