Project title: Breaking the cycle: understanding how mothers moderate the impact of Intimate partner violence (IPV) on children’s cognitive development in the Dominican Republic
Primary supervisor: Dr. Maria Isabel Santana (University of East Anglia)
Second supervisor: Prof. Teodora Gliga (University of East Anglia)
University: University of East Anglia
SENSS Theme: Health, Wellbeing and Social Care
Collaborative partner: Psychosocial Care Centre (CAPS), INTEC
Collaborative partner supervisor: Dr. Julio Valeirón
Degree structure: The structure of the studentship offered will depend on your personal training needs. However, the minimum duration of a SENSS-funded studentship will be 3.5 years: this covers a PhD and a mandatory placement of approximately 3 months. The maximum duration of a studentship will be 4.5 years: this covers a Masters degree followed by a PhD, as well as the mandatory 3-month placement.
Project background
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) affects millions of women and children globally, with significant consequences for child development. While research has established a link between IPV and child well-being, there is limited understanding of how IPV impacts children’s cognitive development, particularly through maternal-child interactions. This PhD project will explore how mothers’ emotional and cognitive control capacities moderate the effects of IPV on household decision-making, parenting, and child development in the Dominican Republic.
The research is highly relevant to global priorities, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focusing on gender equality, quality education, and peace, justice, and strong institutions. By contributing to a better understanding of the dynamics between IPV, parenting, and child outcomes, this project aims to inform policy interventions that can break the cycle of violence and improve developmental outcomes for children.
This research is essential at a time when gender-based violence is increasingly recognized as a major barrier to development. Understanding the complex interplay between IPV, parenting, and child outcomes will help design targeted interventions that support not only survivors of IPV but also their children, improving their chances for healthy cognitive and emotional development. Your contribution could lead to life-changing policy changes that address IPV’s long-term effects on children.
Project aims and objectives
The doctoral researcher will contribute to an ambitious and interdisciplinary project. The main objectives are to:
Investigate how IPV priming affects household bargaining power and decision-making, especially on education spending.
Examine how maternal characteristics (e.g., cognitive control, emotion regulation, mental health) influence maternal-child interactions under stress.
Explore how mothers' ability to regulate emotions during conflicts affects their responsiveness to their child's needs, particularly during play-based activities.
Inform policy recommendations that integrate mental health, parent-child interaction support, and gender-based violence interventions in the Dominican Republic.
The PhD student will:
Design and implement lab-in-the-field experiments in collaboration with the Psychosocial Care Centre (CAPS) in the Dominican Republic and supervisors.
Collect and analyze eye-tracking data from mothers and infants during interaction tasks to measure attention and maternal responsiveness.
Conduct surveys to gather data on household decision-making, maternal cognitive control, and child developmental outcomes.
Develop policy briefs and participate in dissemination workshops with local stakeholders, including government and international organizations such as UNICEF.
Present research findings at international conferences and contribute to high-impact publications in both economics and psychology journals.
This studentship is a unique opportunity to work with an expert supervisory team:
Dr. Maria Isabel Santana (Development Economics): Extensive experience in field experiments and household decision-making in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Santana is co-investigator on a World Bank grant and has strong networks with local policymakers.
Prof. Teodora Gliga (Psychology): Renowned for her research on early cognitive development, using cutting-edge methods like eye-tracking and EEG to study child learning and maternal responsiveness.
Dr. Julio Valeirón (CAPS, INTEC): A local expert in educational psychology and the Dominican Republic's education system, Dr. Valeirón will provide hands-on supervision during the fieldwork phase in collaboration with CAPS.
The student will be based at UEA but will work closely with the Psychosocial Care Centre (CAPS) in the Dominican Republic, which will provide access to local participants, experimental facilities, and equipment such as eye-tracking devices and data collection tools. Find more about CAPS here.
Training opportunities
A comprehensive package of training will be agreed in consultation with the supervisors. The doctoral researcher will receive extensive training in:
Field and lab experiments: Implementing and managing experimental studies in complex real-world settings.
Advanced data analysis techniques: Working with eye-tracking technology, statistical software (e.g., Stata), and econometric modelling.
Interdisciplinary skills: Combining development economics with cognitive psychology to assess parenting and child development outcomes.
Policy communication: Writing policy briefs and organizing workshops for local stakeholders, which will be supported by a placement at the Centre for Gender Studies (CEG), part of INTEC.
In addition, the student will participate in UEA’s Postgraduate Research (PGR) workshops, focusing on research design, data analysis, and research communication.
Essential and/or desirable attributes/skills
This project would suit candidates passionate about gender equality, child development, and empirical research that impacts real-world policy.
We encourage applications from students with backgrounds in:
Economics, Psychology, Cognitive Science, or related fields, with a strong quantitative background.
Interest in field experiments, quantitative data collection, or behavioural research is essential. Comprehensive training will be provided. Experience in field experiments, quantitative data collection, or behavioural research is desirable.
Knowledge of Spanish is desirable.
Studentship details
This studentship is advertised as being between a +3.5 and +4.5-year (1+3.5, 2+2.5, +4.5) award. The standard length of an ESRC-funded studentship is +3.5. This includes the standard +3 PhD, plus an +0.25 term for the integrated placement which the collaborative partner is expected to offer the DR, and a further additional +0.25 to enable the student to undertake training relevant to their research project (including career progression). All studentships are offered on either a full-time or part-time basis.
The studentship award covers your university fees and provides you with a stipend of £19,237 per year (for 2024-2025 academic year). You will also be able to apply for additional funding via the SENSS Research Training Support Grant to support your training needs.
Residential eligibility
All applicants, whether Home or International, are eligible for a full award, that is, they will receive a stipend (salary) and they will not have to pay any university tuition fees during their studentship award.
How to apply for this studentship
To be considered for this funding, you must first apply to SENSS for this collaborative studentship. Please read the SENSS Collaborative Studentship Application Guidance Notes before completing our online application form. The Guidance Notes are available here.
If your application is accepted by SENSS, you will need to make a separate application for a place to study at the University of East Anglia as your host University. You will be provided with a link with information on how to make your application to the University of East Anglia once the SENSS proposal has been accepted.
Deadline:
The deadline for submitting your application for SENSS funding on HEIApply is 12:00 GMT on Monday 24 February 2025. No extensions to this deadline will be permitted.
For further enquiries:
For enquiries about this research project, please email Dr Maria Isabel Santana at m.santana@uea.ac.uk
For enquiries related to your eligibility for this studentship, and/or the application process, please email Vanessa Tarling at senss.dtp@uea.ac.uk
The likely interview date for this studentship will be Tuesday 11 March 2025 (pm).