Personal profile

Key Research Interests

Nikki is an experienced mixed methods researcher and chartered/health psychologist with expertise in both quantitative and qualitative analysis, who's areas of work focus around health psychology, lifestyle behaviour change and behavioural science, with particular interests and expertise in nutrition related eating behavours.    

  • Registered Health Psychologist (Health and Care Professions Council - HCPC)
  • Registered Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS)
  • Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
  • Full member of the Division of Health Psychology (DHP) of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
  • Certificate holder on the EuroPsy Register

 

Key Research Interests

Key behaviours of interest are lifestyle related behaviour change and include physical activity, healthy eating/nutrition and weight loss/management and maintenance, to enhance healthy ageing across the life course, with specific expertise in nutrition related eating behaviours.

 

Key areas of expertise include:

  • The design, development, evaluation and analysis of complex health and lifestyle behaviour change interventions and programmes
  • service evaluations (NHS, VSCO, government and local authority)
  • teaching and training (undergraduate and postgraduate levels, course development, delivery [face to face and online] and bespoke related adhoc design and delivery to all public and private sector organisations and companies) in the fields of lifestyle behaviour change and client based communication skills
  • Systematic reviews and meta-analysis and qualitative analysis and design (focus groups, interviews)

 

Nikki applies the principles of health psychology and behavioural science across a vast range of domains and health conditions including diabetes prevention and management, dementia, falls prevention, cognitive health, taste and smell disorders, sexual health promotion, teenage pregnancy prevention, womens health and menopause.  

 

Teaching Interests

Nikki's expertise in teaching and training support behaviour change in practice:

  • To raise the confidence of workforce individuals and enable them to have successful conversations around lifestyle behaviour change (i.e. healthy eating, physical activity, weight, alcohol consumption, smoking)
  • For individuals to help gain an understanding of what factors influence their own behaviour, and strategies that can assist in helping to change lifestyle behaviour to enhance empowerment in individuals to make thier own positive lifestyle choices.  
  • For students to gain an understanding of health psychology and behavioural science theory and principles

Academic Background

  • PhD – (University of Exeter Medical School - awarded 2023)
  • Doctorate in Health Psychology (C Psychol) – (British Psychological Society - awarded 2018)
  • MSc in Health Psychology with Distinction (University of Bedfordshire - awarded 2010)
  • BSc Psychology with Clinical (University of Kent - awarded 2006)

 

 

Education/Academic qualification

Doctor of Philosophy, PhD Health Psychology, University of Exeter

Award Date: 14 Jun 2023

Doctor of Health Science, Doctorate in Health Psychology (CPsychol), British Psychological Society

Award Date: 1 May 2018

Master of Science, MSc Health Psychology, University of Bedfordshire

Award Date: 1 Nov 2010

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, BSc (Hons) Psychology with Clinical , University of Kent

Award Date: 1 Jul 2006

External positions

Senior Research Associate, Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

6 May 2008 → …

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

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