Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Naoko is a Professor of Ageing and Health at the School of Health Sciences. She is a clinical psychologist by background (Waseda University, Japan) with a PhD in Psychology (Doshisha University, Japan). Naoko has more than 15 years of research and clinical experience in mental health care and has collaborated with various international colleagues in Brazil, Ireland, Japan and Spain. Her current research areas include dementia care, family carers, older people and later life mental health.
Naoko has a particular interest in using technology to deliver psychosocial interventions to improve accessibility and equality of opportunities for care. She leads research programmes on improving mental health in family carers of people with dementia, including the iACT4CARERS programme.
NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme 2019-2021 (PB-PG-0418-20001)
Online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for family carers of people with dementia: A feasibility study of a new mode of delivery (iACT4CARERS)
NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme 2022-2026 (NIHR150071)
The clinical and cost effectiveness of internet-delivered self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): A randomised controlled trial with ethnically diverse family carers
iACT4CARERS Project website: https://iact4carers.com
Career
2026 August - Present: Professor of Ageing and Health
2020 - 2026: Associate Professor in Dementia and Complexity in Later Life: University of East Anglia
2016 - 2020: Lecturer in Dementia and Complexity in Later Life: University of East Anglia
2014 - 2016: Senior Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Clinical Psychology: University of East Anglia
2013 - 2014: Post-Doctoral Fellowship: National University of Ireland, Galway (Funding: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science)
Academic Background
2013: Ph.D. in Psychology, Doshisha University, Japan
2010: M.A. in Human Science (Clinical Psychology), Waseda University, Japan (1st class)
2008: B.A. in Human Science, Waseda University, Japan
Key Research Interests
- Dementia, family carers, older people
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapies with special interests in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapies for dementia carers
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapies for older people
External positions
Academic Career Development Lead, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration East of England
1 Jun 2025 → …
Keywords
- Clinical Psychology & Psychological Therapies
- Dementia
- Mental Health
- Healthy Aging
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
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NIHR Applied Research Collaboration April 2026 – ARC2
Burton, C. (Principal Investigator), Farquhar, M. (Co-Investigator), Kishita, N. (Co-Investigator), Sanderson, K. (Co-Investigator), Wagner, A. (Co-Investigator), AlMoosawi, S. (Researcher), Franks, L. (Researcher), Gardener, C. (Researcher), Risebro, H. (Researcher) & Cameron, R. (Research Fellow)
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/04/26 → 31/03/31
Project: Research
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NIHR ARC DEM-COMM Extension
Kishita, N. (Principal Investigator), Mioshi, E. (Principal Investigator), Crozier, K. (Co-Investigator), Mioshi, E. (Co-Investigator), Backhouse, T. (Researcher) & Camino, J. (Researcher)
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/10/24 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
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The clinical and cost effectiveness of internet-delivered self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): A randomised controlled trial with ethnically diverse family carers
Kishita, N. (Principal Investigator), Farquhar, M. (Co-Investigator), Khondoker, M. (Co-Investigator), Hammond, M. (CTU Role), Pond, M. (CTU Role) & Turner, D. (CTU Role)
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/06/22 → 31/05/26
Project: Research
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Technology in Dementia Care Research: opportunities and lessons to be shared between the UK and Japan
Mioshi, E. (Principal Investigator), Hornberger, M. (Co-Investigator) & Kishita, N. (Co-Investigator)
Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation (The)
28/03/22 → 31/03/23
Project: Research
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Online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for family carers of people with dementia: A feasibility study of a new mode of delivery (iACT4CARERS)
Kishita, N. (Principal Investigator), Farquhar, M. (Co-Investigator) & Hornberger, M. (Co-Investigator)
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/09/19 → 31/08/21
Project: Research
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A mixed-methods process evaluation of internet-delivered self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): Engagement, mechanisms, and contextual factors
Couchman, A., Katangwe-Chigamba, T., Howe, D., Flanagan, E., Farquhar, M., Gould, R. L., McCracken, L. M., Clegg, I., Anyiam-Osigwe, A., Ashford, P.-A. & Kishita, N., 30 Jun 2026, (Accepted/In press) In: Aging and Mental Health.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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A pilot randomised controlled trial of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy group intervention for family caregivers of people with dementia in Brazil
Gomes Ferreira, M., Caetano Vieira de Faria, R., Kishita, N. & Caramelli, P., 2026, In: Clinical Gerontologist. 49, 4, p. 1014-1030 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Clinical effectiveness of internet-delivered self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): a multicentre, parallel, randomised controlled trial
Kishita, N., Gould, R. L., Khondoker, M., McCracken, L. M., Riggey, M., Trucco, A. P., Howe, D., Couchman, A., Flanagan, E., Vishwakarma, PhD, R., Guillard, C., Ashford, P.-A., Turner, D., Losada-Baltar, A., Cabrera-Lafuente, I., Gallego-Alberto, L., Richmond, E., Czyznikowska, B., Hammond, M. & Nautiyal, A. & 1 others, , 11 Jul 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: The Lancet Regional Health - Europe.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (Pure) -
Developing a psychological wellbeing intervention for psychological professional trainees: a collaborative and theory-informed intervention development process
Owen, J., Fisher, P., Biggart, L., Kishita, N. & Sanderson, K., 13 Apr 2026, (Accepted/In press) In: Cognitive Behaviour Therapist.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Downloads (Pure) -
Psychometric properties of the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for older adults
García-García, L., Márquez-González, M., Kishita, N., Adrián Fernandes-Pires, J., Benito-Rincón, C., Manuel Pérez-Cardona, L., Martín-María, N., Jiménez-Gonzalo, L., Gallego-Alberto, L. & Losada, A., 13 Jul 2026, (Accepted/In press) In: Psicothema.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Downloads (Pure)
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Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (Journal)
Kishita, N. (Associate Editor)
1 Apr 2024 → …Activity: Editorial work › Publication editorial role
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Clinical Gerontologist (Journal)
Kishita, N. (Editorial board member)
1 Jan 2023 → …Activity: Editorial work › Publication editorial role
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NIHR Research for Patient Benefit, East of England Regional Advisory Committee (External organisation)
Kishita, N. (Member)
2022 → 2027Activity: Membership › Committee
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Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (Journal)
Kishita, N. (Editorial board member)
1 Apr 2020 → 31 Mar 2024Activity: Editorial work › Publication editorial role
Press/Media
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Dementia carers needed for £1.23m UEA digital therapy platform (Nov 2023)
22/11/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution
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UEA has launched a new £232.000 project to provide online psychotherapy for the carers of people with dementia. (Sept 2020)
1/09/20 → 4/09/20
6 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution
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UEA has launched a new £232.000 project to provide online psychotherapy for the carers of people with dementia (Aug 2020)
30/08/20
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution