pathway: Psychology

There is increasing evidence of comorbidity which transcends distinct psychiatric diagnoses, as well as shared genetic influences found across disorders. My research will examine whether there are common alterations in brain structure across externalising (ADHD, substance dependence, conduct disorder) and internalising (anxiety, mood) disorders, or whether alterations are disorder-specific. Using data from international research groups within the ENIGMA consortium, this project will be the largest and most comprehensive neuroimaging study of transdiagnostic psychopathology in children and adolescents to date. I hope that the findings will have implications for our diagnostic systems, and inform future prevention and intervention strategies.

My research is focused on the role of cognitive control in bilingualism. I investigate the circumstances when bilingual communication is challenging and may depend on cognitive control as well as when it may be less cognitively demanding and possibly “cost-free”. I focus primarily on the role of cognitive control in language switching, both in language production and comprehension.

My aim is to understand how different philosophies of science and epistemologies shape research conduct and data synthesis in psychology research. My ultimate goal is to develop a coherent framework which reconciles the Popperian ideals of falsification with the human disposition towards theories of confirmation and inference to the best explanation.

My research explores the effects of mindfulness practice and physical activity on student mental health. In particular, I am interested in the benefits that arise from combining the two approaches over and above either method individually. My aim is to develop and evaluate a digital intervention in collaboration with the University’s Student Services, Department of Computer Science and the B&NES division of Public Health England. Through this work I hope to expand the understanding of how mindfulness practice can help people engage in physical activity more regularly, and how this impacts their psychological well-being.

Research has demonstrated a role of negatively biased emotion processing in the development of depressive symptoms and has suggested that antidepressants work by targeting these negative biases. However, whilst these changes are well-documented, little is known about the effects of antidepressant withdrawal on emotion processing and mood. My PhD project aims are twofold, firstly to characterise mood and emotion processing changes associated with withdrawal over time to better understand the effects of antidepressant withdrawal and their time course. Secondly, to enable the identification of early markers of symptom and mood changes that might aid in predicting depressive relapse.

My research aims to triangulate evidence across these three interdisciplinary studies to answer a single research question looking at the association between cannabis potency and mental health. This will generate new robust knowledge, providing significant advances to the field with the potential to influence international cannabis policy and guidelines for safer use.

I am investigating the relationship between metacognitive processing and key risk factors in the development of eating disorders, and assessing the extent to which these constructs are related to change in mindfulness-based intervention.

My research investigates the importance of working memory in students’ mathematic performance. My research distinguishes from previous research by addressing the topic using working memory model proposed by Jarrold, and also its hierarchical relationship with mathematical competencies (conceptual understanding and procedural knowledge). The research is important in which it provides a fuller picture of working memory and math learning, and aid pedagogy to help students overcome any difficulties in their math learning.

I am a PhD student interested in the ways organisational practices can increase workplace diversity. I was awarded the 1+3 ESRC scholarship under the supervision of Dr. Teri Kirby and Professor Michelle Ryan. My area of research investigates the effects specific components of diversity ideologies have on the representation of marginalised groups within organisations.