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School of Psychological Sciences

Professor Alison Wearden PhD, CPsychol

Photograph of Alison Wearden

Professor of Health Psychology

School of Psychological Sciences
University of Manchester
Coupland Building
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL

 

Role

Professor of Health Psychology

Deputy Chair, British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology

Associate Editor of British Journal of Health Psychology

Member NW RfPB funding committee

 

Memberships of Committees and Professional Bodies

  • Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society
  • Full Member of the Division of Health Psychology
  • Chartered Psychologist
  • Registered as a Health Psychologist with the Health Professions Council
  • Member of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies
  • Member of European Health Psychology Society
  • Member of the UK Society for Behavioural Medicine

Research

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

Treatment of CFS, the experience of cognitive problems in CFS in relation to fatigue, mood and illness beliefs, family responses to CFS.

Expressed Emotion

The role of family Expressed Emotion in mental and physical health conditions

Healthy living in recent onset pychosis

I am the Health Psychologist on a team which has recently developed and is testing an intervention to encourage healthy living in people recovering from recent onset psychosis

Antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections

We have developed and delivered a brief evidence and theory-based intervention to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections.

Family factors in diabetes

I am a member of the Institute of Health Sciences Diabetes and Obesity Research Network. My research interests in this area include:

  • Family factors (in particular partners' expressed emotion) in relation to self-management of and adjustment to diabetes in adults
  • Illness cognitions and diabetes - how the beliefs which patients hold about their diabetes impact on their attempts to manage it, their adjustment and well-being

Individual differences in health and illness

Attachment theory, alexithymia and symptom reporting. Attachment style and therapeutic alliance. Attachment and psychosis.

Keywords

  • Chronic illness management
  • Health Promotion
  • Patient self-management
  • Individual differences
 

Methodological Knowledge

  • Randomised controlled trials
  • Experimental studies
  • Quantitative
  • Qualitative
 

Teaching

Undergraduate:

Level 2: PSYC 20100 and PSYC 20200 2nd year Dissertations and Tutorial Projects

Level 3: PSYC 30920 Projects

Level 3: PSYC 30181 Illness cognition


Postgraduate:

Masters in Clinical and Health Psychology:

PSYC 69822 Mind and body in health and illness (module leader)

PSYC 60000 Facilitating change - Written emotional expression

 

Biography

I graduated in Psychology from the University of Manchester in 1977, and then went on to obtain a Diploma in Social Administration and Social Work in 1979. After working for nine years as a Probation Officer and four years at home caring for children, I returned to Psychology in 1993 when I worked on some research looking at age and IQ effects in timing. I worked as a researcher from 1993 to 1999 until taking up my post as lecturer in Psychology in January 2000. I obtained an MSc entitled "Cognitive Functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome" in 1995, and a PhD, entitled "Expressed emotion and Type 1 diabetes" in 2000. My current research interests centre around understanding and managing chronic illness, particularly chronic fatigue syndrome, focusing on the roles of illness cognitions and interpersonal factors.

 

Publications

2012

  • Berry, K., Wearden,A., Oakland,L., Bradley, J., & Barrowclough, C. (In-press). An investigation of adult attachment and the nature of realtionships with voices. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, eScholarID:145499 | DOI:DOI: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.2011.02027.x
  • Rowbotham, s., Chisolm, A., Moschogianis, S., Chew-Graham, C., Cordingley, L., Wearden, A., & Peters, S. (In-press). Challenges to non-medical prescribers of a no-antibiotic prescribing strategy for managing self-limiting respiratory tract infections. Journal of Advanced Nursing, eScholarID:145496 | DOI:DOI: 10.3399/bjgp11X593866.

2011

  • Bradshaw, T., Wearden, A., Marshall, M., Warburton, J., Husain, N., Pedley, R., Escott, D., Swarbrick, C., & Lovell, K. (In-press). Developing a healthy living intervention for people with early psychosis using the Medical Research Council's guidelines on complex interventions: Phase 1 of the HELPER - InterACT programme. International Journal of Nursing Studies, eScholarID:145488 | DOI:doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2011.10.008
  • Chew-Graham, C., Brocki, J., Wearden, A., Dowrick, C., & Peters, S. (2011). Factors influencing engagement of patients in a psychological intervention for CFS/ME: A qualitative study. Primary Health Care Research and Development, 12, 112-122. eScholarID:128148 | DOI:10.1017/S146342361000037X
  • Daniels, J., & Wearden, A. (2011). Socialization to the Model: The Active Component in the Therapeutic Alliance? A Preliminary Study. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 39, 221-227. eScholarID:113178 | DOI:10.1017/S1352465810000792
  • Peters, S., Wearden, A., Morriss, R., Dowrick, C.F., Lovell, K., Brooks, J., Cahill, G., & Chew-Graham, C. (2011). Challenges of nurse delivery of psychological interventions for long-term conditions in primary care: a qualitative exploration of the case of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. Implementation Science, 6, 132. eScholarID:145491 | DOI:Implementation Science 2011, 6:132 doi:10.1186/1748-5908-6-132
  • Peters, S.,Rowbotham, S., Chisholm, A., Wearden, A., Moschogianis, S., Cordingley,L., Baker, D., Hyde, C., & Chew Graham, C. (2011). Managing self-limiting respiratory tract infections: How useful is the delayed prescribing strategy? British Journal of General Practice, 61, e579-e589. eScholarID:132719 | DOI:10.3399/bjgp11X593866
  • Rowbotham, S., Holler, J., Lloyd, D., Wearden, A. (2011). How do we communicate about pain? A systematic analysis of the semantic contribution of co-speech gestures in pain-focused conversations. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, eScholarID:135903 | DOI:DOI 10.1007/s10919-011-0122-5
  • Wilson, E., Wisely, J., Wearden, A., Dunn, K., Edwards, J. & Tarrier, N (2011). Do illness perceptions and mood predict healing time for burn wounds? A prospective, preliminary study. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, In Press, Corrected Proof, eScholarID:128149 | DOI:DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2011.05.009
  • Wearden, A.J., Dowrick, C., Chew-Graham, C., Bentall, R.P., Morris, R.K., Peters, S., Riste, L., Richardson, G., Lovell, K., Dunn, G. (2011). FINE Trial for CFS: Author's reply. British Medical Journal, 340, c2992. eScholarID:135906

2010

  • Alison J Wearden, Christopher Dowrick, Carolyn Chew-Graham, Richard P Bentall, Richard K Morriss, Sarah Peters, Lisa Riste, Gerry Richardson, Karina Lovell, Graham Dunn. (2010). Nurse led, home based self help treatment for patients in primary care with chronic fatigue syndrome: randomised controlled trial. BMJ, eScholarID:79613 | DOI:doi:10.1136/bmj.c1777
  • Berry, K., Wearden, AJ., Barrowclough, C. (In-press). Psychiatric staff perceptions of patient attachments. A Pilot study to investigate differences and predictors of staff perceptions of patient attachment. Social Psychasychiatric Epidemiology, eScholarID:54564 | DOI:10.1007/s00127-009-0149-7
  • Carolyn Chew-Graham, Christopher Dowrick, Alison Wearden, Victoria Richardson, Sarah Peters. (2010). Making the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in primary care: a qualitative study. BMC Family Practice, eScholarID:79617 | DOI:doi:10.1186/1471-2296-11-16

2009

  • Berry KKL, Wearden AJ, Barrowclough C. (2009). Adult attachment, perceived early experiences of care-giving and trauma in psychosis. Journal of Mental Health, 18, 280-287. eScholarID:1d17927 | DOI:10.1080/09638230701879185
  • Berry, K., Barrowclough, C., Wearden, AJ. (2009). A pilot study investigating the use of psychological formulations to modify psychiatric staff perceptions of service users with psychosis. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 37, 39-48. eScholarID:54623 | DOI:10.1017/S1352465808005018
  • Morris, L., Berry, K., Wearden, A., Jackson, N., Dornan, T. & Davies, R (2009). Attachment style and alliance in patients with diabetes and healthcare professionals. Psychol Health Med, 14(5), 585-90. eScholarID:73671 | PMID:19844837 | DOI:10.1080/13548500903193838
  • Roos J, Wearden AJ. (2009). What do we mean by "socialization to the model?" A Delphi study. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 37, 1-5. eScholarID:1d18966 | DOI:10.1017/S1352465809005281
  • Wearden AJ. (2009). Illness perception interventions for heart attack patients and their spouses: Invited commentary. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, eScholarID:1d18967 | DOI:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2009.01.018

2008

  • Berry KKL, Barrowclough C, Wearden AJ. (2008). Attachment theory: A framework for understanding symptoms and interpersonal relationships in psychosis. Behav Res Ther, 46, 1275-1282. eScholarID:1d17900 | DOI:10.1016/j.brat.2008.08.009
  • Berry KKL, Shah R, Cook A, Geater E, Barrowclough C, Wearden AJ. (2008). Staff attachment styles: a pilot study investigating the influence of adult attachment styles on staff psychological mindedness and therapeutic relationships. J Clin Psychol, 64( 3), eScholarID:1d17966 | DOI:10.1002/jclp.20456
  • Chew-Graham, C., Cahill, G., Dowrick, C., Wearden, A. & Peters, S (2008). Using Multiple Sources of Knowledge to Reach Clinical Understanding of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. ANNALS OF FAMILY MEDICINE, 6(4), 340-348. eScholarID:113269 | DOI:DOI: 10.1370/afm.867.
  • Wearden AJ, Isabel Peters, Berry KKL, Barrowclough C, Liversidge T. (2008). Adult attachment, parenting experiences and core beliefs about self and others. Personality and Individual Differences, 1246-1257. eScholarID:1d16868 | DOI:10.1026/j.pai.2007.11.019
  • Wearden AJ, Peters S. (2008). Therapeutic techniques for interventions based on Leventhal's common sense model. Br J Health Psychol, 13( Pt 2), 189-93. eScholarID:1d17925 | DOI:10.1348/135910708X295613

2007

  • Berry KKL, Barrowclough C, Wearden AJ. (2007). A review of the role of adult attachment style in psychosis: unexplored issues and questions for further research. Clin Psychol Rev, 27( 4), 458-75. eScholarID:1d17909 | DOI:10.1016/j.cpr.2006.09.006
  • Katherine Berry, Rebecca Band, Corcoran R, Barrowclough C, Wearden AJ. (2007). Attachment styles, earlier interpersonal relationships and schizotypy in a non-clinical sample. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 80, 563-576. eScholarID:1d16872
  • Katherine Berry, Wearden AJ, Barrowclough C. (2007). Adult attachment styles in psychosis: an investigation of assocations between general attachment styles and attachment relationships with specific others. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 42, 972-976. eScholarID:1d16869

2006

  • Brocki JJM, Wearden AJ. (2006). A critical evaluation of the use of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) in health psychology. Psychology and Health, 21, 87 - 108. eScholarID:1d28268
  • Katherine Berry, Wearden AJ, Barrowclough C, Liversidge T. (2006). Attachment styles, interpersonal relationships and psychotic phenomena in a non-clinical student sample. Personality and Individual Differences, 41, 707-718. eScholarID:1d14555
  • Wearden AJ, Chew-Graham CA. (2006). Managing chronic fatigue syndrome in UK primary care: challenges and opportunities. Chronic Illness, 2, 143-153. eScholarID:1d13400
  • Wearden AJ, Hynd K, Smith H, Davies R, Tarrier N. (2006). Idiosyncratic personal explanations for blood glucose events are associated with poorer self-management and glycemic control in adult patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care, 29( 6), 1208-13. eScholarID:1d13771 | DOI:10.2337/dc05-2117
  • Wearden AJ, Katherine Perryman, Victoria Ward. (2006). Adult attachment, reassurance seeking and hypochondriacal concerns in college students. Journal of Health Psychology, 11, 877-887. eScholarID:1d12542
  • Wearden AJ, Ward J, Barrowclough C, Tarrier N, Davies R. (2006). Attributions for negative events in the partners of adults with type I diabetes: Associations with partners' expressed emotion and marital adjustment. Br J Health Psychol, 11( Pt 1), 1-21. eScholarID:1d13773 | DOI:10.1348/135910705X73676
  • Wearden, A., Riste, L., Dowrick, C., Chew-Graham, C., Bentall, R., Morriss, R., Peters, S., Dunn, G., Richardson, G., Lovell, K. & Powell, P (2006). Fatigue Intervention by Nurses Evaluation - The FINE Trial. A randomised controlled trial of nurse led self-help treatment for patients in primary care with chronic fatigue syndrome: study protocol. [ISRCTN74156610]. BMC MEDICINE, 4, eScholarID:113215
  • Wearden, AJ, Riste, L, Dowrick, C, Chew-Graham, CA, Bentall, RP, Morriss, R, Peters, S, Dunn, G, Richardson, G, Lovell, K, Powell, P. (2006). Fatigue Intervention by Nurses Evaluation - The FINE Trial. A randomised controlled trial of nurse led self-help treatment for patients in primary care with chronic fatigue syndrome: study protocol. BioMed Central - Medicine, eScholarID:1d15238

2005

  • Barrowclough C, Joanathan Ward, Wearden AJ, Lynsey Gregg. (2005). Expressed emotion and attributions in relatives of schizophrenia patients with and without substance misuse. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 40, 884-891. eScholarID:1d10955
  • Wearden AJ, Naomi Lamberton, Nicola Crook, Victoria Walsh. (2005). Adult attachment, alexithymia and symptom reporting: an extension to the four category model of attachment. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 58, 279-288. eScholarID:1d25948 | DOI:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2004.09.010

2004

  • Paschalides C, Wearden AJ, Dunkerley R, Bundy CC, Davies R, Dickens C. (2004). The associations of anxiety, depression and personal illness representations with glycaemic control and health-related quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Psychosom Res, 57( 6), 557-64. eScholarID:1d12140 | DOI:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2004.03.006

2003

  • Bolton C, Calam R, Barrowclough C, Peters S, Roberts J, Wearden AJ, Morris J. (2003). Expressed emotion, attributions and depression in mothers of children with problem behaviour. JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, 44, 2, eScholarID:1d8404
  • Wearden AJ, Cook L, Vaughan-Jones J. (2003). Adult attachment, alexithymia, symptom reporting, and health- related coping. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH, 55, 4, eScholarID:1d8402 | DOI:10.1016/S0022-3999(02)00635-9

2001

  • Cordingley ME, Wearden AJ, Appleby L, Fisher L. (2001). The Family Response Questionnaire - A new scale to assess the responses of family members to people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal Of Psychosomatic Research, 51, 2, 417-424. eScholarID:1d8405

2000

  • Wearden AJ, Tarrier N, Barrowclough C, Zastowny TR, Rahill AA. (2000). A review of expressed emotion research in health care. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW, 20, 5, eScholarID:1d8407
  • Wearden AJ, Tarrier N, Davies R. (2000). Partners' expressed emotion and the control and management of Type 1 diabetes in adults. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH, 49, 2, eScholarID:1d8406

1999

  • Morriss RK, Ahmed M, Wearden AJ, Mullis R, Strickland P, Appleby L, Campbell IT, Pearson D. (1999). The role of depression in pain, psychophysiological syndromes and medically unexplained symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome. JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS, 55, 2-3, eScholarID:1d8408
  • Mullis R, Campbell IT, Wearden AJ, Morriss RK, Pearson DJ. (1999). Prediction of peak oxygen uptake in chronic fatigue syndrome. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE, 33, 5, eScholarID:1d8409

1998

  • Wearden AJ. (1998). Antidepressant treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. eScholarID:4d114
  • Morriss RK, Wearden AJ, Mullis R. (1998). Exploring the validity of the Chalder fatigue scale in chronic fatigue syndrome. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH, 45, 5, eScholarID:1d8411
  • Morriss RK, Wearden AJ. (1998). Screening instruments for psychiatric morbidity in chronic fatigue syndrome. JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE, 91, 7, eScholarID:1d8410
  • Strickland P, Morriss R, Wearden AJ, Deakin B. (1998). A comparison of salivary cortisol in chronic fatigue syndrome, community depression and healthy controls. JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS, 47, 1-3, eScholarID:1d8414
  • Wearden AJ, Morriss RK, Mullis R, Strickland PL, Pearson DJ, Appleby L, Campbell IT, Morris JA. (1998). Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment trial of fluoxetine and graded exercise for chronic fatigue syndrome (vol 172, pg 485, 1998). BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, 173, eScholarID:1d8412

1997

  • Morriss RK, Wearden AJ, Battersby L. (1997). The relation of sleep difficulties to fatigue, mood and disability in chronic fatigue syndrome. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH, 42, 6, eScholarID:1d8417
  • Wearden AJ, Appleby L. (1997). Cognitive performance and complaints of cognitive impairment in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE, 27, 1, eScholarID:1d8418
  • Wearden JH, Wearden AJ, Rabbitt PMA. (1997). Age and IQ effects on stimulus and response timing. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY-HUMAN PERCEPTION AND PERFORMANCE, 23, 4, eScholarID:1d8416

1996

  • Wearden AJ, Appleby L. (1996). Research on cognitive complaints and cognitive functioning in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): What conclusions can we draw? JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH, 41, 3, eScholarID:1d8419

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