Dr Anna Joyce

Dr Anna Joyce is an Assistant Professor in Psychology, specialising in developmental psychology, atypical development, research methods, ethics, and sleep.

Anna’s research centres on sleep and cognition in neurodiverse individuals, and the impact of sleep problems on cognition, behaviour and mental health. She is particularly interested in cognitive skills in individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions, and whether sleep problems, which are common in these individuals, could be at least partly responsible for some of the cognitive difficulties that they face. She is also interested in the daytime impact of interventions to improve sleep.

Anna has led research investigating sleep and cognition in typical and atypical groups, including ADHD, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, Autism, and intellectual disability. Anna is a chartered psychologist and an honorary lecturer at UCL. She has previously held research and clinical roles at Coventry University and Evelina London, St Thomas’ Hospital.

• Post Graduate Certificate Supervisor Development Programme, University of Northampton, 2023
• Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education, Regent's University London, 2023
• PhD Sleep and cognition, Institute of Education, 2013
• MSc Cognitive Neuropsychology, UCL, 2008
• BSc (Hons) Psychology, Coventry University, 2006

• 2022-present: Assistant Professor in Psychology – Regent’s University London
• 2019-2022: Lecturer in Psychology – Regent’s University London
• 2018-present: Honorary Lecturer – UCL Institute of Education, London
• 2014-2019: Research Fellow – Coventry University
• 2013-2014: Researcher and Medical Technologist – Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Trust
• 2013: Seminar Leader – Institute of Education, London
• 2011: Lecturer and Seminar Leader – Kingston University, London
• 2008-2012: Teaching Assistant – Middlesex University, London

Publications

• Hamilton, A., Joyce, A., Trickett, J., (2023). Recommendations for assessing and managing sleep problems in children with neurodevelopmental conditions. Current Developmental Disorders Reports.
• Joyce, A. & Breadmore, H.L. (2022). Sleep-disordered breathing and daytime sleepiness predict children’s reading ability. British Journal of Educational Psychology.
• Shaw, A., Do, T., Harrison, L., Marczak, M., Dimitriou, D., Joyce, A. (2022). Sleep and the effects on cognition in people with Autism Spectrum Condition: A systematic literature review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
• Chua, B., Neoh, M., Jeon, M., Joyce, A., Iandolo, G., Hayton, J., Esposito, G., & Dimitriou, D. (2022). Impact of Sleep on Attention in Primary School-aged autistic children: Exploratory cross-cultural comparison between Singapore and UK children. Research in Developmental Disabilities.
• Costantini, C., Joyce, A., & Britaz, Y. (2021). Breastfeeding experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK: An exploratory study into maternal opinions and emotional states.
• Halstead, E. J., Joyce, A., Sullivan, E., Tywyn, C., Davies, K., Jones, A. & Dimitriou, D. (2021). Sleep disturbances and patterns in children with neurodevelopmental conditions. Frontiers in Pediatrics.
• Mughal, R., Hill, C. M., Joyce, A. & Dimitriou, D. (2020). Sleep and Cognition in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Brain Sciences.
• Grantham-Hill, S.E., Evans, H.J., Tuffery, C., Saunders, E., Elphick, H., Gringras, P., Kingshott, R., Martin, J., Reynolds, J., Joyce, A., Hill, C.M. & Spruyt, K. (2020). Psychometric properties and predictive value of a screening questionnaire for obstructive sleep apnoea in young children with Down syndrome. Frontiers in Psychology.
• Mughal, R., Joyce, A., Hill, C. M. & Dimitriou, D. (2020). Sleep disturbance as a predictor of anxiety in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and typically developing children. Research in Developmental Disabilities.
• Gwilliam, K., Joyce, A. & Dimitriou, D. (2020). Early manifestation of sleep problems in toddlers with Williams Syndrome using a mixed method longitudinal approach. Research in Developmental Disabilities.
• Joyce, A., Elphick, H., Farquhar, M., Gringras, P., Evans, H., Bucks, R., Kreppner, J., Kingshott, R., Martin, J., Reynolds, J., Rush, C., Gavlak, J. C., & Hill, C. M. (2020). Obstructive sleep apnoea predicts executive function impairment in young children with Down syndrome. Behavioral Sleep Medicine.
• Hannant, P., Cassidy, S., Renshaw, D. & Joyce, A. (2019). A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover-designed GABA tea study in children diagnosed with autistic spectrum conditions. Nutritional Neuroscience.
• Yau, S., Pickering, R., Gringras, P., Elphick, H., Evans, H., Farquhar, M., Martin, J., Joyce, A., Reynolds, J., Kingshott, R., Mindell, J.A., & Hill, C.M. (2019). Sleep in infants and toddlers with Down syndrome compared to typically developing peers: looking beyond snoring. Sleep Medicine.
• Kingshott, R., Gahleitner, F., Elphick, H., Gringras, P., Farquhar, M., Pickering, R., Martin, J., Reynolds, J., Joyce, A., Gavlak, J. C., Evans, H., & Hill, C. M. (2019). Cardio-Respiratory Sleep Studies at Home: Experience in Research and Clinical Cohorts. Archives of Disease in Childhood.
• Joyce, A., Hill, C.M., Karmiloff-Smith, A. & Dimitriou, D. (2019). A cross-syndrome comparison of sleep-dependent learning on a cognitive procedural task. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
• Hill, C. M., Elphick, H., Farquhar, M., Gringras, P., Pickering, R. M., Kingshott, R. N., Martin, J., Reynolds, J., Joyce, A., Gavlak, J. C., & Evans, H. (2018). Home oximetry to screen for obstructive sleep apnoea in Down syndrome. Archives of Disease in Childhood.
• Farias, M., van Mulukom, V., Kahane, G., Kreplin, U., Joyce, A., Soares, P., Oviedo, L., Hernu, M., Rokita, K., Savulescu, J. & Möttönen R. (2017) Supernatural Belief Is Not Modulated by Intuitive Thinking Style or Cognitive Inhibition. Scientific Reports.
• Joyce, A., & Dimitriou, D. (2017). Sleep-disordered breathing and cognitive functioning in preschool children with and without Down syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research.
• Ashworth, A., Hill, C.M., Karmiloff-Smith, A. & Dimitriou, D. (2017). A cross-syndrome study of the differential effects of sleep on declarative memory consolidation in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Developmental Science.
• Hill, C. M., Evans, H. J., Elphick, H., Farquhar, M., Pickering, R. M., Kingshott, R., Martin, J., Reynolds, J., Joyce, A., Rush, C., Gavlak, J. & Gringras, P. (2016). Prevalence and predictors of obstructive sleep apnea in young children with Down syndrome. Sleep Medicine.
• Ashworth, A., Hill, C.M., Karmiloff-Smith, A. & Dimitriou, D. (2015). The importance of sleep: Attentional problems in school-aged children with Down syndrome and Williams syndrome. Behavioral Sleep Medicine.
• Ashworth, A., Hill, C.M., Karmiloff-Smith, A. & Dimitriou, D. (2014). Sleep enhances memory consolidation in children. Journal of Sleep Research.
• Ashworth, A., Hill, C.M., Karmiloff-Smith, A. & Dimitriou, D. (2013). Cross syndrome comparison of sleep problems in children with Down syndrome and Williams syndrome. Research in Developmental Disabilities.
• Dimitriou, D., Karmiloff-Smith, A., Ashworth, A. & Hill, C.M. (2013). Impaired sleep-related learning in children with Williams syndrome. Pediatrics Research International.
• Annaz, D. & Ashworth, A. (2011). Sleep related learning in Williams syndrome. In Farran, E.K. & Karmiloff-Smith, A. (Eds.). Neurodevelopmental disorders across the lifespan: A Neuroconstructivist approach.
• Annaz, D., Hill, C.M., Ashworth, A., Holley, S. & Karmiloff-Smith, A. (2011). Characterisation of sleep problems in children with Williams syndrome. Research in Developmental Disabilities.

Published Abstracts

• Joyce, A. & Dimitriou, D. (2019). Sleep and early cognitive development in children with and without Down syndrome. Proceedings of the Experimental Psychology Society April Meeting.
• Chua, B., BinEid, W., Joyce, A., Hayton, J. & Dimitriou, D. (2017). Impact of sleep on attention in primary school-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Singapore. Sleep Medicine.
• Ashworth, A., Hill, C.M., Karmiloff-smith, A., Holley, S. & Annaz, D. (2010). Sleep problems in school-aged children with Williams syndrome. Journal of Sleep Research.

 Media

• Joyce, A., (2023). Arrival of the Fattest [Science Poem on the evolution of the dopamine pathway in response to sugar], Scottish Poetry Archive
• Joyce, A., (2023). Insomnia [Science Poem on sleep-dependent memory consolidation], Consilience Issue 12: Struggle. https://www.consilience-journal.com/issue-12-insomnia  
• Sleep and reading in children (2021) [Radio interview] InfoTrack, 19^th November 2021 (an interview on my recently published paper on children’s sleep and literacy, aired to over 770 stations across USA.)
• Tea and Autism – What’s the connection? (2019) [YouTube interview] Mei Leaf Tea, 13^th July 2019 (an interview on my recently published paper on GABA tea in children with autism spectrum condition.)
• Joyce, A. (2017). Parents take note: even minor sleep problems can lead to cognitive difficulties in children. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/parents-take-note-even-minor-sleep-problems-can-lead-to-cognitive-difficulties-in-children-79546
• Children’s sleep and use of technology (24/04/2017) [Radio Interview] Voice of Islam Breakfast Show, 24^th April 2017 (a radio interview about my work and comments on a recent report of children’s sleep being associated with their use of touchscreen devices. My comments were also reported by the BBC, The Independent, The Sun and The Telegraph.)
• Joyce, A. (2016). Taking part in research: Why bother? The Down’s Syndrome Association Journal, 134, 38-39.
• Joyce, A. (2016). Understanding the value of a good night’s sleep. The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/coventry-university-partner-zone/2016/feb/18/understanding-the-value-of-a-good-nights-sleep
• Joyce, A. (2016). Trouble Sleeping. Down’s Syndrome Association Blog.  http://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/2016/02/19/trouble-sleeping/
• Jo Frost: Extreme Parental Guidance (2010) [television broadcast] Outline Production, Channel 4, 16^th March 2010 (a documentary on the importance of sleep for children’s cognitive performance, comprising a two-week study of children’s cognitive abilities following sleep curtailment versus optimisation).

Anna researches sleep and cognition in neurodiverse individuals. 

She is particularly interested in the impact of sleep problems on cognition, behaviour and mental health, and the impact of interventions to improve sleep.

Anna supervises undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations, PhD students, and is open to applicants with PhD proposals.

Anna is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society, and Member of the Experimental Psychology Society.

Anna teaches modules at undergraduate and master's level in research methods, developmental psychology, and roots and branches in psychology. She contributed to overall development of the BA Psychology course.