Psychology and Human Development Research
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Summary
The University of East London's Psychology department is deeply engaged with local communities, focusing on at-risk groups such as children in difficult environments, individuals with mental health issues, refugees, and those with addictive behaviours.
Our commitment to research is backed by significant investment in state-of-the-art equipment, including EEG, eye-tracking, virtual reality, and psychophysiology labs. We actively train students and staff on these tools and offer internships to undergraduate students to help develop future research leaders. This has led to a vibrant and growing PhD community, with many graduates securing prestigious post-doctoral positions and academic lectureships.
The impact of our community-based research is recognised globally, leading to extensive media coverage and major grants from international and national bodies like the European Research Council.
In the most recent national audit of research excellence (REF 2021), 92 per cent of UEL Psychology's research was judged to be of international quality, marking a 58 per cent increase in volume since 2014.
Example research projects
Example Research Project 1 - Family Recovery after Domestic Abuse
Dr Emma Howarth, who moved to UEL from Cambridge University due to the School's strong community ties, focuses her research on children exposed to domestic violence and abuse.
She currently leads a £640k NIHR Public Health Research Grant in collaboration with the charity Against Violence and Abuse, which investigates the effectiveness of community support programmes for mothers and children. Her work also includes two other major collaborations: a £1m ESRC grant examining violence, abuse, and mental health, and a £525k NIHR grant focused on child maltreatment interventions.
Example Research Project 2 - How Chaotic and Noisy Home Environments Influence Early Development
Dr Sam Wass joined UEL in 2016 from the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge University, drawn by our ability to attract research participants from diverse backgrounds.
His work focuses on how noisy and cramped living environments affect early development. This research has been supported by several major grants, including a £152k ESRC Future Research Leaders Fellowship and recent funding from the Leverhulme Trust (£327k), Horizon2020 (£212k), and a five-year European Research Council Starter grant (£1.37 million). His ESRC project, in particular, has had a significant impact on policy and public discourse.
Example Research Project 3 - Minimising gambling-related harm in vulnerable populations
The Drugs and Addictive Behaviours Research Group, led by Dr Steve Sharman and Professor John Turner, has partnered with the Gordon Moody Association, the UK's sole residential treatment provider for gambling problems. This collaboration has produced groundbreaking research that has fundamentally changed our understanding of why vulnerable populations, such as the homeless, are particularly susceptible to behavioural addictions like gambling. Their findings have influenced reports by All-Party Parliamentary groups and Public Health England, leading to new regulations designed to protect vulnerable populations in the UK.
Example Research Project 4 – Changing national clinical guidelines and practice regarding depression treatment
Professor John Read's report for Public Health England, which reviewed current depression treatment practices, has gained extensive media attention across major news networks both in the UK and internationally. The report's findings have been integrated into practitioner care guidelines globally and have led to significant changes in the National Institute for Health Care Excellence guidelines for antidepressant use.
Example Research Project 5 – Developing and informing mental health services for refugees
East London has one of the UK's highest populations of voluntary and forced migrants. Professor Tribe's interdisciplinary research, conducted with colleagues from other schools like the Social Sciences, has fundamentally changed how practitioners provide mental health services for refugees. Her findings now serve as the foundation for official guidance from key organisations, including NHS England, charities like Mind, and international bodies such as The Refugee Council and the Red Cross.
Mental Health and Social Change
The Mental Health & Social Change Group shares a commitment to psychological research and practice that is done with, not to, people and communities.
Cognition and Neuroscience Group
We examine human cognitive and emotional processes in neurotypical adults and in individuals with brain impairments and mental health disorders.
Developmental Psychology Research Group
The Developmental Psychology Research Group joins together psychologists, neuroscientists and developmental psychologists.
Drugs and Addictive Behaviour Research Group
The Drugs and Addictive Behaviours Research Group has grown out of a long tradition of work on the neuropsychological effects of recreational drugs.