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Neil Coulson

Associate Professor in Health Psychology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

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Biography

Dr Neil Coulson is a both a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society and Registered Health Psychologist with the Health Professions Council. He joined the Institute of Work, Health & Organisations in October 2005 and was the Deputy Director for a four years (2006-2010). He is the course director for the MSc/PGDip Psychology & Health programme.

Teaching Summary

Applications of psychology to the promotion of health

Research Summary

Dr Neil Coulson is an international expert in the role of online support communities and healthcare. His work has demonstrated the important role online communities play in empowering patients as… read more

Selected Publications

Chair, British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology (2011-2012)

Chair, British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology Training Committee (2008-2010)

Chief Assessor for the Stage 2 Qualification in Health Psychology (2005-2009)

BPS Representative Council (2011-onwards)

BPS Professional Practice Board (2011-onwards)

Associate Editor British Journal of Health Psychology (2009-2012)

Editorial Board Psychology & Health (2012-onwards)

Current Research

Dr Neil Coulson is an international expert in the role of online support communities and healthcare. His work has demonstrated the important role online communities play in empowering patients as they attempt to cope with the challenges of long term illness. In particular, he has has published a number of pioneering papers which have explored the provision of social support between community members (e.g. Coulson, Buchanan & Aubeeluck, 2008). Furthermore, his work has explored the mechanisms through which patients may benefit from participation in online communities and factors that may be associated with levels of satisfaction as well as a range of psychosocial outcomes.

Example projects:

Social support in cyberspace: The role of online support communities in supporting individuals living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This work is funded by the National Association of Colitis and Crohn's Disease.

Problem drinking and peer support in cyberspace. This work is funded by the Alcohol Education Research Council

He also has an active interest in psychology applied to the dental context where he collaborates closely with Dr Heather Buchanan from the University of Nottingham. Together, they work on a range of projects including:

Psychological interventions for reducing postoperative morbidity in dental surgey in adults. This is a Cochrane systematic review and has been funded by the British Academy.

LATEST PAPER: As part of work undertaken by Kiera Bartlett (MSc Health Psychology graduate) for her Applied Research Project a study of online support was undertaken and how it empowers individuals particularly in relation to interaction with healthcare professionals. The work has recently been accepted for publication and currently appears in the 'Articles in press' section of Patient Education & Counseling.

Bartlett,K. & Coulson, N.S. (2011). An investigation into the empowerment effects of using online support groups and how this affects doctor/patient communication. Patient Education & Counseling, 83(1), 113-119.

Past Research

Past research has focused on adolescents' perceptions of everyday food-related health risks as well as reactions to 'food scares' such as BSE. Other research has included applications of the Transtheoretical Model to health-related behaviours in adolescents and student populations (e.g. dental check-ups, consumption of fizzy drinks, reading food labels).

Future Research

Dr Coulson continues to explore the application of the Internet to healthcare. He is currently involved in a large number of studies exploring the role of online support communities in helping patients adjust and cope with a range of health conditions. His newer research interests focus on specifically on social networking sites such as Facebook and how these may be similar or different to other forms of online support.

Any potential student interested in undertaking a PhD in this original and rapidly evolving area of health psychology should contact Dr Neil Coulson to discuss their initial ideas.

Current students: Oonagh Meade, Kasia Campbell

Past students: Sumaira Malik, Phoenix Kit Han Mo

Institute of Work, Health & Organisations

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telephone: +44 (0) 115 846 7523
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email: I-WHO@nottingham.ac.uk