Centre for psychological research (PSYCEN)

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The Centre of Psychological Research (PsyCen), within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, supports research projects dedicated to improving psychological wellbeing for different communities in conjunction with a range of external collaborators and funders.

Our work showcases diverse methodologies, from psychometric and experimental designs to qualitative and critical psychology approaches, to advance knowledge across different branches of psychological science, from social and community psychology to cognitive neuroscience and biological psychology.  

The PsyCen research group features 70 + Professors, Readers, Senior Lecturers, Senior Research Fellows, Post-Doctoral Research Fellows, Research Associates and Postgraduate Research Students. 

impact case studies

  • Claire Price: TBC. Dr Paula Singleton and Dr Kate Milnes
  • Naomi de Graff: TBC. Dr Suzie Wang and Dr Sarah James
  • Sophie Cawkwell: Investigating the Interplay of Interception, Memory and Emotion Regulation across the Lifespan. Dr Gaby Pfeifer, Dr Zoe Kolokotroni
  • Michael Collins: The Co-evolution of Language and Object Throwing. Dr Andrew Wilson, Dr Sabrina Golonka
  • John Connolly: ‘Virtual Environments in Sports Coaching’. Dr Andrew Wilson, Dr David Alder
  • Daniel Hollingworth: Drug addiction: exploring the underlying risk. Dr Zoe Kolokotroni
  • Sarah Martin: Characterising memory loss in Autoimmune Limbic Encephalitis. Dr Kata Pauly -Takaxs, Dr Sarah Smith
  • Lorette Porter: An investigation into the Comprehension Monitoring Skills of Children with DLD. Dr Sabrina Golonka, Dr Tom Muskett
  • Andrew Salkeld. Dr Chanki Moon

  • Chris Athansides: Men and depression: the value of online discussion forums. Professor Brendan Gough, Dr Katy Day
  • Oluwatoyin Bewaji: Classed Femininities of Black Women: Subjectivities and Agency in Body reshaping and Body Management Practices. Dr Bridgette Rickett, Dr Maxine Woolhouse
  • Emily Dickens: Magnifying class: An explorative study into expectations and experiences of belonging within UK Higher Education. Dr Bridgette Rickett, Dr Jess Drakett
  • Lucy Eldred: The Good Lad Initiative: Impact on male pupils. Professor Brendan Gough, Dr Tom Muskett
  • Emma Evans: Private problems, public perceptions: A critical analysis of child and adolescent mental health services in the Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman). Dr Darren Hill, Dr Katy Day
  • Lynsey Fenwick: The impact of the criminal justice system on men investigated for child sexual exploitation material offences. Dr Rhys Turner-Moore, Dr Paula Singleton, Professor Sarah Brown, Stuart Alladyce
  • Marion Holloway: Compulsive sexual behaviour and relationship practices. Dr Rhys Turner-Moore, Dr Zoe Kolokotroni
  • Maria Kaye: ‘Victims-Survivors’ experiences of acquaintance sexual assault and the impact of rape myths’. Dr Rhys Turner-Moore and Dr Kate Milnes
  • Robin Kaye: Mental health and suicide interventions for [young] men. Professor Brendan Gough, Dr Tom Muskett
  • Lauren Korytko: ‘Exploring facets of attraction in non-offending individuals with sexual attractions to children’. Dr Rhys Turner-Moore and Professor Brendan Gough
  • Alex Liversidge: Transgender and non-binary patients in healthcare: How to ensure best practice in Transfusion Science. Dr Donna Johnson, Dr Katy Day
  • Emma Longfellow: Approaches to the management and treatment of sexual thoughts of the children and non-consenting adults. Dr Rhys Turner-Moore, Professor Mitch Waterman (University of Leeds)
  • Jennifer McCloy: The imprisoned storyteller: Women, vulnerability and resilience. Dr Bill Davies, Dr Paula Singleton
  • Hannah Murphy: ‘Neuroqueer’ identity and experience; a critical exploration’. Dr Kate Miles and Dr Lisa Harkry

  • Paul Andrzejowski: (External, based at UOL) Functional Outcomes in Trauma
  • Thomas Atkinson: Investigating relaxation and mindfulness techniques for stroke survivors and their carers. Dr Suzie Wang, Dr Emma Brown
  • Sarah Evans: ‘Developing and evaluating an electronic questionnaire to capture acne patient-reported outcomes in routine clinical practice (ePAQ-Acne)’. Professor Georgina Jones, Dr Jim Morgan, and Professor Alison Layton (Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust)
  • Sue Hartup: Reducing chronic pain after breast cancer surgery: development and feasibility testing of an online pain self-management intervention Jane Ireson: An evaluation of a new online patient reported outcome measure (PROM) for women affected by Gestational Trophoblastic Disease in the United Kingdom. Professor Georgina Jones, Dr Trish Holch
  • Tina Kent: Male infertility as a risk factor for cancer and other health problems: understanding men's information and support needs. Dr Laura Ashley, Professor Georgina Jones Lucy King: Exploring the barriers and facilitators to cancer awareness and help seeking in Teenage and Young adults (TYA). Dr Trish Holch, Dr Nova Deighton-Smith
  • Lauren McSorley: The role of online parenting forums in supporting mental health and well-being during the post-natal period. Dr Nova Deighton-Smith, Dr Kirsty Budds
  • Danielle Musson: Understanding the impact upon decision-making, quality of life, and family dynamics in young people with a primary immunodeficiency as they transition from paediatric to adult services. Professor Georgina Jones, Dr Trish Holch
  • Rebecca Platt: Improving residential home care of residents with dementia and comorbid cancer: an ethnographic study. Dr Laura Ashely, Professor Claire Surr
  • Sarah Potts: Addressing the gender gap in academic attainment: How does working memory ability in boys and girls affect educational outcomes? Professor Georgina, Dr Lisa Harkry
  • Claire Powlesland: ‘A Codesigned Radiotherapy Late Effects Clinic offering a Complex Healthcare Intervention’. Dr Trish Holch and Professor Georgina Jones
  • Rebecca Spencer: Improving cancer care and outcomes for people with diabetes. Dr Laura Ashley, Professor Georgina Jones
  • Klaudia Steciuk: Exploring the challenges of living with of caring for someone who has had cancer and a stroke. Dr Trish Holch, Dr Suzie Wang
  • Shawna Tarant: ‘Fertility Preservation Decision-Making in the Context of a Cancer Diagnosis for Teenagers and Young Adults Aged 16 Years and Older’. Professor Georgina Jones and Dr Laura Ashley
  • Francesca Taylor: Recipient Experiences of Online, Unregulated Sperm Donation. Professor Georgina Jones, Dr Rhys Turner-Moore
  • Liz Travis: Improving participation in bowel cancer screening among low uptake groups

  • Giacomo Moserle: Prosocial behaviour and workplace safety: the role of emotional intelligence and affective commitment. Dr Matteo Curcuruto, Dr Jim Morgan
  • Jill Poots: Optimising human-system interactions to improve integrated urgent care outcomes: An investigation. Dr Jim Morgan, Dr Matteo Curcuruto

  • Nicola Gilbody: ‘The patient perspective of Surgical Voice Restoration (SVR) with indwelling and exdwelling voice prostheses’. Dr Anne Hurren
  • Ben Bolton-Grant: TBC. Dr Sarah James
  • Victoria Halstead: An investigation into voice use and associated vocal difficulties in the higher education teaching population and how this has been impacted on by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Dr Anne Hurren, Professor Georgina Jones
  • Charlotte Morris-Clarke: Mental Capacity Assessments with Adults with a Learning Disability: Investigating the Role of Speech and Language Therapists. Dr Sarah James
  • Sally Pratten: Current evidence, practice and resources available to support dysphagic individuals seeking to make decisions around dietary modification. Dr Anne Hurren
  • Sophie Sampford: The impact of a Music and Phonological Awareness Group on Pre-schoolers with Speech Sound Difficulties. Dr Sarah James, Dr Lindsey Thiel
  • Jo Sandiford: Retelling the Experiences of families with Education, Health and Care Plans: How well do we listen? Dr Sarah James, Dr Anne Hurren
  • Sarah White: The role of phonetic transcription in Speech and Language Therapy. Dr Tom Muskett

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