Laurel Keats
Autobiographical memory and young people's depressive symptoms across time
Laurel Keats
PhD Student / Research Assistant
School of Psychology
Profile
After completing her first undergraduate degree, Laurel enjoyed a stint of travel and various roles in the area of policy and communications. Before being drawn back to Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka by a strong interest in Psychology; the developmental and clinical fields in particular. Over the last decade, on top of her studies and taking care of two children, she has gained valuable skills through her roles as a research assistant for the Infant and Child Cognition Lab and, and most recently, the Autobiographical Memory Lab. During this time, her interest in child and adolescent psychological wellbeing has remained steadfast. Her PhD looks at how the way young people remember their personal past experiences is related to depressive symptoms over time. This research highlights the complexity of the relationship between autobiographical memory and depressive symptoms and contributes to an empirical base for early interventions to address escalating psychological distress in youth.
Qualifications
Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours, Psychology
Bachelor of Arts, Media Studies and Political Science
Research Interests
Autobiographical memory, narrative identity, child and adolescent psychological wellbeing, child development
PhD topic
Autobiographical memory and young people's depressive symptoms across time
Supervisor/s
Prof Karen Salmon, School of Psychology
Prof Paul Jose, School of Psychology