Understanding student perspectives of Graduate Attributes within Psychology (2024-2025)
This project is being by myself and Becky Upsher. The project is funding by the College Education Fund (King's College London)
Graduate attributes (GA) are defined “the qualities, skills, and understanding a university community agrees its students should develop during their time within the institution”. Many are easily embedded within Psychology degrees (e.g. critical thinking) but embedding means that students often do not notice their development. This is particularly problematic for Psychology students who go onto work in a wide range of careers and will need to dis-embed their skills. As such it is ideal to explicitly develop GA in this cohort. In 2016 we developed three non-credit bearing optional ‘Graduate Attributes’ modules for the BSc Psychology. These modules were developed by staff without input from students or alumni because the degree was new, and we did not have graduates. The modules consist of weekly activities and have been commended by our accrediting body (British Psychological Society). Data shows 1100 course completions. However, this is a relatively small proportion of those completing the BSc Psychology and engagement reduces as students near completion of their degree.
Previous research with Psychology students indicates they must see the relevance of GA to their employment and that continuous reflection, something not in our GA modules, is critical. A recent review identified the four most common GA developed by UK universities as: self-awareness and lifelong learning, employability and profession development, global citizenship and engagement and academic and research literacy. Additionally, they note that implementation should be bottom-up i.e. with students and teaching staff. Based on this research and a need to increase engagement, this project aims to redesign our GA teaching through co-creation.
This project is being by myself and Becky Upsher. The project is funding by the College Education Fund (King's College London)
Graduate attributes (GA) are defined “the qualities, skills, and understanding a university community agrees its students should develop during their time within the institution”. Many are easily embedded within Psychology degrees (e.g. critical thinking) but embedding means that students often do not notice their development. This is particularly problematic for Psychology students who go onto work in a wide range of careers and will need to dis-embed their skills. As such it is ideal to explicitly develop GA in this cohort. In 2016 we developed three non-credit bearing optional ‘Graduate Attributes’ modules for the BSc Psychology. These modules were developed by staff without input from students or alumni because the degree was new, and we did not have graduates. The modules consist of weekly activities and have been commended by our accrediting body (British Psychological Society). Data shows 1100 course completions. However, this is a relatively small proportion of those completing the BSc Psychology and engagement reduces as students near completion of their degree.
Previous research with Psychology students indicates they must see the relevance of GA to their employment and that continuous reflection, something not in our GA modules, is critical. A recent review identified the four most common GA developed by UK universities as: self-awareness and lifelong learning, employability and profession development, global citizenship and engagement and academic and research literacy. Additionally, they note that implementation should be bottom-up i.e. with students and teaching staff. Based on this research and a need to increase engagement, this project aims to redesign our GA teaching through co-creation.
Embedding Physical Activity in Higher Education (2022-2025)
This project is being carried out as part of a PhD by Hannah Wood. She is supervised me, Myanna Duncan and Ben Gardner. This research is funded by the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership. It is in partnership with the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI).
A sense of crisis has developed around the mental health (MH) of university students. The burden on current reactive, individual support services may be alleviated by shifting focus from individuals to institutions and embedding prevention-based initiatives into the education system. Recent reviews demonstrate that physical activity (PA) improves wellbeing and quality of life in adolescence and reduces distress and depression in students. Crucially, PA not only benefits those who are struggling but can also prevent mental ill-health. Despite this, rates of PA decline throughout adolescence. The decline may arise because adolescents are no longer exposed to school-based PA programmes. This supports PA not only via PE and sports, but also through three forms of classroom-based PA: physically active learning, curriculum-based activity breaks, and non-curriculum breaks. Despite calls to integrate PA into the curriculum, there is little evidence of any systematic approach to PA promotion in UK universities. The need to embed PA into the university education experience has grown more acute since the COVID-19 pandemic, as universities have embraced blended delivery (i.e., part online, part in-person), which likely incurs even lower levels of instrumental PA. An effective, embedded PA programme must consider the demands and practices of the post-pandemic university and be co-designed with stakeholders. This project will develop an approach to embed PA in the university educational experience to increase PA and enhance mental health. We will follow a systematic intervention development approach. First, we will develop a systems map to identify how student PA is facilitated or hindered within university education. Second, we will identify key sites at which PA might be embedded, and co-design intervention strategies. Finally, we will assess the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention embedding PA into this system.
You can find one of Hannah's publications under the publications page.
This project is being carried out as part of a PhD by Hannah Wood. She is supervised me, Myanna Duncan and Ben Gardner. This research is funded by the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership. It is in partnership with the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI).
A sense of crisis has developed around the mental health (MH) of university students. The burden on current reactive, individual support services may be alleviated by shifting focus from individuals to institutions and embedding prevention-based initiatives into the education system. Recent reviews demonstrate that physical activity (PA) improves wellbeing and quality of life in adolescence and reduces distress and depression in students. Crucially, PA not only benefits those who are struggling but can also prevent mental ill-health. Despite this, rates of PA decline throughout adolescence. The decline may arise because adolescents are no longer exposed to school-based PA programmes. This supports PA not only via PE and sports, but also through three forms of classroom-based PA: physically active learning, curriculum-based activity breaks, and non-curriculum breaks. Despite calls to integrate PA into the curriculum, there is little evidence of any systematic approach to PA promotion in UK universities. The need to embed PA into the university education experience has grown more acute since the COVID-19 pandemic, as universities have embraced blended delivery (i.e., part online, part in-person), which likely incurs even lower levels of instrumental PA. An effective, embedded PA programme must consider the demands and practices of the post-pandemic university and be co-designed with stakeholders. This project will develop an approach to embed PA in the university educational experience to increase PA and enhance mental health. We will follow a systematic intervention development approach. First, we will develop a systems map to identify how student PA is facilitated or hindered within university education. Second, we will identify key sites at which PA might be embedded, and co-design intervention strategies. Finally, we will assess the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention embedding PA into this system.
You can find one of Hannah's publications under the publications page.
A cross-cultural perspective on resilience, stress and mental health in university students (2022-2025)
This project is being carried out as part of a PhD by Ghalib Abulfaraj. He is supervised by Helena Zavos, myself and Becky Upher. This work is funded by the Saudi Ministry of Education.
Across three inter-related studies, this project will examine the relationship between resilience, mental health and psychological distress in university students in the UK and Saudi Arabia. Study 1 is a systematic review on the following topics: resilience, depression, anxiety, and stress. Study 2 is a qualitative study where the researcher will employ semi-structured interviews with a diverse range of university-level students from Saudi and the UK focusing on participants’ perception of resilience and mental health. Study 3 is a quantitative study which is a cross national study between UK and Saudi students. The researcher will employ a survey to ask about wellbeing, and stress, and moderator variables such as belongingness, religiosity, social support, and family dynamics.
You can find of of Ghalib's publications under the publications page.
This project is being carried out as part of a PhD by Ghalib Abulfaraj. He is supervised by Helena Zavos, myself and Becky Upher. This work is funded by the Saudi Ministry of Education.
Across three inter-related studies, this project will examine the relationship between resilience, mental health and psychological distress in university students in the UK and Saudi Arabia. Study 1 is a systematic review on the following topics: resilience, depression, anxiety, and stress. Study 2 is a qualitative study where the researcher will employ semi-structured interviews with a diverse range of university-level students from Saudi and the UK focusing on participants’ perception of resilience and mental health. Study 3 is a quantitative study which is a cross national study between UK and Saudi students. The researcher will employ a survey to ask about wellbeing, and stress, and moderator variables such as belongingness, religiosity, social support, and family dynamics.
You can find of of Ghalib's publications under the publications page.
Exercise Therapy for Student Mental Health (2020-2025)
This project is being carried out as part of a PhD by Francesca Malagodi. She is supervised James Findon, Ben Gardner and myself.
Rates of reported mental health conditions at UK universities have increased five-fold over the last 10 years, with as many as 1 in 4 students currently being seen or waiting to be seen by a university counsellor. Poor student mental health results in poorer academic outcomes and increased risk of withdrawing. This places a significant burden on student services, with many unable to cope with the increasing demand. Innovative, minimal-cost interventions are needed. Growing evidence suggests that participation is sports and exercise can improve mental wellbeing and reduce symptoms of common mental health disorders. The 'Active Wellness Scheme' (AWS), established by the King's Sport (KCL), is a personalised exercise programme designed to help students suffering from a mental health problem learn how to use physical activity to improve wellbeing and reduce symptoms of common mental health disorders (e.g. depression and anxiety). The broad aim of this project is to assess the extent to which physical activity (PA) administered as 'exercise therapy' for university students affects mental health outcomes, using the AWS as a case study. Specific aims are to: 1. Systematically review the literature on university-based PA interventions targeting university or college students with mental health problems. 2. Identify and summarise the content of PA interventions designed to improve student mental health offered by UK universities. 3. Investigate the acceptability and effectiveness of the AWS using a quasi-experimental, pre-post treatment design.
You can find one of Fran's publications under the publications page.
This project is being carried out as part of a PhD by Francesca Malagodi. She is supervised James Findon, Ben Gardner and myself.
Rates of reported mental health conditions at UK universities have increased five-fold over the last 10 years, with as many as 1 in 4 students currently being seen or waiting to be seen by a university counsellor. Poor student mental health results in poorer academic outcomes and increased risk of withdrawing. This places a significant burden on student services, with many unable to cope with the increasing demand. Innovative, minimal-cost interventions are needed. Growing evidence suggests that participation is sports and exercise can improve mental wellbeing and reduce symptoms of common mental health disorders. The 'Active Wellness Scheme' (AWS), established by the King's Sport (KCL), is a personalised exercise programme designed to help students suffering from a mental health problem learn how to use physical activity to improve wellbeing and reduce symptoms of common mental health disorders (e.g. depression and anxiety). The broad aim of this project is to assess the extent to which physical activity (PA) administered as 'exercise therapy' for university students affects mental health outcomes, using the AWS as a case study. Specific aims are to: 1. Systematically review the literature on university-based PA interventions targeting university or college students with mental health problems. 2. Identify and summarise the content of PA interventions designed to improve student mental health offered by UK universities. 3. Investigate the acceptability and effectiveness of the AWS using a quasi-experimental, pre-post treatment design.
You can find one of Fran's publications under the publications page.
Virtual Learning Environments and student wellbeing (2019-2025)
This project is being carried out as part of a PhD by Katie Rakow. She is supervised me, Nicola Byrom and Juliet Foster. This research is funded by the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership. It is in partnership with the charity Student Minds.
Higher Education students’ mental health and wellbeing are a cause for concern. Although the prevalence of students’ experiencing these difficulties is debated, in the UK the overall trend over past the decade is an increase in the proportion of students reporting poor mental health and wellbeing. A public health response has been recommended, including a ‘whole university approach’. One key component of university experience is the curriculum. Most undergraduate students studying campus-based courses are required to use a virtual learning environment (e.g., Moodle, Blackboard). This PhD project investigated the research question: What role may virtual learning environments (VLEs) have in the mental wellbeing of undergraduate students studying on campus-based courses in UK higher education institutions?
The research question was investigated using a sequential mixed methods design with a critical realist orientation. Study 1 involved focus groups with undergraduate students to understand the student experience in context, generate hypotheses and align with relevant theories for further investigation in quantitative studies. Second, an interview study was conducted with lecturers to understand their experience in this context. Third, an online survey with students was conducted to test hypotheses generated from Study 1, including questions informed by self-determination theory and theory of planned behaviour. Fourth, literature searches, expert consultation, and cognitive interviews with students were conducted to develop a scale for the VLE context. Next, an online survey with students was conducted to test the new VLE scale for validity (including item reduction). Finally, an online survey with students was conducted to retest the new VLE scale for validity and to test the hypotheses generated from Study 1 to examine the main research question.
Publications by Katie can be found under the publications page.
This project is being carried out as part of a PhD by Katie Rakow. She is supervised me, Nicola Byrom and Juliet Foster. This research is funded by the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership. It is in partnership with the charity Student Minds.
Higher Education students’ mental health and wellbeing are a cause for concern. Although the prevalence of students’ experiencing these difficulties is debated, in the UK the overall trend over past the decade is an increase in the proportion of students reporting poor mental health and wellbeing. A public health response has been recommended, including a ‘whole university approach’. One key component of university experience is the curriculum. Most undergraduate students studying campus-based courses are required to use a virtual learning environment (e.g., Moodle, Blackboard). This PhD project investigated the research question: What role may virtual learning environments (VLEs) have in the mental wellbeing of undergraduate students studying on campus-based courses in UK higher education institutions?
The research question was investigated using a sequential mixed methods design with a critical realist orientation. Study 1 involved focus groups with undergraduate students to understand the student experience in context, generate hypotheses and align with relevant theories for further investigation in quantitative studies. Second, an interview study was conducted with lecturers to understand their experience in this context. Third, an online survey with students was conducted to test hypotheses generated from Study 1, including questions informed by self-determination theory and theory of planned behaviour. Fourth, literature searches, expert consultation, and cognitive interviews with students were conducted to develop a scale for the VLE context. Next, an online survey with students was conducted to test the new VLE scale for validity (including item reduction). Finally, an online survey with students was conducted to retest the new VLE scale for validity and to test the hypotheses generated from Study 1 to examine the main research question.
Publications by Katie can be found under the publications page.
Please note that several of the research studies I lead focus on neurodiversity and details of these can typically be found on my main research website (www.adhdresearchlab.com). This includes studies looking at:
- Academic success
- Belonging
- Gen AI
- Digital skills support
- Online Learning
- Priority setting