Angela Byrne

PhD (Psychology), PGDip (Research Methods), PGCert (Professional Management), AAT, BSc (Hons) Psychology

Angela studied psychology at the University of Portsmouth from 1990, starting a PhD study investigating development of reading skills among children with Down syndrome in 1993. Angela has worked for the charity since the successful completion of her PhD in 1997.

Roles

• Assistant Director of Science and Research
• Research Fellow
• Science and Research Editor, Down Syndrome Research and Practice and Down Syndrome Online
• Assistant Editor-in-Chief, Down Syndrome Research and Practice and Down Syndrome Online

Responsibilities

Angela's primary responsibilities include research project coordination and leadership, editorial oversight of scientific content prepared and submitted for publication in Down Syndrome Research and Practice and Down Syndrome Online. Angela also manages the charity's bibliographic data and library resources.

Current project involvement

• Longitudinal study of influences on early development
• The development and impact of reading skills
• Factors influencing difficulties in reading comprehension
• Reading instruction in schools
• Improving working memory function for school-aged children
• Down Syndrome Online
• Down Syndrome Issues and Information
• Down Syndrome Research and Practice
• Down Syndrome Topics
• Down Syndrome Abstracts
• Down Syndrome Records
• Down Syndrome Databank

Background

Angela was born and brought up in Middlesex, coming to the University of Portsmouth as an undergraduate in 1990.

Angela successfully completed a PhD that examined the development and achievement in reading, language and memory skills of children with Down syndrome in mainstream education and their typically developing peers (matched for reading age).

During her time with the charity, Angela has been involved in many areas of the organisation's activities, from the provisions of early intervention and advice services through publishing to administration and finance support. As well a PhD, Angela holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Research Methods and a Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Management. She is also a qualified accounting technician.

Angela married Frank Buckley in 2003. They live in Portsmouth and have three young boys, aged 5, 4 and 2 years.

Selected publications

• Byrne A, MacDonald J, Buckley SJ. Reading, language and memory skills: A comparative longitudinal study of children with Down syndrome and their mainstream peers. British Journal of Educational Psychology. 2002;72(4);513-529. doi:10.1348/00070990260377497 [CrossRef ]
• Byrne A, Buckley SJ, MacDonald J, Bird G. Investigating the literacy, language and memory skills of children with Down syndrome. Down Syndrome Research and Practice. 1995;3(2);53-58. doi:10.3104/reports.51 [Open Access Full Text ]

A full list of publications is also available.