QUT - Academic profiles - Professor Kristin Laurens

Biography

My primary research interests are in child and youth mental health. I conduct multi-disciplinary longitudinal research projects that use cognitive neuroscience and life-course epidemiology methods to characterise developmental pathways from childhood to diverse health, social, and educational outcomes in adolescence and young adulthood. I am motivated to identify new prevention and early intervention opportunities in childhood that promote successful development for all individuals, and I work with clinical colleagues and educational professionals to develop new prevention and intervention programs for young people.

I have received fellowship support for my research via an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (2018-2022), and from the National Institute of Health Research in the UK (Career Development Fellowship [ 2008-2012]; and Postdoctoral Fellowship [2005-2008]), as well as grant funding from diverse sources, including the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, Australian Research Council, and Medical Research Future Fund.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

+61 7 3138 4619

kristin.laurens@qut.edu.au

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Personal details

Positions

Professor
Faculty of Health,
School of Psychology & Counselling

Keywords

developmental psychopathology, epidemiology, cognitive neuroscience, psychosis / schizophrenia, child development, educational psychology, psychometric assessment

Research field

Applied and developmental psychology, Public health, Specialist studies in education

Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2020

Qualifications

PhD (Neuroscience) (University of British Columbia)
BSc (Hons I) - Psychology (University of Queensland)
BSc (University of Queensland)

Professional memberships and associations

Kristin Laurens is Program Co-Leader of the Health and Wellbeing Program in The Centre for Inclusive Education (C4IE) at QUT.

Kristin is also a Member of the QUT Centre for Child Health and Wellbeing (CCHW).

Publications

Research outputs by year

Book
Chapter in Book / Report / Conference Proceeding
Contribution to a Journal
Contribution to a Newspaper / Magazine or Website
Contribution to conference

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9 new publications in 2015

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8 new publications in 2016

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8 new publications in 2017

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16 new publications in 2018

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9 new publications in 2019

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16 new publications in 2020

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12 new publications in 2021

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13 new publications in 2022

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22 new publications in 2023

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11 new publications in 2024

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3 new publications in 20252015201620172018201920202021202220232024202505101520253020152016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Laurens, K., Graham, L., Dix, K., Harris, F., Tzoumakis, S., Williams, K., Schofield, J., Prendergast, T., Waddy, N., Taiwo, M., Carr, V. & Green, M. (2022). School-Based Mental Health Promotion and Early Intervention Programs in New South Wales, Australia: Mapping Practice to Policy and Evidence. School Mental Health, 14(3), 582–597. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/226937
Carpendale, E., Green, M., White, S., Williams, K., Tzoumakis, S., Watkeys, O., Harris, F., O'Hare, K., Carr, V. & Laurens, K. (2025). Promoting effective transitions: Primary school social-emotional competencies predict secondary school reading and numeracy achievement. British Journal of Educational Psychology. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/255010
Green, M., Watkeys, O., Harris, F., O'Hare, K., Whitten, T., Tzoumakis, S., Laurens, K., Carpendale, E., Dean, K. & Carr, V. (2024). Cohort Profile Update: The New South Wales Child Development Study (NSW-CDS) - Wave 3 (child age -18 years). International Journal of Epidemiology, 53(3). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/248791
Laurens, K., Dean, K., Whitten, T., Tzoumakis, S., Harris, F., Waddy, N., Prendergast, T., Taiwo, M., Carr, V. & Green, M. (2021). Early childhood predictors of elementary school suspension: An Australian record linkage study. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 77. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/226404
Laurens, K., Tzoumakis, S., Dean, K., Harris, F., Carr, V. & Green, M. (2020). Population profiles of child-reported psychotic-like experiences and their differential association with other psychopathologies. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59(1), 22–38. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/132002
Laurens, K., Islam, F., Kariuki, M., Harris, F., Chilvers, M., Butler, M., Schofield, J., Essery, C., Brinkman, S., Carr, V. & Green, M. (2020). Reading and numeracy attainment of children reported to child protection services: A population record linkage study controlling for other adversities. Child Abuse and Neglect, 101, 1–15.
Laurens, K., Murphy, J., Dickson, H., Roberts, R. & Gutteridge, T. (2020). Trajectories of mismatch negativity and P3a amplitude development from ages 9 to 16 years in children with risk factors for schizophrenia. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 5(12), 1085–1094. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/205198
Jolley, S., Kuipers, E., Stewart, C., Browning, S., Bracegirdle, K., Basit, N., Gin, K., Hirsch, C., Corrigall, R., Banerjea, P., Turley, G., Stahl, D. & Laurens, K. (2018). The Coping with Unusual Experiences for Children Study (CUES): A pilot randomized controlled evaluation of the acceptability and potential clinical utility of a cognitive behavioural intervention package for young people aged 8-14 years with unusual. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57(3), 328–350. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/122008
Laurens, K., Tzoumakis, S., Dean, K., Brinkman, S., Bore, M., Lenroot, R., Smith, M., Holbrook, A., Robinson, K., Stevens, R., Harris, F., Carr, V. & Green, M. (2017). The 2015 Middle Childhood Survey (MCS) of mental health and well-being at age 11 years in an Australian population cohort. BMJ Open, 7(6), 1–16. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/122043
Laurens, K. & Cullen, A. (2016). Toward earlier identification and preventative intervention in schizophrenia: evidence from the London Child Health and Development Study. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 51(4), 475–491. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/122025

QUT ePrints

For more publications by Kristin, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).

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2025

Watkeys, O. J., O'Hare, K., Dean, K., Laurens, K. R., Tzoumakis, S., Harris, F., Carr, V. J. & Green, M. J. (2025). Cumulative incidence of psychotropic drug prescriptions among children and adolescents in an Australian population cohort. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 59(2), 180–183. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/254900
Carpendale, E. J., Green, M. J., White, S. L. J., Williams, K. E., Tzoumakis, S., Watkeys, O. J., Harris, F., O'Hare, K., Carr, V. J. & Laurens, K. R. (2025). Promoting effective transitions: Primary school social-emotional competencies predict secondary school reading and numeracy achievement. British Journal of Educational Psychology. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/255010
Haussler, S. M., Zahid, U., Day, F., Ciufolini, S., Petros, N., Gifford, G., Alameda, L., Quattrone, D., Dazzan, P., Pariante, C., Fisher, H. L., Laurens, K. R., Di Forti, M., Wood, S. J., Murray, R. M., McGuire, P., Mondelli, V. & Cullen, A. E. (2025). Salivary cortisol measures across the clinical stages of psychosis: An individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology, Article 107283, 173. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/255327

2024

Bradley, M., Dean, K., Lim, S., Laurens, K. R., Harris, F., Tzoumakis, S., O'Hare, K., Carr, V. J. & Green, M. J. (2024). Early life exposure to air pollution and psychotic-like experiences, emotional symptoms, and conduct problems in middle childhood. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 59(1), 87–98. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/241801
O'Hare, K., Watkeys, O., Dean, K., Laurens, K. R., Tzoumakis, S., Harris, F., Carr, V. J. & Green, M. J. (2024). Childhood Schizotypy and Adolescent Mental Disorder. Schizophrenia Bulletin, Article sbad132, 50(1), 69–77. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/243112
Watkeys, O. J., O'Hare, K., Dean, K., Laurens, K. R., Harris, F., Carr, V. J. & Green, M. J. (2024). Cumulative comorbidity between neurodevelopmental, internalising, and externalising disorders in childhood: a network approach. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(7), 2231–2241. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/243869
Tzoumakis, S., Whitten, T., Laurens, K. R., Dean, K., Harris, F., Carr, V. J. & Green, M. J. (2024). Levels of Involvement with Child Protection Services Associated with Early Adolescent Police Contact as a Victim and Person of Interest. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 39(11-12), 2708–2732. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/245837
Green, M. J., Watkeys, O. J., Harris, F., O'Hare, K., Whitten, T., Tzoumakis, S., Laurens, K. R., Carpendale, E. J., Dean, K. & Carr, V. J. (2024). Cohort Profile Update: The New South Wales Child Development Study (NSW-CDS) - Wave 3 (child age -18 years). International Journal of Epidemiology, Article dyae069, 53(3). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/248791
Athanassiou, U., Whitten, T., Tzoumakis, S., Laurens, K. R., Harris, F., Carr, V. J., Green, M. J. & Dean, K. (2024). Contact with child protection services and subsequent rates of first police contact as a person of interest, victim or witness in early life. Children and Youth Services Review, Article 107705, 163. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/248838
Watkeys, O. J., O'Hare, K., Dean, K., Laurens, K. R., Tzoumakis, S., Harris, F., Carr, V. J. & Green, M. J. (2024). Patterns of health service use for children with mental disorders in an Australian state population cohort. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 58(10), 857–874. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/249360
Whitten, T., Tzoumakis, S., Green, M. J., Laurens, K. R., Harris, F., Carr, V. J. & Dean, K. (2024). Sex differences in the patterns of police contact during childhood and adolescence: A population-based study of 79,446 Australian young people. Journal of Criminology. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/251469
Cullen, A. E., Roberts, R. E., Fisher, H. L. & Laurens, K. R. (2024). Clinical and functional outcomes at 7-year follow-up of children presenting putative antecedents of schizophrenia at age 9-12 years. Schizophrenia, Article 83, 10(1). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/252427
Watkeys, O. J., Dean, K., Laurens, K. R., Carr, V. J. & Green, M. J. (2024). Medicare-subsidised mental health service use during the first 15 years of life in New South Wales: a population cohort study. The Medical Journal of Australia. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/253085
Green, M. J., Watkeys, O. J., O'Hare, K., Tzoumakis, S., Laurens, K. R., Dean, K., Harris, F. & Carr, V. J. (2024). Cumulative incidence of adolescent mental disorders following childhood maltreatment: An Australian longitudinal population cohort study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/254766

2023

O'Hare, K., Hussain, A., Laurens, K. R., Hindmarsh, G., Carr, V. J., Tzoumakis, S., Harris, F. & Green, M. J. (2023). Self-reported mental health of children known to child protection services: an Australian population-based record linkage study. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 32(1), 101–112. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/211889

A complete list of publications is available at: https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/kristin.laurens

Selected research projects

Title: Out-of-School Suspension and Police Contact: Identifying Early Opportunities to Disrupt the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: P21/510 CRG 22/21-22
Start year: 2022
Keywords

Title: Growing Minds Australia: A National Trials Strategy to Transform Child and Youth Mental Health Services
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: 2006438
Start year: 2021
Keywords: child; health literacy; developmental disorders; early detection; early intervention

Title: Achieving Better Mental Health for Maltreated Children: Translating Population Data into Policy
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: 1133833
Start year: 2018
Keywords: child maltreatment; child development; child health; record linkage; resilience

Title: Developmental Schizotypy in the General Population: Early Risk Factors and Predictive Utility
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: 1148055
Start year: 2018
Keywords

Title: The Role of Social-Emotional Learning in Attaining Literacy and Numeracy
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: FT170100294
Start year: 2018
Keywords

Title: Determinants of Risk and Resilience in Maltreated Children Using Multi-Agency Administrative Records: A population Record-Linkage Study
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: 162302
Start year: 2017
Keywords

Title: Identifying New Targets for Primary School Mental Health Interventions Using Population Data
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID: 1058652
Start year: 2014
Keywords: mental health promotion; child health; child development; school-based intervention; developmental outcomes; risk factors; protective factors; school health promotion; psychiatric epidemiology; record linkage

Title: Identifying Targets and Timing for Early Intervention: A NSW Population Record-Linkage Study to Detect Childhood Indicators of Risk for Mental Illness
Primary fund type: CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID
Start year: 2011
Keywords

Projects listed above are funded by Australian Competitive Grants. Projects funded from other sources are not listed due to confidentiality agreements.

Supervision

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The role of childhood social-emotional learning competencies in adolescent health, education, and justice outcomes

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Current supervisions

Associations between school disciplinary exclusion and mental health difficulties among children in New South Wales, Australia
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Darren Wraith
Exclusionary school discipline and justice system involvement: Identifying opportunities to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Linda Graham
Developmental Patterns of Brain Dysfunction During Error Processing Among Adolescents at Risk for Schizophrenia
MPhil, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Hinze Hogendoorn

Completed supervisions (Doctorate)

Completed supervisions (Masters by Research)

Distress and Functional Impairment Associated with Psychotic-Like Experiences and Co-Occurring Psychopathology (2024)

The supervisions listed above are only a selection.

Professor Kristin Laurens

Biography

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

Personal details

Positions

Keywords

Research field

Qualifications

Professional memberships and associations

Publications

Research outputs by year

Selected publications

QUT ePrints

All publicationsLatest publications

2025

2024

2023

Selected research projects

Supervision

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Current supervisions

Completed supervisions (Doctorate)

Completed supervisions (Masters by Research)