PhD Effect of family routines on oral health, child development and wellbeing

About the Project

Family life revolves around routines. From morning to bedtime, routines are an ever-present characteristic of parent-child interactions. Recent evidence has highlighted the importance of bedtime routines for children’s development and wellbeing as well as for parental mood and family functioning. Bedtime routines are important, but they are not standalone features of family life with different interactions throughout the day influencing children’s development and wellbeing in many ways. Therefore, understanding family routines more broadly can help us shed light on factors affecting children’s development and wellbeing as well as parental wellbeing and family functioning. To assess the effect of family routines, we propose a mixed methods approach, one that takes into consideration the nuances of individual families and their characteristics. We want to explore what unfolds in families’ daily lives, how routines vary from one family to another, how sociodemographic and economic characteristics might influence family routines and assess their overall impact on a number of important outcomes including: children’s oral health, school readiness, psychosocial and emotional development and cognitive functioning will be explored alongside parents’ mood, stress, confidence, and family functioning. A systematic review (or scoping exercise) can complement data collected during the project and allow for further explorations of family routines and their implications for children’s development and wellbeing. Finally, different possible interventions to offer support for the establishment of more optimal routines will be explored towards the end of the project. Through this project, an in-depth understanding of family life and routines and their implications for children will be achieved while consideration will be given on how to best support and help families.

Eligibility

Applicants are expected to hold (or be about to obtain) a minimum upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in psychology, public health, child development sciences, or other health-related disciplines. Candidates with experience in working with families, children and participants from deprived and diverse populations are encouraged to apply. Experience in quantitative research (data collection and analysis) and/or qualitative research methodologies will be very welcome. Interest in applying theories of behaviour change, theories of family and group functioning as well as an interest in the implications of family routines and dynamics on children’s development and wellbeing are important.

How to Apply

For information on how to apply for this project, please visit the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Doctoral Academy website(https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/apply/).Informal enquiries may be made directly to the primary supervisor.

For international students, we offer the opportunity for you to undertake an accredited teaching certificate whilst carrying out your research with our PhD with Integrated Teaching Certificate. We also offer self-funded international students the chance to study a master’s before progressing onto a PhD with our Integrated PhD. Visit our international postgraduate researchers page to find out more.

Funding Notes

Applications are invited from self-funded students. This project has a Band 1 fee. Details of our different fee bands can be found on our website View Website