Health Psychology

Research within the department, in the area of health psychology, is focused on several key areas: suicide; self-harm; experiences of illness and treatment; well-being in men; well-being across the lifespan and pathways into abnormal eating behaviours.

The members of the group and main research topics currently undertaken by the group are as follows:

Jo Borrill: student self-harm; suicide by foreign national prisoners; male cultural attitudes to self-injury

Tina Cartwright: Experiences of illness and treatment; well-being in men

Tony Towell: pathways into abnormal eating behaviours; predictors of well-being across the lifespan

Current projects include

Projects on Suicide

Suicide reduction is one of the key government health targets. Despite overall reductions in suicides over the last decade, high risk groups for suicide remain, including prisoners and mental health patients. Research on prison suicide aims to identify both underlying risk factors and prison life experiences in particular groups , with the aim of informing policy and practice

A 'near miss' study of individual and system factors associated with attempted suicide

Jay-Marie Mackenzie ( PhD student) and Jo Borrill: a 'near miss' study of individual and system factors associated with attempted suicide and severe self-harm  by offenders in non-custodial settings , including probation clients , residents in Approved Premises, and people doing  Community Payback. This research is supported and facilitated by the London Probation Trust

Review of suicides by foreign national prisoners: Jo Borrill

This research was commissioned and funded by the Ministry of Justice and the Border Immigration agency (2008-9). The research was carried out with the help of prison foreign national coordinators, prison safer custody coordinators, and other prison staff. All suicides of foreign prisoners from Jan 2007 to Jan 2008 were examined and underlying themes and events identified. Issues common to all prison suicides and issues specific to foreign nationals (including the impact of proposed deportation) were considered in detail. The review was completed in 2008 and has been disseminated to policy makers, prison staff and psychiatric practitioners. Further dissemination to mental health professions is ongoing.

Projects on Self-harm

Study of repeated self-harming behaviour in relation to attachment style  Jo Borrill &Andrea Oskis

 

Self-harm, Coping style, Rumination and Alexithymia

(Jo Borrill with Pauline Fox, Thames Valley University). Previous research has focussed on reported self-harm in adolescents, but there are few studies of current and historical self-harm or self-injury in the UK student population. This study has involved collecting data from two universities and examining associations between reported self-harm and psychometric measures of coping and emotion management. The findings have highlighted the association between self-harm and negative rumination, which has implications for the development of interventions to reduce repetitive self-harm. Dissemination of these findings to counsellors in Universities and elsewhere is underway (see Borrill et al 2009)

Self-harm, Religion, and Ethnicity

(Jo Borrill with Pauline Fox, Thames Valley University). The quantitative data collected from the student sample indicates some cultural and gender differences in self-harm but challenges previous stereotypes. Gender and cultural differences reported in questionnaires may be biased by differences in willingness to disclose self-harm, even in a confidential questionnaire, or by differences in interpretation of behaviours as harmful. A series of qualitative interviews is therefore being carried out to examine beliefs about self-harm, attitudes to disclosure, reported coping styles and subjective protective factors among male students from a range of cultural and religious backgrounds.

Projects on Experiences of illness and treatment:

There is increasing recognition of the importance of understanding the patient perspective in managing chronic health conditions. A series of projects, using predominately qualitative methodologies, explore ways in which people make sense of chronic illness, make health care choices and evaluate their treatment. A key objective of these projects is to inform healthcare provision by presenting an inside perspective on the experience of specific chronic conditions.

Self-management in COPD patients attending Pulmonary Rehabilitation

(Tina Cartwright with Jane O’Connor, Phil Evans, Angela Clow, and David Peters)

A collaboration between the University of Westminster and St Mary's hospital, Imperial College Healthcare Trust,funded by the Health & Well-being Institute (2008-2011). The effectiveness of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) declines over time, yet little is known about the role of patients’ beliefs and expectations in outcome response and in maintenance. This in-depth longitudinal project examines the trajectory of patients’ beliefs over time (pre- and post PR). It is hoped that this will help inform the development of biopsychosocial maintenance approaches in the management of COPD.

Lived experiences of growing up with thalassemia

(Tina Cartwright with Tony Towell)

Funded by a Quintin Hogg Fellowship, 2006-10: Gul-E-Rana Mufti.

Previous predominantly quantitative and biomedical studies have produced conflicting findings regarding the impact of thalassemia major, a haematological disorder, on psychological functioning and quality of life. The majority of studies have been conducted in developed countries, with limited attention given to the voice of the children themselves. Using a variety of qualitative approaches to engage children in the research process, this project explores the socio-cultural context of living with thalassemia in Pakistan. It compares the perspectives of children, their mothers and key health professionals to yield a more comprehensive picture of the illness and treatment experience.

Adolescents' experiences of juvenile idiopathic arthritis

(Tina Cartwright with Konrad Jacobs, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford)

Adolescence is a period of identity development and dealing with the demands of a chronic illness, such as JIA, can impact on this process. Current projects investigate a) how young people attempt to understand illness within their broader self-construct and b) their treatment experiences, since prior research has attempted to predict adherent behaviour but has not explored the deeper issues surrounding treatment faced by adolescents. Our research has shown that psychological responses to treatment, such as anticipatory nausea and anxiety, are common and negatively impact on young people’s desire for normalcy.

Projects on Well-being in men

(Tina Cartwright with Damien Ridge, Integrated Health):

Men are often perceived as poor at managing health as well as seeking appropriate professional help, with masculinity itself being linked to health risk. The possibility that men may have a repertoire of health promoting behaviours is only just beginning to be explored in the literature. Two current projects explore positive strategies in maintaining well-being in men:

Masculinity and identifying strategies for establishing positive mental wellbeing in later life.

Damien Ridge, Tina Cartwright & Knight (University of Melbourne).

Funded by University of Westminster PhD Scholarship, 2009-2012: Natasha Gravill. This project explores how older men construct narratives of masculinity and well-being, considering the implications for successful ageing. Additionally, it will examine the extent to which successful strategies for positive well-being can be taught to other men.

Men, mindfulness & wellbeing

Damien Ridge, Tina Cartwright & Trudi Edginton.

Funded by Institute of Well-being & Health PhD scholarship, 2008-2011: Tim Lomas. Research suggests that mindfulness influences the way in which people relate to and are affected by their cognitions and feelings, and may also promote social interactions that support well-being. This project examines the narratives through which men understand their experiences of mindfulness and broader well-being. In a process of data triangulation, cognitive and biological (EEG patterns of brain activity) measures are used to interrogate the narrative data in order to investigate the intersection of issues (narrative, social, cognitive and physiological factors) relating to well-being.