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Biography
Jon Arcelus is a Professor in Mental Health and Wellbeing. After completing his undergraduate degree in Medicine in Spain, Prof. Arcelus undertook clinical and academic training in Psychiatry in the United Kingdom. As a Social Psychiatrist, he is particularly interested in the role of society in the wellbeing of the individual. His clinical and academic interests are in the field of mental health and wellbeing in vulnerable populations, particularly the LGBTQ+ population and those at risk of developing eating disorders.
He trained in psychotherapy, including Sexual and Relationship Therapy, Systemic Therapy and Interpersonal Psychotherapy.
In 1998 he undertook a Master's degree in Sexual and Relationship Therapy at Sheffield Hallam University where he worked with the Trans population for the first time. During his clinical training in child and adolescent mental health, he gained further experience in trans health when working at the Gender Identity Development Service in London for one year and he maintained his interest in the area of Transgender Health throughout his career. He became a Clinical Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Leicester University where he obtained his PhD. Following the completion of his training, he took the post of consultant at the Nottingham Adolescent Regional Unit, part of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
He subsequently moved to the Leicester Adult Eating Disorders Service, where he worked with young adults. During his 11 years at the Leicester service, he worked closely with Loughborough University, where he became a Visiting Professor. He has worked with national sport and dance organizations, including The Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, developing policies and training for the prevention of eating disorders in this population.
While working with eating disorders patients he started to explore the role that society, interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships play in mental health and wellbeing. He became a trained Interpersonal Psychotherapists (IPT) and provided IPT training to different audiences including in China where he started to collaborate in different research projects. In 2013 he became an Honorary Professor at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China.
In 2014 he moved back to Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to work fulltime with trans people, particularly young adults, as part of one of the largest national trans health clinics in Europe, the Nottingham National Centre for Transgender Health, where he works as a medical doctor, providing not only psychological support when needed, but also endocrinological treatment as well as referrals for gender affirming surgery.
In 2016 he moved to the University of Nottingham where he was appointed to the only Chair in Transhealth in the country as a Professor in Mental Health and Trans Health. He leaded various research projects in the field of sexuality and gender while working at the University and he developed the Managed Innovation Network(MIN) in Gender Diversity and Wellbeing at the Institute of Mental Health, which is part of the Centre for Social Futures.
He left the University of Nottingham in 2021, where he remains as an Emeritus Professor in Mental Health and Weelbeing. He continues to be research active working closely with the Nottingham Centre Transgender Health network where he co-leads the development of a research structure of the newly developed network. He works with different trans related charities, such as Mermaids and Gendered Intelligence and he is one of the academic representatives at Trans Learning partnership.
Prof. Arcelus is a Member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and the European Professional Association for Transgender Health (EPATH). He is co-chair of the Standards of Care- 8thEdition for WPATH, the Global guidelines for transgender health services. Prof. Arcelus is an elected member of the Eating Disorders Research Society.
Although over the last 8 years he has clinically mainly worked in the area of trans health, academically he has continued to work in the field of eating disorders collaborating with colleagues as the Institute of Psychiatry, London. Professor Arcelus has over 130 publications, including books and chapters. He is an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Transgenderism and part of the editorial board of the European Eating Disorders Review. He works closely with international collaborators, primarily in Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden.
Professor Arcelus is interested in the interpersonal, social and cultural context of mental health and wellbeing in people and the role of society in the development and prevention for mental health problems.
Expertise Summary
Mental health, Wellbeing, Transgender Health, Gender Diversity, Sexuality, LGBTQ+, Eating Disorders, Body Image, Prevention, Young people
Research Summary
Prof. Jon Arcelus is particularly interested in social psychiatry, exploring the role of society in mental health and wellbeing. Social psychiatry can be most effectively applied in preventing mental… read more
Current Research
Prof. Jon Arcelus is particularly interested in social psychiatry, exploring the role of society in mental health and wellbeing. Social psychiatry can be most effectively applied in preventing mental health problems and improving quality of life and wellbeing by educating individuals, families and society. This is particularly important in those who are more vulnerable to develop mental health problems. In this context, he has extensive experience in working clinically and academically with vulnerable populations. Until 10 years ago his main research output was in the field of disordered eating and body image, however for the last 10 years he has worked clinically and academically with the LGBTQ+ population, particularly with the trans and gender diverse population.
Research in the field of disordered eating and body image
Prof. Arcelus has extensive experience in supervising under-graduate and post-graduate projects related to eating disorders with over 50 publications in this field. He has been involved in the development of treatments for patients with eating disorders, such as MOPED and LEAP. He has worked collaboratively and continues to do so, with national (Loughborough University, Institute of Psychiatry) and international research centres (e.g Sydney, New York, Shanghai). He has worked with sport and dance organisations such as the Royal Ballet and Circle du Solley training staff and athletes/dancers in the prevention of eating disorders. He has also worked with these organisations in policy making as he is particularly interested in the interaction between the sport/dance environment and disordered eating. He is part of the editorial board of the European Eating Disorders Review and the Journal of Eating disorders. Prof. Arcelus is an elected member of the Eating Disorders Research Society.
Research in LGBTQ+
He has led numerous studies investigating the role of society in the wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ population. Some of those studies have explored social factors associated to wellbeing in trans people, the role of romantic relationships in wellbeing and how language affects the mental health of the LGBTQ+ population. He has worked collaboratively with European colleagues aiming at improving the outcome of transgender health interventions, investigating further the role of society and health services. Some of the areas of interest are:
- The role of gender affirming medical interventions in mental health and wellbeing
- Wellbeing in older LGBTQ+ people
- Body image and disordered eating in LGBQ+
- Terminology and its role in wellbeing
- The role of relationships in the wellbeing of the LGBTQ population
- Social support in LGBTQ+ population
- Social factors affecting self-harm in LGBTQ+ youth
Prof. Arcelus has and is supervising PhD students in the field of gender and sexuality and he is open to discuss PhD possibilities with students interested in this area. Prof. Arcelus is an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Transgender Health. He is a Co-Chair of the Standards of care 8th edition (Global guidelines for professionals) developed by the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH).
Past Research
Since 2017
Williams, A.J., Jones, C., Arcelus, J., Townsend, E., Lazaridou, A., and Michail, M. (2021) A systematic review and meta-analysis of victimisation and mental health prevalence among LGBTQ+ young people with experiences of self-harm and suicide, PLoSONE 16(1):e024526
Zottola, A., Jones, L., Pilnick, A., Mullany, L., Bouman, W.P., Arcelus, J. (2021). Identifying coping strategies used by transgender patients at a transgender health clinic. Health Expectations, 24(2), 719-727.
Aldridge, Z., Patel, S., Guo, B., Nixon. E., Bouman, W.P., Witcomb, G., and Arcelus. J. (2021). Long term effect of gender affirming hormone treatment on depression and anxiety symptoms in transgender people: A prospective cohort study, Andrology, 9(6), 1808-1816. DOI: 10.1111/andr.12884
Marshall, E., Glazebrook. C, Robbins-Cherry. S, Nicholson, S., Thorne, N & Arcelus, J. (2020) The quality and satisfaction of romantic relationships in transgender people: A systematic review of the literature, International Journal of Transgender Health, 21 (4), 373-390. DOI: 10.1080/26895269.2020.1765446
Nobili, A., Glazebrook, C., Bouman, W.P., Baron Cohen, S., & Arcelus J (2020). The stability of autistic traits in transgender adults following cross-sex hormone treatment, International Journal of Transgender Health, 21(4), 431-439. DOI: 10.1080/26895269.2020.1783738
T'Sjoen, G., Arcelus, J., De Vries, A.L.C., Fisher, A.D., Nieder, T.O., Ozer, M., Motmans, J. (2020). European Society for Sexual Medicine Position Statement "Assessment and Hormonal Management in Adolescent and Adult Trans People, With Attention for Sexual Function and Satisfaction, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 17(4), 570-584.
Witcomb, G.L., Claes, L., Bouman, W.P., Nixon, E., Motmans, J., and Arcelus J. (2020) Experience and psychological wellbeing outcomes associated with bullying in treatment seeking transgender and gender diverse people, LGBT Health, 6(5), 216-226.
Thorne, N., Witcomb, G. L., Nieder, T. O., Nixon, E., & Arcelus, J. (2020). A comparison of mental health symptomatology and levels of social support in young treatment seeking transgender individuals who identify as binary and non-binary. International Journal of Transgenderism. 20(2-3), 241-250. doi: 10.1080/15532739.2018.1452660
Jones, B., Bouman, W.P., Haycraft, E., Arcelus. J. (2020) Mental health and quality of life in non binary transgender people: A case control study. International Journal of Transgenderism, 20(2-3), 251-262.
Thorne, N., Yip, A K-T, Bouman W P., Marshall, E & Arcelus, J. (2020). The terminology of identities between, outside and beyond the gender binary-A systematic review, International Journal of Transgenderism, 20(2-3), 138-154.
Jones, B., Bouman, W.P., Haycraft, E., Arcelus. J. (2020) Gender congruence and body satisfaction in nonbinary transgender people: A case control study. International Journal of Transgenderism, 20(2-3), 263-274.
Williams AJ, Arcelus J, Townsend E, et al. (2019) Examining risk factors for self-harm and suicide in LGBTQ+ young people: a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open 2019;9:e031541. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031541
Bezzina, L., Touyz, S., Young, S. et al. (2019) Accuracy of self-reported physical activity in patients with anorexia nervosa: links with clinical features. Journal of Eating Disorders 7, 28 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-019-0258-y
T'Sjoen, G., Arcelus, J., Gooren, L., Klink, D.T., and Tangpricha, V. (2020). Endocrinology of Transgender Medicine. Endocrine Reviews, 40(1), 97-117.
Jones, B. A., Walter, W. P., Haycraft, E., & Arcelus, J. (2019). The Gender congruence and life satisfaction scale (GCLS): Development and validation of a new scale to measure outcomes from transgender health services: International Journal of Transgenderism, 20(1), 63-80. DOI: 10.1080/15532739.2018.1453425
Defreyne, J., Arcelus, J., Bouman W.P., Brewin, N., Elaut, E., Kreukels, B., Heylens, G., Den Heijer, M., T'Sjoen. G. (2018) No correlation between serum testosterone levels and aggression or anger intensity in transgender people: Results from five European centres. Endocrine Abstracts, 77. DOI. 10.1530/endoabs.57.013
Young, S., Touyz, S.W., Meyer, C., Arcelus, J., Rhodes, P., Madden, S., Pike, K., Attia, E., Crosby, R.D., Hay. P. (2018) Relationships between compulsive exercise, quality of life, psychological distress and motivation to change in adults with anorexia nervosa, Journal of Eating Disorders, 6(1). DOI: 10.1186/s40337-018-0188-0
Nobili, A., Glazebrook, C and Arcelus J. (2018). Quality of Life of treatment seeking transgender adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Review in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, 19(3), 199-220.
Hay, P., Touyz, S., Arcelus, J., Pike, K., Attia, E., Crosby, R.D., Madden, S., Wales, J., La Puma, M., Heriseanou, A.I., Young, S., and Meyer, C. (2018). A randomised controlled trial of the compulsive exercise activity therapy (LEAP): A new approach to compulsive exercise in anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 51(8), 999-1004.
Witcomb, G.L., Bouman, W.P., Claes, L., Brewin, N., Crawford, J., & Arcelus, J. (2018). Levels of depression in transgender people and its predictors: Results of a large matched control study with transgender people accessing clinical services. Journal of Affective Disorders, 235, 308-315.
Defreyne, J., T'Sjoen, G., Bouman, W.P., Brewin, N., Arcelus, J. (2018). Prospective evaluation of self-reported aggression in transgender persons. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 15(5), 768-776.
Nobili, A., Glazebrook, C., Bouman, W.P., Glidden, D., Baron Cohen, S., Allison, C., Smith, P., & Arcelus, J. (2018). Autistic Traits in Treatment-Seeking Transgender Adults. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3557-2
Arcelus, J., Bouman, W.P., Jones, B.A., Richards, C., Jimenez-Murcia, S., & Griffiths, M.D. (2018). Video gaming and gaming addiction in transgender people: An exploratory study. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 6(1), 21-29. DOI: 10.1556/2006.6.2017.002
Jones, B.A., Haycraft, E., Brewin, N., Claes, L., Bouman, W.P., Arcelus, J. (2018). Risk factors for eating disorder psychopathology within the treatment seeking transgender population: The role of cross-sex hormone treatment. European Eating Disorders Review. Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1002/erv.2576
Jones, B., Brewin, N., Richards, C., Van Eijk, M., Stephenson-Allen, A., and Arcelus, J. (2018) Investigating the outcome of the initial assessment at national transgender health service: Time to review the process? International Journal of Transgenderism, 18, 4, 427-432
Jones, B. A., Haycraft, E., Bouman, W. P. & Arcelus, J. (2018). The levels and predictors of physical activity engagement within the transgender population: A matched control study. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. Advance online publication. 1, 15 (2), 99-107
Future Research
Although he is retired from the university, he remains research active in the above areas