Lecturer wins international Doctoral Thesis Prize
Dr Leanne Jackson from the Department of Psychology was awarded the Doctoral Thesis Prize from the Society of Reproductive and Infant Psychology (SRIP) at the 43rd Annual SRIP conference in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Dr Jackson was awarded the prize for her thesis entitled ‘The postpartum period: Using a series of mixed-methods studies to investigate the determinants of infant feeding and maternal emotional wellbeing outcomes’ and presented her research at the conference.
The research looked at the relationship between postpartum guilt, shame, and practical and emotional infant feeding experiences and explored the psychosocial experiences of new mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the context of breastfeeding, several recommendations were put forward to enhance the overall experience for mothers. These include improving the quality of healthcare professional and social support; adopting an incremental goal setting approach; and adopting a more morally neutral stance towards breastfeeding promotion. It also advocated for the greater inclusion of partners in perinatal decision making. These recommendations were made with an aim to promote maternal autonomy and to make breastfeeding a viable option for women who are unable to or choose not to practice exclusivity.
Dr Jackson commented: “I was fortunate to have attended SRIP’s annual conference every year during my PhD. When I first presented at SRIP back in 2018, the feedback I received on the preliminary findings from my systematic review directly shaped the proceeding empirical chapter in my final, submitted thesis. SRIP is the most collegial conference I have ever attended and one I eagerly anticipate each September. It was an honour to have been able to return with my doctorate in hand, to express my gratitude to the SRIP community for honing my skills as a researcher and speaker over the past five years!”
Founded in 1980, SRIP is an international organisation concerned with the psychological, behavioural, medical, and social aspects of all areas of reproduction, birth, and infancy. The SRIP Doctoral Thesis Prize is an annual award for a research thesis submitted for a postgraduate degree.