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Department of Psychiatry 

?Research - Research Units 

Early Life and Infant Mental Health Research Group


Aim

?To create a research hub for Early Life and Infant Mental Health at Stellenbosch 肆客足球 that focuses on culturally relevant and contextually sensitive research with infants and their caregivers, support and health care systems from pre-conception through the first 1000 days of life.


Mission

?To create a space that will focus on early development and infant mental health (IMH), guided by the realities/needs of the Southern African context. 

Our primary objectives are to encourage, facilitate, and disseminate local research that will contribute towards a more balanced global representation of evidence-based practice.


Faculty

?Dr Anusha Lachman
  • Child Psychiatrist
  • IMH course coordinator and co-convenor of the MPhil IMH programme
  • WAIMH President's Executive at Large?
Email: anusha@sun.ac.za
Emeritus Prof Astrid Berg
  • Child Psychiatrist
  • Co-convenor of the MPhil IMH programme
  • WAIMH President (2024-2028)

Email: zimi@iafrica.com
?Dr Juané Voges
  • Clinical Psychologist
  • ZA-AIMH Chair
  • WAIMH Affiliate Council Chair
Email: jvoges@sun.ac.za
?Ms Salisha Maharaj
  • Clinical Psychologist
  • ZA-AIMH board member
  • Assistant editor - Perspectives in Infant Mental health
Email: salisha@sun.ac.za
?nicki dawson.webpDr Nicola Dawson
  • Counselling Psychologist
  • Research Development and Training Lead at Ubebele
  • Research Portfolio Lead of SAPPIN
  • NBO Trainer at the Brazelton Institute
  • ZA-AIMH Secretary
  • Associate editor - Perspectives
?Dr Berna Gerber
  • Speech-Language Therapist and Audiologist
  • Chair of the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Postgraduate Committee
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Education progr???ammes?

  • ?MPhil IMH degree: applications closed for 2025?.???
  • IMH online short course: enquire about future offerings.


Research

?Previous research
?Current research?
?Available research
???Transdisciplinary research
?Shared Pleasure Paradigm in maternal-infant interactions



PI: Dr A Lachman?
??The First 1000 days in South Africa in various contexts (implementation, nutrition, etc.) (MPhil IMH dissertations)

PI: Dr A Lachman and Prof A Berg
?Secure base provision, infant regulation and attachment in South Africa


PI: Dr N Dawson
?Public Square in Early Intervention and Child Mental Health? - for additional information contact Dr A Lachman and Dr B Gerber
?Mother-child interactions in women with peri- and postpartum psychosis



PI: Dr J Voges

?Clinical audit of the Tygerberg Infant Mental Health Clinic (MMed Psychiatry dissertation: Dr S Jassat)


PI: Dr A Lachman and Ms S Maharaj
Testing attachment models in South Africa: Best predictors of attachment security



PI: Dr N Dawson
Development of an intervention to support, educate, and counsel mothers of preterm infants during the infant's hospitalisation phase


Postdoctoral Fellow: Dr C Wepener
?Sensitive responsiveness - contextual and cultural applicability in Africa



PI: Dr N Dawson?
??Assessment of Ububele health care programmes - NBO and the Baby Mat Project (MPhil IMH dissertations)


PI: Dr N Dawson
??Efficacy of task-shifting for IMH intervention role out




PI: Dr N Dawson
?Exploring the relationship between infant mental health and speech-language therapy: A scoping review


M in Speech-Language Therapy: Ms C Rudolph

?Collaborators

  • ??Prof Michelle Pentecost?, Department of Global Health & Social Medicine, King's College London
  • Prof Fiona Ross?, Department of ?Social Anthropology & Gender Studies
  • Dr Tracey Smythe?, Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Division of Physiotherapy, Stellenbosch 肆客足球
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Publications?

For a full list of each faculty member's publications you can access their respective SCOPUS profiles below:

?Anusha Lachman?
?Astrid Berg?
?Juané Voges?
?Salisha Maharaj
?Nicola Dawson?
?Berna Gerber?

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Publication highlights:

  1. ?Lachman A, Gerber B, Bornman J, Smythe T. Opportunities to accelerate progress in infant mental health. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2024;8(8):551-552. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(24)00131-7
  2. Lachman A, Berg A, Ross F, Pentecost M. Infant mental health in southern Africa: Nurturing a field.  Lancet. 2021;398(10303):835-836. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00998-3??

Soc?ieties


Resources