Contact

• workRoom B12 Institute of Mental Health
  Jubilee Campus
  Wollaton Road
  Nottingham
  NG8 1BB
  UK
• Michael.Lewis3@nottingham.ac.uk

Biography

Dr Michael Lewis is a Chartered Psychologist, HCPC registered Forensic Psychologist, Chartered Scientist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS). He holds an Associate Professorship at the University of Nottingham and co-directs the Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology (CFFP). Dr Lewis is also the course lead for the MSc Forensic and Criminological Psychology programme. Prior to commencing work at the University of Nottingham, Dr Lewis was based at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and responsible for the postgraduate provision in forensic psychology.

In addition to his academic role, Dr Lewis is based in clinical practice. He works part-time for HM Prison and Probation Service as a Senior Psychologist. Dr Lewis' clinical experience has also comprised of work in the community, and high and medium secure psychiatric services. He has expertise in risk assessment, personality pathology and psychological trauma, as well as being trained in cognitive behavioural psychotherapy (CBT), schema therapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.

Dr Lewis has published extensively on personality pathology, aggression, and psychological trauma among forensic staff populations. He has a specific interest in psychopathy having completed an NHS funded PhD on this topic in 2014. He sits on a number of editorial boards (Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research; Abuse Journal) and was the Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice (JCRPP; 2018 to 2024).

Research Summary

Ireland, J. L., Ireland, C. A., Lewis, M., Jones, C., & Keeley, S. (2016). Initial development of an implicit and explicit approach to assess psychopathy. International Journal of Law and… read more

Selected Publications

• ALEX LEVY, DONNA STAFFORD, SEWANU STAFFORD, LOUISA BRIGGS DEARDON, JENNIFER MACKAY, STEVIE-JADE HARDY, MICHELLE O'REILLY, MICHAEL LEWIS and PHILIP ARCHARD, 2025. Providing specialist mental health care to youth justice service-involved young people British Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 14(2),
• PHILIP J. ARCHARD, MICHELLE O'REILLY, SEWANU AWHANGANSI, LOUISE GRANT, ADINA ADAN, PALLAB MAJUMDER, MICHAEL LEWIS, LISA BOSTOCK and EILIS KENNEDY, 2025. Supporting Qualitative Practitioner Research In Child And Adolescent Mental Health Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine. (In Press.)

• View all publications

Current Research

• Peer-reviewed publications:

Ireland, J. L., Ireland, C. A., Lewis, M., Jones, C., & Keeley, S. (2016). Initial development of an implicit and explicit approach to assess psychopathy. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 46, 117-128.

Lewis, M., Ireland, J. L., Abbott, J., & Ireland, C. A. (2017). Initial development of the Psychopathic Processing and Personality Assessment (PAPA) across populations. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 54, 118-132.

Lewis, M. (2018). Treatment of psychopathy: A conceptual and empirical review. Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, 4, 186-198.

Ireland, C. A., Ireland, J. L., Jones, N. S., Chu, S., & Lewis, M. (2019). Predicting security incidents in high secure male psychiatric care. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 64, 40-52.

Lewis, M., & Ireland, J. L. (2019). Understanding motives for aggression in forensic psychiatric patients: A preliminary study. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology, 30, 496-509.

Ireland, J. L., Sebalo, I., McNeill, K., Murphy, K., Brewer, G., Ireland, C. A., Chu, S., Lewis, M., Greenwood, L., & Nally, T. (2019). Impacting on factors promoting intra-group aggression in secure psychiatric settings. Heliyon, 5, doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01400 (open access).

Mooney, R., Ireland, J. L., & Lewis, M. (2019). Understanding interpersonal relationships and psychopathy. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology, 30, 658-685.

Lewis, M., & Ireland, C. A. (2019). Forensic psychologists as police critical incident negotiation advisors. Salus Journal, 7, 2-19.

Ireland, J. L., Mann, S., Lewis, M., Ozanne, R., McNeill, K., & Ireland, C. A. (2020). Psychopathy and trauma: Exploring a potential association. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 69, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2020.101543.

Ireland, J. L., Lewis, M., Ireland, C. A., Derefaka, G., Taylor, L., McBoyle, J., Smilie, L., Chu, S., & Archer, J. (2020). Self-reported psychopathy and aggression motivation: A role for emotions? Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology, 31, 156-181.

Lewis, M., Ireland, J. L., Ireland, C. A, Derefaka, G., McNeill, K., & Birch, P. (2021). Psychopathic Processing and Personality Assessment (PAPA): Exploring factor structure. Journal of Criminal Psychology, 11, 157-172.

Ireland, J. L., Birch, P., Lewis, M., Mian, U., & Ireland, C. A. (2021). Animal abuse proclivity among women: Exploring callousness, sadism, and psychopathy traits. Anthrozoos, 35, 37-53.

Alderson, K., Ireland, C. A., Khan, R., Ireland, J. L., & Lewis, M. (2021). Child sexual exploitation, poly-victimisation and resilience. Journal of Criminological Research, Policy & Practice, 8, 53-74.

Ireland, C. A., Chu, S., Ireland, J. L., Hartley, V., Ozanne, R., & Lewis, M. (2021). Extreme stress events in a forensic hospital setting: Prevalence, impact, and protective factors in staff. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 43, 418-433.

DeSilva, R., Ireland, J. L., Birch, P., Ireland, C. A., Lewis, M., Dissanayaka, R., & Attapattu, M. (2022). Understanding post-crisis trauma recovery in uniformed services: A systematic review. Mental Health Review Journal, 28, 113-131. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/MHRJ-11-2021-0081.

Ireland, C. A., Keeley, S., Lewis, M., & Bowden, S. (2022). Vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue in residential care workers of traumatised children, 3, e1-e12. Abuse: An International Impact Journal. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.37576/abuse.2022.030.

Archard, P., Moore, I., Lewis, M., & O'Reilly, M. (2022). Intersubjectivity and the mental health nurse as insider researcher. British Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 11, 1-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12968/bjmh.2022.0025.

Krishnan, N., Steene, L. M. B., Lewis, M., Marshall, D., & Ireland, J. L. (2022). A systematic review of risk factors implicated in the suicide of police officers. Journal of Police & Criminal Psychology, 37, 939-951.

Webb, E, L., Ireland, J. L., Lewis, M., & Morris, D. (2023). Potential sources of moral injury for healthcare workers in forensic and psychiatric settings: A systematic review and meta-ethnography. Trauma, Violence & Abuse. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231167390.

Archard, P., Awhangansi, S., Moore, I., Majumder, P., Lewis, M., O'Reilly, M., Giles, E., & Adkins, T. (2023). Remote and digitally delivered mental health support for care-experienced young people: Some practice-based reflections in response to Cummings (2022). Practice: Social Work in Action, 35, 379-388.

Awhangansi, S., Lewis, M., Karim, K., Abdulmalik, J., Archard, P. J., Okewole, A., & O'Reilly, M. (2023). Impact of problem-solving skills and attributional reasoning on conduct disorder among junior male students at public secondary schools in a middle-income country: A non-randomised control study. Journal of Forensic Practice, 25, 321-337.

Awhangansi, S., Archard, P. J., Briggs-Deardon, L., Lewis, M., Dalzell, D., O'Reilly, M., & Ali, A. (2024). Consultation to adoptive parents and adoption professionals in child and adolescent mental health: Findings from a quality improvement project analysis. Practice: Social Work in Action. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09503153.2024.2321570.

Awhangansi, S., Salisu, T., Awhangansi, O., Dadematthews, A., Abumere, E., Siddiq, B., Phillips, E., Mogan, M., Olushola, A., Archibong, A., Okewole, A., Adeosun, I., Sowunmi, O., Amosu, S., Lewis, M., Archard, P. J., Owoeye, O., & O'Reilly, M. (2024). Examining the role of bullying victimisation in predicting psychopathology among in-school Nigerian adolescents. Journal of Forensic Practice. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-06-2024-0031.

De Silva, R, Ireland, J. L., Birch, P, Ireland, C., Lewis, M., & Atapattu, M (2024). Military first responders in Sri Lanka: Post-Crisis psychosocial challenges and treatment recommendations by mental health professionals. Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being, 9, 197-205.

Lewis, M., Briggs-Deardon, L., Awhangansi, S., Archard, P. J., Adkins, R., & O'Reilly, M. (2025). Developing group-based psychoeducation intervention for adoptive parents and foster carers in a specialist child and adolescent mental health service. Practice: Social Work in Action, 37, 23-39.

Levy, A., Stafford, D., Awhangansi, S., Mackay, J., Hardy, S., O'Reilly, M., Lewis, M., & Archard, P. J. (2025). Providing specialist mental health care to youth justice service-involved young people. British Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 14, 1-10.

Webb, E., Ireland, J. L., & Lewis, M. (2025). Defining and identifying potentially morally injurious experiences for secure mental healthcare workers: A Delphi study. Journal of Criminological Research, Policy & Practice, 11, 64-80.

Webb, E., Ireland, J. L., & Lewis, M. (2025). Proposing the integrated pathway model of moral injury (IPM-MI): A moderated mediation analysis of moral injury among secure mental healthcare staff. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 46, 420-435.

Henrich, S., Ireland, J. L., Lewis, M., & Ireland. C. A. (in press). The Eco-System of Extremist Violence (ES-EV): Exploration of radicalisation in forensic psychiatric populations. Journal of Forensic Practice.

Archard, P. J., O'Reilly, M., Awhangansi, S., Grant, L., Adan, A., Majumder, P., Lewis, M., Bostock, L., & Kennedy, E. (in press). Developing qualitative methods and practitioner-initiated research in child and adolescent mental health. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine.

• Book chapters:

Lewis, M. (2018). Assessing for psychopathy using the Psychopathy Checklist. In J. L. Ireland., C. A. Ireland., & P. Birch (Eds.), Violent and sexual offenders: Assessment, treatment, and management (2^nd ed., pp. 270-286). Routledge.

Ireland, J. L., Birch, P., Henrich, S., & Lewis, M., & Ireland, C. A. (2020). Prison gangs: Re-examining in existence, reframing their function. In C. A. Ireland, M. Lewis, A. C. Lopez, & J. L. Ireland (Eds.), The handbook of collective violence: Current developments and understanding (pp. 340-350). Routledge.

Lewis, M., Beaumont, D. T., & Ewin, R. (2020). Disrupting organised crime in the UK: Tackling violence, intimidation, and coercion. In C. A. Ireland, M. Lewis, A. C. Lopez, & J. L. Ireland (Eds.), The handbook of collective violence: Current developments and understanding (pp. 258-270). Routledge.

Ireland, J. L., Ireland, C. A., Mian, U., De Silva, R., & Lewis, M. (2021). Bullying in prisons: Introducing the Prison Bullying Ecosystems Framework as a guide for intervention. In D. A. Crighton & G. J. Towl (Eds.), Forensic Psychology (3^rd ed.). Wiley, BPS Textbooks.

Lewis, M., & Wheatley, R. (2023). Classifying adolescent stalking: Preliminary considerations for risk management. In M. Mellins, R. Wheatley, & C. Flowers (Eds.), Young People, Stalking Awareness and Domestic Abuse (pp. 17-35). Palgrave MacMillan.

Lewis, M. (2023). Mental states and the law. In The Open University (Ed.), D120: Encountering psychology in context 1 (pp. 447-494). The Open University.

Henrich, S., Ireland, J. L., & Lewis, M. (2024). Radicalisation across the community and forensic units: A systematic literature review on the psychology of violent extremism. In T. Silva & M. Kordaczuk-Was (Eds.), Preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalisation: Evidence-based policy and practice (pp. 163-215). Policy Press.

• Edited books:

Ireland, C. A., Lewis, M., Lopez, A. C., & Ireland, J. L. (2020). The handbook of collective violence: Current developments and understanding. Routledge.

• Conference papers:

Lewis, M. (2018, June 21). Exploring the role of cognitive schemas in psychopathy: Implications for treatment. Paper presented at the BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference: Newcastle, UK.

Lewis, M., & Ireland, J. L. (2019, February 8). Psychopathy and aggression motivation: A role for emotion? Paper presented at the Western Society of Criminology 46^th Annual Conference: Honolulu, Hawaii, US.

Lewis, M. (2019, June 18). Exploring the factor structure of self-report psychopathy. Invited paper at the BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference: Liverpool, UK.

Lewis, M., Ireland, C. A., Greenwood, L., & Ewin, R. (2022, March 28). Cumbria's CSE picture: Examining data, outcomes, and implications for new practice. Invited paper at Cumbria Constabulary Evidence-based Policing Conference: Penrith, UK.

Ireland, C. A., Lewis, M., Edwards, L., & Ireland, J. L. (2022, October 12). Introducing the CASEE: Children Adolescent Sexual Exploitation Evaluation. Invited paper at the Northern Ireland British Psychological Society Virtual Conference.

Webb, E. L., Ireland, J. L., Lewis, M., & Morris, D. J. (2023, May 9). From exposure to injury: Developmental-cognitive mechanisms underlying the development of moral injury in secure healthcare workers. Third International Moral Injury in Occupational Settings Conference: St Andrew's Healthcare, Northampton, UK.

Lewis, M., Ireland, J. A., & Homann, J. (2023, June 22). Aligning psychopathy with DSM-5 and ICD-11's dimensional approach to personality assessment. Paper presented at the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Conference: Sydney, Australia.

Lewis, M. (2023, June 21). Police wellbeing: Exploring burnout and secondary trauma among police personnel investigating child protection cases. Invited paper presented at Translational Criminology Seminar Series, University of Technology Sydney: Sydney, Australia.

Henrich, S., Ireland, J. L., & Lewis, M. (2023, July 12). Extremist violence as group-based violence: Comparison between radicalised and non-radicalised forensic mental health patients. Paper presented at the Behavioural and Social Sciences in Security conference, University of Bath: Bath, UK.

Ireland, C.A., Lewis, M., and Ireland, J.L. (2024, July 12). Introducing the CASEE: Child Adolescent Sexual Exploitation Evaluation (Version 1), CAMHS Conference 2024, Risk - What's the risk? Online.

Lewis, M., & Gerken, D. (2024). Intimate partner violence among women. ISRA Conference, Ludwig-Maximilians-University: Munich, Germany.

Archdeacon, E., Hicks, S., Onifade, H., Paddock, E., & Lewis, M. (2025, July 2). "I think I just realised that I really squandered a really valuable opportunity": A qualitative analysis of the motivations behind therapy drop-out for high-risk offenders in a prison intervention service within the offender personality disorder pathway. Paper presented at the BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference: Glasgow, UK.

• ALEX LEVY, DONNA STAFFORD, SEWANU STAFFORD, LOUISA BRIGGS DEARDON, JENNIFER MACKAY, STEVIE-JADE HARDY, MICHELLE O'REILLY, MICHAEL LEWIS and PHILIP ARCHARD, 2025. Providing specialist mental health care to youth justice service-involved young people British Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 14(2),
• PHILIP J. ARCHARD, MICHELLE O'REILLY, SEWANU AWHANGANSI, LOUISE GRANT, ADINA ADAN, PALLAB MAJUMDER, MICHAEL LEWIS, LISA BOSTOCK and EILIS KENNEDY, 2025. Supporting Qualitative Practitioner Research In Child And Adolescent Mental Health Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine. (In Press.)