Pasco Fearon, PhD
Professor Adjunct in the Child Study CenterCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
A feasibility study of a preventative, transdiagnostic intervention for mental health problems in adolescence: building resilience through socioemotional training (ReSET)
Lloyd A, Law R, Midgley N, Wu T, Lucas L, Atkinson E, Steinbeis N, Martin P, Veenstra R, Smith J, Ly L, Bird G, Murphy J, Plans D, Munafò M, Penton-Voak I, Deighton J, Richards K, Richards M, Fearon P, Viding E. A feasibility study of a preventative, transdiagnostic intervention for mental health problems in adolescence: building resilience through socioemotional training (ReSET). Child And Adolescent Psychiatry And Mental Health 2025, 19: 29. PMID: 40121508, PMCID: PMC11929178, DOI: 10.1186/s13034-025-00870-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMental health problemsEmotional processingSchool-based interventionsGroup-based psychotherapyResearch measuresSocial relationshipsInterpersonal psychotherapyTransdiagnostic interventionEmotion regulationEmotion perceptionPost-intervention assessmentSchool-based settingsHealth problemsMethodsThe feasibility studyDevelopmental periodMental healthEmotionsPsychotherapyCohesion interventionSchool settingsAdolescentsIntervention participantsParticipantsRetention of participantsRandomised controlled trialsProtocol for the economic evaluation of group interpersonal therapy for postnatal depression compared with high-quality standard care in Kenya and Lebanon (SUMMIT trial)
Jaoude G, Madeghe B, Maradian S, Posbic P, Machoka J, Ndamaiyu G, Simes E, O’Donnell C, Wallace-Hanlon S, Evans R, Fearon P, Allison E, Pilling S, Verdeli L, Cheng B, Fouad F, Ngunu C, Chammay R, Kumar M, Fonagy P, Skordis J. Protocol for the economic evaluation of group interpersonal therapy for postnatal depression compared with high-quality standard care in Kenya and Lebanon (SUMMIT trial). NIHR Open Research 2025, 5: 17. DOI: 10.3310/nihropenres.13838.1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchInterpersonal therapyIncremental cost-effectiveness ratioChildren's cognitive developmentCognitive developmentPostnatal depressionEconomic evaluationUniversity College London Research Ethics CommitteeStandard careEstimate incremental cost-effectiveness ratiosLong-term depressionTrial outcomesPoor developmental outcomesPrimary trial outcomeDepression outcomesSecondary trial outcomesMaternal depressionPeer-reviewed journal publicationsControlled superiority trialImprove children's cognitive developmentResearch Ethics CommitteeKenyatta National HospitalQuality of lifeCost-effectiveness ratioIntention-to-treat analysisTrial follow-upIntranasal oxytocin increases breast milk oxytocin, but has a reduced effect in depressed mothers: A randomized controlled trialcon
Lindley Baron-Cohen K, Fearon P, Feldman R, Hardiman P, Zagoory-Sharon O, Meins E, Fonagy P. Intranasal oxytocin increases breast milk oxytocin, but has a reduced effect in depressed mothers: A randomized controlled trialcon. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2025, 174: 107374. PMID: 39891981, DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107374.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEdinburgh Postnatal Depression ScaleBreast milkPostnatal depressionSymptoms of postnatal depressionAdministration of exogenous OTOT concentrationsCut-off pointRandomized controlled trialsPostnatal Depression ScalePostnatal depressive symptomsDouble-blindNasal sprayMother-infant bondingPotential biological mechanismsMaternal postnatal depressionOT contentBreast milk samplesMental health vulnerabilitiesOT pathwaysExogenous OTOT administrationControl mothersBreastDepressed mothersOxytocin
2024
Examining longitudinal associations between interpersonal outcomes and general psychopathology factors across preadolescence using random intercept cross‐lagged panel model
Wu T, Lloyd A, Viding E, Fearon P. Examining longitudinal associations between interpersonal outcomes and general psychopathology factors across preadolescence using random intercept cross‐lagged panel model. Journal Of Child Psychology And Psychiatry 2024 PMID: 39731442, DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.14105.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRandom intercept cross-lagged panel modelCross-lagged panel modelWithin-person levelInterpersonal outcomesFriendship qualityMental health problemsFactor scoresRI-CLPMNICHD Study of Early Child CareStudy of Early Child CareP factor’ scoresBetween-person levelNegative cross-lagged effectCross-lagged effectsEarly Child CareNegative bidirectional associationFriendship Quality QuestionnaireAged 9Panel modelPsychopathological factorsUnique varianceNICHD StudyBetween-personAttention problemsChecklist symptomsNo decision about me, without me: Collaborating with young people in mental health research
Lloyd A, Wu T, Lucas L, Agunbiade A, Saleh R, Fearon P, Viding E. No decision about me, without me: Collaborating with young people in mental health research. JCPP Advances 2024, 4: e12291. PMID: 39734923, PMCID: PMC11669772, DOI: 10.1002/jcv2.12291.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMental health researchYouth mental health researchHealth researchPatient public involvementYoung peopleCo-production methodsCo-designDigital support toolsFocus groupsInteractive workshopPublic involvementPsychometric studyDemographic informationPopulation of studyAcademic databasesCo-design activitiesInternational fundersReview studiesPeopleSupport toolCultural contextYouthExpertsPracticeInterventionMaternal mind-mindedness and infant oxytocin are interrelated and negatively associated with postnatal depression.
Lindley Baron-Cohen K, Fearon P, Meins E, Feldman R, Hardiman P, Rosan C, Fonagy P. Maternal mind-mindedness and infant oxytocin are interrelated and negatively associated with postnatal depression. Development And Psychopathology 2024, 1-12. PMID: 39363731, DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424001585.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMaternal mind-mindednessMind-mindednessMind-related commentsStudy 1Study 2Mothers' appropriate mind-related commentsLevels of mind-mindednessMothers' caregiving representationsPostnatal depressionSymptoms of depressionParent-child interactionsChildren's social developmentEffects of OTParent-child relationshipMaternal depression scoresChildren's early developmentSample of mothersCaregiving representationsChild OT levelsSalivary OTDepression scoresOT levelsMaternal-infant attachmentPlacebo-controlledDepressionEvocative effects on the early caregiving environment of genetic factors underlying the development of intellectual and academic ability
Austerberry C, Fearon P, Ronald A, Leve L, Ganiban J, Natsuaki M, Shaw D, Neiderhiser J, Reiss D. Evocative effects on the early caregiving environment of genetic factors underlying the development of intellectual and academic ability. Child Development 2024, 95: 2082-2101. PMID: 39081003, PMCID: PMC11579646, DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14142.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChild languageEarly caregiving environmentGene-environment correlationAcademic performanceMothers' warmthFather warmthEvocative effectsIntellectual abilityRGE effectsAcademic abilityIncreased heritabilityAdoptive parentsChildren aged 6WarmthAged 6Academic developmentGenetic effectsGenetic factorsBirth mothersChildrenRGELanguageParentsAdopteesAbilityA systematic review and meta-analysis of the associations between motor milestone timing and motor development in neurodevelopmental conditions
Bowler A, Arichi T, Austerberry C, Fearon P, Ronald A. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the associations between motor milestone timing and motor development in neurodevelopmental conditions. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 2024, 167: 105825. PMID: 39067834, DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105825.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDevelopmental coordination disorderMeta-analysisSystematic reviewMeta-analysesAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderMotor skill assessmentGross motor milestonesMotor skill measuresCoordination disorderNeurodevelopmental conditionsEarly motor skillsLanguage conditionInclusion criteriaMotor skillsClinical diagnosis of autismMotor developmentMotor impairmentSkills assessmentMilestone achievementSubgroup analysisThree-level meta-analysesDeficit hyperactivity disorderMotor milestonesMilestone attainmentDiagnosis of autismPost-traumatic stress disorder symptoms following exposure to acute psychological trauma in children aged 8–16 years in South Africa: protocol for the Sinethemba longitudinal study
Sharp T, Chideya Y, Giuliani A, Hunt X, Tomlinson M, Seedat S, Creswell C, Fearon P, Hamilton-Giachritsis C, Hiller R, Meiser-Stedman R, Du Toit S, Stewart J, Halligan S. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms following exposure to acute psychological trauma in children aged 8–16 years in South Africa: protocol for the Sinethemba longitudinal study. BMJ Open 2024, 14: e085129. PMID: 38991675, PMCID: PMC11624694, DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-085129.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental health outcomesPost-traumatic stress disorderChildren aged 8Caregiver supportHealth outcomesAssociation of psychosocial factorsAdverse mental health outcomesAged 8Traumatic eventsChildren’s post-traumatic stress disorderDepartment of HealthMiddle-income countriesTrauma-related mental healthPsychological risk factorsHigh-income countriesStress disorder symptomsFollow-up assessmentPost-traumatic stress disorder symptomsCape TownMotor vehicle accidentsHealthcare clinicsPsychosocial factorsMental healthPsychological recoveryEthical approvalA meta-analytic examination of sensitive responsiveness as a mediator between depression in mothers and psychopathology in children
Borairi S, Deneault A, Madigan S, Fearon P, Devereux C, Geer M, Jeyanayagam B, Martini J, Jenkins J. A meta-analytic examination of sensitive responsiveness as a mediator between depression in mothers and psychopathology in children. Attachment & Human Development 2024, 26: 273-300. PMID: 38860779, DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2024.2359689.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeta-analytic structural equation modelingIndirect pathwaysFree-play taskEnglish-speaking childrenMother-child interactionMeta-analytic examinationInternalizing psychopathologyExternalizing psychopathologyChild psychopathologyExternalizing behaviorsExternalizing problemsStructural equation modelingModeration analysisPsychopathologyTest moderationStructured tasksEquation modelingIndirect effectsDepressionExternalitiesModeratelyChildrenTaskSensitive responseMeta-analysis