Department of Social Policy and Social Work

University of Oxford

People

Frances Gardner

Frances Gardner
Position:
Professor of Child and Family Psychology
Telephone (+01865):
(2)70334
Email Address:
frances.gardner@spi.ox.ac.uk

Personal Info

Professor Frances Gardner is Professor of Child and Family Psychology in the Department of Social Policy and Intervention, and Fellow of Wolfson College. She has been Director and Deputy Director of the graduate programme in Evidence-Based Social Intervention at Oxford since it began in 2003, as well as co-Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention. Her research focuses on two related areas:

Parenting and antisocial behaviour:  her research in this area focuses on the development of anti-social behaviour or conduct problems in children and young people, particularly how early parenting style influences young people's adjustment, and how this can help inform and  understand intervention mechanisms. She conducts randomised controlled trials of community-based parenting programmes in the UK, US, and South Africa, as well as systematic reviews, investigating questions about effectiveness of parenting interventions for families and children with different clinical and social characteristics; their mechanisms of change, and their transportability across countries and cultures.  She specialises in direct observational methods for assessing parent-child interaction.

Risk and resilience in young people’s mental health:  this work investigates factors promoting poor mental health vs resilient outcomes in young people, using longitudinal studies of the development of antisocial behaviour and other mental health problems in young people, with low income families in the USA, and with orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa. She also uses UK national cohort data to assess how risk factors for antisocial behaviour, such as parenting, have changed over recent decades.

She serves on the Board of ‘Blueprints for Violence Prevention’, the Scientific Advisory Board for the National Academy of Parenting Practitioners, and for SFI, the Danish National Centre for Social Research; and on a UNODC Expert Panel on worldwide family skills training.

For full details see Professor Gardner's CV

 Details of her current research. 

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Publications

  • Waller, R., Gardner, F., Dishion, T., Shaw, D., & Wilson, M. (2012) 'Validity of a brief measure of parental affective attitudes in high-risk preschoolers'. In press, Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.
  • Cluver, L., Orkin, M., Boyes, M.E. & Gardner, F. (2012) 'AIDS-orphanhood and caregiver AIDS-sickness-status: Effects on psychological symptoms in South African youth', Journal of Pediatric Psychology. DOI: 10.1093/jpegsy/jss004. (IF 2.943)
  • Gardner, F., Collishaw, S., Maughan, B., Scott. J., Schepman, K. & Hagell, A. (2012) 'Trends in parenting: Can they help explain time trends in problem behaviour?  in A. Hagell (ed.) Changing adolescence: Social trends and mental health. Bristol: Policy Press.
  • McEachern, A., Dishion, T., Weaver, C., Shaw, D., Wilson, M., & Gardner, F. (2011) 'Parenting Young Children (PARYC): Validation of a Self-Report Parenting Measure' Journal of Child and Family Studies. DOI: 10.1007.s10826-011-9503-y.
  • Collishaw, S., Gardner, F., Maughan, B., Scott, J. & Pickles, A. (2011) 'Historical change in parenting of adolescents: Can it explain the rise in youth problem behaviour?'  Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, DOI: 10.1007/s10802-011-9543-1 Online First.
  • Schepman, K., Collishaw, S., Gardner, F., Maughan, B. & Pickles, A.
     (2011) 'Do changes in parent mental health explain trends in youth emotional problems?'  In press, Social Science and Medicine, vol. 72, no. 2, pp293-300.
  • Cluver, L., Gardner, F. & Orkin, M. (2011) 'Persisting mental health problems among AIDS-orphaned children in South Africa'. In press, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02459.x.
  • Cluver, L.D., Orkin, M., Boyes, M.E., Gardner, F., & Meinck, F. (2011) Transactional sex amongst AIDS-orphaned and AIDS-affected adolescents predicted by abuse and extreme poverty. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, vol. 58, pp336-42. DOI:10.1097/QAI.0b013e31822f0d82.
  • Cluver, L.D., Operario, D., Gardner, F., & Boyes, M. (2011) 'A family disease: Mental health of children orphaned by AID and living with HIV+ caregivers'  in H.E. Fitzgerald, K. Puura, M. Tomlinson & C. Paul (eds) Child Psychology and mental health: Cultural and ethno-racial perspectives, vol 1: International Perspectives: Development and context, pp65-97), Santa Barbara: Praeger.
  • Hyde, L., Shaw, D., Gardner, F., Cheong, J., Dishion, T. & Wilson, M. (2011) 'Deceitful-callous behaviour in early childhood: links to externalizing and role in intervention'. In press, Development and Psychopathology.
  • Shelleby, E.C., Shaw, D., Gardner, F., Dishion, T. & Wilson, M. (2011) 'Emotion Regulation in At-Risk Toddlers: The Influence of the Family Check-Up'. In press, Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.
  • Waller, R., Gardner, F., Hyde, L., Shaw., D., Dishion, T. & Wilson, M.  (2011) 'Early negative parenting predicts deceitful-callous behaviours in early childhood'. In press, Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry.
  • Cluver, L., Bowes, L. and Gardner, F. (2010) Risk and protective factors for bullying victimisation amongst AIDS-affected and vulnerable children in South Africa. Child Abuse and Neglect, 34, 793-803.
  • Cluver, L., Gardner, F. & Operario, D. (2010) 'Psychological distress amongst AIDS-orphaned children in Urban South Africa' in D. Kaoukji & M'Jid (eds) Children's services in the Developing World. The Library of Essays in Child Welfare and Development Series. Ashgate.
  • Cluver, L., Operario, D. & Gardner, F. (2010) 'The family disease: Children orphaned by AIDS and living with HIV+ caregivers'. In M. Tomlinson et al (eds) Child Psychology and Mental Health. Praeger Press.
  • Gardner, F., Hutchings, J, Bywater, T. & Whitaker, C. (2010) 'Who benefits and how does it work? Moderators and mediators of outcomes in a ramdomised trial of parenting inerventions in multiple 'Sure Start' services'. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 39, 4, pp568-80.http://www.incredibleyears.com/Library/items/who-benefits-and-how-does-it-work_10.pdf
  • Maughan, B. & Gardner, F. (2010) 'Family and parenting influences on antisocial behaviour' in D. Smith (ed.) A new response to youth crime. Willan Publishing.
  • Linville, D., Chronister, K. Dishion, T.J., Miller, J.,Shaw, D.S., Gardner, F. & Wilson, M.N. (2010) 'A longitudinal analysis of parenting practices, couple satisfaction, and child behaviour problems', Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, vol. 36, pp244-255
  • Bjornstad, G., Montgomery, P., Gardner, F. and Ramchandani, P. (2009) Child-focused cognitive behavioural therapy for children who have been physically abused (Protocol).  Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD007838. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007838.
  • Wilson, M., Jurtt, C., Shaw, D., Dishion, T., and Gardner, F. (2009) Analysis and Influence of Demographic and Risk Factors on Difficult Child Behaviors. Prevention Science line. 28 May 2009.ISSN. 1573-6695 (Online). DOI 10.1007/s11121-009-0137-x
  • Moilanen, K., Shaw, D., Dishion, T., Gardner, F., and Wilson, M. (2009) Predictors of Longitudinal Growth in Inhibitory Control in Early Childhood. Social Development online 18 Feb 2009. 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2009.00536.x
  • Gardner, F., Maughan, B., Collishaw, S., and Scott, J. (2009) Has parenting changed over recent decades?  Can changes in parenting explain the rise in adolescent problem behaviour? Nuffield Foundation. http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/fileLibrary/pdf/parenting_working_paper_web_LIVE_ON_31_JULY_2009.pdf
  • Gardner, F., Connell, A., Trentacosta, C., Shaw, D.S., Dishion, T.J., and Wilson, M. (2009) Moderators of outcome in a brief family-centred intervention for preventing early problem behaviour. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol 77 (3), 545-553. http://www.pitt.edu/ppcl/Publications/early%20steps/Gardner%20final%20moderators%202007-1771-R%20resubmitted.pdf
  • Shaw, D.S., Connell, A., Dishion, T.J., Wilson, M. and Gardner, F. (2009) Improvements in maternal depression as a mediator of intervention effects on early childhood problem behavior. Development and Psychopathology, Vol 21, 417-439.
  • Cluver, L, Gardner, F & Operario, D. (2009) Effects of poverty on the psychological health of AIDS-orphaned children. AIDS Care 21 (6) 732-741.
  • Cluver, L, Gardner, F & Operario, D. (2009) Effects of caregiving on psychological distress amongst AIDS-orphaned children in South Africa. Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies. 4(3) 185-199.
  • Montgomery, P., Gardner, F., Ramchandani, P. and Bjornstad, G. (2009) Systematic reviews of interventions following physical abuse: helping practitioners and expert witnesses improve the outcomes of child abuse, https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DCSF-RBX-09-08A
  • Cluver, L., Gardner, F. & Operario, D.  (2009) 'Psychological distress amongst AIDS-orphaned children in urban South Africa' in Children's services in the Developing World. Eds Kaoukji, D., & M'Jid, The Library of Essays in Child Welfare and Development Series, Ashgate.
  • Cluver, L., Gardner, F. & Operario, D. (2009) 'Parental illness, caregiving factors and psychological distress among children orphaned by acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in South Africa', Vulnerable Children & Youth Studies, vol. 4, pp185-98.
  • Cluver, L., Gardner, F & Operario, D (2008) Effects of stigma on the mental health of adolescents orphaned by AIDS. Journal of Adolescent Health 42 (4) 410-418.
  • Fisher, H., Montgomery, P. and Gardner, F.E.M. (2008) Opportunities Provision for Preventing Youth Gang Involvement For Children and Young People (7-16). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008.  Issue 2. Art. No.: CD007002. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007002.pub2.
  • Fisher, H., Gardner, F.E.M and Montgomery, P.  (2008) Cognitive-Behavioural Interventions For Preventing Youth Gang Involvement For Children and Young People (7-16). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008.  Issue 2. Art. No.: CD007008. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007008.pub2.
  • Gardner, F. and Shaw, D. (2008) Behavioural problems of infancy and preschool children (0-5).   In M. Rutter., D. Bishop., D. Pine., S. Scott., J. Stevenson., E. Taylor and A. Thapar (eds), Rutter's Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 5th Edition.  Blackwell.
  • Le Couteur, A. and Gardner, F. (2008) Structured interviews and observations. In M. Rutter., D. Bishop., D Pine., S. Scott., J. Stevenson., E. Taylor and A. Thapar (eds), Rutter's Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 5th Edition.  Blackwell.
  • Dishion, T.J., Shaw, D.S., Connell, A., Gardner, F., Weaver, C. and Wilson, M. (2008) The Family Check-Up with high-risk indigent families: preventing problem behaviour by increasing parents' positive behaviour support in early childhood. Child Development, 79, 1395-1414 (IF 3.4)
  • Trentacosta, C.J., Hyde, L., Shaw, D., Dishion, T., Gardner, F. and Wilson, M. (2008) The Relations among Cumulative Risk, Parenting and Behaviour Problems during Early Childhood. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 49, 1211-1218 (IF 4.4)
  • Connell, A., Bullock, B., Dishion, R., Shaw, D.S., Wilson, M. and Gardner, F. (2008) Family Intervention Effects on Co-occurring Behavior and Emotional Problems in Early Childhood: A Latent Transition Analysis Approach. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. 36, 1211-1227 (IF 2.6)
  • Gardner, F. & Shaw, D. (2008) Behavioral problems of infancy and preschool children (0-5).  In M. Rutter, D. Bishop, D. Pine, S. Scott, J.Stevenson, E. Taylor & A. Thapar (eds), Rutter's Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 5th Ed. Blackwell.
  • Lunkenheimer, E., Dishion, T.J., Shaw, D.S., Connell, A., Gardner, F., Wilson, M. & Skiban, E. (2008) 'Collateral benefits of the family check-up on early childhood school readiness: indirect effects of parents' positive behaviour support'. Developmental Psychology, vol. 44, pp1737-1752. (IF. 3).http://www.pitt.edu/ppci/PUBLICATIONS.html#EarlyStepsMultisite
  • Gardner, F. (2008) 'Effective parenting interventions: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage by helping troubled families and children' in J. Gross (ed.) Getting in Early: Primary Schools and Early interventions, London: Smith Institute and Centre for Social Justice. http:www.centreforsocialjustice.org,uk/client/downloads/getting-in-early.pdf
  • Hutchings, J., Bywater, T., Daley, D., Gardner, F., Jones, K., Eames, C. & Edwards, R.T. (2007) Pragmatic randomised controlled trial of a parenting intervention in 'Sure Start' services for children at risk of developing conduct disorder British Medical Journal
  • Cluver, L & Gardner, F (2007) Risk and protective factors for psychological well-being of children orphaned by AIDS in Cape Town: a qualitative study of children and caregivers' perspectives AIDS Prevention and Care; 19(3): pp 318-325
  • Cluver, L, Gardner, F & Operario, D.  (2007) Psychological distress amongst AIDS-orphaned children in urban South Africa.  Journal of Child Psychiatry and Psychology and Allied Disciplines, 48(8) 755-763.
  • Cluver, L & Gardner, F (2007) The Mental Health of Children orphaned by AIDS: A review of International and South African Research Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health 19(1) 1-17.
  • Gardner, F. Shaw, D., Dishion, T., Burton, J. & Supplee, L. (2006b). (2006) Randomised trial of a family-centred approach to preventing conduct problems: Linking changes in proactive parenting to boys' disruptive behaviour in early childhood Journal of Family Psychology, .
  • Gardner, F., Burton, J. & Klimes, I. (2006a) (2006) Randomised controlled trial of a parenting intervention in the voluntary sector for reducing child conduct problems: outcomes and mechanisms of change.  Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 47, 1123-1132.
  • Shaw, D. S., Dishion, T. J., Supplee, G., Gardner, F & Arnds, K. (2006) A family-centered approach to the prevention of early-onset antisocial behavior: Two-year effects of the family check-up in early childhood Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74, 1-9
  • Wilson, C., Gardner, F Leung, S., Burton, J (2006) Maternal attributions and young children's conduct problems: a longitudinal study Commentary at: Infant and Child Development, 15, 109-121
  • Cluver, L & Gardner, F (2006) The psychological well-being of children orphaned by AIDS in Cape Town, South Africa Annals of General Psychiatry, 5:8
  • Skuban, E., Shaw, D., Gardner, F & Supplee, L (2006) The Correlates of Dyadic Synchrony in High-Risk, Low-Income Toddler Boys Infant Behavior and Development. 29, pp 423 - 434
  • Gardner, F., Dezateux, C., Elbourne, D., Gray, F., King, A. & Quinn, A. (2005) on behalf of the MRC Hip Trial Steering Committee. The UK Hip trial of ultrasound imaging in the management of developmental hip dysplasia: Psychosocial effects on mothers Archives of Disease in Childhood, 90, F17-24
  • Dowling, S., & Gardner, F (2005) Parenting programmes for improving the parenting skills and outcomes for incarcerated parents and their children (protocol) The Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, Issue 4
  • Gray, A., Dezateux, C., Elbourne, D., Gardner, F., King, A & Quinn, A (2005) Economic Evaluation of Ultrasonography Imaging in the Diagnosis and Management of Developmental Hip Dysplasia Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 87, 2472 - 2479
  • Hutchings, J., Lane, E & Gardner, F. (2004) Making evidence-based intervention work. in Farrington, D., Sutton, C & Utting, D (eds.) Support from the Start: Working with Young Children and their Families to Reduce the Risks of Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
  • Gardner, F., Hutchings, J & Lane, E (2004) Three to eight years: risk and protective factors; effective interventions for preventing antisocial behaviour in Farrington, D., Sutton, C & Utting, D (eds.) Support from the Start: Working with Young Children and their Families to Reduce the Risks of Crime and Antisocial Behaviour. London: DFES
  • Lane, E., Gardner, F., Hutchings, J & Jacobs, B (2004) Eight to eleven years: risk and protective factors; effective interventions in Farrington, D., Sutton, C & Utting, D. (eds.), Support from the Start: Working with Young Children and their Families to Reduce the Risks of Crime and Antisocial Behaviour. London: DFES
  • Gardner, F., Johnson, A., Yudkin, P., Bowler, U., Hockley, C., Mutch, L, & Wariyar, U (2004) Behavioural and emotional adjustment of teenagers in mainstream school who were born before 29 weeks gestation Pediatrics, 114, 676-682
  • Gardner, F., Ward, S., Burton, J. & Wilson, C. (2003) 'Joint play and the early development of conduct problems in children: a longitudinal observational study of pre-schoolers' Special Issue 'Innovative approaches to examining social processes in the development of antisocial behaviour'. Social Development, 12, 361-379
  • Aspland, H. & Gardner, F. (2003) Observational measures of parent child interaction. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 8, 136-144
  • Johnson, A., Yudkin, P., Bowler, U., Hockley, C., Mutch, L., Gardner, F., &. Wariyar, U. (2003) 'Health and school performance of teenagers who were born before 29 weeks gestation' Archives of Disease in Childhood, 88, F190 - 198
  • Gardner, F & Ward, S., (2000) 'Parent-child interaction and children's well-being: reducing conduct problems and promoting conscience development' in Buchanan, A & Hudson, B L (eds.) Promoting Children's Emotional Well-being. Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Gardner, F (2000) 'Methodological issues in the use of observational methods for measuring parent child interaction' Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, Vol 3, no 3, p 185-198.
  • Elbourne, D., Dezateux, C., Arthur, R., Clarke, N., Gray, A., King,.A., Quinn, A., Gardner, F., & Russell, G. (2000) The UK Hip Trial: clinical and economic results of a multicentre randomised controlled trial of ultrasound imaging in the diagnosis and management of developmental hip dysplasia The Lancet, 360, 2009-2018
  • Gardner, F E M, Sonuga-Barke, E & Sayal, K (1999) 'Parents anticipating misbehaviour: An observational study of strategies parents use to prevent conflict with behaviour problem children' Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 40, 1185-1196.
  • Gardner, F E M (1998) 'Observational studies of parent-child interaction and behaviour problems: implications for parent-training interventions' in Buchanan, A (ed) Parenting, Schooling and Children's Behaviour, Ashgate.
  • Gardner, F E M, Burton, J, Slome, B & Simpson, H (1997) 'Psychological effects of limb deformity in children' Proceedings of the British Psychological Society Vol 5.
  • Gardner, F E M (1997) 'Observational methods for assessing interaction: how generalisable are the findings?' Child Psychology and Psychiatry Review, 2, 70 - 75.
  • Gardner, F E M, Sonuga-Barke, E & Sayal, K (1996) 'Parents anticipating misbehaviour: Observational study of strategies used by parents of children with behaviour problems to prevent conflict' Proceedings of the British Psychological Society Vol 4, p 77.

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