Ellen Townsend
Papers
2
Total Citations
10
H-Index
2
About
Ellen Townsend is a leading researcher in adolescent mental health, with a specific focus on self-harm prevention and digital intervention design. Her work uniquely bridges developmental psychology and human-computer interaction, exploring how technology can provide in-the-moment support for vulnerable youth. Townsend’s major contributions center on the feasibility and acceptability of socially assistive robots, particularly for minority youth at elevated risk of self-harm. Her pioneering studies, including a 2023 mixed-methods investigation (7 citations) and a 2024 randomized controlled trial protocol (3 citations), have demonstrated that tools like the robot “Purrble” can be effectively appropriated by LGBTQ+ youth to enhance emotion regulation in real-world settings. By co-designing interventions with young people themselves, Townsend ensures her work is both ethically grounded and practically relevant. Her research is notable for its focus on underserved populations and its innovative use of in situ support, offering a promising alternative to traditional clinical approaches. With a growing citation impact, Townsend is shaping the future of accessible, real-time mental health support for adolescents at risk of self-harm.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2