Jenny Freed

Jenny Freed, BSc., M.Res., PhD., is a Lecturer in Language Disorders at the University of Manchester, affiliated with the Division of Psychology Communication and Human Neuroscience within the School of Psychological Sciences. She is a member of the Language Development and Disorders research group and the Institute of Health Sciences Child Health Research Network. Her research focuses on developmental language disorders, particularly the interplay between pragmatic language impairment/social communication disorder and specific language impairment, and the role of literacy, memory, and reading comprehension in affected children. She collaborates with researchers like Dr. Catherine Adams and Dr. Elaine Lockton.

Dr. Freed teaches courses including BSc Speech and Language Therapy, Clinical Research modules, and Applied Psychology and Sociology. Her qualifications include a BSc and MRes in Psychology from the University of Manchester (2005–2006) and a PhD in Psychology (2011).

Her research spans autism spectrum disorder, communication challenges in neurodiverse populations, and intervention efficacy. Recent work emphasizes parental perspectives on communication difficulties in autistic children and gender differences in language profiles. She has contributed to clinical tools like the TOPICCAL assessment framework and evaluated school-based language interventions like Talk Boost KS2.

Dr. Freed’s interdisciplinary approach bridges clinical practice and research, addressing gaps in understanding developmental language disorders and their impact on social, academic, and emotional well-being.