Rebecca Pearson

Rebecca Pearson is Professor of Developmental Psychology and Epidemiology at Manchester Metropolitan University, affiliated with the Institute for Children's Futures. Her research examines intergenerational transmission of mental health disorders through relational processes, combining developmental psychology with epidemiological methods.

Core research areas include:

• Parent-child relationship dynamics using novel observational methods
• Genetic and environmental pathways in mental health transmission
• Impact of perinatal mental health on child development
• Longitudinal trajectories of depression from adolescence to adulthood

Her publications demonstrate methodological innovation in wearable camera technology for capturing naturalistic interactions and analysis of genetic nurturing effects. Recent work focuses on pandemic impacts on family mental health and breastfeeding difficulties. She leads multiple international cohort collaborations and has influenced perinatal mental health policy in the UK and WHO guidelines.