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Centre for Child, Adolescent and Family Research

 

Biography

Claire's Research

Professor Claire Hughes is Deputy Director at the Centre for Family Research. Claire carries out international collaborative investigations into theory of mind and executive function in children from different cultures. She also carries out more applied work, such as developing tools for teachers to identify children likely to benefit from extra support during the transition to school. 

In 2021, Claire and her team took on the challenging task of investigating children's transitions to school - in a year that has been like no other for children starting school.  This has involved developing zoom-based tasks and remote methods of working with teachers. A recent philanthropic donation has enabled Claire to extend this ESRC-funded work to Hong Kong and mainland China.  Claire has also received funding for a pan-African workshop to bring together researchers interested in children's conversational environments.

Prior to this, Claire worked with collaborators in New York and the Netherlands (Clancy Blair and Judi Mesman), to complete a study of new mothers and fathers (446 couples) who were tracked across the transition to parenthood to the children's second birthdays. The aim of this study was to investigate how early parent-infant interactions mediate relations between prenatal wellbeing (in both fathers and mothers) and the early development of executive control and self-regulation. The findings show remarkable similarities for mothers and fathers, despite large differences in mothers' and fathers' contact time.

Claire is: 

  • Deputy Director for the Centre for Family Research
  • Deputy Head for the Psychology Department (Wellbeing, Equality and Diversity)
  • Director of Studies at Newnham College
  • Subject Convenor for the PBS Tripos

 

Read More

Read more about Claire's research, and the wider research of the Centre, by heading to our Research pages. You can also check out a selection of her published papers by clicking on the 'Publications' section, below.

 

Claire's Background

Claire has conducted a number of in-depth longitudinal studies (funded principally by the ESRC) to investigate the origins and consequences of young children’s socio-cognitive skills. In the longest of these studies, Claire and her team tracked a socially diverse sample of toddlers across preschool and primary school to pre-adolescence, filming the children in this 'Toddlers Up' study interacting with mothers, siblings, friends and unfamiliar peers at multiple time-points. In 2013, her book about this study ‘Social Understanding, Social Lives’ was awarded the British Psychological Society (BPS) Book of the Year prize.

Claire joined the Centre for Family Research and Newnham College after 6 years working at the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, where her research interests focused on ‘hard to manage’ pre-schoolers. Prior to that, Claire had completed her first degree and PhD (on the topic of executive function in autism) at the University of Cambridge. She then spent two years in a post-doc position in Paris, investigating executive functions in parents and siblings of children with autism, before returning to the UK and Cambridge.

 

Publications

Key publications: 

For access to PDFs of Claire's papers, please refer to her ORCID account: orcid.org/0000-0003-2545-3025

Papers published in 2021

Brown, R., Eisner, M., Walker, S., Tomlinson, M., Fearon, P., Dunne, M., Hughes, C. & Murray, A. L. The impact of maternal adverse childhood experiences and prenatal depressive symptoms on foetal attachment: Preliminary evidence from expectant mothers across eight middle-income countries.

Brown, R. H., Eisner, M., Valdebenito, S., Walker, S., Tomlinson, M., Hughes, C. & Murray, A. L. (2021). What research questions should the next generation of birth cohort studies address? An international Delphi study of experts. Academic pediatrics, 21(1), 43-52

Foley, S., Hughes, C., Murray, A.L., Baban, A., Fernando, A.D., Madrid, B., Osafo, J., Sikander, S., Abbasi, F., Walker, S., Luong-Thanh, B.-Y., Bảo, Y.L.T., Tomlinson, M., Fearon, P., Ward, C.L., Valdebenito, S., Eisner, M. (2021). Prenatal attachment: using measurement invariance to test the validity of comparisons across eight culturally diverse countries Archives of Women's Mental Health.

Foley, S., Hughes, C., Murray, A.L., Baban, A., Fernando, A.D., Madrid, B., Osafo, J., Sikander, S., Abbasi, F., Walker, S., Luong-Thanh, B.-Y., Bảo, Y.L.T., Tomlinson, M., Fearon, P., Ward, C.L., Valdebenito, S., Eisner, M.Prenatal attachment: using measurement invariance to test the validity of comparisons across eight culturally diverse countries. Archives of Women's Mental Health.

Fujita, N., & Hughes, C. (2021). A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Maternal Mind-Mindedness and Speech Characteristics between Japan and the UK. Social Development, 30, 57-72.

Guagliano, J. M., Armitage, S. M., Brown, H. E., Coombes, E., Fusco, F., Hughes, C., Jones, A.P., Morton, K.L. & van Sluijs, E. M. (2020). A whole family-based physical activity promotion intervention: findings from the families reporting every step to health (FRESH) pilot randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17(1), 1-14.

Guagliano, J.M., Morton, K.L., Hughes, C., van Sluijs, E.M.F. (2021). Effective and resource-efficient strategies for recruiting families in physical activity, sedentary behavior, nutrition, and obesity prevention research: A systematic review with expert opinion. Obesity Reviews, 22 (4), art. no. e13161.

McHarg, G., & Hughes, C. (2021). Prosocial television and prosocial toddlers: A multi-method, longitudinal investigation. Infant behavior and development, 62, 101526.

McHarg, G., Ribner, A. D., Devine, R. T., & Hughes, C. (2020). Screen Time and Executive Function in Toddlerhood: A Longitudinal Study. Frontiers in Psychology, 11.

Murray, A. L., Hemady, C. L., Dunne, M., Foley, S., Osafo, J., Sikander, S., Hughes, C. & Walker, S. Measuring antenatal depressive symptoms across the world: A validation and cross-country invariance analysis of the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9) in eight diverse low resource settings.

Murray, A. L., Speyer, L. G., Hall, H. A., Valdebenito, S., & Hughes, C. (2021). A Longitudinal and Gender Invariance Analysis of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Across Ages 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, and 17 in a Large UK-Representative Sample.

Murray, A. L., Speyer, L. G., Hall, H. A., Valdebenito, S., & Hughes, C. Teacher versus parent informant invariance of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.

Murray, A. L., Kaiser, D., Valdebenito, S., Hughes, C., Baban, A., Fernando, A. D., A.D., Madrid, B., Ward, C.L., Osafo, J., Dunne, M., Sikander, S., Walker, S., Van Thang, V., Tomlinson, M. & Eisner, M. (2020). The intergenerational effects of intimate partner violence in pregnancy: mediating pathways and implications for prevention. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 21(5), 964-976.

Valdebenito, S., Murray, A., Hughes, C., Băban, A., Fernando, A. D., Madrid, B. J., Ward, C., Osafo, J., Dunne, M., Sikander, S., Walker, S.P., Thang, V.V., Tomlinson, M., Fearon, P., Shenderovich, Y., Marlow, M., Chathurika, D., Taut, D., & Eisner, M. (2020). Evidence for Better Lives Study: a comparative birth-cohort study on child exposure to violence and other adversities in eight low-and middle-income countries-foundational research (study protocol). BMJ open, 10, e034986.

Xu, C., Ellefson, M. R., Ng, F. F. Y., Wang, Q., & Hughes, C. (2020). An East–West contrast in executive function: Measurement invariance of computerized tasks in school-aged children and adolescents. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 199, 104929.

Papers published in 2020

Brarena, S.H., Brandes-Aitkena, A., Ribnera, A., Perrya, R.E., Blair, C., the New Fathers and Mothers Study (NewFAMS) Team. (2020). Maternal psychological stress moderates diurnal cortisol linkage in expectant fathers and mothers during late pregnancy. Psychoneuroendocrinology, Vol. 111, 104474.

Brown, R.H., Eisner, M., Valdebenito, S., Walker, S., Tomlinson, M., Hughes, C., Ward, C.L., Osafo, J., Sikander, S., Fearon, P., Dunne, M.P., Madrid, B., Baban, A., Van Thang, V., Fernando, A.D., Murray, A.L. What research questions should the next generation of birth cohort studies address? An international Delphi study of experts, Academic Pediatrics.

Hughes, C., & Devine, R. T., Foley, S., Ribner, A., Mesman, J. & Blair, C. (2020). Couples Becoming Parents: Trajectories for Psychological Distress and Buffering Effects of Social Support. Journal of Affective Disorders.

Hughes, C., Devine, R.T., Mesman, J. & Blair, C. (2020). Understanding the Terrible Twos: A longitudinal investigation of the impact of early executive function and parent-child interactions. Developmental Science.

McHarg, G., Ribner, A., Devine, R. T., Hughes, C., the New FAMS Team. (2020). Infant screen exposure links to toddlers’ inhibition, but not other EF constructs: A propensity score study. Infancy.

Papers published in 2019

Baker, K., Devine, R.T., Ng-Cordell, E., Erwood, M., IMAGINE consortium, Raymond, L., Hughes, C. (2019). Childhood intellectual disability and parents’ mental health. Integrating social, psychological, and genetic influence. British Journal of Psychiatry.

Branger M.C.E., Emmen R.A.G., Woudstra M.-L.J., Alink L.R.A., Mesman J., & NewFAMS team. (2019). Context Matters: Maternal and Paternal Sensitivity to Infants in Four Settings. Journal of Family Psychology.

Devine, R.T., Ribner, A., & Hughes, C. (2019). Measuring and Predicting Individual Differences in Self-Control at 14 Months: A Longitudinal Study. Child Development, 90(4).

Ellefson, M., Zachariou, A., Ng, F., Wang, Q., & Hughes, C. (2019). Do Executive Functions Mediate the Link between Socioeconomic Status and Numeracy Skills? A Cross-Site Comparison of Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.

Fink, E., Browne, W.V., Kirk, I., & Hughes, C. (2019). Couple relationship quality and the infant home language environment: Gender-specific findings. Journal of Family Psychology.

Fink, E., & Hughes, C., (2019). Children’s friendships. The Psychologist, Vol.32 (pp.28-31).

Foley, S., Branger, M. C. E., Alink, L. R. A., Lindberg, A., & Hughes, C. (2019). Thinking About You Baby: Expectant Parents’ Narratives Suggest Prenatal Spillover for Fathers. Journal of Family Psychology.

Guagliano JM, Brown HE, Coombes E, et al. (2019). Whole family-based physical activity promotion intervention: the Families Reporting Every Step to Health pilot randomised controlled trial protocol. BMJ Open, 9:e030902.

Guagliano, J. M., Brown, H. E., Coombes, E., Morton, K. L., Jones, A.P., Hughes, C., Wilson, E. C. F., & van Sluijs, E. M. F. (2019). Development and feasibility of a family-based physical activity promotion intervention: The Families Reporting Every Step to Health (FRESH) study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 5(21).

Li W., Woudstra M.-L.J., Branger M.C.E., Wang L., Alink L.R.A., Mesman J., Emmen R.A.G., and the NewFAMS team. The effect of the still-face paradigm on infant behavior: A cross-cultural comparison between mothers and fathers. Infancy Vol.24 Issue 6 (pp.893-910).

McHarg, G., Fink, E., & Hughes, C. (2019). Crying babies, empathic toddlers, responsive mothers and fathers: Exploring parent-toddler interactions in an empathy paradigm. J Exp Child Psychol 179:23-37.

Hughes, C. (2019) How do parents guide children towards ‘playing to learn’? Reflections on four studies in a special issue on self- and co-regulation in early childhood. Metacognition Learning 14, 315–326.

Hughes, C., Foley, S., Devine, R.T., Boddington, L., Holmes, E., & the New FAMS team. (2019). Worrying in the Wings: Negative Emotional Birth Memories in Mothers and Fathers Show Similar Associations with Perinatal Mood Disturbance and Delivery Mode. Archives of Women's Mental Health.

Hughes, C., & Devine, R. T. (2019). For Better or for Worse? Positive and Negative Parental Influences on Young Children's Executive Function. Child Development, 90(2):593-609.

Hughes, C., Devine, R.T., Mesman, J. & Blair, C. (2019). Parental Wellbeing, Couple Relationship Quality and Children’s Behavior Problems in the First Two Years of Life. Development and Psychopathology, 1-10.

Lai, R. P., Ellefson, M. R., Hughes, C. 2019). Executive Function and Metacognition Show Independent Associations with Academic Performance During Late Childhood and Early Adolescence. Revision under review.Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.

Ribner, A., McHarg, G., The NewFAMS Study Team (2019). Why won’t she sleep? Screen exposure and sleep patterns in young infants. Infant Behavior and Development, Vol. 57.

Papers published in 2018

Devine, R. T., & Hughes, C. (2018). Family correlates of false belief understanding in early childhood: A meta‐analysis. Child Development, 89(3), 971-987.

Fink, E., Browne, W., Hughes, C., & Gibson, J. (2018). Using a ‘child's‐eye view’ of social success to understand the importance of school readiness at the transition to formal schooling. Social Development, 28(1):186-199.

Foley, S., & Hughes, C. (2018). Great expectations? Do mothers’ and fathers’ prenatal thoughts and feelings about the infant predict parent-infant interaction quality? A meta-analytic review. Developmental Review.

Hughes, C., Devine, R. T., & Wang, Z. (2018). Does parental mind‐mindedness account for cross‐cultural differences in preschoolers’ theory of mind? Child Development, 89(4), 1296-1310.

Hughes, C., Foley, S., White, N., Devine, R.T. (2018). School readiness in children with special educational needs and disabilities: Psychometric findings from a new screening tool, the Brief Early Skills, and Support Index. British Journal of Educational Psychology, Volume 88, Issue 4, 606-627.

Hughes, C., McHarg, G., & White, N. (2018). Sibling influences on prosocial behavior. Current opinion in psychology, 20, 96-101.

Hughes, C., White, N., Foley, S., & Devine, R. T. (2018). Family support and gains in school readiness: A longitudinal study. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 88(2), 284-299.

Hughes, C. H., Lindberg, A., & Devine, R. (2018). Autonomy Support in Toddlerhood: Similarities and Contrasts between Mothers and Fathers. Journal of Family Psychology, 32(7), 915-925.

McIntyre, N. S., Oswald, T. M., Solari, E. J., Zajic, M. C., Lerro, L. E., Hughes, C., . . . Mundy, P. C. (2018). Social cognition and Reading comprehension in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders or typical development. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 54, 9-20.

Murray, L., Jennings, S., Mortimer, A., Prout, A., Melhuish, E., Hughes, C., . . . Cooper, P. J. (2018). The impact of early-years provision in Children’s Centres (EPICC) on child cognitive and socio-emotional development: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials, 19(1), 450.

Murray, A. L., Kaiser, D., Valdebenito, S., Hughes, C., Baban, A., Fernandpo, A. D., … Eisner, M. (2018). The Intergenerational Effects of Intimate Partner Violence in Pregnancy: Mediating Pathways and Implications for Prevention. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse.

Papers published from 2016-2017

Hughes, C., Foley, S., White, N., Devine, R.T. (2017). School readiness in children with special educational needs and disabilities: Psychometric findings from a new screening tool, the Brief Early Skills, and Support Index. DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12206 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjep.12206/full

Devine, R.T. & Hughes, C. (2017). Let’s Talk: Parents’ Mental Talk (not Mind-Mindedness or Mindreading Capacity) predicts Children’s False Belief Understanding Child Development DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12990 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdev.12990/full

Cassels, M.T., White, N., Gee, N., Hughes, C. (2017). One of the family? Measuring early adolescents' relationships with pets and siblings Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 49, pp. 12-20.

Devine, R.T. & Hughes, C. (2017). Family correlates of false belief understanding in early childhood: A meta-analysis. Child Development, Early Online View, DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12682.

Hughes, C., Aldercotte, A., Foley, S. (2017) Maternal Mind-Mindedness Provides a Buffer for Pre-Adolescents at Risk for Disruptive Behavior Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 45 (2), pp. 225-235.

Hughes, C., Devine, R.T. & Wang, Z. (2017). Does parental mind-mindedness account for cross-cultural differences in preschoolers’ theory of mind? Child Development, Early Online View, DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12746

Hughes, C. & Devine, R.T. (2017).  For better, for worse: Positive and Negative Parental Influences on Preschoolers’ Executive Functions.  Child Development. Early Online View, DOI: 08:26:38.770206

Hughes, C., White, N., Foley, S. & Devine., R.T. (2017). Family Support and Gains in School Readiness: Longitudinal Findings. Accepted for publication in British Journal of Educational Psychology.

Devine, R.T., Bignardi, G. & Hughes, C. (2016). Executive function mediates the relations between parental behaviours and children’s early academic ability. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1902

White, N. & Hughes, C. (2017): Why Siblings Matter: The role of brother and sister relationships in development and wellbeing. Psychology Press DOI:10.1037/0033-2909.102.3.357

Freeman, D., Sheaves, B., Goodwin,G.M., Hughes, C. et al. (2017). The effects of improving sleep on mental health (OASIS): a randomised controlled trial with mediation analysis. The Lancet psychiatry. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(17)30328-0/fulltext

Shahaeian, A., Razmjoee, M., Wang, C., Elliott, S. N., Hughes, C. (2017) Understanding relational aggression during early childhood: An examination of the association with language and other social and cognitive skills. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Volume 40, 3rd Quarter 2017, Pages 204-214. 

Hughes, C., McHarg, G., White, N. (2018) Sibling influences on prosocial behavior. Current Opinion in Psychology, 20, pp. 96-101. http://communications.elsevier.com/r/?id=h4cc5adc9,1c7f05df,1c96b52a&p1=authors.elsevier.com/a/1VegT,rU~NcJZ1

Devine, R.T., White, N., Ensor, R., Hughes, C. (2016) Theory of mind in middle childhood: Longitudinal associations with executive function and social competence. Developmental Psychology, 52 (5), pp. 758-771.

Devine, R.T., Hughes, C. (2016) Measuring theory of mind across middle childhood: Reliability and validity of the Silent Films and Strange Stories tasks. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 149, pp. 23-40. DOI.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2017.04.002.

Devine, R.T., Hughes, C. (2016) Family Correlates of False Belief Understanding in Early Childhood: A Meta-Analysis. Child Development, Article in Press.

Ellefson, M., Ng, F., Wang, Q., & Hughes, C. (2016). Efficiency of Executive Function: A Two-Generation Cross-Cultural Comparison of Samples from Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Psychological Science. Article in Press.

Hughes, C. (2016) Theory of mind grows up: Reflections on new research on theory of mind in middle childhood and adolescence. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 149, pp. 1-5.

Hughes, C., Devine, R.T. & Wang, Z. (2017) Does Parental Mind-Mindedness Account for Cross-Cultural Differences in Preschoolers’ Theory of Mind?  Child Development.  Article in press.

Hughes, C., Aldercotte, A., Foley, S. (2016) Maternal Mind-Mindedness Provides a Buffer for Pre-Adolescents at Risk for Disruptive Behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, pp. 1-11. Article in Press.

Roman, G.D., Ensor, R., Hughes, C. (2016) Does executive function mediate the path from mothers' depressive symptoms to young children's problem behaviors? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 142, pp. 158-170.

Wang, Z., Devine, R.T., Wong, K.K., Hughes, C. (2016) Theory of mind and executive function during middle childhood across cultures. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 149, pp. 6-22.

Cassels, M., White, N., McGee, N. & Hughes, C. (2017) One of the family? Measuring early adolescents' relationships with pets and siblings. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.

Papers published from 2014-2015

Devine, R.T., Hughes, C. (2014) Relations between false belief understanding and executive function in early childhood: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 85 (5), pp. 1777-1794.

Ensor, R., Devine, R.T., Marks, A., Hughes, C. (2014) Mothers' Cognitive References to 2-Year-Olds Predict Theory of Mind at Ages 6 and 10. Child Development, 85 (3), pp. 1222-1235.

Healy, S.J., Murray, L., Cooper, P.J., Hughes, C., Halligan, S.L. (2015) A Longitudinal Investigation of Maternal Influences on the Development of Child Hostile Attributions and Aggression. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 44 (1), pp. 80-92.

Hughes, C. (2015) The transition to school. Psychologist, 28 (9), pp. 714-717.

Hughes, C., Daly, I., Foley, S., White, N., Devine, R.T. (2015) Measuring the foundations of school readiness: Introducing a new questionnaire for teachers - The Brief Early Skills and Support Index (BESSI). British Journal of Educational Psychology, 85 (3), pp. 332-356.

Hughes, C., Devine, R.T. (2015) Individual Differences in Theory of Mind From Preschool to Adolescence: Achievements and Directions. Child Development Perspectives, 9 (3), pp. 149-153.

Hughes, C., White, N., Ensor, R. (2014) How does talk about thoughts, desires, and feelings foster children's socio-cognitive development? Mediators, moderators and implications for intervention. Contributions to Human Development, 26, pp. 95-105.

Lecce, S., Bianco, F., Devine, R.T., Hughes, C., Banerjee, R. (2014) Promoting theory of mind during middle childhood: A training program. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 126, pp. 52-67.

White, N., Ensor, R., Marks, A., Jacobs, L., Hughes, C. (2014)"It's Mine!" Does Sharing with Siblings at Age 3 Predict Sharing with Siblings, Friends, and Unfamiliar Peers at Age 6? Early Education and Development, 25 (2), pp. 185-201.

Wong, K.K., Freeman, D., Hughes, C. (2014) Suspicious young minds: Paranoia and mistrust in 8- To 14-year-olds in the UK and Hong Kong. British Journal of Psychiatry, 205 (3), pp. 221-229.

Papers published from 2010-2013

Devine, R.T., & Hughes, C. (2013): Silent Films and Strange Stories: Theory of mind, gender and social experiences in middle childhood.  Child Development. 84, 989-1003.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdev.12017/abstract;jsessionid=6EAF1EF433FF98ED8D2D9CBEA3D9DDEB.f03t02

Hughes, C., Roman, G., Hart, M.J & Ensor, R. (2013). Does Maternal Depression Predict Young Children’s Executive Function? A 4-year Longitudinal Study. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 169-177.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.12014/abstract

Ensor, R., Roman, G., & Hughes, C., (2012) Mothers’ Depressive Symptoms and Low Mother-Toddler Mutuality Both Predict Children’s Maladjustment. Infant and Child Development, 21, 52-66.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/icd.762/abstract 

Ensor, R., Spencer, D., & Hughes, C. (2011). 'You feel sad?'  Emotion Understanding Mediates Predictors of Prosocial Behaviour: Findings from 2-to 4-years. Social Development. 20, pp. 93-110.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9507.2009.00572.x/abstract

Ensor, R., Hart, M., Jacobs, L., Hughes, C. (2011). Gender differences in children's problem behaviours in competitive play with friends. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 29, pp. 176-187.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2044-835X.2010.02016.x/abstract

Hughes, C., & Ensor, R. (2011). Individual Differences in Growth in Executive Function Across the Transition to School Predict Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviors and Children's Self-Perceived Academic Success at Age 6. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology (special issue on Executive Functions).108, 663-676.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022096510001268

Hughes, C. & Ensor, R. (2011). Individual differences in false-belief understanding are stable from ages 3 to 6 and predict children's mental state talk with friends. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 108, 96-112.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022096510001608

Hughes, C., (2011). Changes and challenges in 20 years of research into the development of executive function. Infant and Child Development, 20 251-271.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/icd.736/abstract

Lecce, S., Caputi, M., Hughes, C. (2011). Does sensitivity to criticism mediate the relationship between theory of mind and academic achievement? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 110 313-331.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002209651100124X

Ensor, R., Spencer, D., & Hughes, C. (2011). 'You feel sad?'  Emotion Understanding Mediates Predictors of Prosocial Behaviour: Findings from 2-to 4-years. Social Development. 20, pp. 93-110.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9507.2009.00572.x/abstract

Ensor, R., Hart, M., Jacobs, L., Hughes, C. (2011). Gender differences in children's problem behaviours in competitive play with friends. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 29, pp. 176-187.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2044-835X.2010.02016.x/abstract

Hughes, C., & Ensor, R. (2011). Individual Differences in Growth in Executive Function Across the Transition to School Predict Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviors and Children's Self-Perceived Academic Success at Age 6. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology (special issue on Executive Functions).108, 663-676.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022096510001268

Hughes, C. & Ensor, R. (2011). Individual differences in false-belief understanding are stable from ages 3 to 6 and predict children's mental state talk with friends. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 108, 96-112.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022096510001608

Hughes, C., (2011). Changes and challenges in 20 years of research into the development of executive function. Infant and Child Development, 20 251-271.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/icd.736/abstract

Lecce, S., Caputi, M., Hughes, C. (2011). Does sensitivity to criticism mediate the relationship between theory of mind and academic achievement? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 110 313-331.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002209651100124X

Ensor, R., & Hughes, C. (2010). With a Little Help from My Friends: Maternal Social Support, via Parenting, Promotes Willingness to Share in Preschoolers Born to Young Mothers. Infant and Child Development. 19, 127–141.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/icd.643/abstract

Ensor, R., Marks, A., & Hughes, C. (2010). Trajectories of antisocial behaviour towards siblings predict antisocial behaviour towards peers. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 51, 1208-1216.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02276.x/abstract

Hughes, C., Ensor, R., Wilson, A., & Graham, A. (2010). Tracking Executive Function Across the Transition to School: A Latent Variable Approach. Developmental Neuropsychology, 35, 20-36.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/87565640903325691#.UlsDepX3AUs 

Hughes, C., Marks, A., Ensor, R. & Lecce, S. (2010). A Longitudinal Study of Conflict and Inner State Talk in Children’s Conversations with Mothers and with Younger Siblings. Social Development, 19, 822-837.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9507.2009.00561.x/abstract

Lecce, S., & Hughes, C. (2010). ‘The Italian job?’: Comparing theory of mind performance in British and Italian children. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 28, 747-766.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1348/026151009X479006/abstract

 

Other publications: 

Books

White, N. & Hughes, C. (2017): Why Siblings Matter: The role of brother and sister relationships in development and wellbeing.  Psychology Press DOI:10.1037/0033-2909.102.3.357 (To watch a 2-minute video of Claire talking about this new book, click here.)

Hughes, C. (2011).  Social Understanding, Social Lives. From toddlerhood through to the transition to school.  224pp Psychology Press, London.*

 

*Winner of the 2013 British Psychological Society (BPS) Book of the Year prize.

Teaching and Supervisions

Teaching: 

Claire is the course organizer for the third year PBS paper ‘Development and Psychopathology’ and also contributes to the second year PBS paper on Social and Developmental Psychology (www.pbs.tripos.cam.ac.uk).  Her lectures include two third year modules (Risk and Resilience in the Perinatal Period; Conduct Disorder and Bullying) and five second-year lectures on children’s social and cognitive development.