Career Summary
Biography
Dr Emily Freeman is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Newcastle. Her current research focus is on child development, with an interest in both cognitive and social and emotional development. She is particularly interested in the role of play between parents and children and how this lays the foundations for positive child developmental outcomes.
Emily completed her PhD in Cognitive Psychology exploring the effects of lexical characteristics of stimuli, study and test contexts in recognition memory. During her Post-Doc she used EEG and state-trace analysis to examine the process(es) underlying recognition memory decisions.
More recently, Emily has been involved in projects examining working memory. Alongside an Industry Partner, Emily has worked to validate a new measure of working memory, the Working Memory Power Test for Children, and has explored the relationship between working memory and achievement in Primary School aged children. She also supervises a Clinical PhD student on a project looking at the impact of Early Life Stress on adult working memory ability.
In her latest research endeavour, Emily has been exploring the role of father-child rough-and-tumble play (RTP) on child development. Through numerous projects in collaboration with numerous national and international researchers, she has published research looking at topics including how to measure the quality of play interactions, how RTP is related to fewer behavioural problems and increased prosocial behaviour in children, and even the relationship between RTP and injury risk. For an overview of these studies, head over to The Conversation for a brief overview: Kids Learn Valuable Life Skills through Rough and Tumble Play with their Dads.
Qualifications
- PhD (Psychology), University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Science (Psychology)(Honours), University of Newcastle
Keywords
- child development
- cognitive neuroscience
- cognitive psychology
- developmental psychology
- educational psychology
- experimental psychology
- family studies
- father-child play
- psychology
- research methods
- statistics
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 170102 | Developmental Psychology and Ageing | 50 |
| 170299 | Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified | 50 |
Professional Experience
Academic appointment
| Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4/2009 - 1/6/2009 | Research Associate | The University of Adelaide Faculty of Health Sciences Australia |
| 1/7/2008 - 1/4/2009 | Research Associate | The Ohio State University Department of Psychology United States |
| 1/7/2009 - 1/2/2012 | Senior Researcher | University of Newcastle Family Action Centre Australia |
| 1/1/2012 - 1/12/2013 | Research Associate | University of Newcastle Science & IT Australia |
Awards
Award
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2019 |
School of Psychology Award for Best Honours Supervision Practice The University of Newcastle |
Teaching
| Code | Course | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSYC3000 |
Advanced Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology The University of Newcastle PSYC3000 examines advanced univariate research designs and inferential statistics. Statistical methods covered include analysis of variance and multiple linear regression. Students receive comprehensive training in the use of a statistical package in order to analyse, interpret and present findings. Students will critically evaluate research design and develop a research proposal implementing sound research methodology and ethical principles. This course forms part of an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council's accredited sequence. |
Course Coordinator and Lecturer | 1/6/2015 - 31/12/2020 |
| PSYC2200 |
Foundations of Psychological Interventions The University of Newcastle 'Intervention' to change human behaviour underpins much of the professional application of psychology. Psychologists employ a wide variety of strategies to facilitate behaviour change, and implement these intervention strategies across a range of levels. This course will provide information on how theory informs practice across a number of approaches to therapy. Examples of how these approaches need to be tailored to different levels of intervention (e.g. individual vs couples and families) and particular groups (e.g. children vs elderly). |
Course Coordinator and Lecturer | 1/6/2016 - 31/12/2019 |
| PSYC2300 |
Cognitive Psychology The University of Newcastle PSYC2300 examines psychological processes such as attention, memory, word recognition, reasoning and problem solving. Laboratory exercises are used to demonstrate these basic psychological processes. This course forms part of an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council's accredited sequence. |
Course Coordinator and Lecturer | 1/1/2020 - 31/12/2020 |
| PSYC6505 |
Research Development The University of Newcastle This Masters level course provides an overview of the steps in developing a research project from the stage of literature searching and question formulation, through to key issues of research design and choices of methodology, as well as planning for analysis and writing an ethics submission. Key underpinning principles of validity and reliability will be emphasised. Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies will be discussed, including critical appraisal of relevant published research papers. Key statistical tools for research of particular relevance to both clinical and health psychology fields will be reviewed, particularly techniques for multivariate analysis. |
Course Coordinator and Lecturer | 1/7/2014 - 31/12/2016 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Journal article (16 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||||||
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| 2019 |
Goodman JB, Freeman EE, Chalmers KA, 'The relationship between early life stress and working memory in adulthood: A systematic review and meta-analysis', Memory, 27 868-880 (2019) [C1] © 2018, © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Exposure to early life stress has been linked to impairment in cognitive functioning in adulthood. The ... [more] © 2018, © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Exposure to early life stress has been linked to impairment in cognitive functioning in adulthood. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on the relationship between early life stress and working memory, a central component of cognitive functioning. Database searches yielded 358 abstracts matching the search terms. Abstract screening followed by full-text review resulted in 26 publications suitable for inclusion, of which 23 were included in the meta-analysis. Results of the meta-analysis suggested exposure to early life stress was associated with poorer working memory. Even though there were a wide variety of working memory tasks used, this effect was significant for both phonological and visuospatial working memory tasks, and both visual and aural task presentation modalities. The effect was also found in samples with and without clinical psychopathology. This review provides recommendations for future research and implications for clinical practice.
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| 2019 |
Chalmers KA, Freeman EE, 'Working Memory Power Test for Children', Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 37 105-111 (2019) [C1] © The Author(s) 2017. Low working memory (WM) capacity has been linked to poor academic performance and problem behavior. Availability of easy-to-administer screening tests would ... [more] © The Author(s) 2017. Low working memory (WM) capacity has been linked to poor academic performance and problem behavior. Availability of easy-to-administer screening tests would facilitate early detection of WM deficits. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Working Memory Power Test for Children (WMPT) in 170 Australian schoolchildren (8½-11 years). Reliability (internal consistency) and validity of WMPT accuracy scores were examined. WMPT accuracy predicted achievement in reading, numeracy, and spelling. The results provide preliminary evidence of reliability and validity that supports interpretation of the WMPT accuracy score. With additional research, the WMPT could be valuable as an easy-to-administer screener for WM deficits.
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| 2018 |
Chalmers KA, Freeman EE, '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 (2018) [C1] © 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Children assessed as having low working memory capacity have also been shown to perform more poorly than their same-aged peers in... [more] © 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Children assessed as having low working memory capacity have also been shown to perform more poorly than their same-aged peers in measures of academic achievement. Early detection of working memory problems is, therefore, an important first step in reducing the impact of a working memory deficit on the development of academic skills. In this study, we compared a single-test assessment, the Working Memory Power Test for Children (WMPT) and a multi-test assessment, the Automated Working Memory Assessment (AWMA), in their ability to predict academic achievement in reading, numeracy, and spelling. A total of 132 Australian school children (mean age 9¿years, 9¿months) participated in the research. Strong positive correlations between the WMPT and AWMA total scores were found, indicating good convergent validity of the single and multi-test measures. WMPT scores correlated with each of the four AWMA subtests designed to assess verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory. WMPT and AWMA scores separately predicted performance on Word Reading, Numerical Operations, and Spelling. Compared with either measure alone, the WMPT and the AWMA in combination predicted more of the variance in Word Reading and Numerical Operations, but not in Spelling. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
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| 2018 |
Chalmers KA, Freeman EE, '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 (2018) [C1] © 2018 The Australian Psychological Society Objective: The aim of this study was to examine how accuracy and confidence in working memory performance relates to academic achieveme... [more] © 2018 The Australian Psychological Society Objective: The aim of this study was to examine how accuracy and confidence in working memory performance relates to academic achievement as assessed in the Australian national curriculum assessment (National Assessment Program¿Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)). Method: A total of 150 Australian schoolchildren enrolled in Year 4 participated in the study. Accuracy and confidence in performance of a working memory task were assessed. Associations between these working memory measurements and scores in each of the NAPLAN domains (numeracy, reading, persuasive writing, grammar, and spelling) were examined, separately for males and females. Results: Accuracy in working memory performance was associated with achievement in all five NAPLAN domains, in both males and females. Confidence in working memory performance was also related to achievement, but the pattern of results differed for males and females. For females, significant associations were found between confidence and achievement in numeracy, reading, writing, and spelling. For males, confidence was associated with achievement in numeracy only. Females outperformed males in persuasive writing. There was a non-significant trend for males to outperform females in numeracy. Conclusion: The strong links between working memory and achievement highlight the importance of early detection of working memory problems. Further research is needed to examine the extent to which the pattern of results generalises to other year levels.
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| 2017 |
St George JM, Freeman E, 'Measurement of rough-and-tumble play and its relations to child behaviour', Journal of Infant Mental Health, 38 709-725 (2017) [C1]
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| 2017 |
Freeman EE, Karayanidis F, Chalmers KA, 'Metacognitive monitoring of working memory performance and its relationship to academic achievement in Grade 4 children', Learning and Individual Differences, 57 58-64 (2017) [C1] © 2017 Elsevier Inc. The relationship between metacognitive monitoring of working memory performance and academic achievement was examined in 73 Grade 4 children. Working memory w... [more] © 2017 Elsevier Inc. The relationship between metacognitive monitoring of working memory performance and academic achievement was examined in 73 Grade 4 children. Working memory was assessed using the Working Memory Power Test (WMPT) for children. Metacognitive monitoring was assessed by confidence ratings and two calibration measures, the Bias Index and the Absolute Accuracy Index, calculated from WMPT scores. Children also completed the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test - Australian Abbreviated (WIAT-II). Regression analyses showed the Bias Index was the best metacognitive monitoring calibration measure for predicting academic achievement. These findings extend previous research in two important ways. Firstly, we have shown that Grade 4 children have metacognitive monitoring abilities. Secondly, we have demonstrated that children are able to metacognitively monitor their working memory performance and that the calibration of this monitoring is related to their academic achievement.
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| 2015 |
StGeorge J, Fletcher R, Freeman E, Paquette D, Dumont C, 'Father child interactions and children's risk of injury', Early Child Development and Care, (2015) [C1] Unintentional injury is an important cause of infant and child hospitalisation and parents play a key role in reducing children's risk-taking behaviour. Studies show that mat... [more] Unintentional injury is an important cause of infant and child hospitalisation and parents play a key role in reducing children's risk-taking behaviour. Studies show that maternal and paternal parenting and supervision of children differ, but there is little research showing how fathers¿ parenting may influence children's tendency to engage in risk-taking behaviour. Recent theoretical developments suggest that father's parenting may be particularly effective in encouraging safe risk taking. In this study, we examine how well parenting practices typically undertaken by fathers predict rates of children's injury risk at three years. Questionnaire data were collected from 46 fathers. Results show that both duration of rough-and-tumble play and fathers¿ encouragement of perseverance predicted lower rates of injury behaviours, while their stimulation of risk taking predicted higher rates of injury behaviours. The results are discussed in the light of developmentally appropriate risk taking and fathering.
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| 2013 |
Fletcher R, StGeorge J, Freeman E, 'Rough and tumble play quality: Theoretical foundations for a new measure of father-child interaction', Early Child Development and Care, 183 746-759 (2013) [C1] Energetic, competitive, body-contact play (rough and tumble play (RTP)) is commonly observed among young children and is reported as an important feature of father-child relations... [more] Energetic, competitive, body-contact play (rough and tumble play (RTP)) is commonly observed among young children and is reported as an important feature of father-child relationships. Animal studies have demonstrated positive developmental effects of peer-peer play-wrestling, influencing cognitive and social outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the nature of RTP between father and child and its relationship to child development and to describe a theoretically informed measure of the quality of father-child RTP. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
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| 2013 |
Freeman E, Ross NM, St George J, Fletcher R, 'A quantitative analysis of practitioners' knowledge of fathers and fathers' engagement
in family relationship services', Australasian Dispute Resolution Journal, 24 270-277 (2013) [C1]
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| 2012 |
Freeman EE, Fletcher R, Collins CE, Morgan PJ, Burrows TL, Callister R, 'Preventing and treating childhood obesity: Time to target fathers', International Journal of Obesity, 36 12-15 (2012) [C1]
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| 2011 |
Fletcher R, Freeman EE, Matthey S, 'The impact of behavioural parent training on fathers' parenting: A meta-analysis of the triple-p positive parenting program', Fathering: A Journal of Theory, Research, & Practice about Men as Fathers, 9 291-312 (2011) [C1]
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| 2011 |
Fletcher R, Freeman EE, Garfield C, Vimpani GV, 'The effects of early paternal depression on children's development', Medical Journal of Australia, 195 685-689 (2011) [C1]
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| 2010 |
Freeman EE, Heathcote AJ, Chalmers KA, Hockley W, 'Item effects in recognition memory for words', Journal of Memory and Language, 62 1-18 (2010) [C1]
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| 2010 |
Heathcote AJ, Bora B, Freeman EE, 'Recollection and confidence in two-alternative forced choice episodic recognition', Journal of Memory and Language, 62 183-203 (2010) [C1]
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| 2009 |
Heathcote AJ, Freeman EE, Etherington JL, Tonkin J, Bora B, 'A dissociation between similarity effects in episodic face recognition', Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 16 824-831 (2009) [C1]
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| Show 13 more journal articles | |||||||||||
Conference (16 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Freeman E, Robinson E, 'The impact of father-child play interactions on cognitive development', Monreal, Quebec, Canada (2019) | ||||
| 2019 | Robinson E, Freeman E, 'The impact of father-child play interactions on child development A systematic-review', HMRI, Newcastle, Australia (2019) | ||||
| 2018 |
Goodman J, Chalmers K, Freeman E, 'Associations between childhood trauma and working memory ability in adulthood', AUSTRALIAN PSYCHOLOGIST (2018)
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| 2015 |
Chalmers KA, Freeman E, 'The working memory power test for children', University of Sydney (2015) [E3]
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| 2015 | Freeman E, Tillman G, 'Recognition memory for familiar and unfamiliar words: Links between encoding and retrieval', Chicago, IL (2015) [E3] | ||||
| 2015 |
Chalmers KA, Freeman E, Pritchard LM, 'The structure of working meory: Does it differ for children and adults?', Chicago, Illinois (2015) [E3]
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| 2014 |
Chalmers KA, Freeman E, Karayanidis F, 'Working memory confidence and accuracy as predictors of reading, spelling and numeracy', Abstracts of the Psychonomic Society, Long Beach California (2014) [E3]
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| 2006 |
Bohlscheid EE, Chalmers KA, Heathcote AJ, Hockley WE, 'Reflections on the mirror effect: Comparisons of word frequency and nonword pronounceability', Australian Journal of Psychology V58, Suppl: Proceedings of the 33rd Australasian Experimental Psychology Conference, Brisbane (2006) [E3]
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| Show 13 more conferences | |||||
Creative Work (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |
Kelly M, Pohlman S, Marlin S, Shaw G, Shadbolt J, Foulcher N, et al., Brain @ Watt Space, Watt Space Gallery (2019)
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Other (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Freeman E, '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 (2019) |
Grants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 8 |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $423,835 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20202 grants / $304,046
HMRI MRSP Brain and Mental Health 2020$215,825
Funding body: Hunter Medical Research Institute
| Funding body | Hunter Medical Research Institute |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Professor Alan Brichta, Professor Sally Chan, Doctor Sally Hunt, Doctor Agatha Conrad, Professor Scott Brown, Doctor Emily Freeman, Associate Professor Doug Smith, Associate Professor Estelle Sontag, Doctor Carmel Smart |
| Scheme | NSW MRSP Infrastructure Grant |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2020 |
| Funding Finish | 2020 |
| GNo | G1901478 |
| Type Of Funding | C2220 - Aust StateTerritoryLocal - Other |
| Category | 2220 |
| UON | Y |
DadsPlay2 – Feasibility of a father-child play program for children with behavioural difficulties$88,221
Funding body: Department of Health
| Funding body | Department of Health |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Doctor Jennifer St George, Professor Alison Lane, Doctor Linda Campbell, Doctor Emily Freeman |
| Scheme | Child and Youth Health GO2648 |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2020 |
| Funding Finish | 2022 |
| GNo | G1901441 |
| Type Of Funding | C1500 - Aust Competitive - Commonwealth Other |
| Category | 1500 |
| UON | Y |
20191 grants / $7,400
The Feasibility of Father-Child Rough-and-Tumble Play as a Behavioural Intervention Technique$7,400
The aim of this project is to run a pilot study to examine the effectiveness of a play-based, father-focussed parenting intervention to reduce child behaviour problems. It is proposed that a parenting intervention for fathers that gives guidance on what constitutes good quality RTP will not only improve the quality father-child play interactions, but will also result in a reduction in child behaviour problems.
Funding body: Faculty of Science | University of Newcastle
| Funding body | Faculty of Science | University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Faculty Strategic Investment Funding |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2019 |
| Funding Finish | 2019 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20171 grants / $7,000
Prospective study of the impact of father-child interaction on child behaviour$7,000
Prospective study of the impact of father-child interaction on child behaviour
The aim of the current research is to develop and test models of causal associations between fathers’ play and children’s behavioural development using a longitudinal design. We propose a follow-up study of the toddlers engaged in our previous research. Specifically, the research will determine whether the quality of play prospectively improves children’s attention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity at age 3-4, accounting for father and family variables.
Funding body: Faculty of Science and Information Technology
| Funding body | Faculty of Science and Information Technology |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Dr Jennifer StGeorge; Dr Linda Campbell; Dr Emily Freeman |
| Scheme | Strategic small grant |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2017 |
| Funding Finish | 2017 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20161 grants / $1,002
FHEAM 2016 Strategic Pilot Grant$1,002
Neurological and cognitive correlates of father-child play
This application seeks funding to purchase a set of validated assessment tools to assess executive
function and sensory processing in children aged 18 months to 5 years.
Funding body: Faculty of Health and Medicine Pilot Grant University of Newcastle
| Funding body | Faculty of Health and Medicine Pilot Grant University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Dr Jennifer StGeorge; Professor Shelly Lane; Dr Emily Freeman |
| Scheme | UON Faculty of Health and Medicine Pilot Grant |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2016 |
| Funding Finish | 2016 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20141 grants / $1,887
Are short and long term memory really different systems? A context-based alternative $1,887
Funding body: Keats Endowment Research Fund
| Funding body | Keats Endowment Research Fund |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Doctor Emily Freeman, Conjoint Professor Simon Dennis, Associate Professor Kerry Chalmers, Doctor Adam Osth |
| Scheme | Research Grant |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2014 |
| Funding Finish | 2014 |
| GNo | G1400745 |
| Type Of Funding | C3112 - Aust Not for profit |
| Category | 3112 |
| UON | Y |
20121 grants / $12,500
Are two processes one too many? A state-trace analysis of recognition memory for familiar and unfamiliar words.$12,500
Funding body: Keats Endowment Research Fund
| Funding body | Keats Endowment Research Fund |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Associate Professor Kerry Chalmers, Doctor Emily Freeman |
| Scheme | Research Grant |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2012 |
| Funding Finish | 2012 |
| GNo | G1201245 |
| Type Of Funding | Grant - Aust Non Government |
| Category | 3AFG |
| UON | Y |
20111 grants / $90,000
Investigation of recognition memory in behavioural, electrophysiological, and functional neuroimaging domains using state trace analysis$90,000
Funding body: ARC (Australian Research Council)
| Funding body | ARC (Australian Research Council) |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Professor John Dunn, Dr Greig De Zubicaray, Doctor Emily Freeman |
| Scheme | Discovery Projects |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2011 |
| Funding Finish | 2013 |
| GNo | G1100467 |
| Type Of Funding | Aust Competitive - Commonwealth |
| Category | 1CS |
| UON | Y |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Past Supervision
| Year | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Masters | The relationship between paternal parenting stress and rough and tumble play | Psychology, Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle | Australia | Principal Supervisor |
| 2017 | Masters | The relationship between child anxiety and paternal facilitation of child exploration | Psychology, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
Research Collaborations
The map is a representation of a researchers co-authorship with collaborators across the globe. The map displays the number of publications against a country, where there is at least one co-author based in that country. Data is sourced from the University of Newcastle research publication management system (NURO) and may not fully represent the authors complete body of work.
| Country | Count of Publications | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 17 | |
| Canada | 3 | |
| United States | 1 |
News
Kids learn valuable life skills through rough-and-tumble play with their dads
August 21, 2020
Dr Emily Freeman
Position
Lecturer
Cognitive Research Group
School of Psychology
Faculty of Science
Contact Details
| emily.freeman@newcastle.edu.au | |
| Phone | 4921 6115 |
| Links |
Twitter |
Office
| Room | W251 |
|---|---|
| Building | Behavioural Sciences Building |
| Location | Callaghan University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |
NEWS • Aug 21.2020
Kids learn valuable life skills through rough-and-tumble play with their dads
When dads engage in active play with their kids they actually help them cope better with some of the challenges they'll face in life. And no reason why mums can't join in the fun as well.
