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Libby Shaughency

Email libby.schaughency@otago.ac.nz
Tel 64 3 479 5864

Dr Elizabeth Schaughency's research interests are in the interplay between important socialisation environments (home and school) and children's developing competencies and how these may be fostered. She leads an applied developmental science research group within the Department of Psychology and collaborates with other developmental scientists within the Department of Psychology and other child-oriented units within the University (Women's and Children's Health, Education).

She has authored 24 papers, 9 book chapters, co-edited a special series on building capacity to better serve children, and delivered over 70 presentations at national and international conferences, university colloquia, and professional development seminars. Recent recognitions include the 2006 Article of the Year for School Psychology Review.

She joined the Department in 2004. She has over 25 years of university teaching experience, at both graduate and undergraduate levels. Prior to joining the Department, Dr Schaughency completed her postgraduate studies and taught at universities in the USA.

Teaching

PSYC 402 Assessment in Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology

PSYC 435 Developmental Psychopathology

Research Interests

  • What are the factors that promote children's development in important domains and how might they be fostered?
  • How can we support localised yet effective service delivery?

Find out more about Dr Schaughency's research interests

Publications

Bakir-Demir, T., Marshall, S., Guiney, H., Moses, L. J., Kokaua, J. J., Salmon, K., Schaughency, E., … Clifford, A., … Reese, E. (2026). Kia Tīmata Pai: Parent- and teacher-reported oral language and self-regulation in a large diverse sample of New Zealand toddlers. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 76, 378-390. doi: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2026.04.002 Journal - Research Article

Swearingen, I., Van Bergen, P., Schaughency, E., Moros, S., & Reese, E. (2026). Kia Tīmata Pai (Best start) video project: Effects of an oral language professional development program (ENRICH) on educator-toddler conversations. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 76, 261-271. doi: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2026.02.003 Journal - Research Article

Poulton, R., Bakir-Demir, T., Guiney, H., Kokaua, J., Salmon, K., Schaughency, E., Taumoepeau, M., Clifford, A., … Reese, E. (2025). Cohort profile: The New Zealand Best Start study (Kia Tīmata Pai). International Journal of Epidemiology, 54(4), dyaf103. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyaf103 Journal - Research Other

Swearingen, I., Moros, S., Schaughency, E., & Reese, E. (2025). Quality of educator-toddler conversations varies across activity settings in centre-based ECEC. International Journal of Early Years Education, 31(3), 76-99. doi: 10.1080/09669760.2024.2389826 Journal - Research Article

Clifford, A. E., Schaughency, E., Das, S., Riordan, J., Carroll, J. L. D., & Reese, E. (2024). Tender Shoots: Effects of a preschool shared reading and reminiscing initiative on parent-child interactions and for socio-emotional and self-regulation outcomes after school entry. Learning & Individual Differences, 112, 102443. doi: 10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102443 Journal - Research Article

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