Applied Health Psychology Research Lab

Lab Overview:

In the Applied Health Psychology Research lab our interests lie within a broad remit of undertaking research which supports and informs holistic health and wellbeing. Within our research we aim for inclusivity to include topics and people in meaningful ways that may be less seen in Health research.

Research Areas

Evaluation of health services and initiatives
Experiences of people working in healthcare
Medical interactions
Health Promotion
Health behaviour change
Mindfulness and Self-compassion
Eating behaviours
Weight Management
Body image, body acceptance, body size perception.
Cystic Fibrosis: Eating behaviours, risky health behaviours, adherence, quality of life, mindfulness-based interventions
Health and wellbeing of people living with chronic ill-health
The role of emotions and coping on health and wellbeing
Gender, sexuality and health

Lab Members

PhD Students

Clair Hook: Exploring the lived experiences of weight loss and weight loss maintenance
Rebecca Babb: An exploration of experiences, beliefs and health behaviours in a people living with Gastroparesis
Kate Moule: Developing interventions to support the health and wellbeing of individuals living with polycystic ovary syndrome
Molly Miley: A Mixed Methods exploration into clinical decision-making, moral distress and coping-related constructs amongst nursing professionals.
Helen Parsons: An exploration of Mindfulness-based concepts, Maternal-Fetal Attachment, Body Image and Health Behaviour in Pregnancy

Research Projects

Wellbeing in Primary Care: Evaluation of outcomes of initiatives proposed to address the new Quality Outcome Framework indicators for improving wellbeing in primary care
Investigating barriers and facilitators for Health Care Professionals in utilising mindfulness-based interventions to improve psychosocial difficulties in eating behaviours for people with Cystic Fibrosis.
Psychological implications and health risks pre- and post- Cystic Fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapies.
Examining the role of mindfulness and self-compassion in managing the challenges associated with Cystic Fibrosis
The role of body image in the relationship between minority stress and mental health
The relationship between stress and eating behaviour, obesity and diversity in mental health care.
Exploring the relationships of mindfulness-based constructs to eating behaviours among gay and bisexual men

Collaborations

Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham City Council
Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Trust
Black Health Matters (US health advocacy group)
The Living Well Consortium
Homeless Period Birmingham,
Cysters
Our Health Partnership.
Barnardo’s Children’s Centre Sandwell

Bridger, E.K., Tufte-Hewett, A., Comerford, D.A., and Nettle, D. (2024). Why are socioeconomic health inequalities unacceptable? Studying the influence of explanatory framings on cognitive appraisals. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 24(3), https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12415

Egan, H., Connabeer, K., Keyte, R., Tufte-Hewett, A., Kauser, S., Hussain, M., ... & Mantzios, M. (2024). ‘I didn’t feel like I was a doctor’: a qualitative interview study exploring the experiences and representations of healthcare professionals’ capacity to deliver compassionate care and to practice self-care during the Covid-19 pandemic. Psychology & Health, 39(11), 1521-1539. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2023.2174260

Egan, H., Watson, K. L., Massey-Chase, R., Miley, M., & Mantzios, M. (2024). P396 Evaluating the effectiveness of mindful eating practices (CFMEPs) in supporting identified goals of self-regulation of eating behaviours in an adult cohort of people with cystic fibrosis. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 23, S189. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1569-1993(24)00690-8

Keyte, R., Mantzios, M., Hussain, M., Tahrani, A. A., Abbott, S., Strachan, R., ... & Egan, H. (2024). ‘Surgery is my only hope’: A qualitative study exploring perceptions of living with obesity and the prospect of having bariatric surgery. Clinical Obesity, e12643. https://doi.org/10.1111/cob.12643

Miley, M., Mantzios, M., Egan, H., & Connabeer, K. (2024). Exploring the moderating role of health-promoting behaviours and self-compassion on the relationship between clinical decision-making and nurses’ well-being. Journal of Research in Nursing, 29(7), 569-581. https://doi.org/10.1177/17449871241270822

Regan, H., Keyte, R., Mantzios, M., & Egan, H. (2024). The importance of body acceptance in exploring the relationships of mindfulness-based constructs to eating behaviours among gay and bisexual men. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 21(3), 1024-1035. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-023-00896-y

Bridger, E.K., Tufte-Hewett, A. & Comerford, D.A. (2023). Perceived Health Inequalities: Are the UK and US public aware of occupation-related health inequality, and do they wish to see it reduced? BMC Public Health, 23, 2326. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17120-6.

Comerford, D. A., Tufte-Hewett, A. & Bridger, E. K. (2023). Public preferences to trade-off gains in total health for health equality: Discrepancies between an abstract scenario versus the real-world scenario presented by COVID-19. Rationality and Society, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/10434631231193599

Wallis, D. J., Moss, J., Varnam, B., Dritschel, B., & Ridout, N. (2023). Autobiographical memory specificity and restrained eating: examining the influence of priming with images of healthy and unhealthy foods. Eating and Weight Disorders-Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 28(1), 53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-023-01577-w

Maalin, N., Mohamed, S., Kramer, R. S., Cornelissen, P. L., Martin, D., & Tovée, M. J. (2021). Beyond BMI for self-estimates of body size and shape: A new method for developing stimuli correctly calibrated for body composition. Behavior research methods, 53, 1308-1321. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-020-01494-1

Douglas, T. D., Stephens, J. W., Barry, J., Lee, M. D., & Wilkinson, L. L. (2020). The influence of attachment orientation on weight loss, eating behaviour and other health outcomes among patients undergoing bariatric surgery: A scoping review. Appetite, 147, 104504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.104504