Dr Laura Houldcroft

Laura graduated with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Philosophy from Keele University in 2006. She then completed a MRes in Psychology at Loughborough. She completed her PhD in 2014 at Loughborough, which focused on examining peer and parental influences on preadolescent eating behaviours. Laura has previously taught on various Psychology undergraduate modules at Loughborough before she returned to the School as a Teaching Fellow in 2017.

Working days are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Laura’s research interests are focused around examining peer/friend and parental influences on children’s eating behaviours. Her research interests include:

• Peer and friend influences on children’s eating attitudes and behaviours
• Parental influences on children’s eating attitudes and behaviours
• School and family eating environments
• Longitudinal predictors of eating behaviours in children
• The preadolescent period of childhood
• Child mental health.

Invited reviewer for several academic journals, including: Maternal and Child Nutrition; Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology; Social Development.

• Houldcroft, L., Farrow, C., & Haycraft, E. (2016). Eating behaviours of preadolescent children over time: Stability, continuity and the moderating role of perceived parental feeding practices. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health: Special Issue Children, Adolescents and Nutrition, 13, 437-449.
• Farrow, C., Houldcroft, L., & Blissett, J. (2016). Are Controlling Parental Behaviors During Feeding and Play Moderated by Child Weight? In J. Worobey (Ed.), Infant Feeding: Parental Perceptions, Behaviors and Health Effect (pp. 155-166). New York: Nova.
• Houldcroft, L., Haycraft, E. & Farrow, C. (2015). Social and individual influences on eating in preadolescents: The role of friends’ eating behaviours and individual anxiety and depression. Advances in Pediatric Research, 2:22.
• Houldcroft, L., Farrow, C., & Haycraft, E. (2014). Perceptions of parental pressure to eat and eating behaviours in preadolescents: The mediating role of anxiety. Appetite, 80, 61-69.
• Houldcroft, L., Haycraft, E. & Farrow, C. (2014). Peer and friend influences on children’s eating. Social Development, 23, 19-40.