The Health Psychology lab sits within the Applied Health Psychology Research Group (AHPRG) but is focused on a number of active collaborative projects and includes external researchers, PhD applicants, Research Associate volunteers and employed RA’s. Our core lab expertise is distinct, yet linked through these projects, and focuses on taking a biopsychosocial approach to understanding health and illness.
Our research is focused on promoting healthy behaviour particularly around diet and exercise, smoking cessation, reproductive health and fertility, and occupational health. We are committed to inclusivity of external researchers, students and volunteers, and have access to non-invasive technology for research in Psychology labs, such as carbon monoxide monitors, EEG, Biopac system to measure ECG, heart rate and blood pressure, respiratory rate and pulmonary function.
Health Psychology Lab Coordinator
Dr Camille Alexis-Garsee’s research focuses on the use of technology for behaviour change and providing solutions for problems impacting population health e.g. smoking, obesity, and chronic illness.
Applied Health Psychology Research Group Coordinator
Professor Olga van den Akker’s research focuses on reproductive health psychology including reproductive health and illness across the life span and the impact of assisted conception on health and wellbeing.
Research Degrees Coordinator
Dr Nicola Payne’s research focuses on behaviour change and occupational health psychology, including stress, work-life balance and wellbeing among various groups, including emergency services workers and employees having fertility treatment or living with a chronic illness.
Research Assistant
Azizah Ahmed is a research assistant on the funded physical activity project evaluating the physical activity services at Barnet. She graduated from MSc Health Psychology at Middlesex University with a distinction and currently works as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner in the NHS. Azizah is a graduate member of the BPS and is competent in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
Visiting Research Assistant
Fabiana Memmolo is a Visiting Research Assistant in the Health Psychology Lab and is working on the effects of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of staff and students in Higher Education. She is a philosophy graduate from Alma Mater university of Bologna (Italy) and graduated in 2009 with first class honours and will be completing her MSc Psychology in September 2020 from The University of East London.
We welcome students interested in gaining more experience in research in health psychology. We are happy to supervise research using both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Further information about our research interests can be found on the Applied Health Psychology Research group page.
If you are interested in joining our lab as an MSc by Research or PhD student, please contact Dr Camille Alexis-Garsee with your CV, (un)official transcript, and a short message outlining why you would like to do research in the health psychology lab.
If you are interested in doing a PhD on a health psychology topic not covered by this lab, please contact Dr Nicky Payne.
If you are interested in joining the Health Psychology lab as a Visiting Researcher, please contact Dr Camille Alexis-Garsee with your CV, your availability and a short message outlining why you would like to do research in health psychology.
Dr Camille Alexis-Garsee and Dr Nicky Payne are collaborating on a long-term project evaluating the physical activity services provided by Give it a Go, Club and Disability (GLL) on behalf of Barnet Council. This funded project is a mixed method evaluation of GLL’s targeted programmes and specialised (GP Referral) exercise programmes. The main aim of this evaluation is to determine whether these exercise programmes are effective in increasing levels of physical activity. We are also interested in people’s health related quality of life and their wellbeing.
Dr Nicky Payne and Professor Olga van den Akker have combined their areas of expertise in occupational health psychology and reproductive health psychology to develop a series of studies exploring the relationship between employment and fertility treatments. Despite the increasing number of people undergoing the long, physically and psychologically demanding treatment process, there are no statutory entitlements to absence or flexible working, and few work environments have policies in place to support ART users. Research, theory and policy tend to focus on expectant and existing parents and carers, and have been criticised for this narrow focus.
The on-going project involves a large number of interviews with this neglected group of employed men and women exploring their experiences of difficulties in combining work and treatment; workplace disclosure, support, absence and policy. The results of this research will have impacts for workplace policy and practice related to absence and support for employees having fertility treatment.
Professor Olga van den Akker is currently involved in a multi-disciplinary project investigating the adjustment to parenthood in parents following non-donor in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment and comparing these to control parents who conceived without assisted conception with colleagues across faculties and universities. Previous research on donor-conceived families and multiple pregnancies shows that couples who parent following IVF adapt well to parenthood, leaving the complexities around the transition to parenthood following non-donor singleton IVF understudied.
We are working on two studies to explore these knowledge gaps; an integrative literature review of existing research into the psychosocial factors which shape the transition to parenthood in couples following non-donor IVF compared with spontaneously conceiving couples; and an exploratory mixed methods study with non-donor IVF and spontaneously conceiving first-time parents of singleton children. Preliminary findings suggest that the transition to parenthood for non-donor singleton parents is not straightforward, challenging the normative, naturalised view of non-donor singleton AR parenthood. A full understanding of the complexities of the transition to parenthood for non-donor IVF parents is not currently available. This may have implications for health care professionals’ assessment of individual couples’ support needs.
Dr Camille Alexis-Garsee is currently involved in a qualitative study on users’ experiences on the use of cannabis oils in e-cigarettes. The development and marketing of e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to cigarettes has led to the rapid development of novel electronic delivery nicotine systems (ENDS). Since its introduction e-cigarette use has dramatically increased in the UK with nicotine flavoured solutions being one of the most popular used in END devises. However other flavours such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oil, cannabidiol (CBD) oil, and butane hash oil (BHC) are becoming popular among young people.
There has been some research on the health effects of these oils but limited research on young people’s reasons for use and experiences of vaping these solutions. This study aims to explore the perception and experiences of vaping THC/CBD/BHC oils in young adults.
Dr Nicky Payne and Professor Olga van den Akker are also conducting a survey, supported by Fertility Network UK, to examine coping, support and mental health among women and men whose hopes of starting or extending a family have been disrupted and possibly jeopardised by the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK (where all treatment has been ceased)
Dr Camille Alexis-Garsee and Dr Nicky Payne are conducting a survey, in collaboration with Fika, on the impact of COVID-19 and social isolation on mental and physical health within the Higher Education sector.
Dr Nicola Payne and Professor Olga van den Akker worked on a series of projects exploring the relationship between employment and fertility treatments. A recent project funded by FNUK explored the experiences of involuntary childlessness and treatment in a large (n=796) British population using an online survey. Findings pointed to a significant financial and emotional burden despite advances made in British legislation about the four nations’ availability of funded treatment and of psychological support. Additionally, they found that absence from work and perceptions that treatment had an impact on work and career prospects were reported by the majority of participants and this was related to the psychological distress of treatment. The recommendations included more equitable access to funded treatment across and within regions, a more holistic approach to the psychosocial care of clients, and the need for workplace policy relating to managing fertility treatment.
This research was discussed on the BBC news and was presented as a proposal for a parliamentary debate by MP Steve McCabe.
Payne, N., Seenan, S., & van den Akker, O. (submitted for publication) Experiences of involuntary childlessness and treatment in the UK: what has changed in 20 years? Human Fertility
Payne, N, Seenan, S., van den Akker, O.B.A. (2018) Experiences and psychological distress of fertility treatment and employment. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology. ISSN0167-482X, DOI: 10.1080/0167482X.2018.1460351.
Payne, N., Lewis, S., and van den Akker O. (2015) Experiences of combining work and fertility treatment. Journal of Fertility Counselling, 22(1), 13-16.
Dr Camille Alexis-Garsee, Professor Olga van den Akker, and Dr Hazel Gilbert (UCL) have worked on a number of qualitative and quantitative studies on the use of technology for behaviour change. These studies looked at the effectiveness of computer-tailored advice for smoking cessation in primary care (ESCAPE study); tailored interventions for smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and reasons for discontinuation of the e-cigarette. These studies point towards the efficacy of the use of new technology for behaviour change but highlight the difficulties smokers have in sustained use of these interventions.
Alexis-Garsee, Camille and Meehan, Stephanieand van den Akker, Olga(2018) An interpretative phenomenological analysis of discontinued use of the e-cigarette.Journal of Smoking Cessation . ISSN 1834-2612 1-8. Doi:10.1017/jsc2018.21.
Alexis-Garsee, C.; Gilbert, H.; Burton, M.; van den Akker, O. (2018). Difficulties quitting for smokers with and without a respiratory disease and use of a tailored intervention for smoking cessation – a qualitative study. Journal of Smoking Cessation, 13 (2). pp. 63-71. ISSN 1834-2612
Gilbert, H.; Laurent, B., Sutton, S., Morris, R., Alexis-Garsee, C., Nazareth, I. (2013). ESCAPE: A Randomised Controlled Trial of computer-tailored Smoking Cessation Advice in Primary Care. Addiction, 108 (4). pp. 811-819. ISSN 0965-2140
Dr Nicky Payne has previously worked on a number of qualitative and quantitative studies on work stress, work-life balance and health behaviour. Examples include examining the impact of working life on health behaviours, testing a workplace behaviour change intervention, examining work stress, work-life balance and health behaviours in fire fighters, exploring the impact of financial crisis on work-life balance policies, practices and discourses and reviewing the use of technology for monitoring work stress.
Carneiro, D., Novais, P., Augusto, J. C., & Payne, N. (2017). New Methods for Stress Assessment and Monitoring at the Workplace. IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing. Online first.
Lewis, S., Anderson, D., Lyonette, C., Payne, N., & Woods, S. (2017). Public sector austerity cuts in Britain and the changing discourse of work-life balance. Work, Employment and Society, 31(4),586-604.
Payne, N., Jones, F. & Harris, P.R. (2013). Employees’ perceptions of the impact of work on health behaviours. Journal of Health Psychology,18, 887-899. DOI:10.1177/1359105312446772
Payne, N., Jones, F. & Harris, P.R. (2010). A daily diary investigation of the effects of work stress on exercise intention implementation: Can planning overcome the disruptive effects of work? Psychology and Health, 25, 1, 111-129. DOI:10.1080/08870440903337622
Professor Olga van den Akker has carried out extensive research into the psychosocial effects and consequences of reproductive health including surrogate motherhood and gamete donation, using both quantitative and qualitative research designs. Recent examples includes studies of media representations of national and international surrogacy arrangements and gamete donation, studies on the welfare of the child following national and cross border surrogacy and research into the health behaviours of pregnant women and trauma. The research aims to inform parents, academic and practice communities and policy makers of the psycho social costs and benefits of reproductive behaviours and challenges.
Crawshaw, M, Frith, L., van den Akker, Oand Blyth, E (2016) Voluntary DNA-based information exchange and contact services following donor conception: an analysis of service users’ needs. New Genetics and Society. 35 (4) 372-392.
van den Akker, O, Postavaru,G and Purewal,S (2016) A systematic review and meta-analysis of the psychosocial consequences of twins and multiple births following medically assisted reproduction. RBMOnline. 33 (1) 1-14. doi.org/10.1016/J.rbmo.2016.04.009.
van den Akker, O. Fronek, P. Blyth,E. and Frith, L. (2016) ‘This neo- natal ménage à trois’ British media framing of transnational surrogacy. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology 34(1) 15-27.
Daugirdaite,V, van den Akker O. & Purewal,S (2015) Posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic stress disorder after termination of pregnancy and reproductive loss: A systematic review. Journal of Pregnancy. Volume 2015 ID 646345, 14 pages.
A recently completed PhD project within our lab involved a series of studies resulting in 5 publications focusing upon cultural and religious diversity in health care behaviours to improve healthcare utilisation. The project concerned the health impacts of cultural / religious diversity in Britain today. These cultural differences impact upon health care service provision, as well as access and utilisation. Chineme Onyigbuo’s doctoral research -supervised by Professor Olga van den Akker and Dr Camille Alexis-Garsee explored Nigerians immigrant’s engagement with the British health system. Theoretical constructs were tested and a range of research methods were used to carry out this series of studies. Results showed the strength of pre-migration religious and cultural beliefs and how these influenced health-seeking behaviours. Findings have implications for research, health care policies, and clinical practices – with recommendations that culture-sensitive and integrated health interventions are tailored to the needs of the diverse immigrant populations in the UK.
Onyigbuo, C., Alexis-Garsee, C., and van den Akker, O. (2019) Predicting attitudes towards seeking medical care among Nigerian immigrants in the UK" Mental Health, Religion & Culture. Accepted.
Onyigbuo, C., Alexis-Garsee, C., and van den Akker, O. (2018) Adaptation of the Measurement of Acculturation Strategies for People of African Decent (MASPAD) in measuring Acculturation in British Nigerians. Mental Health, Religion and Culture. DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2018.1455650.
Onyigbuo, C., Alexis-Garsee, C, and van den Akker, O. (2017) Nigerian clergy and healthcare professionals’ perceptions of health-seeking behaviours among Nigerian immigrants in the UK Mental Health, Religion and Culture. 19:10, 1043-1055, DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2017.1312320
Onyigbuo, C.C. Alexis-Garsee, C., and van den Akker, O.B.A. (2016) An exploration of health seeking behaviours among Nigerian Christians in the UK: Towards enhanced health services utilization. Mental Health, Religion & Culture. pp. 255-267. DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2016.1166357.
Onyigbuo,C., van den Akker, O and Alexis-Garsee, C. (2015) A cross cultural study of the health-seeking behaviours of Nigerians from the perspective of Nigerian care providers: Challenges for collaboration. Humanities and Social Sciences Review. 537-554.
An on-going PhD project within our lab involves a series of studies focusing on health-related quality of life and healthy and risky behaviours among children and teenagers with sickle cell disease. Christina’s doctoral research -supervised by Dr Nicky Payne and Professor Olga van den Akker draws upon theories of quality of life and of health behaviours (the theory of planned behaviour) and uses mixed methods, including surveys with parents, children, and teenagers, as well as focus groups and interviews supported by the use of children’s drawings. Findings have implications for how to support children living with sickle cell disease to lead full, active, healthy lives.
Constantinou, C., Payne, N., van den Akker, O. & Inusa, B (2018, September). Exploring Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) and Health Behaviours in teens with Sickle Cell Disease. Paper presented at the Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, Newcastle, UK.
Constantinou, C., Payne, N., van den Akker, O. & Inusa, B. (2015, November). Exploring Health-Related Quality of Life and Health Behaviours in Children with Sickle Cell Disease. Paper presented at the 41st UK Forum on Haemoglobin Disorders, Manchester, UK.
Constantinou, C., Payne, N., van den Akker, O. & Inusa, B. (2015, October). Exploring Health-Related Quality of Life and Health Behaviours in Children with Sickle Cell Disease. Paper presented at the 9th Annual Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Advanced Conference, London, UK.
Constantinou, C., Payne, N., & Inusa, B. (2014). Assessing the Quality of Life of Children with Sickle Cell Anaemia using Self-, Parent and Healthcare Professional Reports. The British Journal of Health Psychology. 20(2),290-304. doi: 10.1111/bjhp.12099
van den Akker,O.B.A (2020) Chapter 15. Assisted conception, including fertility preservation, surrogate motherhood, gamete / embryo donation, and in vitro fertilization, pp 237-250. In: International Handbook of Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health. Eds Jane Ussher, Joan Chrisler and Janette Perz. Routledge. NY, USA.
Alexis-Garsee, C.; Meehan, S.; van den Akker, O. (2019). An interpretative phenomenological analysis of discontinued use of the e-cigarette. Journal of Smoking Cessation , 14 (2). pp. 104-111. ISSN 1834-2612
Allan, H., van den Akker, O, Culley, L. Mounce, G. Odelius, A. and Symon, A. (2019) An integrative literature review of psychosocial factors in the transition to parenthood following non-donor assisted reproduction. Human Fertility. https://doi.org/10.1080/14647273.2019.1640901
Allan, H., Mounce, G. Culley, L, van den Akker, O. and Hudson, R. (2019) Transition to parenthood after successful non-donor in vitro fertilisation: The effects of infertility and in vitro fertilisation on previously infertile couples' experiences of early parenthood. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine . ISSN 1363-4593 (Published online first) (doi:10.1177/1363459319891215)
Eaves, J., & Payne, N. (2019). Resilience, stress and burnout in student midwives. Nurse Education Today, 79, 188-193.
Onyigbuo, C. C,; Alexis-Garsee, C.; van den Akker, O. (2019). Predicting attitudes towards seeking medical care among Nigerian immigrants in the UK. Mental Health, Religion and Culture. ISSN 1367-4676 (Published online first)
Payne, N, Seehan, S., van den Akker, O.B.A. (2019) Experiences and psychological distress of fertility treatment and employment. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology. 40(2) 156-165. ISSN0167-482X, DOI: 10.1080/0167482X.2018.1460351.
Payne, N and Kinman, G. (2019). Job demands, resources and work-related well-being in UK firefighters. Occupational Medicine, 69, 8-9, 610-616.
Purewal, S., Chapman, S.C. E. & van den Akker, O.B.A (2019) A systematic review and meta-analysis of lifestyle and body mass index predictors of successful assisted reproductive technologies Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 40(1), 2-18. DOI: 10.1080/0167482X.2017.1403418.
van den Akker, O.B.A (2019) Chapter: Psychological and ethical issues in third party assisted conception and surrogate motherhood. In: Pathways and barriers to the transition to parenthood –Existential concerns regarding fertility, pregnancy and early parenthood. (Ed) Orit Taubman –Ben-Ari.
van den Akker, O.B.A (2019) Chapter 7. Assisted conception, including fertility preservation, surrogate motherhood, gamete / embryo donation, and in vitro fertilization, In: International Handbook of Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health.Eds Jane Ussher, Joan Chrisler and Janette Perz. Routledge.
Whitelock, V., Nouwen, A., Houben, K., Rosenthal, M., Higgs, S., and van den Akker, O. (2018) Does working memory training improve dietary self-care in type 2 diabetes mellitus? Results of a double blind randomised controlled trial. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. 143, 204-214.
Alexis-Garsee, C.; Gilbert, H.; Burton, M.; van den Akker, O. (2018). Difficulties quitting for smokers with and without a respiratory disease and use of a tailored intervention for smoking cessation – a qualitative study. Journal of Smoking Cessation, 13 (2). pp. 63-71. ISSN 1834-2612
Purewal, S. Chapman; S. van den Akker, O. (2018) Depression and state anxiety scores during assisted reproduction treatment are associated with outcome: a meta-analysis. Reproductive BioMedicine Online. 36 (6), 646-665.
Onyigbuo, C., Alexis-Garsee, C., and van den Akker, O. (2018) Adaptation of the Measurement of Acculturation Strategies for People of African Decent (MASPAD) in measuring Acculturation in British Nigerians. Mental Health, Religion and Culture. DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2018.1455650.
Frith, L. Blyth, E, Crawshaw, M and van den Akker, O (2018). Secrets and disclosure in donor conception. Sociology of Health and Illness. 40 (1) 188–203. DOI:10.1111/1467-9566.12633
Whitelock, V. Nouwen, A., van den Akker, O. and Higgs, S. (2018) The role of working memory sub-components in food choice and dieting success. Appetite. 124 . pp. 24-32. ISSN 0195-6663
Blyth, E., Crawshaw, M., Frith, L. and van den Akker, C. (2017) Gamete donors’ reasons for, and expectations and experiences of, registration with a voluntary donor linking register. Human Fertility 21:268-278. DOI: 10.1080/14647273.2017.1292005.
Ciclitira, K., Starr, F., Payne, N., Clarke, L., & Marzano, L. (2017). A sanctuary of tranquillity in a ruptured world: Evaluating long-term counselling at a women’s community health centre. Feminism and Psychology, 27(4), 530-552.
Carneiro, D., Novais, P., Augusto, J. C., & Payne, N. (2017). New Methods for Stress Assessment and Monitoring at the Workplace. IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing. Online first.
Dyson, S., Liang, L., van den Akker, O. and Mike O'Driscoll (2017) The extent, variability, and attitudes towards volunteering among undergraduate nursing students: Implications for pedagogy in nurse education. Nurse Education in Practice, 23,15–22.
Frith, L., Blyth, E, Crawshaw, M. and van den Akker, O. (2017) Searching for 'relations' using a DNA linking register: Constructions of identity, relatedness and kinship by adults conceived following sperm donation. BioSocieties. 13 (1), 170–189. doi:10.1057/s41292-017-0063-2.
Lewis, S., Anderson, D., Lyonette, C., Payne, N., & Woods, S. (2017). Public sector austerity cuts in Britain and the changing discourse of work-life balance. Work, Employment and Society, 31(4),586-604.
Lyonette, C., Anderson, D., Lewis, S., Payne, N., & Woods, S. (2017) Work-life balance and austerity: implications of new ways of working in British public sector organisations. In S. Lewis, D. Anderson, C. Lyonette, N. Payne & S. Woods (Eds.), Work-Life Balance in Times of Recession, Austerity and Beyond. Routledge.
Mazoruk, S.; Huxley, A.; Alexis-Garsee, C.; Schifano, F. (2017). Prevalence of somatisation as a determinant of burnout amongst staff working in drug and alcohol services. Drugs and Alcohol Today, 4, pp. 242-249. ISSN 1745-9265.
Onyigbuo, C., Alexis-Garsee, C, and van den Akker, O. (2017) Nigerian clergy and healthcare professionals’ perceptions of health-seeking behaviours among Nigerian immigrants in the UK Mental Health, Religion and Culture. 19:10, 1043-1055, DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2017.1312320
Purewal, S., Chapman, S.C. E. & van den Akker, O.B.A (2017) A systematic review and meta-analysis of lifestyle and body mass index predictors of successful assisted reproductive technologies Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, DOI: 10.1080/0167482X.2017.1403418.
Purewal, S. Chapman; S. van den Akker, O. (2017) A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological predictors of successful assisted reproductive technologies. BMC Research Notes. 10:711. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-017-3049-z
van den Akker, O.B.A. (2017) Surrogate Motherhood Families. Palgrave MacMillan.
van den Akker, Olga and Payne, Nicola and Lewis, Suzan (2017) Catch 22? Disclosing assisted conception treatment at work. International Journal of Workplace Health Management 10(5), 364-375.
van den Akker, Eric Blyth, Marilyn Crawshaw and Lucy Frith (2017) Views and Experiences of UK DonorLink Registrants. DCN Journal
Whitelock, V., Nouwen, A., van Dam, K., Connock, M., van den Akker, O., & Higgs, S. (2017) Inhibitory Control Training in Eating Behaviour: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Appetite.
