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Health Psychology Research Group

Overview

The members of the Health Psychology Research Group (HPRG) examine health behaviour and outcomes from a combination of psychological, social and biological perspectives. The Group contains the Chronic Illness Research Team (led by Elizabeth Attree), which examines the psychosocial and neurobiological concomitants of many physical illnesses which include MdDS, Menieres Disease, inflammatory bowel disease and ME/CFS. Also, in the Group, a positive psychology approach is employed to health-related research, with a focus on measuring and understanding psychological well-being. Other active research interests of Group members include: post-traumatic growth among female breast cancer survivors (Dr Kate Hefferon); psychological aspects of prostate cancer and lower urinary tract symptoms (Dr Ken Gannon); individual differences in rebelliousness (Professor Mark McDermott) and in mindfulness (Dr James Walsh) as they relate to health behaviour; and, antisocial behaviour and mental Health (Dr Amanda Roberts).

Current Projects

Click on the team or project titles below for more information.

Chronic Illness Research

Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Psychosocial and Emotional Factors Associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalitis

Many factors influence the course and/or experience of chronic illness. For example, coping skills, illness-related knowledge, stress, social support and the stance taken towards the illness by the patient and others all contribute in some way towards the experience of the disorder. Our researchers are trying to discover the relative contribution of such psychosocial factors to IBS, so that we can design interventions that may help lessen the impact of the disorder on the people who suffer from it.

Recent publications relating to this project
  1. Goudsmit, E.M., Ho-Yen, D.O., & Dancey, C.P. (2009). Learning to cope with chronic illness: Efficacy of a multidimensional treatment for people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Patient Education and Counselling, 77, 231–236. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2009.05.015
  2. Goudsmit, E.M., Shepherd, C., Dancey, C.P., & Howes, S. (2009). ME: Chronic fatigue syndrome or a distinct clinical entity? Health Psychology Update, 18, 1, 26–33.
  3. Dancey, C.P., & Friend, J. (2008). Symptoms, impairment and illness intrusiveness — their relationship with depression in women with CFS/ME. Psychology & Health.
Nutritional and Health Aspects of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

We carried out a clinical trial on the benefits of nucleotide supplementation for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This concluded that there were benefits in taking nucleotide supplementation for some of the symptoms of IBS.

Recent publications relating to this project
  1. Dancey, C.P., & Denby, N. (2007). IBS — are you up to date? Complete Nutrition, 7, 1, 53–55.
  2. Dancey, C.P., Attree, E.A., & Brown, K.F. (2006). Nucleotide Supplementation: a randomised double-blind placebo controlled trial of IntestAidIB in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome [ISRCTN67764449] Nutrition Journal.
Attitudes Towards People with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Christine Dancey with Professor Gerald Devins (Toronto), Simon Watts (UEL) and Paul Stenner (UCL))

People with chronic illness, especially those illnesses which involve embarrassing bodily symptoms, often feel stigmatised by others. Unfortunately, research shows that others, including members of the medical profession, sometimes hold negative attitudes towards people with chronic illness. We are researching into the way in which people with IBS are seen by others, and the way in which they view themselves. At present, we are working on the importance of perceived stigma and illness intrusiveness in men and women with IBS.

Recent publications relating to this project
  1. Dancey, C.P., Stenner, P., Attree, E.A., Coogan, J., Kovacs, A., & Bàrdos, G. (2009). Irritable Bowel Syndrome Hungary: how do patients view their illness? Clinical and Experimental Medical Journal 3, 3, 487–498.
Cognitive Function in People with Chronic Illness

There is a body of research which shows that memory and certain measures of IQ are decreased in some chronic illnesses. The effects might not be small, but in some illnesses the cognitive effects are harder to cope with than the physical effects.

Apart from fatigue and other symptoms, people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalitis (CFS/ME) complain of cognitive problems such as difficulties learning and remembering new material, keeping appointments and sustaining concentration. Among people with Multiple Sclerosis, those with cognitive deficits are more likely to be unemployed, and to have fewer social interactions, than those without deficits — independent from the extent of disability. The underlying mechanisms for these deficits are not fully understood. We are carrying out research which we hope will help us understand these deficits in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome, CFS/ME and Multiple Sclerosis.

Recent publications relating to this project
  1. Dancey, C.P., Attree, E.A., Stuart, G., Wilson, C. & Sonnet, A. (2009). Words fail me: the VIQ deficit in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. 15, 6, 852–857. doi:10.1002/ibd.20837
  2. Attree, E.A., Pope, A., & Dancey, C.P. (2009) A naturalistic assessment of prospective memory retrieval in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome using a virtual-reality assessment environment: an initial study. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 12, 4, 379–385. doi:10.1089/cpb.2009.0002

Recreational Drugs Research (led by Dr Kirstie Soar)

Development and Infancy Study (DAISY)

This is a continuing project in the emerging field of Behavioural Teratology, exploring the possible effects of in utero exposure to recreational drugs (ecstasy, cannabis, nicotine, etc.) on the subsequent social and cognitive development of the infant. The project is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the US (Grant: DA14910-01) and is an international collaborative study between the recreational drug team and IRCD at UEL, Professor Andy Parrott at Swansea, Professor Lynn Singer and colleagues at Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, Ohio, and involving Dr Susan Patterson at Imperial College.

Recent publications relating to this project
  1. Moore, D.G., Turner, J.J.D., Goodwin, J.E., Fulton, S.E., Singer, L.T., & Parrott, A.C. (2011). In-utero exposure to the popular ‘recreational’ drugs MDMA (Ecstasy) and Methamphetamine (Ice, Crystal): preliminary findings. In P. Preece & E. Riley (Eds.), Alcohol, drugs and medication in pregnancy: the outcome for the child. London: Mac Keith Press.
  2. Moore, D.G., Turner, J.J.D., Parrott, A.C., Goodwin, J.E., Fulton, S., Min, M.O., … Singer, L.T. (2010). During pregnancy, recreational drug-using women stop taking ecstasy (MDMA) and reduce alcohol consumption but continue to smoke tobacco and cannabis. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 24(9), 1403–1410. doi:10.1177/0269881109348165

Social Cognition Models and Health Behaviour (Mark McDermott, Vered Murgraff, James Walsh)

The focus of this collaborative work, led by postdoctoral researcher Vered Murgraff, is upon the prediction of episodes of alcohol consumption from the components of various social cognition models.

The predictive utility of three social cognition based models was tested in relation to low-risk single-occasion drinking (LRSOD). Trying, along with intention and past behaviour were found to predict goal-related behaviour (LRSOD) in a test of Bagozzi and Edwards’ model of self-regulation. Health action process constructs (Schwarzer), as well as beliefs measured within the theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen), were also found predictive of LRSOD.

Recent publications relating to this project
  1. Murgraff, V., McDermott, M.R., & Abraham, C. (2007). Reducing Friday alcohol consumption among moderate, women drinkers: evaluation of a brief evidence-based intervention. Alcohol & Alcoholism: The International Journal of Alcohol and Alcohol Research, 42(1), 37–41.

Rebelliousness (Negativism), Conformity and Health (Mark McDermott)

This longstanding research interest contains a number of strands in which the psychological constructs of rebelliousness (or ‘negativism’ as it is known within the context of Reversal Theory — as after Apter, 1989) and conformity are explored in relation to a number of health related phenomena and indices of social pathology. These include resistance to health promotion messages, openness to experience and creativity, delinquency, occupational absence and turnover, truancy, academic achievement and subjective wellbeing.

Recent publications relating to this project
  1. Klabbers, G., Bosma, H., van den Akker, M., van Boxtel, M.P.J., Kempen, G.I.J.M., McDermott, M.R., & Van Eijk, J.TH.M. (2009). Measuring rebelliousness and predicting health behaviour and outcomes: an investigation of the construct validity of the Social Reactivity Scale. Journal of Health Psychology, 14(6), 771–779. doi:10.1177/1359105309338894

Group Member

  • Dr Irina Anderson
  • Elizabeth Attree
  • Professor Christine Dancey
  • Dr Lynne Dawkins (Group Co-ordinator)
  • Dr Ken Gannon
  • Dr Kate Hefferon
  • Professor Mark McDermott
  • Dr Amanda Roberts
  • Dr Kirstie Soar
  • Dr John Turner
  • Dr James Walsh
  • Paula Booth (PhD student)
  • Stephanie Lynch (PhD student)

 

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