Jennifer Fisk

I currently work as a trial coordinator on the STAR-CAT study, based in The Oxford Psychological Interventions for Children and young people (TOPIC) research group.

STAR-CAT is a large randomised controlled trial in which we are evaluating a version of OSI (called OSI-A). OSI is a parent-led treatment called Online Support and Intervention for child anxiety. OSI-A has been adapted to meet the needs of autistic children and their families. We are testing whether OSI-A can make treatment for anxiety problems among autistic children more accessible without compromising outcomes.

Previously, I was a postdoctoral researcher in TOPIC on two large randomised controlled trials (iCATS and MY-CATS). I lead the project management of distinct elements of each trial, evaluating methods of identifying, preventing and treating childhood anxiety.

I completed my MSc in clinical aspects in psychology, my research project investigated neural responses to reward and aversion in adolescents with depression symptoms. Following this, I designed my PhD to help understand youth depression and inform clinical practice through assessing potential underlying mechanisms of adolescent depression such as memory, rumination and executive functioning.

Alongside my PhD I worked as a research assistant at the AnDY clinic at the University of Reading, my main role was conducting face to face structured diagnostic interviews with adolescents and their carers’. I also worked for The Charlie Waller Institute conducting a large NHS Audit for trainee Wellbeing Practitioner data, this involved gathering patient information and analysing data to present to clinical leads within the Central and South collaborative.