Dr Verena Pritchard

Lecturer in Psychology
PhD, MSc (hons) (Canterbury University, Christchurch, New Zealand)

Contact

Responsibilities

Admission Team

Teaching Areas

Dr Pritchard’s teaching areas are in developmental psychology with specific focuses on neuropsychology, cognition, pediatric psychology, longitudinal research, learning difficulties and contemporary issues (assisted fertility, media/technology use in children and adolescents, cyber-bullying, play). Verena is module convenor for PS20320 and contributes to PS11420, PS11220 and dissertation module for single and joint honours students (PS33140 & PS34140).

Research

Research interests span both neuropsychological, cognitive domains and contemporary issues in developmental psychology. Main interests include the neurodevelopmental outcomes of high-risk children (very preterm birth, in-utero drug exposure), impacts of cell phones and social networking sites (performance, cyber-bullying, family, and parenting), executive function, inhibitory processes in attention and memory (negative priming and retrieval induced forgetting paradigms).

Biography

Dr Pritchard completed her PhD in Psychology (Canterbury, NZ) in 2007 and was subsequently employed as postdoctoral fellow for 3 years (as the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation Child Health Fellow) working on two large-scale longitudinal projects and then as a lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Canterbury. During this time she has also supervised at both Masters and PhD levels.

Additional Interests

Awards

2012 – Nominee for Best Lecturer of the Year, Science Faculty (University of Canterbury Students Association)

2009 – Voted one of the Top 50 Reviewers (Early Human Development)

2006 – Canterbury Medical Research Foundation Child Health Fellowship (3 year term)

2003 - University of Canterbury Doctoral Scholarship

Staff Publications

Pritchard, V. E., & Neumann, E. (2011). Classic Stroop negative priming effects for children and adults diverge with less- and non-conflicting conditions. American Journal of Psychology, 124, 405-419.

Pritchard, V. E., & Woodward, L. J. (2011) Preschool executive control on the Shape School task: Measurement considerations and utility. Psychological Assessment, 23(1), 31-43.

Bora, S., Pritchard, V.E., Moor, S., Austin, N.C., & Woodward, L.J. (2011). Emotional and behavioural adjustment of children born very preterm at early school age. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 47(12): 863-869.

Woodward, L. J., Clark, C. A.C., Pritchard, V. E., Anderson, P. J., & Inder T. E. (2011). Cerebral white matter abnormalities at term age predict executive function impairments in preschool-aged children born very preterm. Special Issue, Developmental Neuropsychology. 2011 Jan; 36 (1):22-41.

Clark, C. A. C., Pritchard, V. E., & Woodward, L. J. (2010). Preschool executive function predicts early mathematics achievement. Developmental Psychology, 46(5), 1176-1191

Pritchard, V. E. (2009). Evidence for negative priming in children. Köln, Germany: Lambert Academic Publishing.

Pritchard, V.E., Clark, C.A.C., Champion, P.R., Liberty, K., Wilson, K., Woodward, L.J. (2009). Early school-based learning difficulties in children born very preterm. Early Human Development, 85, 215–224.

Pritchard, V. E. & Neumann, E. (2009). Avoiding the potential pitfalls of using negative priming tasks in developmental studies: Assessing inhibitory control in children, adolescents and adults. Developmental Psychology, 45, 272-283.

Woodward, L.J. & Pritchard, V. E. (2010). Understanding the development of the at risk premature child. In J. Low & P. Jose (eds.), Lifespan Development: The New Zealand Context (2nd edition). (pp 32-46). Wellington: Pearson Education.

Pritchard, V. E., Neumann, E., & Rucklidge, J. J. (2008). Selective attention and inhibitory deficits in ADHD: Does subtype or comorbidity modulate negative priming effects? Brain and Cognition, 67, 324-39.

Pritchard, V. E., Neumann, E., & Rucklidge, J. J. (2007). Interference and negative priming effects in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Psychology, 120, 91-122.

Pritchard, V. E., Healey, D., & Neumann, E. (2006). Assessing selective attention abilities in ADHD, highly creative, and normal young children via Stroop interference and negative priming effects. In C. M. Fletcher-Flinn & G. M. Habermann (Eds.),Cognition and language: Perspectives from New Zealand (pp.207-224). Australia, Qld: Australian Academic Press.

Pritchard, V. E., & Neumann, E. (2004). Negative priming effects in children engaged in non-spatial tasks: Evidence for early development of an intact inhibitory mechanism. Developmental Psychology, 40, 191-203.

In Preparation (imminent submissions)
Bora, S., Pritchard, V. E., Inder, T. E; Woodward, L. J. Persistent ADHD symptoms in children born very preterm: Associations with altered cerebral development and Injury

Woodward, L. J., Montgomery-Honger, A., Clark, C. A. C., Raudino, A., & Pritchard, V. E. Parental stress and experience of the neonatal intensive care environment

Lean, R. E., Pritchard, V. E., & Woodward, L. J. The child protection and placement experiences of preschool children born to mothers maintained on methadone during pregnancy

Healey, D., Pritchard, V. E., & Woodward, L.J. Executive function mediates relations between early emotional dysregulation and later psychosocial outcomes.

Published Abstracts (Selected)

Ballantine, K., Ritchie, K., Pritchard, V. E., Woodward, L. J. (2012). Impact of family stability on outcome at age 9 in a regional cohort of children born very preterm. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health

Lean, R., Pritchard, V.E., Moor, S., Woodward, L.J. (2012). Mental health outcomes of methadone-exposed preschoolers: The role of out-of-home care. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health

Pritchard, V. E., Austin, N. & Woodward, L. J. (2012). School readiness at age 4 and later educational progress of children born very preterm. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health

Wouldes, T. A., Pritchard V. E., Woodward, L. J. (2012). Neurobehaviour of neonates exposed preantenatally to methadone maintenance treatment. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health.

Pritchard, V. E., Anderson, P. J., & Woodward, L. J. (2009). Cerebral abnormalities on neonatal MRI and later inhibitory and switching abilities in preschool children born very preterm. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.

Pritchard, V. E., Woodward, L.J., & Neumann, E. (2008). Studying attentional ability in children born very preterm. Journal of the New Zealand Medical Association, 121, 107-108.

Pritchard V. E., Neumann E. (2007). Inhibitory mechanisms in ADHD and cognitive development Australian Journal of Psychology: Combined abstracts of 2007 Australian Psychology Conferences, 59, 193-194.

Recent Conferences

2012
Bora, S., Pritchard, V. E., Moor, S., Woodward, L. J. (2012). Diagnostic utility of parent and teacher ratings of inattention/hyperactivity for predicting clinical diagnosis of ADHD in children born very preterm. Poster symposium at the Pediatric Academic Societies’ & Asian Society for Pediatric Research Joint Meeting, Boston, USA, May 2012
Pritchard, V. E., Austin, N., Woodward, L. J. (2012). School readiness at age 4 and later educational progress of children born very preterm. Platform Presentation at the Pediatric Academic Societies’ & Asian Society for Pediatric Research Joint Meeting, Boston, USA, May 2012.
Montgomery-Hönger, A., Pritchard, V. E., Spencer, C., Austin, N., Ballenden E., & Woodward, L.J. (2012). Parental Experiences in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Paper presented at the Health Research Society of Canterbury conference, Christchurch (NZ), May 2012.
Ballantine, K., Ritchie, K., Pritchard, V. E., Woodward, L. (2012). Impact of family stability on outcome at age 9 in a regional cohort of children born very preterm. Paper presented at the 16th Annual Congress of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand, March 2012, Sydney, Australia.
Lean, R., Pritchard, V. E., Moor, S., Woodward, L.J. (2012). Mental health outcomes of methadone-exposed preschoolers: The role of out-of-home care. Paper presented at the 16th Annual Congress of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand, March 2012, Sydney, Australia.
Wouldes, T. A., Pritchard V. E., Woodward, L. J. (2012). Neurobehaviour of neonates exposed preantenatally to methadone maintenance treatment. Paper presented at the 16th Annual Congress of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand, March 2012, Sydney, Australia.
2011
Lean, R., Pritchard V.E., & Woodward, L.J (2011). The Mental Health Characteristics of Children Prenatally Exposed to Methadone with Placement History at Age 4.5-Years. Paper presented at the 36h Australasian Human Development Association Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand, July. Winner of Student Scholar Award
Montgomery-Hönger, A., Pritchard, V. E., Raudino. A., Clark, C. A. C., & Woodward, L. J. (2011). Predictors of Maternal Stress amongst Mothers of Very Preterm Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Paper presented at the 36h Australasian Human Development Association Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand, July.
Woodward, L.J., Clark, C.A.C., Pritchard, V. E., Anderson, P. J., & Inder, T. (2011). Neonatal White Matter Abnormalities Predict Global Executive Function Impairment in Children Born Very Preterm. Paper presented at the 36th Australasian Human Development Association Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand, July.
Bora, S., Pritchard, V. E., Inder, T.E., & Woodward, L.J. (2011, May). Neonatal cerebral tissue volumes associated with attentional problems in children born very preterm. Paper presented at Poster Symposium for the Pediatric Academic Societies’ & Asian Society for Pediatric Research Joint Meeting, Denver, USA, May 201.
Neumann, E. and Pritchard, V. E. (2011) Short- and long-term negative priming for possible and impossible 3D shapes in adolescents and adults. Auckland, NZ: 38th Australasian Experimental Psychology Conference, 28-30th April 2011.
2010
Bora, S., Moor, S., Spencer, C., Pritchard, V.E., & Woodward, L.J. (2010). Behavioural sequelae of a regional cohort of children bore very preterm at age 9 years. Poster session presented at the 2nd Joint International Conference of the Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), Hong Kong, December 2010, (Best Poster Award)
Bora, S., Pritchard, V. E., Moor, S., Austin, N.C., & Woodward, L.J. (2010, December). Pervasive and situational behavioural problems in children born very preterm at 6 years of age. Paper presented at the 16th Congress of the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, New Delhi, India, December 2010.
Austin, N.C., Spencer, C., Pritchard, V. E., & Woodward, L. J. (2010). Neuromotor outcomes of a regional cohort of children born very preterm at 9 years. Poster presented at the Paediatrics Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Canada, Vancouver, May 2010.
Pritchard, V. E., Austin, N. C., Clark, C. A. C., & Woodward, L. J. (2010). Neurological, perinatal andsocio-familial Predictors of the early educational outcomes of children born very preterm. Poster presented at the Paediatrics Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Canada, Vancouver, May 2010.
Woodward, L. J. Clark, C. A. C., Pritchard, V. E., Anderson, P. J. & Inder, T. E. (2010). Neonatal White Matter Abnormalities Predict Global Executive Function Impairment in Children Born Very Preterm. Paper presented at the Paediatrics Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Canada, Vancouver, May 2010.
Bora, S., Pritchard, V.E., Austin, N.C., & Woodward, L.J. (2010). Mental health outcomes in early school aged children born very preterm. Paper presented at the 14th Annual Congress of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand, 28-31 March 2010. Wellington, New Zealand.
Austin N. C., Spencer C., Pritchard V. E., & Woodward L. J. (2010). Neuromotor outcomes of a regional cohort of children born very preterm at 9 years. Paper presented at the 14th Annual Congress of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand, 28-31 March 2010. Wellington, New Zealand.
Pritchard, V. E., Clark, C. A. C., Liberty, K., Austin, N.C., Woodward, L. J. (2010). Early school-based learning difficulties in children born very preterm assessed longitudinally. Paper presented at the 14th Annual Congress of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand, 28-31 March 2010. Wellington, New Zealand.

Bora, S., Pritchard, V. E., Watts, R., & Woodward, L.J. (2010). Development of an fMRI paradigm to examine working memory function in children born very preterm. Poster session presented at the International Conference for Infant, Toddler and Preschool Mental Health, Feb 18-20 2010. Auckland, New Zealand.
Montgomery-Hönger, A., Pritchard, V. E., Clark, C. A. C., & Woodward, L. J. (2010). Wellbeing of Mothers Giving Birth to a Very Preterm Infant: Predictors of Maternal Stress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Poster session presented at the International Conference for Infant, Toddler and Preschool Mental Health, Feb 18-20 2010. Auckland, New Zealand.
Pritchard V. E., Gray, A., & Woodward L. J. (2010). The effects of prenatal methadone exposure on later behavioural and emotional development. Poster presented at the International Conference for Infant, Toddler and Preschool Mental Health, Feb 18-20 2010. Auckland, New Zealand.
2009-2008
Bora, S., Pritchard, V. E., Watts, R., & Woodward, L. J. (2009). The use of fMRI to assess working memory in children born very preterm. Poster presented at the 27th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research, Queenstown, August 2009.
Pritchard, V. E., Gray, A., & Woodward, L. J. (2009). Early executive profile of toddlers exposed to methadone in utero. Paper presented at the 35th Australasian Human Development Association Conference, Adelaide, Australia, July 2009.
Austin, N. C., Spencer, C., Pritchard, V. E., Moor, S., & Woodward, L. J. (2009). Clinical neurologic examination at age 4 correlates with white matter abnormality in children born very preterm. Paper presented at the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Meeting, Darwin, April 2009.
Pritchard, V. E., Hood, K. M., Anderson, P. J., Woodward, L. J. (2009). Cerebral abnormalities on neonatal MRI and later inhibitory and switching abilities in preschool children born very preterm. (Invited symposium presentation at the International Neuropsychological Society 37th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, February 2009.
Pritchard, V. E., Clark, C. A. C., Champion, P., Wilson, K., & Woodward, L. J. (2008). School-Based Outcomes of Children Born Very Preterm at Age 6 Years. Poster presented at the Paediatrics Academic Societies Annual Meeting, Honolulu, Hawaii, May 3-6, 2008.