Anne O'Brien

Anne O'Brien is a Researcher at the Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, specializing in social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions. She leads the Passport to Success trial (2022-2025), examining universal SEL interventions' impact on children aged 9-11. Her work bridges implementation science with mental health outcomes, focusing on variability in program delivery and school-based interventions.

Education: BSc (First Class) in Applied Psychology from IADT Dublin (2018); MSc (Distinction) in Clinical Health Psychology from University of Strathclyde (2021). Previous roles include Research Assistant at Trinity College Dublin (DEPTH project) and Exercise Oncology Research Group.

Research interests include trial design, SEL implementation effectiveness, and digital health education. She is a member of the Education and Psychology research group at Manchester Institute of Education, contributing to UN SDG 4 (Quality Education).

Key achievements include the 2024 Early Career Research Best Oral Presentation award and collaborative work on participatory design studies involving social robots in schools. Her research emphasizes practical applications for improving mental health outcomes through evidence-based interventions.