Research Clinical Psychologist

About the role This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a new Wellcome Trust funded Discovery Award to examine prediction of clinical outcome. A key psychological mechanism that maintains anxiety is the tendency to generate negative interpretations of unclear or ambiguous information (known as interpretation bias). We have developed a novel online intervention using cognitive bias modification of interpretations (CBM-I) to ‘train’ people with anxiety problems to develop a more helpful cognitive bias to generate positive interpretations, which effectively reduces anxiety and depression. This low-intensity intervention is straightforward, accessible and can be offered at scale. In the current project we will use cognitive, genetic, clinical and demographic information to predict clinical outcome at the end of the CBM-I intervention and at follow up. This is something people with lived of anxiety have told us that they would like, to help inform their decisions selecting a treatment option.  Specifically, in this project we will adapt and tailor the intervention for people suffering from anxiety who have different ethnic identities. The research programme will involve a large-scale study to examine prediction of individuals’ outcome from a course of CBM-I. The study will recruit 4300 anxious people to complete CBM-I intervention developed by Hirsch et al 2021 that involves 12 online sessions, each around 20 minutes long, completed over four weeks.  The successful candidate will be a clinically qualified psychologist who has clinical experience working with people with anxiety. They will be able to support people with lived experience of anxiety who will be contributing to the research. They will also have experience supervising others working with anxious individuals, and on the management of risk. They will have excellent communication and presentation skills, together with an ability to organise and motivate others. They will demonstrate enthusiasm, innovation and leadership when faced with challenges and will provide strategic, tactical and clinical input in the project. The project has co-design embedded within it, and the post holder will take a lead on this. They will take a lead role in refining the intervention, working closely with people with lived experience of anxiety, leading on public and patient involvement and engagement activities, dissemination, policy labs with stakeholders and contribute to a range of other dissemination and implementation planning activities. The successful candidate will be part of Prof Colette Hirsch’s Cognition in Emotional Disorders and Resilience group, at the Department of Psychology. They will also work closely with other members of the Wellcome Discovery award team at KCL, led by Prof Thalia Eley who runs the Emotional Development, Intervention and Treatment (EDIT) Lab, KCL.  The post holder could register for a part time PhD if they wish.  This is a part time post (80% FTE), and you will be offered a fixed term contract until 30/06/2030. Closing date: 19th August 2024