Amy Slater

Dr. Amy Slater is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England, affiliated with the HAS - Health and Social Sciences department. Her research focuses on body image in children and adolescents, particularly the role of sociocultural factors like media and social networking platforms. She investigates the impact of digital media—such as social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram—on body dissatisfaction and self-objectification, especially among pre-adolescent girls. Additional research interests include the premature sexualisation of girls and parenting influences on body image concerns.

Dr. Slater holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Flinders University (2006), with a thesis exploring gender differences in adolescent sport participation and body image. She collaborates with leading researchers such as Prof. Marika Tiggemann (Flinders University) and Prof. Susan Paxton (La Trobe University). Her work extends to developing psychological support and educational programs for individuals with visible differences, funded by the Vocational Training Charity Trust (VTCT) Foundation.

Teaching: She leads the Psychology of Appearance and Embodiment module. Her research trends highlight a focus on social media's dual-edged impact, interventions to mitigate negative effects, and the intersection of media literacy with mental health outcomes. Recent studies emphasize subgroup analyses of social media users, longitudinal tracking of body image risks, and mixed-methods approaches for psychosocial needs assessment.

Grants & Collaborations: Key projects include the VTCT Foundation-funded initiative on visible difference support and the SoMe social media literacy program for adolescents. She has explored interventions such as mindfulness-based therapies and cognitive micro-interventions to improve well-being.

Labs/Teams: Active within the Centre for Appearance Research, focusing on translational research to address real-world appearance-related challenges in education, healthcare, and public policy.