Our research
Find out about our mental health research, which has a positive impact on society.
Research focus and expertise
Our key research focus is the development and testing of innovative psychological interventions to treat mental ill-health in children, adolescents, working-age adults and older people.
This research is supported by significant funding and is carried out in randomised trials at various sites.
Our researchers have expertise in mood and anxiety disorders, OCD, autism, psychosis, substance use, youth mental health and dementia.
Explore our Sussex Mental Health Research Centre Padlet.
Research areas
Our main fields of mental health research are:
Lifespan mental health
We develop and evaluate interventions across the evolution of mental ill-health, considering complexity and co-morbidity.
Youth mental health
We investigate the factors that predict transitions from health and well-being to mental ill-health, including mood and anxiety disorders and severe mental illness such as psychosis.
Community impact
Our research addresses the intersections of physical health, burden, deprivation, and stigma in our local communities.
Research themes
Our novel research themes include:
- mental wellbeing and prevention research which addresses the interplay between: family relationships, childrearing practices, adversity and genetics, stigma and discrimination, public health, wellbeing, and parenting interventions on children's mental health and social and emotional function
- a new global mental health programme that develops, adapts, and delivers culturally-specific interventions and therapy training programmes in low and middle-income countries such as India and Malaysia
- digital mental health research, including the development and delivery of blended interventions and approaches across mental ill-health and wellbeing and prevention. Our experimental use of digital platforms and virtual reality illuminates mechanisms for better mental health, while our use of big data enables patient identification as well as epidemiological, mechanistic and targeted mental health research, and NHS Mental Health Quality improvement.
We use robust clinical, social, developmental and cognitive theories, basic neuroscience, advanced research methods, and analytical techniques to achieve enhanced mental health outcomes.
Research groups
The Sussex Mental Health Research Centre is associated with the following groups:
Sussex Psychosis Research interest Group (SPRiG)
SPRiG incorporates clinical and academic researchers within the University of Sussex, Brighton and Sussex Medical School and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. SPRiG supports research conducted in the Psychotic experiences research theme within Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The group is part of the Clinical Research Group at the University of Sussex.
MARS is a collaboration between Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT), University of Sussex and Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS). This theme includes research concerning the role of mood in mental health and wellbeing. It encompasses research into a variety of mental health conditions, including bipolar, affective and anxiety conditions.
Subject groups our members represent
Our researchers are involved in the following groups:
- Biological Psychology: This group delves into the neural and physiological mechanisms underlying emotion, learning, appetite, taste, memory, addiction, the adolescent brain and poor mental health. It also studies the effects of ageing on the brain.
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Clinical Psychology: The focus here is on mental health and wellbeing. This group works on developing and evaluating psychological interventions to improve mental health outcomes and enhance the quality of life for people with psychological disorders.
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Cognitive Psychology: Researchers in this group explore the intricacies of thinking, memory, language, sensation, perception, attention, communication, and consciousness.
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Developmental Psychology: This group examines the psychological growth and changes that occur throughout the human lifespan. They focus on how people develop cognitively, emotionally, and socially from infancy to old age.
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Social and Applied Psychology: The research undertaken by this group looks into self-affirmation, emotion regulation, body image, culture, self and identity, crowds, consumers, health, and prosocial behaviour. This group applies psychological principles to understand and address social issues and promote positive social change.