Dr Matt Owens

About me:

Matt is a Developmental Psychologist whose primary research area is the prevention and treatment of common mental illnesses such as depression, with a particular focus on understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in its aetiology and pathogenesis in children, adolescents and young adults. Matt is committed to leading research that will help prevent this very common and debilitating disorder, which often has its roots in adolescence and young adulthood.

Interests:

Matt’s current research focus revolves around how natural environments can be beneficial for mental wellbeing. To facilitate this project, Matt co-founded the collaborative research Research grOup for Wellbeing And Nature (ROWAN) investigating the link between contact and connection with natural environments and wellbeing.

Qualifications:

• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (Distinction), University of Exeter - 2021
• PhD in Psychology, University of Southampton - 2008
• MSc (Distinction) Research Methods in Psychology, University of Southampton - 2005

Career:

Matt started his research career as a Research Assistant at the Dorset Research Development and Support Unit with Professor Roger Baker. Here he worked on a clinical psychology programme developing an emotional processing paradigm. Matt gained his MSc in Research Methods at the University of Southampton, where he went on to win an ESRC-funded collaborative award with the School of Psychology and Hampshire Educational Psychology Service.

His PhD focussed on how anxiety and depression affect working memory processes and academic performance in schoolchildren. He was supervised by Dr Julie Hadwin and Professor Jim Stevenson at the University of Southampton and examined by Professor Michael Eysenck (University of London).

Matt then took a position as postdoctoral scientist with Professor Ian Goodyer in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge (2009-2014). In this role he tested and developed models of emotional disorder and psychological traits in large longitudinal cohorts.

Matt then moved to the University of Exeter to work with Professor Ed Watkins as a Research Fellow at the MDC and Trial Manager for the multi-centre European trial (MooDFOOD) that assessed the effect of nutritional strategies on the prevention of depression.

Matt is currently the Programme Director for the MSc Clinical Psychology Programme and teaches on a number of modules including his Year 3 undergraduate module on Prevention Science in Developmental Psychopathology (PSY3446).

Current research interests are focused on understanding how contact with nature can improve wellbeing.