Dr Chris Keyworth

Profile

I joined The University of Leeds as a Lecturer in Psychology in May 2021. I obtained my undergraduate degree in Psychology from Lancaster University (2007), and an MSc in Clinical and Health Psychology (2010) and a PhD in Health Psychology (2015) at The University of Manchester. My PhD research focused on health risk communication and health behaviour change in the context of psoriasis, a long-term inflammatory skin condition. Prior to moving to Leeds, I worked across a number of multidisciplinary research programmes, most recently as a research fellow within the Behavioural Science sub-theme of the NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre.

I am a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society, a member of the BPS Division of Health Psychology and UK Society for Behavioural Medicine, and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I hold honorary positions at the University of Manchester and Leeds Beckett University. I am also Associate Editor at The British Journal of Health Psychology. 

I have published widely in the fields of Health Psychology, Behavioural Science, and Health Services Research, in leading journals such as the British Journal of Health Psychology, Implementation Science, Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Journal of Medical Internet Research, and Appetite. I have served as an internal and external PhD examiner, and also provide behavioural science and mixed methods expertise as a member of commissioning panels for the ESRC, NIHR, and MRC.

I have held committee positions with the UK Society of Behavioural Medicine (2017-2021), the International Society of Behavioural Medicine (2018-2021), and the British Psychological Society (2017-2021), serving as Research Sub-Editor and Deputy Editor for Health Psychology Update.

Within the School of Psychology I teach across both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and I am the Programme Manager of the Psychological Approaches to Health MSc programme. 

Responsibilities

• Programme Manager - MSc Psychological Approaches to Health

Research interests

I have a background in mixed methods research, and my core interests are:

• Applying evidence-based theory to understanding behaviour change (both patients and healthcare professionals)
• Using psychological theory to understand and develop effective health risk communication strategies
• Healthcare professional-patient communication
• Patient safety and implementation science

Current research students:

• Mental health of paramedicine students in the UK and Saudi Arabia (Adnan Alzahrani; 2021- )
• Exploring psychological safety in adult inpatient mental healthcare (Bethany Griffin; 2022- )
• Supporting parents in managing their child’s food allergy: Using the capability, opportunity, and motivation model of behaviour to increase parental quality of life (Maria Hills; 2023- )
• Employee silence and voice in healthcare: Two sides of the same coin or a different currency? (Olga Lainidi; 2023- )
• Understanding and improving experience and safety at transitions of care for patients with mental illness (Jessica Rich; 2022- )
• Understanding Bowel Cancer screening intention across different populations: Identifying predictors of bowel screening interventions (Soumya Shetty; 2022- )
• Evidence-based psychological interventions to promote Indonesian university students' self-regulated learning post-pandemic (Idei Swasti; 2023- )
• HPV home testing as a "teachable moment" for weight management in women with obesity (Hannah Truscott; 2023- )
• The effects of childhood trauma on mental-health, defeat-entrapment and stress-related outcomes (Leizhi Wang; 2024- )

Qualifications

• PhD Health Psychology
• MSc Clinical and Health Psychology
• BSc Psychology

Professional memberships

• British Psychological Society (Chartered Psychologist)
• UK Society for Behavioural Medicine
• International Society of Behavioural Medicine
• Division of Health Psychology
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Research groups and institutes

• Health and social psychology

Current postgraduate researchers

• Jessica Rich