Incoming Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral
Research Fellow · University of Virginia

Dr. Mehreen
Fatima

Child & Developmental Psychologist ·
Neurodiversity Researcher

I study how children think, feel, and connect with others — with a focus on social cognition in neurodiversity. My goal is simple: research that informs practice, and practice that changes lives.

Dr. Mehreen Fatima

I study how children think, feel, and connect with others — with a focus on social cognition in neurodiversity. My goal is simple: research that informs practice, and practice that changes lives.

0
Publications
0+
Citations
0
Conference Papers
0+
Dissertations Supervised
0+
Talks & Workshops
About

Where empathy meets
developmental science

I've always cared more about how someone came to feel or think something than what they think. That instinct was empathy, long before I had a word for it — and it became the question my career is built around.

I am a child and developmental psychologist and an incoming Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Virginia, USA. I've previously taught child development and research methods as an Assistant Professor at SGT University, Gurugram, and Azim Premji University, Bhopal.

My doctoral work at the University of Delhi, under Prof. Nandita Babu, developed animated video-based measures of empathy in children — neurotypical and neurodivergent, with a focus on autism spectrum disorder. My broader research sits in social cognition and neurodiversity-affirming practice — the belief that different does not mean deficient.

I'm currently writing my first book, The Empathy Spectrum: Understanding Connections in a Diverse World, under contract with John Wiley & Sons.

"

Empathy has never stayed on the page for me. It's the same instinct that sends me looking for the story behind a child's silence, that shapes how I teach and mentor, and that quietly sits underneath every dataset I analyse.

The Empathy Spectrum — forthcoming book by Dr. Mehreen Fatima
Forthcoming · Wiley & Sons
The Empathy Spectrum
Research Interests

Mapping the landscape of
social cognition in children

My research sits at the intersection of child, developmental, and cognitive psychology — investigating how children develop the capacity for different socio-cognitive abilities, and what happens when that development follows a different path.

🧠

Empathy in Neurodivergent Children

Understanding how cognitive and affective empathy develop in children with ASD, ADHD, and intellectual disability — and designing interventions to support empathy growth.

💬

Communication in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Exploring communication support practices in children with autism spectrum disorder by adapting frameworks from neurodiversity-affirming contexts.

⚖️

Theory of Mind & Moral Reasoning

Investigating the developmental links between children's understanding of others' mental states and their capacity for moral evaluation of intentional versus accidental harm.

🎬

Measurement Innovations

Developing animated, video-based tasks to assess empathy in young children — moving beyond parent-report toward more ecologically valid, child-friendly measures.

📊

Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analysis

Synthesizing evidence across studies to map the landscape of empathy research in autism and related domains, with published meta-analytic work in Q1 journals.

👨‍👩‍👧

Parenting & Social Context

Exploring how family dynamics and peer relationships shape adolescent development in the Indian context — including parenting during COVID-19 and across neurodiversity.

Featured Work

Selected highlights from
research & writing

Meta-Analysis

Cognitive & Affective Empathy in Autism

A comprehensive quantitative synthesis of research on empathy in autism spectrum disorder, examining how age, culture, and measurement type shape findings across studies.

Q1 Journal · IF 3.8 — View Paper
PhD Research

Animated Video-Based Empathy Task

The development of a novel animated, video-based task to assess empathy in neurotypical and neurodivergent children — the methodological core of my doctoral research.

Original Instrument
New Book

The Empathy Spectrum

Understanding Connections in a Diverse World — my forthcoming book with John Wiley & Sons, exploring empathy across neurotypes, cultures, and human contexts.

Wiley & Sons — Pre-order Now
Publications

Peer-reviewed research

  • 2024
    Mother-child Interactions in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study
    Fatima, M.
    33rd International Congress of Psychology, Prague, Czech Republic
    International
  • 2024
    A Model of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in Typically Developing Children
    Fatima, M.
    33rd International Congress of Psychology, Prague, Czech Republic
    PosterInternational
  • 2023
    A Meta-analytical Review of Empathy in Autism Spectrum Disorders
    Fatima, M.
    4th International Congress on Future Neurology, Paris, France
    Invited SpeakerInternational
  • 2023
    Intercultural Sensitivity and Attitude towards Refugees in India
    Fatima, M.
    Conference on Mental Health — UNHCR, Delhi, India
  • 2022
    Parenting Adolescents during the Covid-19 Pandemic
    Fatima, M.
    26th International Congress, IACCP-2022
    International
Teaching

Courses across three levels
of psychology education

I teach across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels — translating complex psychological concepts into engaging, research-informed classroom discussions.

Azim Premji University
Assistant Professor · September 2025 – July 2026 · Bhopal
  • Field Research (M.A. Education)
  • Child Development and Learning (M.A. Education)
  • Early Childhood Education (M.A. Education)
SGT University
Assistant Professor · Aug 2024 – Sep 2025 · Gurugram
  • Research Methods in Psychology (PhD Coursework)
  • Paradigms of Psychology (M.Sc. Clinical Psychology)
  • Lifespan Development (B.Sc. Clinical Psychology)
  • Development of Psychological Thought (B.Sc. Cognitive Sciences)
University of Delhi
Teaching Assistant · Aug 2020 – Jul 2024
  • Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis
  • Quantitative & Qualitative Research Methods
  • Developmental Disorders & Assessment
  • Childhood Psychopathology
Recognitions

Awards, fellowships &
professional milestones

2026

Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Finalist

Government of India–U.S. academic exchange program for postdoctoral research at the University of Virginia, 2026–27 cycle.

2025

NAOP Emerging Psychologist Program

Selected as one of five psychologists from across India by the National Academy of Psychology at the 34th Annual Convention.

2024

IUPsyS Emerging Psychologists' Programme

Selected as one of 40 early-career psychologists globally by the International Union of Psychological Sciences — 33rd International Congress of Psychology, Prague.

2024

LedBy Accelerator Fellowship

Selected for professional development and leadership training by LedBy Foundation, India.

2023

Distinguished Speaker Invitation — Paris

Invited to present at the 4th International Congress on Future Neurology and Advances in Research and Treatment of Brain Disorders, Paris.

2019

NTA NET-JRF — Psychology

Qualified the Junior Research Fellowship with 99.82 percentile — ranked in the top 0.2% nationally.

Work With Me

Work with me one-on-one

Whether you need research guidance, a keynote speaker, or expert input on child development — pick a session and book a time that works for you.

🔬

Research Collaboration

30 min Video call

Discuss potential partnerships, co-authored studies, or joint grant applications in empathy, social cognition, or neurodiversity research.

Book This Session
Popular
🎤

Speaking & Workshops

30 min Video call

Explore availability for talks at your conference, university, or organization on empathy development, neurodiversity, or research methods.

Book This Session
🎓

Academic Mentorship

30 / 60 min Video call

Guidance on dissertation design, publishing strategy, systematic reviews, or navigating early-career academia. For grad students and researchers.

Book This Session
💡

Expert Consultation

60 min Video call

Advisory input for media, nonprofits, schools, and policy teams working on child development, autism, or inclusive education.

Book This Session
Connect

Let's talk about research,
collaboration, or ideas

Whether you're a fellow researcher, a student exploring developmental psychology, or a journalist covering neurodiversity — I would love to hear from you.

contact@mehreenfatima.in LinkedIn ResearchGate Google Scholar Instagram