Dr Elisa Back
Faculties, deparments and locations
- Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
- Department of Psychology
- School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences
- Penrhyn Road
Associate Professor
- Email:
- e.back@kingston.ac.uk
About
I obtained my PhD in Psychology from the University of Nottingham in 2006. My thesis was about inferring mental states from facial expressions in neurotypical individuals as well as autistic children and adolescents. In 2007, I was awarded the Neil O'Connor prize by the British Psychology Society's Developmental section for my research with developmental disorders. My postdoctoral research was related to Theory of Mind and I carried this out at the University of Birmingham in 2006–2008.
I joined the Department of Psychology at Kingston University in 2008. My research area is social-cognitive development in neurotypical and neurodiverse populations across the life-span. My current research focuses on how autistic individuals perceive and interpret the world and the impact this has on daily life using a range of methodologies such as and eye-tracking.
I am the course leader for the MSc in Child Psychology and director of the Developing Minds Lab within the Department of Psychology. You can find out the latest information about our lab's research activities and events on our Facebook page.
I am also a chartered psychologist (CPsychol) and I was a committee member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Developmental Section in 2012–2018.
Qualifications
- 2002 BSc (Hons) Psychology (First Class), Staffordshire University
- 2006 PhD Psychology, University of Nottingham
Domains
I am the course leader for the MSc Child Psychology course and I teach on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate modules in the area of developmental psychology as well as research skills, dissertation and placement modules.
I also lead a range of CPD and community engagement events that students and colleagues from across the University participate in as well as academics and professionals external to Kingston University.
I am a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an external examiner of undergraduate and postgraduate psychology courses.
Qualifications
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Courses taught
Developing Minds Lab
I am the director of the Developing Minds Lab which is a research group consisting of academics, PhD students and researchers based within the Department of Psychology. We carry out research in typical and atypical development across the lifespan (children, adolescents, and adults). Our expertise covers areas such as autism, social cognition, and cognitive development. We have fortnightly research meetings and host a variety of different events ranging from workshops and networking opportunities to our popular 'Young Scientist Event'.
PhD supervision
- Hayley Spurin
Social attention strategies and theory of mind understanding in autistic children and adolescents (completed in 2022) - Rashma Hirani
Recognition of briefly presented facial expressions across the lifespan and in autism - Milani Pathmanathan
Theory of Mind strategies in autism - Kim Jonkman
Interventions and support for autistic children and adults
Please contact me if you are interested in applying for a PhD in the areas of autism, face processing, theory of mind, social cognitive development
Funding
- Santander Universities UK 2022–2023: Autism Peer Network
- British Academy 2011–2012: Visual perspective-taking in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder
- EPS Grindley travel grant 2005: Society for Research in Child Development conference
- BPS travel grant 2005: Developmental section conference
- University of Nottingham 2002: 3-year PhD studentship
Specialisms
- Developmental Psychology
- Neurodiversity
- Autism
- Theory of Mind
- Face processing
Scholarly affiliations
- British Psychological Society
- International Society for Autism Research
Publications
The benefits of an autism peer network in higher education
Back, Elisa, Main, Ellie, Schur, Pheobe, Manitsa, Ifigeneia, Clifford, Katharine, Barlow-Brown, Fiona, Parchment, Swane and Spurin, Hayley, 2025, Neurodiversity
Over het gebruik van alternatieve behandelingen voor autisme
Jonkman, Kim, Back, Elisa, Staal, Wouter, Benard, Lotte, van der Doelen, Daniël and Begeer, Sander, 2024, Wetenschappelijk Tijdschrift Autisme (2024), 3
Parental perspectives on the use of fidget toys and sensory-seeking profiles in autistic and neurotypical children
Roche, Megan A., Back, Elisa and Van Herwegen, Jo, 2023, Current Psychology
Exploring experiences of vaccine-related and alternative treatments for individuals with autism : a qualitative study
Jonkman, Kim M., Livanou, Maria, Alma, Manna A., Benard, Lotte, Begeer, Sander and Back, Elisa, 2023, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Alternative treatments for autism : prevalence and predictors
Jonkman, Kim M., Back, Elisa, Staal, Wouter G., Benard, Lotte, van der Doelen, Daniël M. and Begeer, Sander, 2022, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders (98), pp 102046
Block design performance in Williams syndrome : visuospatial abilities or task approach skills?
Back, Elisa, Farran, Emily K. and Van Herwegen, Jo, 2022, American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (127), 5, pp 390-399
Predicting intervention use in autistic children : demographic and autism-specific characteristics
Jonkman, Kim M, Back, Elisa and Begeer, Sander, 2022, Autism
Inferring mental states from dynamic faces in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder : insights from eye-tracking
Back, Elisa, 2019, Child Development (90), 5, pp 1589-1597
Revealing variations in perception of mental states from dynamic facial expressions : a cautionary note
Back, Elisa and Jordan, Timothy R, 2014, PloS one (9), 1, pp e84395
Looking and thinking: how individuals with Williams syndrome make judgements about mental states
Hanley, Mary, Riby, Deborah M., Caswell, Stephen, Rooney, Sinead and Back, Elisa, 2013, Research in Developmental Disabilities (34), 12, pp 4466-4476
Can individuals with Williams syndrome interpret mental states from moving faces?
Riby, Deborah M. and Back, Elisa, 2010, Neuropsychologia (48), 7, pp 1914-1922
Two sources of evidence on the non-automaticity of true and false belief ascription
Back, Elisa and Apperly, Ian A, 2010, Cognition (115), 1, pp 54-70
The recognition of mental states from dynamic and static facial expressions
Back, Elisa, Jordan, Timothy R. and Thomas, Sharon M., 2009, Visual Cognition (17), 8, pp 1271-1286
The cost of thinking about false beliefs: Evidence from adults' performance on a non-inferential theory of mind task
Apperly, Ian A., Back, Elisa, Samson, Dana and France, Lisa, 2008, Cognition (106), 3, pp 1093-1108
Do the eyes have it? Inferring mental states from animated faces in autism
Back, Elisa, Ropar, Danielle and Mitchell, Peter, 2007, Child Development (78), 2, pp 397-411
Working with autism : best practice guidelines for psychologists
Howlin, Patricia, Back, Elisa, Bates, Andrew, Conallen, Kevin, Crabtree, Jason, Daves-Hales, Maria, Hannan, Sinead, Hughes, Marie-Louise, Hunt, Katie, Ingham, Barry, Jones, Glenys, Jordan, Rita, MacKay, Tommy, Meina, Lynda and O'Dell, Lindsey (2021). (The British Psychological Society)
Developing Minds Lab newsletter [2019-present]
Back, Elisa. Kingston upon Thames, U.K.: (Kingston University)
Amplifying neurodiverse voices in environmental debates : learning opportunities based around participative research engagement
Back, Elisa and Panagiota Paliokosta, Paty(2024). In: Oxford Education Research Symposium, 15-17 Jul 2024 :Oxford, U.K.
The benefits of an autism peer network in higher education
Back, Elisa, Main, Ellie, Manitsa, Ifigeneia, Clifford, Katharine, Schur, Phoebe, Barlow-Brown, Fiona, Parchment, Swane and Spurin, Hayley(2024). In: Neurodevelopmental Annual Seminar (NDAS) 2024, 28 Jun 2024 :Norwich, U.K.
Parents' mentalising abilities and the role of autistic traits and emotion talk
Back, Elisa and Tenenbaum, Harriet(2023). In: CogDev 2023, 12-14 Sep 2023 :Bristol, U.K.
Fidget toys and sensory seeking profiles in autistic children
Back, E., Roche, M. and Van Herwegen, J.(2023). In: INSAR 2023 Annual Meeting, 03-06 May 2023 :Stockholm, Sweden
Parental perspectives on the use of fidget toys in autistic and typically developing children
Back, Elisa, Roche, Megan and Van Herwegen, Jo(2022). In: British Psychological Society Developmental Section Annual Conference, 14-16 Sep 2022 :Sheffield, U.K.
Predictors of treatment use in autistic children
Back, Elisa, Jonkman, Kim M. and Beeger, Sander(2022). In: INSAR 2022 Annual Meeting, 11-14 May 2022 :Austin, Texas, U.S.
Predictors of treatment choice in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: demographic and autism-specific characteristics
Back, Elisa, Jonkman, Kim and Begeer, Sander(2021). In: Developmental Psychology Section Annual Conference, 15-17 Sept 2021 :Held online
Multimodal emotion understanding in children with and without autism
Back, Elisa, Barhouch, Angela and Khoo, Chok(2021). In: Society for Research in Child Development Virtual Biennial Meeting, 07 - 09 Apr 2021 :Held online
Recognising microexpressions across varied time-frames in children with autism
Back, Elisa and Hirani, Rashma(2019). In: 19th Seattle Club Conference, 16 - 17 Dec 2019 :London, U.K.
Emotion understanding in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Back, Elisa, Barhouch, Angela, Bentil-Mensah, Fatmatta, Chok Ming Khoo, Jeremy and Varghese, Tania(2019). In: Neurodevelopmental Disorders Annual Seminar 2019, 20 Jun 2019 :Guildford, U.K.
Adolescents with and without autism use similar strategies when inferring mental states from facial expressions
Back, Elisa(2019). In: International Convention of Psychological Science (ICPS) 2019, 07-09 Mar 2019 :Paris, France
Visual-spatial abilities and task approach skills in Williams syndrome
Back, Elisa, Farran, Emily and Van Herwegen, Jo(2018). In: British Psychology Society Developmental Section Annual Conference 2018, 12-14 Sep 2018 :Liverpool
Complex mental states and basic emotion recognition in dynamic film - an exploration of Theory of Mind understanding in ASD
Hunt, Hayley, Back, Elisa and Van Herwegen, Jo(2018). In: British Psychology Developmental Section Annual Conference 2018, 12-14 Sept 2018 :Liverpool
Cognitive and Affective Theory of Mind in children and adolescents with and without ASD.
Back, Elisa, Cotmore, Hannah, Dalebout-Campbell, Jessica, Darabi-Hammond, Marjan, Ganter, Jessica and Williams, Annette(2018). In: Social Communication Across the Lifespan, 27-29 June 2018 :Canterbury
Social cognitive profiles in children and adolescents with ASD
Back, Elisa, Williams, Annette, Darabi-Hammond, Marjan, Ganter, Jessica, Dalebout-Campbell, Jessica and Cotmore, Hannah(2018). In: Neurodevelopmental Disorders Annual Seminar 2018, 21 June 2018 :Coventry
The recognition of microexpressions: a comparison between children with ASD and typically developing children
Hirani, Rashma and Back, Elisa(2018). In: Neurodevelopmental Disorders Annual Seminar 2018, 21 June 2018 :Coventry
Real time language production and Theory of Mind assessment in Austism Spectrum Disorder
Hunt, Hayley, Back, Elisa and Van Herwegen, Jo(2018). In: Social Communication Across the Lifespan, 27-29 June 2018 :Canterbury
What do eye movements reveal about inferring mental states from dynamic facial expressions in adolescents with ASD?
Back, Elisa(2017). In: British Psychology Developmental Section Annual Conference 2017, 13-15 September 2017 :Stratford-upon-Avon
Recognising complex emotions: eye movements in adolescents and children with ASD.
Hunt, Hayley, Back, Elisa and Van Herwegen, Jo(2016). In: British Psychology Developmental Section Annual Conference 2016, 14-16 Sept :Belfast
The recognition of microexpressions across the lifespan in typically developing individuals
Hirani, Rashma and Back, Elisa(2016). In: British Psychology Developmental Section Annual Conference 2016, 14-16 Sept :Belfast
Theory of Mind usage in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Back, Elisa and Apperly, Ian Antony(2015). In: Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting, 19 - 21 Mar 2015 :Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia, U.S.
Gaze laterality bias for faces in Williams Syndrome
Wilson, Rachel, Riby, Debbie, Goshawk, Michelle, Burt, Mike and Back, Elisa(2014). In: British Psychological Society Developmental Section Conference, 03 - 05 Sep 2014 :Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Can individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and typically developing individuals rapidly use Theory of Mind information?
Back, Elisa(2014). In: British Psychological Society Developmental Section Conference, 03 - 05 Sep 2014 :Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Visual perspective-taking in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Back, E. and Apperly, I.(2012). In: British Psychological Society Developmental Section Annual Conference, 05 - 07 Sep 2012 :Glasgow, U.K.
Visual perspective-taking in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Back, Elisa, Granados, Patricia and Apperly, Ian(2011). In: British Psychological Society Developmental Section Annual Conference, 07 - 09 Sep 2011 :Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.
Can adolescents with autism rapidly infer mental states from faces?
Back, Elisa, Ramdhonee, Karishma and Apperly, Ian(2011). In: International Meeting for Autism Research, 12 - 14 May 2011 :San Diego, California, U.S.
The perception and pose of emotional expressions in adolescents with autism
Back, E., Hunt, H. and Lindell, A.(2010). In: International Meeting for Autism Research, 20 - 22 May 2010 :Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia, U.S.
Can children with autism infer mental states and respond appropriately to mental state information from the eyes?
Back, Elisa(2009). In: Society for Research in Child Development 2009 Biennial Meeting, 02 - 04 Apr 2009 :Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Are true beliefs ascribed by default?
Back, Elisa and Apperly, Ian(2008). In: Theory of Mind workshop: Celebrating 30 years, 11-12 Sep 2008 :Nottingham, U.K.
Can children with autism respond appropriately to mental states from dynamic faces?
Back, E., Brown, S. and Beecham, E.(2008). In: International Meeting for Autism Research, 15-17 May 2008 :London, U.K.
Are true beliefs ascribed by default?
Back, E. and Apperly, I.(2007). In: BPS Developmental Section Conference, 29-31 Aug 2007 :Plymouth, U.K.
Do the eyes have it? Attributing mental states to dynamic facial expressions in children and adolescents with autism
Back, Elisa(2007). In: BPS Developmental Section Conference, 29-31 Aug 2007 :Plymouth, U.K.
Do the eyes have it? Inferring mental states from animated facial expressions in children and adolescents with autism
Back, E., Mitchell, P. and Ropar, D.(2007). In: Autism Research UK : from diagnosis to intervention, 11-12 May 2007 :Milton Keynes, U.K.
Do the eyes have it? Inferring mental states from animated facial expressions in children and adolescents with autism
Back, Elisa, Mitchell, Peter and Ropar, Danielle(2007). In: 64th Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, 29 Mar - 01 Apr 2007 :Boston, Massachusetts
Attributing mental states to animated faces in individuals with austic spectrum disorders
Back, Elisa, Mitchell, P. and Ropar, D.(2005). In: Scottish Autism Research Group, ESRC Seminar Series, 9 Sep 2005 :Glasgow, U.K.
The influence of facial motion on the recognition of mental states in children with autism
Back, E., Mitchell, P. and Ropar, D.(2005). In: BPS Developmental Section Conference, 05 - 08 Sep 2005 :Edinburgh, U.K.
The role of dynamic and static information in the recognition of complex mental states from facial expressions
Back, Elisa, Mitchell, Peter and Ropar, Danielle(2005). In: Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting, 7-10 Apr 2005 :Atlanta, Georgia
The recognition of complex mental states from static and dynamic facial expressions
Back, E., Mitchell, P. and Ropar, D.(2004). In: BPS Developmental Section Conference, 2-5 Sep 2004 :Leeds, U.K.
Gallery of work
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Logo
Logo for Developing Minds Lab
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Flyer
Developing Minds Lab Flyer
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KU Civic Showcase
Eye-tracking research
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Postgraduate Research Poster Event
Annual event where postgraduate students present their research as part of the dissertation module. Wearing jeans for genes day to raise awareness of genetic disorders
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Autism Peer Network
Autism Peer Network for KU students
