Dr Lorna Camus is a Psychology Technician within the School of Psychology, Sociology and Education at QMU.

I recently completed my PhD at Heriot-Watt University researching psychosocial factors affecting autistic people's mental health. Prior to this, I completed an MA (Hons) in Psychology and an MSc in Developmental Cognitive Science at the University of Edinburgh. I have experience working with disabled children within a support context, and have carried out research with autistic children and adults in educational and more general settings. I have previously been involved in teaching at Heriot-Watt University in topics of research methods, statistics, human development and intelligence, and social cognition. During my PhD I also interned at the Scottish Government where I worked on disseminating large-scale survey findings to a variety of audiences.

My research has focused on autism and mental health, and on how to improve quality of life for autistic people. I am particularly interested in understanding why autistic people are found to be more likely to experience mental health issues, and whether certain key social experiences (school, work, social interactions, etc.) play a role in the development or aggravation of mental ill-health. Central to my work is the commitment to carry out relevant research which will benefit the communities involved. I am more generally interested in developmental psychology and research on disability, mental health and education.

Active Research Interests: 

  • Developmental psychology
  • Social cognition in children and adults
  • Autism
  • Disability
  • Education
  • Mental health and well-being
  • Participatory research

Research Methods: 

  • Quantitative research methods
  • Large-scale survey research
  • Data visualisation
  • Qualitative research methods
  • Interviews and focus groups
  • Thematic analysis
  • Research dissemination/ public engagement