pathway: Health and Wellbeing/Health, Wellbing & Society Alumni

I aim to explore whether key autism diagnostic criteria, often seen as deficit traits or behaviours, are actually effective strategies for reducing anxiety in autistic individuals. For instance, “persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction,” “restricted, repetitive patterns” and “insistence on sameness” may be necessary strategies in reducing levels of novel or challenging stimuli to be processed and so reduce anxiety.

This will be an exploratory sequential study within a participatory framework. The research methodology will be underpinned by the social theory of disability which considers that autistic disability results from societal barriers rather than from autistic neurology.

Using a mixed methods approach, my research explores experiences of men from diverse black ethnic backgrounds, to try and begin to understand their coping strategies for rheumatic diseases.

Research suggests that rheumatic diseases impact men in specific ways with respect to their feeling(s) of masculinity. Moreover, studies have shown that culture and ethnicity interplay with masculinity in important ways in other chronic conditions. However, little is known about the experience of rheumatic diseases among black men.

Using a mixed-methods approach I plan to explore how parents access infant feeding information by bringing together the medical model of nutrition and psychosocial determinants of health.

Parental feeding behaviours do not often reflect current infant feeding guidelines which can lead to reduced health outcomes.

Parents, particularly mothers, can experience judgment from healthcare providers for their feeding choices which may affect how they interact with services and information seeking to avoid feelings of guilt or shame.

I have a degree in Nutrition and practical experience providing weaning advice to mothers in the private and third sectors.

Recent research argues that deficits in motor functioning are a key feature of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with renowned clumsiness and impaired motor co-ordination emerging as typical traits. My research will bring together elements from developmental psychology, neuroscience and sports science to better understand the functional deficits shown by ASD populations. Specifically, in collaboration with the Centre of Applied Autism Research in Bath, we aim to increase our understanding of how and why these motor difficulties emerge, before developing a novel intervention that can combat such deficits and enhance motor learning.

My research investigates whether increased exposure to natural environments reduces craving for potentially health-damaging behaviours (e.g. snacking, smoking, substance use). Integrating theoretical approaches from environmental psychology with the Elaborated Intrusion theory of craving (Kavanagh, Andrade & May, 2005) the project examines which characteristics of natural environments are most relevant to craving, as well as exploring the cognitive and affective mechanisms underlying any effects. Synthesising and extending two fields of research, this project has practical applications to environmental policies and public health initiatives.