Maria Bachmakova

I am a Research Assistant in the Cognitive and Behavioural Approaches to Mental Health in Young People (CAMY) group, led by Dr. Eleanor Leigh and based at the Oxford Centre for Emerging Minds. As part of this role, I work on a Wellcome Trust–funded project investigating positive social surprises as a mechanism of improvement in psychological therapies for young people.

I am particularly interested in the processes underlying the development and maintenance of internalising disorders, including social anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphic disorder. My work explores these across two settings: at Oxford, where I am currently developing a transdiagnostic measure of self-focused attention, and at UCL, where I support experimental research in this area.

Prior to this role, I completed a BA in Psychology at the University of Southern California (USA) and an MSc in Psychological Research at the University of Oxford.