Michelle Moulds is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor in the School of Psychology at UNSW Sydney. Her research investigates the nature and role of repetitive negative thinking (RNT; e.g., rumination, worry) in depression and anxiety disorders. Her goal is to better understand how RNT contributes to the persistence of psychological distress, and how we can prevent and more effectively treat clinical conditions by targeting RNT.

One focus of her recent work has been to examine how RNT is related to and predictive of depression and anxiety throughout the perinatal period – that is, from pregnancy through to postpartum. Without doubt, pregnancy and new motherhood can be times of tremendous excitement, anticipation and joy. However, this period can also be characterised by a multitude of challenges, difficulties and adjustments (physical, social, psychological, to name a few). In collaboration with colleagues at UNSW Sydney (Professor Jill Newby, Dr Melissa Black) and in the UK, Michelle has argued for the value of adopting a transdiagnostic approach to perinatal mental health and investigating RNT as a cognitive mechanism linked to both depression and anxiety in the perinatal period. Evidence that RNT in pregnancy predicts postnatal psychological adjustment has prompted them to propose that that RNT is a modifiable risk factor that can be targeted in pregnancy with the goal of preventing the emergence of depression and anxiety in new mothers. Michelle and colleagues are currently examining the efficacy of an online treatment targeting RNT in pregnancy in reducing perinatal anxiety.