Dr Deborah Wallis
Reader in Psychology / Research Director, Centre for Health and Well-being
School of Social Sciences
- Email:
- deborah.wallis@bcu.ac.uk
- Phone:
- +44 (0)121 331 6321
Dr Deborah Wallis joined BCU in September 2018 as a Senior Lecturer in Psychology after 14 years at other academic institutions.
She is a Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society (CPsychol) and her research follows two key strands: the psychology of appetite, eating behaviour and eating disorders; and cognitive and emotional wellbeing in cancer patients and their carers. She is dedicated to providing research-informed teaching. Overall, the research of Dr Wallis aims to advance our understanding of both theoretical and applied aspects of psychological health in order to develop interventions for behaviour change to improve health and wellbeing.
Areas of Expertise
- Psychology of eating behaviours
- Cognitive and emotional wellbeing in cancer patients and their carers
Qualifications
- MA Hons Psychology (University of Dundee)
- MSc Psychological Research Methods (University of Stirling)
- PhD Psychology (Liverpool University)
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Memberships
- 2012 – present: Elected member of the Experimental Psychology Society (EPS)
- 2009 – present: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA, reference number 36962)
- 2007 – present: Member of the British Association for Cognitive Neuroscience (BACN)
- 2000 – present: Member of the British Feeding and Drinking Group (BFDG)
- 1996 – present: Member of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
Teaching
- PSY3000 Real World Psychology
- PSY4030 Introduction to Psychology
- PSY5059 Infancy
- PSY7062 Applications of Health Psychology Models
- PSY7064 Applied Research Methods in Health Psychology 1
- PSY7066 Applied Research Methods in Health Psychology 2
- PSY7067 Professional Development in Health Psychology (module leader)
Research
Appetite and eating behaviours
- Effect of stress/emotions on food choice and intake
- Alexithymia, emotion regulation, attachment style, and disordered eating
- Autobiographical memory and social problem solving in disordered eating
- Attentional biases & emotion recognition in disordered eating
- Mealtimes in the context of eating disorders
Psycho-oncology
- Physical activity interventions to promote cognitive and emotional wellbeing among cancer patients
- Return to work among cancer patients and their carers
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Gokal, K., Munir, F., Ahmed, S., Kancherla, K., & Wallis, D. (2018).Does walking protect against decline in self-reported cognitive functioning amongst breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy? Results from a small randomised controlled trial. PLOS ONE, 13(11). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206874
Fox, G., Coulthard, H., Williamson, I., & Wallis, D.J. (2018). “It’s always on the safe list”: Investigating experiential accounts of adults with avoidant-restrictive eating behaviours. Appetite, 130, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.07.023
Wallis, D.J., Sharpe, E., & Ridout, N. (2018). The influence of non-clinical eating psychopathology on the recognition of emotion from static faces and realistic social interactions. Eating Behaviors, 29, 19-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2018.01.004
Sharpe, E., Wallis, D.J., & Ridout, N. (2016). The influence of variations in eating disorder-related symptoms on processing of emotional faces in a non-clinical female sample: An eye-tracking study. Psychiatry Research, 240, 321-327. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.065
Gokal, K., Wallis, D., Ahmed, S., Boiangiu, I., Kancherla, K., & Munir, F. (2016). Effects of a self-managed home-based walking intervention on psychosocial health outcomes for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: a randomised controlled trial. Supportive Care in Cancer. 24(3), 1139-1136.https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2884-5
Ridout, N., Matharu, M., Sanders, E., & Wallis, D.J. (2015).The influence of eating psychopathology on autobiographical memory specificity and social problem solving. Psychiatry Research. 228(3). 295-303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2015.06.030
Gokal, K., Munir, F., Wallis, D.J., Ahmed, S., Boiangiu, I., & Kancherla, K (2015). Can physical activity help to maintain cognitive functioning and psychosocial well-being among breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy? A randomised controlled trial: study protocol. BMC Public Health, 15(414). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1751-0
White, H.J., Haycraft, E., Wallis, D.J., Arcelus, J., Leung, N. & Meyer, C. (2015). Development of the Mealtime Emotions Measure for adolescents (MEM-A): Gender differences in emotional responses to family mealtimes and eating psychopathology. Appetite, 85, 76-83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.11.011
Munir, F., Kalawsky, K., Wallis, D.J., & Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2013). Using intervention mapping to develop a work-related guidance tool for those affected by cancer. BMC Public Health, 13(6). http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/13/6
Wilson, C., & Wallis, D.J. (2013). Attentional bias and slowed disengagement from food and threat stimuli in restrained eaters using a modified Stroop task. Cognitive Therapy and Research. 37, 127-138. DOI:10.1007/s10608-012-9451-x
Ridout, N, Wallis, D. J., Autwal, Y., & Sellis, J. (2012). The influence of emotional intensity on facial emotion recognition in disordered eating. Appetite, 59, 181-186. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2012.04.013
Long, S., Wallis, D.J., Leung, N., & Meyer, C. (2012). “All eyes are on you”: anorexia nervosa patient perspectives of in-patient mealtimes. Journal of Health Psychology, 17(3), 419-428. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105311419270
Long, S., Wallis, D.J., Leung, N., Arcelus, J., & Meyer, C. (2012). Mealtimes on eating disorder wards: a two study investigation. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 45, 241-246.
Long, S., Meyer, C., Leung, N., & Wallis, D.J. (2011). Effects of distraction and focused attention on actual and perceived food intake in females with non-clinical eating psychopathology. Appetite, 56(2), 350-356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2010.12.018
Ridout, N., Thom, C., & Wallis, D.J. (2010). Emotion recognition and alexithymia in females with sub-clinical eating psychopathology. Eating Behaviors, 11, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2009.07.008
Wallis D.J., & Hetherington, M.M. (2009). Emotions and eating: self-reported and experimentally-induced changes in food intake under stress. Appetite, 52, 355-362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2008.11.007
Cecil, J.E., Palmer, C.N.A., Fischer, B., Watt, P., Wallis, D.J., Murrie, I.S.L., & Hetherington, M.M. (2007). Variants of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor g- and b-adrenergic receptor genes are associated with measures of compensatory eating behaviors in young children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86, 167-173.
Cecil, J.E., Watt, P., Murrie, I.S.L., Wrieden, W., Wallis, D.J., Hetherington, M.M., Bolton-Smith, C., & Palmer, C.N.A. (2005). Childhood obesity and socioeconomic status: a novel role for height growth limitation. International Journal of Obesity, 29, 1199-1203. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803055
Cecil, J.E., Palmer, C.N.A., Wrieden, W., Murrie, I.S.L., Bolton-Smith, C., Watt, P., Wallis, D.J., & Hetherington, M.M. (2005). Energy intakes of children after preloads: adjustment, not compensation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(2),302-308.
Wallis, D.J., & Hetherington, M.M. (2004). Stress and eating: the effects of ego-threat and cognitive demand on food intake in restrained and emotional eaters. Appetite, 43(1), 39-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2004.02.001
Hetherington, M.M., Cameron, F., Wallis, D.J., & Pirie, L.M. (2001). Stimulation of appetite by alcohol. Physiology and Behavior, 74(3), 283-289.
Published conference abstracts
Wallis, D.J. & Ridout, N. (2018). The influence of dietary restraint on autobiographical memory specificity in a non-clinical sample. Appetite, 123, 459.
Wallis, D.J., Sharpe, E.E., & Ridout, N (2016). Do variations in eating-related psychopathology influence the efficacy of attention training to reduce biased processing of threat faces? Appetite 107, 693.
Ridout, N., Matharu, M., Sanders, E., & Wallis, D.J. (2014). Autobiographical memory specificity and social problem solving in females with sub-clinical eating psychopathology. Appetite, 71, 484.
Sharpe, E., & Wallis, D.J. (2014). Attentional biases in eating psychopathology: The role of vigilance and avoidance. Appetite, 71, 486.
Wilson, C., & Wallis, D.J. (2014). Can the dot-probe task detect food-related attentional biases in restrained eaters? Appetite, 71, 490.
Ridout, N., Wallis, D.J., Autwal, Y., Kralj, A., Sellis, J. & Taylor, E. (2013). The influence of alexithymia and mood on eating psychopathology in a non-clinical female sample. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 82(Suppl. 1), 93.
Wallis, D.J., & Sharpe, E. (2013) Attentional bias to emotional faces in sub-clinical eating psychopathology: The role of vigilance and avoidance. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 82(Suppl. 1), 125.
Gokal, K., Munir, F., Wallis, D.J., Ahmed, S., Boiangiu, I., & Kancherla, K. (2013). Physical activity intervention for cognitive and emotional functioning in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Psycho-Oncology, 22(Suppl. 3), 254, P2-86.
Kalawsky, K., Munir, F., Wallis, D.J., & Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2013). Work it Out for Carers: The development of a work-focused self-management tool for informal carers of people affected by cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 22(Suppl. 3), 65, T-5.
Munir, F., Wallis, D.J., Kalawsky, K., & Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2013). Work it Out: The six steps of intervention mapping process for designing a self-led return-to-work intervention tool. Psycho-Oncology, 22(Suppl. 3), 289,P3-16.
Wallis, D.J., Munir, F., Kalawsky, K., & Donaldson-Feilder, E. (2013). Work it Out: Development of a self-led return-to-work intervention tool using a Delphi consensus-building method. Psycho-Oncology, 22(Suppl. 3), 292,P3-22.
Gokal, K., Munir, F., Wallis, D.J., Ahmed, S., & Boiangiu. (2013). Physical activity intervention for cognitive and emotional functioning in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Psycho-Oncology, 22(Suppl. 1), 9.
Wallis, D.J, Ridout, N., & Sharpe, E. (2012). Emotion recognition in eating psychopathology: A comparison between static and dynamic stimuli. Appetite, 59(2), 636.
Wilson, C., & Wallis, D.J. (2012). Does negative mood interact with eating style to predict attention bias towards, and slowed disengagement from food stimuli? Appetite, 59(2), 638.
Ridout, N., Wallis, D.J., Autwal, A., Sellis, J., & Taylor, E. (2011). The influence of alexithymia and mood on eating psychopathology in a non-clinical female sample. Appetite, 57(2), 565.
Wallis, D.J., Ridout, N., Autwal, J., & Sellis, J. (2011). The influence of emotion intensity on facial emotion recognition in females with non-clinical disordered eating. Appetite. 57(2), 567.
Wilson, C., & Wallis, D.J. (2011). Attention processing of food and interpersonally threatening stimuli in restrained eaters. Appetite, 57(2), 569.
Wallis, D.J., Barnes, D., & Wilson, C. (2010). Attentional processing and eating behaviour: evidence from a modified Stroop task. Appetite, 55(1), 173.
Wallis, D.J., & Hetherington, M.M. (2008). Stress, food choice and restrained eating. Appetite, 51(3), 754.
Wallis, D.J., Thom, C., & Ridout, N. (2008). Emotion recognition in participants with non-clinical eating pathology. Appetite, 51(3), 764.
Ridout, N., Thom, C., & Wallis, D.J. (2008). Emotion recognition and alexithymia in females with sub-clinical eating psychopathology. Psychology and Health, 23 (Suppl 1), 223-4.
Wallis, D.J., & Ridout, N. (2007). Emotion recognition and alexithymia. British Association of Cognitive Neuroscience Conference Proceedings, 1 (1), 33.
Wallis, D.J., & Hetherington, M.M. (2006). Autobiographical memory retrieval: effects on mood and food intake. Appetite, 47, 279.
Cecil, J.E., Wallis, D.J., Murrie, I., McMonagle, J., & Hetherington, M.M. (2003). Food intake in school children: energy compensation or adjustment? Appetite, 40(3), 321.
Wallis, D.J., & Hetherington, M.M. (2003). The effects of three different Stroop tasks on perceived anxiety and chocolate intake. Appetite, 40(3),366-367.
Edited conference abstracts
Wallis, D.J. (2014). Special Section: The 37th Annual meeting of the British Feeding and Drinking Group, April 4th - 5th, 2013, Loughborough, UK, Appetite, 71, 470-490.
Pedagogical reports
Donaldson, A.J.M., Topping, K.J., Aitchison, R., Campbell, J., McKenzie, J. & Wallis, D. (1996) Promoting Peer Assisted Learning among Students in Further and Higher Education (SEDA Paper 96). Birmingham: Staff and Educational Development Association