At the Relationships Lab at the University of Canterbury, we are interested in how children, young people, and adults build and maintain relationships. We’re curious about what makes some relationships strong and others more fragile, and how these relationships change with generational and societal shifts in expectations and behaviours.
It’s clear that humans are naturally social creatures. Our connections with others aren’t just important for our communities – they’re crucial for our wellbeing and survival! That’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?!
Our research also aims to uncover children’s perspectives of their relationships and the world around them. We do this by designing studies that are child-centred, fun, and engaging! We also have studies that are specifically for parents, that are equally interesting. More information about each of our individual projects can be found under Current Studies.
Stay up to date on all of our studies by subscribing to our updates. If you’d like to be added to our research database to be the first to know about research participation opportunities, please sign up here.
Meet our team
Dr Cara Swit
Associate Professor Cara Swit leads the Relationships Lab at the University of Canterbury. She is most interested in understanding human relationships and creating opportunities for young people to share their thoughts and feelings on the issues that matter most to them. Her current research explores topics such as how media and technology shape family interactions (technoference and family media ecology), children’s prosocial and aggressive behaviours, parental burnout and wellbeing, and the impact of media and technology on youth mental health and wellness. At the University of Canterbury, Cara teaches courses related to Child and Family Psychology.
Email: cara.swit@canterbury.ac.nz
LinkedIn: https://nz.linkedin.com/in/cara-swit-13077b116
Sarah Tolerton
The Effect of Normative Beliefs and Anxiety on Defending Behaviour in Preschool Children
Sarah Crossan
Developing a Measure of Young Children’s Experiences of Caregiver Technoference and the Associated Emotional Impacts
Chris Kelly
The Development of a Novel Self-Report Measure of Problematic Media Use in Young Children
Current Studies
Children’s Perspectives of Technoference
Technoference – the disruption of interpersonal interactions by technology – is a common feature of contemporary family life…
Thrive – Building Positive Social Relationships to Maximise Wellbeing in Early Childhood
Examining early childhood development from a holistic perspective, involving parents, teachers, and children…
Supporting Rangatahi to Thrive in a Media Saturated World
Exploring how media and technology impact the mental health and wellbeing of underserved groups, including Māori, Pacific, Deaf, and Rainbow communities…
Parental Burnout Across the Globe
Understanding the physical, emotional, and cognitive causes and consequences of parental burnout around the world…
Parents
Interested in Our Research?
Our research explores how media and technology shape family interactions, child development, and wellbeing. We work closely with children, parents, and young people to understand their experiences and co-design meaningful solutions. If you’re interested in learning more or participating in a study, we’d love to hear from you!
Email: cara.swit@canterbury.ac.nz