Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke
Professor of Developmental Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience
Research interests
- Mental Health
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
Biography
Edmund Sonuga-Barke is Professor of Developmental Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London. He was appointed to King's in January 2017, following 19 years as Professor in the School of Psychology, University of Southampton. He is Deputy Lead of the Child Mental Health and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Theme at the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre.
Motivated by his own experience of growing up with learning difficulties his research focuses on understanding the origins of neuro-developmental differences, particularly variations in attention and impulse control (i.e., ADHD), and their impact on mental health. To this end, he employs basic developmental science approaches to study the genetic and environmental bases of risk and resilience and the role of mediating brain processes. The ultimate goal of this work is to develop more effective interventions that reduce impairment and promote growth.
Professor Sonuga-Barke is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (elected 2016) and The British Academy (elected 2018). In 2019 he was elected a Skou Professor at Aarhus University, Denmark. He is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry. He has also been Elected Member of Academia Europeae in 2023.
Teaching
- MSc Child and Adolescent Mental Health and MSc in Genes, Environment and Development in Psychology and Psychiatry – delivery of ADHD lectures
- CAMHS ST trainees – lectures on ADHD
Supervision of individual research projects on the following KCL courses:
- MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
- MSc in Neuroscience
- MSc in Genes, Environment and Development in Psychology and Psychiatry
- Intercalated BSc in Psychology Neuroscience and Neuropsychology
- BSc in Psychology
Research Groups
Research
Experimental Psychopathology and Neuro-Development (ExPAND) Group
The lab focuses on understanding neuro-developmental disorders and mental health conditions across the lifespan.
Online Parent Training for the Initial Management of ADHD referral (OPTIMA)
We have created a mobile phone app that provides advice and access to a set of parenting tools that can be easily provided at the point that families seek help.
Project status: Ongoing
The English and Romanian Adoptee (ERA) Project
A longitudinal, multi-method investigation of the development of children adopted into the UK from Romania in the early 1990s.
Project status: Completed
Supporting Parents And Kids Through Lockdown Experiences (SPARKLE) Trial
A randomised control trial evaluating whether a digital public health parenting intervention can help parents to manage their children’s behaviour problems.
Project status: Ongoing
Centre for Attention Studies
Forging new responses to the foundational crisis of the digital age: distraction.
Regulating Emotions – Strengthening Adolescent Resilience
RE-STAR is a four-year, interdisciplinary programme being led by Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke of the Experimental Psychopathology and Neurodevelopment (ExPAND) Research Group at King’s College London.
Experimental Psychopathology and Neuro-Development (ExPAND) Group
The lab focuses on understanding neuro-developmental disorders and mental health conditions across the lifespan.
My Emotions and Me
My Emotions and Me is one phase of a new research project, RE-STAR (Regulating Emotions - Strengthening Adolescent Resilience).
Project status: Ongoing
Positioning Parent Positive (PPP) Study
A study of stakeholder views about the best way to optimise the clinical value of the Parent Positive digital parenting app.
Project status: Ongoing
The BeST? Services Trial
This trial compares the New Orleans Intervention Model with Social Work Services-as-usual to find the best service for maltreated children going into care.
Project status: Ongoing
News
Children with ADHD frequently use healthcare services before diagnosis, study finds
Children and young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) use healthcare services twice as often in the two years before their diagnosis,...
New parenting app reduced child emotional difficulties during COVID-19 pandemic
New research finds a novel parenting smartphone app, developed by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s...
Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke and Professor Andrew Pickles elected to Academia Europaea
Leading experts at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London have been elected as members of Academia Europaea.
Online cognitive training not effective in reducing ADHD symptoms
A major review of research led by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London and the University of Southampton,...
Five IoPPN research projects receive UKRI funding
A total of £4.4 million funding from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Medical Research Council (MRC) has been awarded to research projects at the...
Child and adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
For Children’s Mental Health Week, we highlight some of IoPPN's research into the impact of COVID-19 on child and adolescent mental health, and potential...
King's projects to form part of new £24m investment into adolescent mental health
This investment from UK Research and Innovation will fund seven highly ambitious projects, two of which will be led or co-led by King’s College London...
New project to develop an app that addresses the negative effect of COVID-19 on children's behaviour
The app Parent Positive aims to provide additional support to parents through light-hearted animations, practical resources and expert advice about managing...
Institutionalisation of millions of children worldwide should be gradually phased out in favour of family-based care
The number of children entering institutions should be gradually reduced to zero, according to a new report published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health...
Events
NIHR Maudsley BRC | Research Showcase: Child Mental Health and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Introducing the translational science of neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions across the lifespan hosted by NIHR Maudsley BRC
Features
'Families Under Pressure' in a post-pandemic world
While we hope we have now seen the worst of COVID-19, the emotional and behavioural challenges that arose during this unprecedented time are ongoing. As a...
How has COVID-19 impacted children and young people?
Since children and adolescents were considered a low health risk, they were far from a priority in the early stages of the pandemic. But with the disruption...
A year of 'Families Under Pressure'
Last year, King’s, SLaM and Maudsley Charity teamed up with celebrity parents, talented animators and digital innovators to produce the video series 'Families...
Parenting Under Pressure as Practical Kindness
In this fifth blog for Mental Health Awareness week on the theme of kindness, Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke reflects on the development of a series...
Brainwaves podcast series
Brainwaves is a podcast series exploring and explaining the latest in mental health and neurosciences research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &...
Research
Experimental Psychopathology and Neuro-Development (ExPAND) Group
The lab focuses on understanding neuro-developmental disorders and mental health conditions across the lifespan.
Online Parent Training for the Initial Management of ADHD referral (OPTIMA)
We have created a mobile phone app that provides advice and access to a set of parenting tools that can be easily provided at the point that families seek help.
Project status: Ongoing
The English and Romanian Adoptee (ERA) Project
A longitudinal, multi-method investigation of the development of children adopted into the UK from Romania in the early 1990s.
Project status: Completed
Supporting Parents And Kids Through Lockdown Experiences (SPARKLE) Trial
A randomised control trial evaluating whether a digital public health parenting intervention can help parents to manage their children’s behaviour problems.
Project status: Ongoing
Centre for Attention Studies
Forging new responses to the foundational crisis of the digital age: distraction.
Regulating Emotions – Strengthening Adolescent Resilience
RE-STAR is a four-year, interdisciplinary programme being led by Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke of the Experimental Psychopathology and Neurodevelopment (ExPAND) Research Group at King’s College London.
Experimental Psychopathology and Neuro-Development (ExPAND) Group
The lab focuses on understanding neuro-developmental disorders and mental health conditions across the lifespan.
My Emotions and Me
My Emotions and Me is one phase of a new research project, RE-STAR (Regulating Emotions - Strengthening Adolescent Resilience).
Project status: Ongoing
Positioning Parent Positive (PPP) Study
A study of stakeholder views about the best way to optimise the clinical value of the Parent Positive digital parenting app.
Project status: Ongoing
The BeST? Services Trial
This trial compares the New Orleans Intervention Model with Social Work Services-as-usual to find the best service for maltreated children going into care.
Project status: Ongoing
News
Children with ADHD frequently use healthcare services before diagnosis, study finds
Children and young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) use healthcare services twice as often in the two years before their diagnosis,...
New parenting app reduced child emotional difficulties during COVID-19 pandemic
New research finds a novel parenting smartphone app, developed by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s...
Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke and Professor Andrew Pickles elected to Academia Europaea
Leading experts at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London have been elected as members of Academia Europaea.
Online cognitive training not effective in reducing ADHD symptoms
A major review of research led by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London and the University of Southampton,...
Five IoPPN research projects receive UKRI funding
A total of £4.4 million funding from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Medical Research Council (MRC) has been awarded to research projects at the...
Child and adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
For Children’s Mental Health Week, we highlight some of IoPPN's research into the impact of COVID-19 on child and adolescent mental health, and potential...
King's projects to form part of new £24m investment into adolescent mental health
This investment from UK Research and Innovation will fund seven highly ambitious projects, two of which will be led or co-led by King’s College London...
New project to develop an app that addresses the negative effect of COVID-19 on children's behaviour
The app Parent Positive aims to provide additional support to parents through light-hearted animations, practical resources and expert advice about managing...
Institutionalisation of millions of children worldwide should be gradually phased out in favour of family-based care
The number of children entering institutions should be gradually reduced to zero, according to a new report published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health...
Events
NIHR Maudsley BRC | Research Showcase: Child Mental Health and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Introducing the translational science of neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions across the lifespan hosted by NIHR Maudsley BRC
Features
'Families Under Pressure' in a post-pandemic world
While we hope we have now seen the worst of COVID-19, the emotional and behavioural challenges that arose during this unprecedented time are ongoing. As a...
How has COVID-19 impacted children and young people?
Since children and adolescents were considered a low health risk, they were far from a priority in the early stages of the pandemic. But with the disruption...
A year of 'Families Under Pressure'
Last year, King’s, SLaM and Maudsley Charity teamed up with celebrity parents, talented animators and digital innovators to produce the video series 'Families...
Parenting Under Pressure as Practical Kindness
In this fifth blog for Mental Health Awareness week on the theme of kindness, Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke reflects on the development of a series...
Brainwaves podcast series
Brainwaves is a podcast series exploring and explaining the latest in mental health and neurosciences research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &...