
Professor Ted Barker
Professor in Development and Psychopathology
Research interests
- Psychology
Biography
Dr Ted Barker investigates the link between adversity and child and adolescent mental health problems. Ted does so from an interdisciplinary lens. For example, what is the role of DNA methylation, genetics or brain imaging in the link between adversity and child outcomes?
Ted joined the IoPPN in June 2013 and directs the Developmental Psychopathology Lab. His areas of expertise centre on environmental and genetic underpinnings of conduct disorder (i.e. fighting, lying, stealing) and related comorbidities (e.g. ADHD, ODD and depression). He has strong training in structural equation modelling approaches to longitudinal analyses, and has incorporated biological data such as polygenic socres, DNA methylation, neuro-imaging and fetal development.
Prior to this position, Ted was at Birkbeck, University of London and the Department of Psychology at the University of Alabama. He also completed his postdoctoral training at the Children’s Psychosocial Maladaption Unit, Montreal, Quebec and the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre,IoPPN .
Research Interests:
- Conduct disorder
- ADHD
- Genetics
- Epigenetics
- Adversity
Teaching:
- BSc Developmental Psychology
- MSc Conduct Disorder
- MSc Epigenetics
Research

Developmental Psychopathology Lab
The Developmental Psychopathology Lab is an interdisciplinary group, investigating how stressful environments exacerbate underlying genetic vulnerabilities to affect children’s development.
News
Co-occurring parental depression symptoms in infancy linked with child emotional difficulties in early adolescence
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has found when one parent experiences guilt as a...

Events

When Bad Things Happen to Good Brains: The Effects of Early Life Stress and Adversity
A discussion with Dr Charles Nelson on early adversity and brain development.
Please note: this event has passed.
Research

Developmental Psychopathology Lab
The Developmental Psychopathology Lab is an interdisciplinary group, investigating how stressful environments exacerbate underlying genetic vulnerabilities to affect children’s development.
News
Co-occurring parental depression symptoms in infancy linked with child emotional difficulties in early adolescence
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has found when one parent experiences guilt as a...

Events

When Bad Things Happen to Good Brains: The Effects of Early Life Stress and Adversity
A discussion with Dr Charles Nelson on early adversity and brain development.
Please note: this event has passed.