Janis Paterson

Janis Paterson is a New Zealand academic. She is currently a full professor at the Auckland University of Technology.
After a 1993 PhD titled " 'Adolescent perceptions of attachment: parents, friends, and impact on self esteem' " at the University of Auckland, Paterson moved to Auckland University of Technology, where she has worked for more than twenty years.
Paterson is a founder of the Pacific Islands Families study, a longitudinal study following 1000 children born in South Auckland in 2000 to families of Pacific Island descent. The study aims to collect data on the health and socio-economic well being of the children and their families as they grow through the key developmental stages. Janis Paterson and Dr Colin Tukuitonga are the studies founding directors.