Emeritus Professor
BA(Psychology)(Vic) PhD(Epidemiology/Paediatrics)(Otago)
FRSNZ FNZPS(hon) FRACP(hon)
Email CHDS.UOC@otago.ac.nz
Sadly, Emeritus Professor David Fergusson passed away in October 2018. He will be sorely missed.
David was the founder of the Christchurch Health and Development Study, an ongoing study of a birth cohort of 1265 children born in the Christchurch region in mid-1977. Research into this cohort has produced over 435 published books, reports, and scientific articles that span a wide range of disciplines including: psychology, psychiatry, epidemiology, paediatrics, health economics, and sociology. In addition, he was a director and evaluator on the Board of the Early Start Project, a Christchurch-based family support programme.
His principal research interests lay in the design analysis and interpretation of correlational data. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and Honorary Fellow of the New Zealand Psychological Society in 2006, and Honorary Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 2007. In 2006, he was awarded the Christchurch School of Medicine Gold Medal for Research Excellence, and in 2010 was awarded the University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal.
Following his retirement from the University of Otago in August 2015, he worked as a consultant for the Ministry of Social Development.
Publications
Najman, J. M., Plotnikova, M., Horwood, J., Silins, E., Fergusson, D., Patton, G. C., … Mattick, R. P. (2019). Does adolescent heavier alcohol use predict young adult aggression and delinquency? Parallel analyses from four Australasian cohort studies. Aggressive Behavior, 45, 427-436. doi: 10.1002/ab.21828
Boden, J. M., & Fergusson, D. M. (2019). Cannabis law and cannabis-related harm. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132(1488), 7-10. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Walker, G. H., Boden, J. M., Fergusson, D. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2019). Examining the associations between offending trajectories in adolescence/young adulthood and subsequent mental health disorders. Journal of Criminal Justice, 62, 94-100. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2018.09.008
Lockett, H., Jury, A., Tuason, C., Lai, J., & Fergusson, D. (2018). Comorbidities between mental and physical health problems: An analysis of the New Zealand health survey data. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 47(3), 5-11.
McLeod, G. F. H., Horwood, L. J., Boden, J. M., & Fergusson, D. M. (2018). Early childhood education and later educational attainment and socioeconomic wellbeing outcomes to age 30. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 53(2), 257-273. doi: 10.1007/s40841-018-0106-7
Najman, J. M., Plotnikova, M., Horwood, J., Silins, E., Fergusson, D., Patton, G. C., … Mattick, R. P. (2019). Does adolescent heavier alcohol use predict young adult aggression and delinquency? Parallel analyses from four Australasian cohort studies. Aggressive Behavior, 45, 427-436. doi: 10.1002/ab.21828
Journal - Research Article
Boden, J. M., & Fergusson, D. M. (2019). Cannabis law and cannabis-related harm. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132(1488), 7-10. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Other
Walker, G. H., Boden, J. M., Fergusson, D. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2019). Examining the associations between offending trajectories in adolescence/young adulthood and subsequent mental health disorders. Journal of Criminal Justice, 62, 94-100. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2018.09.008
Journal - Research Article
Lockett, H., Jury, A., Tuason, C., Lai, J., & Fergusson, D. (2018). Comorbidities between mental and physical health problems: An analysis of the New Zealand health survey data. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 47(3), 5-11.
Journal - Research Article
McLeod, G. F. H., Horwood, L. J., Boden, J. M., & Fergusson, D. M. (2018). Early childhood education and later educational attainment and socioeconomic wellbeing outcomes to age 30. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 53(2), 257-273. doi: 10.1007/s40841-018-0106-7
Journal - Research Article
Jury, A., Lai, J., Tuason, C., Koning, A., Smith, M., Boyd, L., … Fergusson, D., & Gruar, A. (2019). People who experience seclusion in adult mental health inpatient services: An examination of health of the nation outcome scales scores. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 28, 199-208. doi: 10.1111/inm.12521
Journal - Research Article
Lai, J., Jury, A., Long, J., Fergusson, D., Smith, M., Baxendine, S., & Gruar, A. (2019). Variation in seclusion rates across New Zealand's specialist mental health services: Are sociodemographic and clinical factors influencing this? International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 28, 288-296. doi: 10.1111/inm.12532
Journal - Research Article
Lockett, H., Lai, J., Tuason, C., Jury, A., & Fergusson, D. (2018). Primary healthcare utilisation among adults with mood and anxiety disorders: An analysis of the New Zealand Health Survey. Journal of Primary Health Care, 10(1), 68-75. doi: 10.1071/HC17077
Journal - Research Article
Sillins, E., Horwood, L. J., Najman, J. M., Patton, G. C., Toumbourou, J. W., Olsson, C. A., … Fergusson, D., … Boden, J. M., … for the Cannabis Cohorts Research Consortium. (2018). Adverse adult consequences of different alcohol use patterns in adolescence: An integrative analysis of data to age 30 years from four Australasian cohorts. Addiction, 113(10), 1811-1825. doi: 10.1111/add.14263
Journal - Research Article
McLeod, G. F. H., Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., Boden, J. M., & Carter, F. A. (2018). Childhood predictors of adult adiposity: Findings from a longitudinal study. New Zealand Medical Journal, 131(1472), 10-20. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Article
McLeod, G. F. H., Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., Boden, J. M., & Carter, F. A. (2017, May). Prevalence and predictors of adiposity, a known risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD) Annual Scientific Meeting, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Mihiroa Gillies, W., Boden, J. M., Friesen, M. D., Macfarlane, S., & Fergusson, D. M. (2017). Ethnic differences in adolescent mental health problems: Examining early risk factors and deviant peer affiliation. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 26(10), 2889-2899. doi: 10.1007/s10826-017-0792-7
Journal - Research Article
Culverhouse, R. C., Saccone, N. L., Horton, A. C., Ma, Y., Anstey, K. J., Banaschewski, T., … Horwood, J., … Fergusson, D. M., … Kennedy, M., … Bierut, L. J. (2018). Collaborative meta-analysis finds no evidence of a strong interaction between stress and 5-HTTLPR genotype contributing to the development of depression. Molecular Psychiatry, 23, 133-142. doi: 10.1038/mp.2017.44
Journal - Research Article
Bagshaw, A. T. M., Horwood, L. J., Fergusson, D. M., Gemmell, N. J., & Kennedy, M. A. (2017). Microsatellite polymorphisms associated with human behavioural and psychological phenotypes including a gene-environment interaction. BMC Medical Genetics, 18, 12. doi: 10.1186/s12881-017-0374-y
Journal - Research Article
Friesen, M. D., Horwood, L. J., Fergusson, D. M., & Woodward, L. J. (2017). Exposure to parental separation in childhood and later parenting quality as an adult: Evidence from a 30-year longitudinal study. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 58(1), 30-37. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12610
Journal - Research Article
McLeod, G. F. H., Horwood, L. J., Fergusson, D. M., & Boden, J. M. (2016). Life-stress and reactivity by gender in a longitudinal birth cohort at 30 and 35 years. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 51(10), 1385-1394. doi: 10.1007/s00127-016-1254-z
Journal - Research Article
Boden, J. M., van Stockum, S., Horwood, L. J., & Fergusson, D. M. (2016). Bullying victimization in adolescence and psychotic symptomatology in adulthood: Evidence from a 35-year study. Psychological Medicine, 46(6), 1311-1320. doi: 10.1017/S0033291715002962
Journal - Research Article
Ramrakha, S., Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., Dalgard, F., Ambler, A., Kokaua, J., Milne, B. J., & Poulton, R. (2016). Cumulative mental health consequences of acne: 23-year follow-up in a general population birth cohort study. British Journal of Dermatology, 175(15), 1079-1081. doi: 10.1111/bjd.13786
Journal - Research Other
McLeod, G. F. H., Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., & Carter, F. A. (2016). Adiposity and psychosocial outcomes at ages 30 and 35. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 51, 309-318. doi: 10.1007/s00127-015-1101-7
Journal - Research Article
McLeod, G. F. H., Horwood, L. J., & Fergusson, D. M. (2016). Adolescent depression, adult mental health and psychosocial outcomes at 30 and 35 years. Psychological Medicine, 46(7), 1401-1412. doi: 10.1017/S0033291715002950
Journal - Research Article
Mangin, D., Dowson, C., Fergusson, D., & Wells, E. (2015). Does iron deficiency without anemia in infancy affect long term developmental outcomes? Prospective 6 year cohort study. Proceedings of the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) 43rd Annual Meeting. Retrieved from http://www.napcrg.org/Conferences
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Silins, E., Horwood, L. J., Fergusson, D., Patton, G., Olsson, C., Hutchinson, D., … Mattick, R. P. (2015). Adolescent substance use and specificity of association with educational attainment in young adulthood. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 156, (pp. e205-3205). doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.07.551
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
McLeod, G. F. H., Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., & Carter, F. A. (2015). Adiposity and psychosocial outcomes at ages 30 and 35. Proceedings of the Obesity Summit. Barnet, UK: EuroSciCon. Retrieved from https://www.regonline.co.uk/builder/site/tab2.aspx?EventID=1538135
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Boden, J. M., Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., & Mulder, R. T. (2015). The role of peri-traumatic stress and disruption distress in predicting post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms following exposure to a natural disaster. BJPsych Open, 1(1), 81-86. doi: 10.1192/bjpo.bp.115.001180
Journal - Research Article
Lees, D. G., & Fergusson, D. M. (2015). A study to assess the acceptability of adding Home Parent Support along with the Incredible Years® parent programme. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 44(1), 40-44.
Journal - Research Article
Fergusson, D. (2015, September). The prevention, treatment and management of child adolescent conduct disorder. Invited presentation at the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists New Zealand Conference, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Silins, E., Fergusson, D. M., Patton, G. C., Horwood, L. J., Olssen, C. A., Hutchinson, D. M., … for the Cannabis Cohorts Research Consortium. (2015). Adolescent substance use and educational attainment: An integrative data analysis comparing cannabis and alcohol from three Australasian cohorts. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 156, 90-96. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.08.034
Journal - Research Article
Fergusson, D. (2015, August). CHDS findings from 35 years of research. University of Otago Festschrift for David Fergusson. Christchurch, New Zealand. [Public Seminar].
Other Research Output
Fergusson, D. M., Boden, J. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2015). From evidence to policy: Findings from the Christchurch Health and Development Study. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 48(3), 386-408. doi: 10.1177/0004865815589827
Journal - Research Article
Morris, R. W., Taylor, A. E., Fluharty, M. E., Bjørngaard, J. H., Åsvold, B. O., Gabrielsen, M. E., … Horwood, J., Fergusson, D. M., Kennedy, M. A., … Sattar, N. (2015). Heavier smoking may lead to a relative increase in waist circumference: Evidence for a causal relationship from a Mendelian randomisation meta-analysis: The CARTA consortium. BMJ Open, 5(8), e008808. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008808
Journal - Research Article
Adkins, D. E., Clark, S. L., Copeland, W. E., Kennedy, M., Conway, K., Angold, A., … Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., … Costello, E. J. (2015). Genome-wide meta-analysis of longitudinal alcohol consumption across youth and early adulthood. Twin Research & Human Genetics, 18(4), 335-347. doi: 10.1017/thg.2015.36
Journal - Research Article
Fergusson, D. M., & Boden, J. M. (2015). Exploring issues arising from survey non-response. Addiction, 110(9), 1513-1514. doi: 10.1111/add.12968
Journal - Research Other
Fergusson, D. M., Hall, W., Boden, J. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2015). Rethinking cigarette smoking, cannabis use, and psychosis [Comment]. Lancet Psychiatry, 2(7), 581-582. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00208-4
Journal - Research Other
Fergusson, D. M., Boden, J. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2015). Psychosocial sequelae of cannabis use and implications for policy: Findings from the Christchurch Health and Development Study. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 50, 1317-1326. doi: 10.1007/s00127-015-1070-x
Journal - Research Article
Badiani, A., Boden, J. M., De Pirro, S., Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., & Harold, G. T. (2015). Tobacco smoking and cannabis use in a longitudinal birth cohort: Evidence of reciprocal causal relationships. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 150, 69-76. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.02.015
Journal - Research Article
Hutchinson, D. M., Silins, E., Mattick, R. P., Patton, G. C., Fergusson, D. M., Hayatbakhsh, R., … Horwood, L. J., for the Cannabis Cohorts Research Consortium. (2015). How can data harmonisation benefit mental health research? An example of the Cannabis Cohorts Research Consortium. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 49(4), 317-323. doi: 10.1177/0004867415571169
Journal - Research Other
Fergusson, D. M., McLeod, G. F. H., Horwood, L. J., Swain, N. R., Chapple, S., & Poulton, R. (2015). Life satisfaction and mental health problems (18 to 35 years). Psychological Medicine, 45, 2427-2436. doi: 10.1017/s0033291715000422
Journal - Research Article
Fergusson, D. M., & Boden, J. M. (2015). Commentary on Hall (2015): The health effects of recreational cannabis use. Addiction, 110(1), 36-37. doi: 10.1111/add.12758
Journal - Research Other
Fergusson, D. M., Boden, J. M., Horwood, L. J., & Mulder, R. T. (2015). Perceptions of distress and positive consequences following exposure to a major disaster amongst a well-studied cohort. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 49(4), 351-359. doi: 10.1177/0004867414560652
Journal - Research Article
Gibb, S. J., Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., & Boden, J. M. (2015). Early motherhood and long-term economic outcomes: Findings from a 30-year longitudinal study. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 25(1), 163-172. doi: 10.1111/jora.12122
Journal - Research Article
Boden, J. M., Fergusson, D. M., & Horwood, L. J. (2015). Outcomes for children and families following unplanned pregnancy: Findings from a longitudinal birth cohort. Child Indicators Research, 8(2), 389-402. doi: 10.1007/s12187-014-9241-y
Journal - Research Article
Raudino, A., Woodward, L. J., Fergusson, D., & Horwood, J. (2015). Childhood conduct problems associated with increased partnership and parenting risk in adulthood. In M. Tummino, M. Bollati & M. Widmann (Eds.), Proceedings of the 14th European Congress of Psychology: Linking Technology and Psychology: Feeding the Mind, Energy for Life. (pp. 513). Milan, Italy: Innexta. [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Fergusson, D. M., McLeod, G. F. H., & Horwood, L. J. (2015). Leaving school without qualifications and mental health problems to age 30. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 50, 469-478. doi: 10.1007/s00127-014-0971-4
Journal - Research Article
Davis, J. M., Searles, V. B., Anderson, N., Keeney, J., Raznahan, A., Horwood, L. J., Fergusson, D. M., Kennedy, M. A., … Sikela, J. M. (2015). DUF1220 copy number is linearly associated with increased cognitive function as measured by total IQ and mathematical aptitude scores. Human Genetics, 134(1), 67-75. doi: 10.1007/s00439-014-1489-2
Journal - Research Article
Silins, E., Olsson, C., Horwood, L. J., Hutchinson, D., Patton, G., Fergusson, D., … Mattick, R. (2014). Early onset cannabis use and young adult outcomes: An integrative data analysis of three Australasian cohorts. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 140, (pp. e208-e209). doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.02.580
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Taylor, A. E., Morris, R. W., Fluharty, M. E., Bjorngaard, J. H., Åsvold, B. O., Gabrielsen, M. E., … Horwood, J., Fergusson, D. M., Kennedy, M. A., … Sattar, N. (2014). Stratification by smoking status reveals a direct association of CHRNA5-A3-B4 genotype with body mass index in never smokers. PLoS Genetics, 10(12), e1004799. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004799
Journal - Research Article
Silins, E., Horwood, L. J., Patton, G. C., Fergusson, D. M., Olsson, C. A., Hutchinson, D. M., … for the Cannabis Cohorts Research Consortium. (2014). Young adult sequelae of adolescent cannabis use: An integrative analysis. Lancet Psychiatry, 1(4), 286-293. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(14)70307-4
Journal - Research Article
Sturrock, F., Gray, D., Fergusson, D., Horwood, J., & Smits, C. (2014). Incredible years: Follow up study: Long-term follow-up of the New Zealand Incredible Years Pilot Study. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Social Development, 33p.
Authored Book - Research
Fergusson, D. M., McLeod, G. F. H., & Horwood, L. J. (2014). Breast feeding, infant growth, and body mass index at 30 and 35 years. Paediatric & Perinatal Epidemiology, 28(6), 545-552. doi: 10.1111/ppe.12144
Journal - Research Article
Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., Boden, J. M., & Mulder, R. T. (2014). Impact of a major disaster on the mental health of a well-studied cohort. JAMA Psychiatry, 71(9), 1025-1031. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.652
Journal - Research Article
