Dr Karen Tustin, Our People, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, New Zealand

KTustin_small Email karen.tustin@otago.ac.nz
Phone: +64 3 479 5089

Karen completed her PhD in Psychology at the University of Otago under the supervision of Professor Harlene Hayne. The focus of Karen’s PhD research was on childhood amnesia and memory development.

Since 2011, Karen has been working as a Research Fellow in the National Centre of Lifecourse Research (NCLR). She is the Project Manager for the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand, a longitudinal study designed to understand the value of a New Zealand tertiary education by following a cohort of students for 10 years post-graduation.

Research Interests

Childhood amnesia and episodic memory

The focus of Karen’s PhD research was on the specific mechanisms responsible for childhood amnesia (the inability of adults to recall their infancy and early childhood). In particular, Karen is interested in how the development of episodic memory contributes to our understanding of childhood amnesia. During the course of her PhD, Karen developed a new technique to interview children about their personal memories and she devised a new coding scheme to tap the episodic nature of the information that individuals report about their memories. One of the studies in her thesis represents the first systematic attempt to examine age-related changes in childhood amnesia across the lifespan.

Longitudinal outcomes of tertiary education

Karen’s current work on the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand (GLSNZ) aims to understand the value of a New Zealand tertiary education by exploring how graduates fare in the years following university, in terms of their lifestyles, employment and career development, and their health and well-being. It will provide critical information to both universities and government policy makers, who are seeking robust information on the cost-effectiveness of their significant financial investment in university education and how this is contributing to the social and economic goals of individual graduates and New Zealand society as a whole. The first wave of data collection for this study was completed in 2011, the second wave was completed in 2014 (2 years post-graduation), and subsequent waves will take place at 5 and 10 years post-graduation.

Visit the Graduate Longitudinal Study (GLSNZ) website for more information.

^ Top of page

Publications

Adams, J., Duncanson, M., Oben, G., McAnally, H., van Asten, H., Wicken, A., Zhang, X., & Tustin, K. (2022). Indicators of child and youth health status in the Northern region 2021. Commissioned by Ministry of Health, Paediatric Society of New Zealand, and district health boards. Dunedin, New Zealand: New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiology Service, University of Otago. 110p. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/14700

Adams, J., Duncanson, M., Oben, G., McAnally, H., van Asten, H., Wicken, A., Zhang, X., & Tustin, K. (2022). Indicators of child and youth health status in the Midland region 2021. Commissioned by Ministry of Health, Paediatric Society of New Zealand, and district health boards. Dunedin, New Zealand: New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiology Service, University of Otago. 107p. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/14701

Adams, J., Duncanson, M., Oben, G., McAnally, H., van Asten, H., Wicken, A., Zhang, X., & Tustin, K. (2022). Indicators of child and youth health status in Te Waipounamu 2021. Commissioned by Ministry of Health, Paediatric Society of New Zealand, and district health boards. Dunedin, New Zealand: New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiology Service, University of Otago. 105p. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/14702

Adams, J., Duncanson, M., Oben, G., McAnally, H., van Asten, H., Wicken, A., Zhang, X., & Tustin, K. (2022). Indicators of child and youth health status in MidCentral and Whanganui 2021. Commissioned by Ministry of Health, Paediatric Society of New Zealand, and district health boards. Dunedin, New Zealand: New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiology Service, University of Otago. 100p. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/14704

Adams, J., Duncanson, M., Oben, G., McAnally, H., van Asten, H., Wicken, A., Zhang, X., & Tustin, K. (2022). Indicators of child and youth health status in Hutt Valley and Wairarapa 2021. Commissioned by Ministry of Health, Paediatric Society of New Zealand, and district health boards. Dunedin, New Zealand: New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiology Service, University of Otago. 98p. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/14705

Tustin, K., & Hayne, H. (2020). Recollection improves with age: Children's and adult's account of their childhood experiences. In Q. Wang & S. Gülgöz (Eds.), Remembering and forgetting early childhood. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

Chapter in Book - Research

Hayne, H., & Tustin, K. (2014). Infants and young children as sources of information about their own lives: Methodology and findings. In G. B. Melton, A. Ben-Arieh, J. Cashmore, G. S. Goodman & N. K. Worley (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of child research. (pp. 575-592). Sage.

Chapter in Book - Research

Winter, T., Riordan, B. C., Hunter, J. A., Tustin, K., Gollop, M., Taylor, N., Kokaua, J., Poulton, R., & Scarf, D. (2021). A longitudinal study of mental wellbeing in students in Aotearoa New Zealand who transitioned into PhD study. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 659163. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.659163

Journal - Research Article

Hohmann-Marriott, B., Choe, L., Schilperoort, L., Tustin, K., Taylor, N., Gollop, M., Theodore, R., Kokaua, J., Hunter, J., Taumoepeau, M., & Poulton, R. (2020). Family and career plans of students graduating from New Zealand universities. New Zealand Population Review, 46, 100-126. Retrieved from https://population.org.nz/latest-journals/

Journal - Research Article

Robertson, K. J., & Tustin, K. (2020). Control of recreational cannabis in a New Zealand University sample: Perceptions of informal and formal controls. Substance Abuse: Research & Treatment, 14, 1-12. doi: 10.1177/1178221820953397

Journal - Research Article

Theodore, R., Tustin, K., Kokaua, J., Gollop, M., Kiro, C., Taylor, N., & Poulton, R. (2020). Occupations and industries of employment of Māori university graduates: Early career aspirations and destinations. Kōtuitui, 15(1), 140-153. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2019.1669671

Journal - Research Article

Tustin, K., & Hayne, H. (2019). Recollection improves with age: Children's and adults' accounts of their childhood experiences. Memory, 27(1), 92-102. doi: 10.1080/09658211.2018.1432661

Journal - Research Article

Robertson, K., & Tustin, K. (2018). Students who limit their drinking, as recommended by national guidelines, are stigmatized, ostracized, or the subject of peer pressure: Limiting consumption is all but prohibited in a culture of intoxication. Substance Abuse, 12, 1-9. doi: 10.1177/1178221818792414

Journal - Research Article

Theodore, R., Taumoepeau, M., Kokaua, J., Tustin, K., Gollop, M., Taylor, N., Hunter, J., … Poulton, R. (2018). Equity in New Zealand university graduate outcomes: Māori and Pacific graduates. Higher Education Research & Development, 37(1), 206-221. doi: 10.1080/07294360.2017.1344198

Journal - Research Article

Theodore, R., Taumoepeau, M., Tustin, K., Gollop, M., Unasa, C., Kokaua, J., Taylor, N., Ramrakha, S., Hunter, J., & Poulton, R. (2018). Pacific university graduates in New Zealand: What helps and hinders completion. AlterNative, 14(2), 138-146. doi: 10.1177/1177180118764126

Journal - Research Article

Theodore, R., Gollop, M., Tustin, K., Taylor, N., Kiro, C., Taumoepeau, M., Kokaua, J., Hunter, J., & Poulton, R. (2017). Māori university success: What helps or hinders qualification completion. AlterNative, 13(2), 122-130. doi: 10.1177/1177180117700799

Journal - Research Article

Blank, M.-L., Connor, J., Gray, A., & Tustin, K. (2016). Alcohol use, mental well-being, self-esteem and general self-efficacy among final-year university students. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 51(3), 431-441. doi: 10.1007/s00127-016-1183-x

Journal - Research Article

Theodore, R., Tustin, K., Kiro, C., Gollop, M., Taumoepeau, M., Taylor, N., Chee, K.-S., Hunter, J., & Poulton, R. (2016). Māori university graduates: Indigenous participation in higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(3), 604-618. doi: 10.1080/07294360.2015.1107883

Journal - Research Article

Tustin, K., & Hayne, H. (2016). Early memories come in small packages: Episodic memory in young children and adults. Developmental Psychobiology, 58(7), 852-865. doi: 10.1002/dev.21423

Journal - Research Article

Blank, M.-L., Connor, J., Gray, A., & Tustin, K. (2015). Screening for hazardous alcohol use among university students using individual questions from the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption. Drug & Alcohol Review, 34(5), 540-548. doi: 10.1111/dar.12272

Journal - Research Article

Hayne, H., Gross, J., McNamee, S., Fitzgibbon, O., & Tustin, K. (2011). Episodic memory and episodic foresight in 3- and 5-year-old children. Cognitive Development, 26, 343-355. doi: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2011.09.006

Journal - Research Article

Tustin, K., & Hayne, H. (2010). Defining the boundary: Age-related changes in childhood amnesia. Developmental Psychology, 46(5), 1049-1061. doi: 10.1037/a0020105

Journal - Research Article

Tustin, K., Gross, J., & Hayne, H. (2004). Maternal exposure to first-trimester sunshine is associated with increased birth weight in human infants. Developmental Psychobiology, 45, 221-230.

Journal - Research Article

Tustin, K. (2013). Assessing the long-term value of tertiary education in New Zealand. Genius, (June), 4-5.

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Theodore, R., Tustin, K., Poulton, R., Gollop, M., Taumoepeau, M., Taylor, N., Kokaua, J., … Hunter, J. (2017). Māori graduates: Success at university and equity in outcomes. Proceedings of the New Zealand for Research in Education (NZARE) Conference. (pp. 30). Retrieved from https://forumpoint2.eventsair.com/QuickEventWebsitePortal/nzare2017/info

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Schaughency, E., Suggate, S., & Tustin, K. (2010). Using local norms to describe reading achievement: A longitudinal examination from third to fifth grade. Proceedings of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting. Retrieved from http://www.aera.net/

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Tustin, K., & Hayne, H. (2008). Episodic memory and autonoetic consciousness in children, adolescents, and adults. Developmental Psychobiology. 50(7), (pp. 748). doi: 10.1002/dev.20341

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Tustin, K., Gross, J., & Hayne, H. (2008). Memory by association: Deferred imitation prolongs retention for the VRM paradigm. Proceedings of the XVIth International Conference on Infant Studies. (pp. 255). Retrieved from http://www.isisweb.org/ICIS08%20Abstract%20Volume.pdf

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Gross, J., Tustin, K., & Hayne, H. (2003). Does season of birth influence birth weight in human infants. Developmental Psychobiology. 43(3), (pp. 257). [Abstract]

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Schaughency, E., Suggate, S., Tustin, K., & Madigan, S. (2009, November). From research and theory in reading development, for practice to assist learning: Preliminary evaluation of brief self-ratings of reading. Poster session presented at the Second Educational Psychology Forum, Wellington, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Tustin, K., & Hayne, H. (2007, March-April). ″And the whistle goed whoo whoo!″ A new task to study age-related changes in memory during early childhood. Poster session presented at the Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting, Boston, USA.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Tustin, K., & Hayne, H. (2007, October-November). What do young children remember about a unique experience after a long delay? Poster session presented at the International Society for Developmental Psychobiology 40th Annual Meeting, San Diego, USA.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Tustin, K., & Hayne, H. (2006, July). A new method to measure childhood amnesia in children, adolescents, and adults. Poster session presented at the 19th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development, Melbourne, Australia.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Tustin, K., & Hayne, H. (2006, October). A new task to study memory development during early childhood. Poster session presented at the 39th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Developmental Psychobiology, Atlanta, Georgia.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Tustin, K., Wright, F., & Hayne, H. (2005, April). Defining the boundary: Age-related changes in childhood amnesia. Poster session presented at the Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Theodore, R., Tustin, K., Poulton, R., & Kiro, C. (2015, January). Māori university graduates: Analysis of the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand. Verbal presentation at the Thirteenth Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, Hawaii.