Dr Jessica Peters

Background and Experience

Jessica is an endorsed clinical neuropsychologist and a board-approved supervisor, registered with the Psychology Board of Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours), a Master of Clinical Neuropsychology, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from La Trobe University.

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Currently, Jessica practices as a Clinical Neuropsychologist at the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychology Group, where she works with children and adolescents who may be exploring whether they are neurodivergent or experiencing challenges related to cognitive functioning, academics, behavior, social-emotional development, and mental health.

In addition to her clinical work, Jessica is a Lecturer and Clinical Educator at La Trobe University, where she teaches psychological assessment to postgraduate students training to become psychologists. Her research focuses on improving our understanding of neurodiversity and enhancing the quality of intervention services, in collaboration with SHINE (a division of the Andrew Dean Fildes Foundation).

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Clinical Interests

Jessica is particularly interested in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Specific Learning Disorders, and Language Disorders. She is especially passionate about helping clients and their families understand how mental health difficulties and neurodiversity diagnoses interrelate. Jessica enjoys working with children and teenagers who present with 'high masking' and internalized presentations of Autism and ADHD. While her work primarily focuses on children and adolescents, she also has experience assessing young adults with neurodevelopmental conditions.

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Research Interests

Jessica has several research interests that broadly focus on enhancing our understanding of neurodiversity and evaluating the effectiveness of available interventions. Within this broad scope, her research includes exploring how visual attention interventions can improve reading skills for children with Dyslexia, evaluating how interventions can support emotional regulation for Autistic teens, and exploring the experiences of both children and parents in engaging with intervention services.​

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Practice Philosophies

Jessica values the process of conducting comprehensive neuropsychological assessments to help children and their families gain a deeper understanding of the child—highlighting how their brain thinks, their strengths, challenges, and any underlying diagnoses - empowering families with the knowledge they need to support their child’s development. For Jessica, assessment is not just about test scores but about understanding the child holistically by integrating assessment data, observations, and information provided by the child, their family, and other key stakeholders. Her goal is to provide clear, actionable, and individualized recommendations to ensure families are best equipped to support their child.

Jessica is also a passionate advocate for raising awareness about neurodevelopment and neuropsychology through education and professional talks. She enjoys collaborating with families and professionals to share her knowledge and provide educational resources that foster understanding and support.

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Extra About Me

Jessica enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Clooney, a German Shepherd, and Bosley, a Maremma, as well as her Persian cat, Nacho. A surprising talent is that Jessica knows how to operate a 1.7-tonne mini excavator.​

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Latest Publications

Pickering, H. E., Peters, J. L., & Crewther, S. G. (2023). A Role for Visual Memory in Vocabulary Development: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Neuropsychology Review, 33, https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11065-022-09561-4

 

Peters, J. L., Crewther, S. G., Murphy, M. J., & Bavin, E. L. (2021). Action video game training improves text reading accuracy, rate and comprehension in children with dyslexia: a randomized controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 11, https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-98146-x

 

Peters, J. L., Bavin, E. L., Brown, A., Crewther, D. P., & Crewther, S. G. (2020). Flicker fusion thresholds as a clinical identifier of a magnocellular-deficit dyslexic subgroup. Scientific Reports, 10, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78552-3

 

Brown, A. C., Peters, J. L., Parsons, C., Crewther, D. P., & Crewther, S. G. (2020). Efficiency in magnocellular processing: A common deficit in neurodevelopmental disorders. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 14(49), 1-8. Doi:10.3389/fnhum.2020.00049

 

Peters, J. L., De Losa, L., Bavin, E. L., & Crewther, S. G. (2019). Efficacy of dynamic visuo- attentional interventions for reading in dyslexic and neurotypical children: A systematic review. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 100, 58-76.