Previous and current research projects.

MOE Social Sciences and Humanities Research Fellowship, $614,497, Principal Investigator.

Jan 2025 - Jun 2028

The project seeks to understand the coping mechanisms that Singaporean parents and children employ with the aim of developing an evidence-based mobile application intervention to equip parents with coping strategies in managing everyday challenges at work and at home.

Through her project, Dr Atiqah examines the neuroscientific mechanisms underpinning dyadic coping and stress mitigation within parent-child dyads. She hopes to do so by ascertaining the coping techniques used by Singaporean parents to mitigate stress from work and home sources as well as coping techniques amongst a preschool-age population and their propensity for fortifying resilience at this early age. A mobile application which adopts a micro-learning approach will be subsequently developed and piloted to help provide parents with coping strategies in managing everyday challenges.

Findings from the project have the potential to address the pressing mental health needs in Singapore. Once developed and implemented, the evidence-based mobile application can directly benefit the community in enhancing resilience amongst families in Singapore.

MOE Tier 2 Grant, $533,611, Principal Investigator.

Aug 2024 - Jul 2027

This study explores the cognitive load and coping strategies of mothers who juggle caregiving responsibilities while working from home—a reality that has become increasingly common. It aims to understand how these dual roles impact their mental well-being, stress levels, and daily functioning. A key focus of the research is the role of active fathering—examining how involved paternal support can alleviate the cognitive burden on mothers and contribute to a more balanced division of caregiving. By capturing these dynamics in real-world home environments, the study hopes to inform family-friendly workplace policies and interventions that support both parental roles in modern caregiving settings.

MOE Start-Up Fund, $96,542, Principal Investigator.

Jul 2023 – Jun 2026

This study explores the brain and behavioural mechanisms that support effective online collaboration among undergraduate students. As digital platforms become an integral part of higher education and the future workforce, understanding how students communicate, coordinate, and problem-solve virtually is more important than ever.

Using tools from social neuroscience and behavioural research, the project investigates how students engage with one another during online group tasks—looking at factors such as learning activities, group satisfaction and interpersonal behaviours. By measuring both neural and behavioural data, the study aims to uncover what contributes to successful virtual teamwork and what hinders it.

MOE Science of Learning, $1,312,004, Co-Principal Investigator.

This project focuses on encouraging early reading habits among young children by supporting parents in creating rich, engaging reading experiences at home. By leveraging enhanced eBooks—interactive digital books with features like animations, audio, and touch-responsive elements—the project aims to make reading more accessible, enjoyable, and developmentally beneficial for families.

Temasek Foundation Grant, $699,067.78, Co-PI.

Oct 2020 – Sep 2024

This study examines how multilingual input influences children’s bilingual language development during parent-child joint reading sessions. Focusing on everyday reading interactions at home, the research investigates how exposure to multiple languages—through books, conversation, and digital media—shapes young children's ability to acquire and use two or more languages effectively.

By observing parent-child reading behaviors and analyzing both linguistic input and children’s language outcomes, the study aims to understand the mechanisms that support bilingual learning in naturalistic settings. It also explores how factors such as parental language use, the type of reading materials, and the frequency of reading sessions impact vocabulary growth, comprehension, and language switching abilities.

The findings will contribute to our understanding of bilingual development in early childhood and inform strategies for parents, educators, and policymakers to foster effective language learning in multilingual households.

MOE Tier 1, RG55/18 (NS); $59,000, Collaborator.

Mar 2019 – Mar 2023

This study examined brain and behavioural synchrony between mothers and their children during shared activities such as play and co-viewing (e.g., watching videos together). By using neuroimaging and observational methods, the research explored how real-time alignment in brain activity and behavior reflects the quality of their emotional connection and mutual engagement.

A central focus of the study was to understand how this synchrony is influenced by levels of parental stress and the quality of the mother-child attachment relationship. It aimed to uncover whether stronger synchrony is associated with secure attachment and lower stress, and conversely, how stress may disrupt these shared neural and behavioural patterns.

By illuminating the neurobiological and relational foundations of early bonding, the findings offer insights into how everyday interactions shape emotional resilience and development in children, and how supportive caregiving environments can buffer against the effects of stress.