Kirstie completed her PhD with Professor Andrew Parrott and Dr John Turner at the University of East London, looking at the long-term psychological effects of problematic ecstasy(MDMA)users. She has also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she is committed to the quality of teaching and learning in higher education. Kirstie is also a chartered psychologist and teaches on a number of modules on the BSc Psychology programme and supervises PhD and Professional Doctorate students. Her research interests include the cognitive and psychobiological effects associated with recreational polydrug use (MDMA/ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis for example), and the psychological aspects of addictive behaviours. She has published a number of journal papers and presented work at both national and international conferences.

• Module Leader on PY2111: Drugs and Behaviour
• Undergraduate and MSc project supervision
• PhD Supervision
• Professional Doctorate Supervision

Areas of interest include the cognitive and psychobiological effects of recreational drug use: specifically, recreational cocaine use and whether users demonstrate psychosis-like symptoms and associated cognitive deficits. Other interests include the long-term effects of ecstasy and the psychological effects of cannabis.

• BSc Psychology
• MSc Psychology

• PY2111: Drugs and Behaviour
• PY3002: Professional Psychological Studies (project supervision)
• PY3125: Addictive Behaviours
• PYM155: Independent Research Thesis

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Dawkins, L., Turner, J., Roberts, A., & Soar, K. (2013). ‘Vaping’ profiles and preferences: an online survey of electronic cigarette users. Addiction. doi:10.1111/add.12150
2. Dawkins, L., Turner, J., Hasna, S., & Soar, K. (2012). The electronic-cigarette: effects on desire to smoke, withdrawal symptoms and cognition. Addictive Behaviors, 37(8), 970–973. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2012.03.004
3. Soar, K., Mason, C., Potton, A., & Dawkins, L. (2012). Neuropsychological effects associated with recreational cocaine use. Psychopharmacology, 222(4), 633–643. doi:10.1007/s00213-012-2666-4
4. Soar, K., Parrott, A.C., & Turner, J.J.D. (2009). Attributions for psychobiological changes in ecstasy/MDMA and other polydrug users. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 23, 745–758. doi:10.1177/0269881108092594
5. Soar, K., Dawkins, L., Begum, H., & Parrott, A.C. (2008). The effects of cigarette smoking and abstinence on auditory verbal learning. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 23(7), 621–627. doi:10.1002/hup.968

Conference Papers

1. Soar, K., Mason, C., Potton, A., & Turner, J.J.D. (2011, September). Neuropsychological effects associated with recreational cocaine use. Paper presented at the BPS Psychobiology Annual Conference.
2. Soar, K., Buchanan, T., Pearson, C., Parrott, A., Ling, J., Heffernan, T., et al. (2008). Health beliefs in a sample of ecstasy (MDMA) users. Paper presented at the Club Health Conference, Ibiza, Spain.

Conference Proceedings

1. Rodgers, J., Skene, D., Buchanan, T., Heffernan, T.M., Soar, K., & Parrott, A.C. (2009). Are individuals with a family history of mood disorders more vulnerable to MDMA depression following Ecstasy use?, In NEUROPSYCHOBIOLOGY.2009, ALLSCHWILERSTRASSE 10, CH-4009 BASEL. Switzerland: Karger.

Poster Sessions

1. Soar, K., & Mason, C. (2008). Recreational cocaine use: schizotypy and cognitive performance. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 22(5), TF06: A66.

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Soar, K., Turner, J.J.D., & Parrott, A.C. (2006). Problematic versus non-problematic Ecstasy/MDMA use: the influence of drug usage patterns and pre-existing psychiatric factors. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 20(3), 417–424. doi:10.1177/0269881106063274
2. Soar, K., Gersch, I.S., & Lawrence, J.A. (2006). Pupil involvement in special education needs disagreement resolution: a parental perspective on the barriers to including children in mediation. Support for Learning, 21(3), 149–155. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9604.2006.00421.x
3. Soar, K., Burke, K., Herbst, K., & Gersch, I. (2005). Pupil involvement in special educational needs disagreement resolution: some perceived barriers to including children in mediation. British Journal of Special Educational Needs, 32(1), 35–41. doi:10.1111/j.0952-3383.2005.00367.x
4. Soar, K., Parrott, A.C., & Fox, H. (2004). Persistent neuropsychological problems after seven years of abstinence from recreational ecstasy (MDMA): a case study. Psychological Reports: Perceptual and Motor Skills, 95, 192–196. doi:10.2466/pr0.95.1.192-196
5. Soar, K., Turner, J.J.D., & Parrott, A.C. (2001). Psychiatric disorders in ecstasy (MDMA) users: A literature review focusing on personal predisposition and drug history. Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental, 16(8), 641–645. doi:10.1002/hup.350

Non-peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Soar, K., Dell, P., & Pawson, C. (2007). The development of an online research journal ? ‘Psycholog-e’. HEA Psychology Network Newsletter, 44.
2. Royal Medicine Society (2006). Round Table Series 83: Ergot-derived drugs. Edited by Grosset, D., Schachter, M., Soar, K., Turner, J., Van Camp, G. Royal Medicine Society Press.

Conference Papers

1. Picton, J., & Soar, K. (2007). Child verses adult ratings of the severity of side effects associated with methylphenidate treatment for ADHD. Paper presented at the BAP Summer Meeting, Harrogate.
2. Soar, K., Taylor, J., Warburton, N., & Turner, J.J.D. (2007). Recreational ketamine use and schizotypy personality proneness. Paper presented at the BAP Summer Meeting, Harrogate.
3. Soar, K., Turner, J.J.D., & Parrott, A.C. (2006). Potential factors which may influence the development of “problematic” ecstasy use. Paper presented at the Club Health conference, Piran, Slovenia.
4. Soar, K., Turner, J.J.D., & Parrott, A.C. (2006). The attribution of positive and negative life changes to other drug use in problematic and non-problematic ecstasy users. Paper presented at the BAP Summer Meeting, Oxford.
5. Soar, K., Turner, J.J.D., & Parrott, A.C. (2005). No more the “love-drug”: sexual behaviour impairments in ecstasy users. Paper presented at the BAP Summer Meeting, Harrogate.
6. Soar, K., Turner, J.J.D., & Parrott, A.C. (2005). Problematic versus non-problematic ecstasy use: premorbid disposition and psychopathological measures. Paper presented at the BAP Summer Meeting, Harrogate.
7. Parrott, A.C., Fox, H.C., Milani, R.M., Soar, K., & Turner, J.J.D. (2003). Polydrug use amongst recreational Ecstasy/MDMA users. Paper presented at the BPS Conference.
8. Soar, K., Fox, H.C., Turner, J.J.D., & Parrott, A.C. (2003). The relationship between problematic ecstasy use and the serotonin syndrome. Paper presented at the BAP Summer Meeting, Cambridge.
9. Soar, K., Turner, J.J.D., & Parrott, A.C. (2001). A review of the psychiatric effects of ecstasy (MDMA), from research conducted in the last ten years. Paper presented at the CCNP 2001 Annual Meeting.

Poster Sessions

1. Soar, K., Parrott, A.C., & Turner, J.J.D. (2002). Prolonged cognitive and psychological problems from chronic-repeated ecstasy (MDMA) exposure: a case study. Journal of Prevention, Treatment and Research of Addictions, 1, 73–74.
2. Soar, K., & Parrott, A.C. (2002). Problematic ecstasy use: is it due to patterns of ecstasy use? Journal of Psychopharmacology, 16(3), G4, A58.

• British Psychological Society Charted Psychologist
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society
• Member of the British Psychological Society Psychobiology Division
• Member of the British Association of Psychopharmacology
• Postgraduate Member of Experimental Psychology Society

Recreational cocaine use: schizotypy and cognitive performance

Soar, K., & Mason, C.

Background/aims: Recent evidence suggests that recreational cocaine use is on the increase, with the UK reporting one of the highest levels of use in the EU (EMCDDA, 2005). Most of research into the effects of cocaine is based on assessment of chronic cocaine-dependent users. To date very few studies have addressed the psychological and behavioural effects associated with non-dependent recreational cocaine use. These have suggested some indication of psychotic-like symptoms, and only two known studies have addressed the neuropsychological effects associated with recreational cocaine use. The current study aimed to assess whether recreational cocaine show neuropsychological deficits on a battery of tests, previously shown to be sensitive to cocaine dependent individuals and psychosis-prone individuals. Schizotypal traits were also measured. Methodology: Recreational cocaine users (n=10) were compared with polydrug controls (n=9) and drug-naïve controls (n=8) on patterns of drug use, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Brief Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ-B) and four neuropsychological tasks from the CANTAB: spatial working memory task (SWM), Intra/extra dimensional (IED), the Stocking of Cambridge (SOC) and the Rapid visual processing (RVP). Results: One-way ANOVA's (and Tukey HSD post hoc tests where appropriate) revealed that recreational cocaine users produced significantly more errors on the IED (p<0.01), and the RVP (p<0.05) relative to polydrug and non-drug controls; however there were no significant group differences in the mean latency to complete both of these tasks. Recreational cocaine users reported significantly higher scores on the cognitive-perceptual and disorganised thinking SPQ-B subscales, as well as total SPQ-B scores compared to the drug-naïve controls (p<0.02), and higher levels on the disorganised thinking subscale compared to polydrug users (p=0.02). Conclusions: The data showed that recreational cocaine users displayed impairments on tasks addressing sustained attention and attentional shifting (but not on tasks of spatial memory or planning) relative to non-cocaine users. The cocaine users also reported higher schizotypal trait expression. Collectively these results can be contextualised within models of dopamine neuromodulatory changes, and indicate that regular moderate recreational cocaine use may be sufficient to induce such psychobehavioural alterations.

Potential factors which may influence the development of “problematic” ecstasy use

Soar, K., Turner, J.J.D., & Parrott, A.C.

Recreational ecstasy use has been repeatedly associated with psychological and cognitive problems. What remain unclear are the reasons why some users experience severe and enduring problems which they attribute to their ecstasy use, whilst others, who appear to have similar usage patterns, are relatively spared. We report here a series of studies comparing ‘problematic’ and ‘non-problematic’ ecstasy users, utilising scales to measure drug usage patterns, individual and family psychiatric history and self-reported levels psychopathology. A significantly greater number of ‘problematic’ ecstasy users reported pre-existing psychiatric histories and displayed consistently higher psychopathological symptoms compared to ‘non-problematic’ ecstasy users and polydrug controls across studies. Levels of ecstasy consumption and polydrug use varied between studies, but it appeared that the intensity of ecstasy dosing and the role other drug use, including hallucinogens and cannabis, appeared to contribute to higher psychopathological symptoms in problematic ecstasy users. A component model is presented to attempt to encompass these findings and other apparent inconsistencies in the literature, which suggest that the extent and nature of the development of problematic ecstasy use is more likely to be multi-factorial for most affected users. It is hypothesised that the more contributory factors that are present within an individual, the more likely that problematic ecstasy use will develop. Future research needs to address and understand the relative weighting and interaction of each factor within this model. It is proposed that this model may potentially help to highlight individuals that could be more ‘at risk’ of developing problematic effects, but also further inform harm reduction strategies.

The Attribution of Positive and Negative Life Changes to Other Drug Use in Problematic and Non-problematic Ecstasy Users

Soar, K., Turner, J.J.D., & Parrott, A.C.

Recreational ecstasy (MDMA) has been increasingly associated with a number of psychiatric symptoms and psychobiological problems (e.g. Parrott et al., 2001, Psychopharm. 159: 77–82). However, previous research suggests that the heavier the polydrug use alongside ecstasy the higher the level of self-reported psychological symptoms (Parrott et al., 2001, Psychopharm. 159: 77–82). With elevated psychopathology appearing to be associated more with polydrug use in general rather than ecstasy use (Morgan et al., 2002 Psychopharmacology, 159: 592–303; Rosier & Sahakian, 2004, Psychopharmacology 173:411–417). The current exploratory study aimed to determine the role of other drug use in the reporting of the long-term effects by some ecstasy-polydrug users.

Problematic ecstasy users (n = 53) who had reported problems attributable to their ecstasy use were compared with non-problematic ecstasy users (n = 62) and polydrug controls (n = 62). The UEL recreational drug use questionnaire was completed; along with a questionnaire assessing positive and negative life changes and which past drug use, if any, they attributed these changes too. Questions comprised of known effects reported by ecstasy users.

Non-problematic and problematic ecstasy users showed relatively similar polydrug use profiles, with both ecstasy using groups reporting significantly higher drug use consumption compared to polydrug controls. Problematic ecstasy users reported significantly higher levels of ecstasy use, including lifetime consumption, average dosage and binge consumption compared to non-problematic ecstasy users. Chi squared results indicate that Ecstasy and problematic ecstasy users reported more positive and negative changes in life experiences compared to polydrug controls. Of those polydrug users who did indicate life changes attributable to drugs, they were significantly more likely to attribute these changes to just one drug rather than a combination of drugs, compared to non-problematic and/or problematic ecstasy users. Ecstasy users (both non-problematic and problematic) reported life changes more to a combination of drugs than one specific drug, suggesting polydrug use in these ecstasy users has an impact on their life experiences.

In summary, both ecstasy using groups reported greater polydrug use than polydrug controls and that they also attributed more life changes, both positive and negative to a range of drugs rather than specifically ecstasy. This lends further support to the idea that research into the psychological effects of ecstasy clearly should not underestimate the contribution of other drug use/polydrug use.

• Health Psychology Research Group
• Recreational Drugs Team