I completed my BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Warwick in 2001. I then went on to complete an MSc in Health Psychology and a PhD in Health Psychology Research and Professional Practice at the University of Southampton. My PhD research involved testing the effect of a written emotional disclosure intervention on distress and quality of life in women with ovarian cancer and their partners.

After my PhD, I worked at the University of Sheffield on a Cancer Research UK funded grant exploring the impact of sperm banking before cancer treatment on immediate and longer-term quality of life. I then returned to Southampton, where I was employed on a HTA funded grant entitled 'BREATHE: Breathing Retraining for Asthma Trial of Home Exercises. This involved developing a booklet and DVD for use in a trial of breathing training, which I qualitatively piloted on people with asthma.

I was appointed to a mixed academic post at Southampton in 2012, and promoted to Lecturer in May 2013. I joined the university in September 2014.

I am a Chartered Pschologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and registered as a Health Psychologist with the Health Professions Council. I am listed on the British Psychological Society Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors, which means I am qualified to supervise professional doctorates in Health Psychology.

Research

My research focuses on the impact of chronic illness (particularly cancer and asthma) on quality of life in both patients and their partners/ families, and the development of interventions to improve quality of life in these conditions, including web-based interventions. I use both qualitative and quantitative methods to achieve these aims. I am also interested in exploring the ways in which people use internet-based interventions. I am currently looking for PhD students to supervise in these areas.

Current projects I am involved in are as follows:

PROACTIVE: This is an intervention for men diagnosed with prostate cancer being managed by active surveillance, which consists of three group-based sessions supplemented by a website, in a randomized controlled feasibility trial. This work is being carried out in conjunction with colleagues at the University of Southampton.

MOVA: Mindfulness in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer - A Feasibility Study This project looks at the effects of a group-based mindfulness programme on mental health and wellbeing in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

My research focuses on social psychological aspects of behaviour, and how this is influenced by personality, group dynamics and interpersonal relationships. My PhD focused explicitly on the influence of narcissism on team dynamics (e.g., team cohesion, team conflict) and organisational outcomes (e.g., team performance), and utilised a variety of methodological approaches (e.g., longitudinal hierarchical modelling, round-robin data analyses, mediation).

Since joining Bournemouth University I have worked with colleagues from various departments (Psychology, Business, Computing) to conduct research on problematic gambling and how this can be addressed with the help of technology to detect, predict, prevent, and intervene with harmful gambling behaviours.

Transparency and Explainability in Gaming Sites.

Publications

Grants

Outreach & engagement

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