Dr Lisa Harkry, Senior Lecturer

Dr Lisa Harkry

Senior Lecturer

Dr Lisa Harkry (CPsychol, FHEA) is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology, specialising in social inclusion, mental health and neurodiversity.

Lisa holds over ten years of practical experience in understanding the barriers to social inclusion faced by neurodiverse adults. Previously, she has been based within several non-profit and start-up organisations and has worked closely with autistic adults to address confidence, anxiety and sensory difficulties in the workplace. She has advised major corporate organisations, such as GlaxoSmithKline and Virgin Money, on how to recruit and manage autistic employees. She has also been interviewed for BBC Radio 4 about autism in the workplace and developed employee case studies for the BBC's neurodiversity project.

Current Teaching

Lisa teaches on the MSc Psychology (Conversion Award) and supervises MSc projects. She also supervises final-year undergraduate BSc (Hons) Psychology projects.

Lisa is currently supervising the following PhD projects:
2021 – 2025:
‘Neuroqueer’ identity and experience; a critical exploration – Hannah Murphy. Supervisors: Milnes, K. & Harkry, L.

Research Interests

Lisa is motivated by understanding the social impact of mental health and neurodiversity, particularly around social inclusion e.g., stigma, workplace diversity, neurodiverse identities and social trauma. She is keen to make research concise and accessible for professionals, policy makers and academics alike. Lisa co-leads Leeds Beckett University’s Culture, Diversity and Social Behaviour programme, promoting research into social inequalities, prejudice and political behaviours.

Examples of funded research awards include:
2021 – 2022: Evidence for Supported Employment and Mental Health of Autistic Adults (ESTEEM). 
Harkry, L., Wang, S., Holch, T., & Clark, S. 
The Wellcome Trust. £45,000.00

2021 – 2022: The Neurodiversity Network. 
Harkry, L. 
Leeds Beckett University: PsyCen Fund. £7,559.00

2018 – 2021: Improving Employability of Autistic Graduates in Europe (IMAGE). 
Fabri, M., Harkry, L., & Wyatt-Millington, R. 
Erasmus+. £360,000.00

2015: The 11th International Conference on Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD-11): Toulouse, France (Oral Presentation). 
Dockery, L. 
Experimental Psychology Society Grindley Grant. £500.00

2013 – 2017: The Effects of Employment on the Mental Health and Executive Functions of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 
Dockery, L. 
Goldsmiths, University of London: Psychology Departmental Bursary. £60,804.00

Dr Lisa Harkry, Senior Lecturer

Selected Outputs

  • Evans-Lacko S; Clement S; Corker E; Brohan E; Dockery L; Farrelly S; Hamilton S; Pinfold V; Rose D; Henderson C (2015) How much does mental health discrimination cost: valuing experienced discrimination in relation to healthcare care costs and community participation. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 24 (5), pp. 423-434.

    https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796014000377

  • Dockery L; Jeffery D; Schauman O; Williams P; Farrelly S; Bonnington O; Gabbidon J; Lassman F; Szmukler G; Thornicroft G (2015) Stigma- and non-stigma-related treatment barriers to mental healthcare reported by service users and caregivers. Psychiatry Research, 228 (3), pp. 612-619.

    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2015.05.044

  • Lassman F; Henderson RC; Dockery L; Clement S; Murray J; Bonnington O; Farrelly S; Thornicroft G (2015) How does a decision aid help people whether to disclose a mental health problem to employers? Qualitative interview study. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 25 (2), pp. 403-411.

    https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-014-9550-5

  • Gabbidon J; Farrelly S; Hatch S; Henderson C; Williams P; Bhugra D; Dockery L; Lassman F; Thornicroft G; Clement S (2014) Discrimination attributed to mental illness or race-ethnicity by users of community psychiatric services. Psychiatric Services, 65 (11), pp. 1360-1366.

  • Farrelly S; Clement S; Gabbidon J; Jeffery D; Dockery L; Lassman F; Brohan E; Henderson RC; Williams P; Howard LM (2014) Anticipated and experienced discrimination amongst people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry, 14 (157),

    https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-14-157

  • Henderson C; Brohan E; Clement S; Williams P; Lassman F; Schauman O; Dockery L; Farrelly S; Murray J; Murphy C (2013) Decision aid on disclosure of mental health status to an employer: feasibility and outcomes of a randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Psychiatry, 203 (5), pp. 350-357.

  • Hill EL; Dockery L; McIntosh B; Perkins D (2012) Mental health and Asperger syndrome: The role of occupational health professionals. Occupational Health at Work, 8 (6), pp. 16-19.

  • Harkry LC (2017) The effects of employment on the mental health and executive functions of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Goldsmiths University.

  • Clement S; Bonnington O; Gabbidon J; Lassman F; Dockery L; Farrelly S; Thornicroft G (2013) Discrimination firsthand: fictional statements from themes identified in the SAPPHIRE MIRIAD study [Video file].