Dr Linda O'Neill
Senior Lecturer
Linda is the Disability Link Tutor for the School and is very proactive in addressing any concerns raised by students or colleagues relating to their studies, often looking at ways to remove barriers completely. Linda is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Chartered member of the British Psychological Society. Her areas of speciality are in Developmental Psychology, with a keen focus on Parenting Psychology, Identity and Diversity and Research Methods. Her research interests are primarily involved are in Developmental and Clinical Psychology and the application of these psychological theories to the siblings of individuals with disabilities.
Linda’s main teaching area is in Developmental Psychology. She teaches this at undergraduate and postgraduate level, where she is module leader. Linda leads the module for Psychology of Parenting and teaches on the Psychology of Identity, Community and Diversity, Research Methods, Child and Adolescent Development and Family Lifestyle and Transition. Linda supervises Dissertation students at Undergraduate and Postgraduate level. Linda has been nominated by the students at the Above and Beyond Awards for the Most Outstanding PAT and Mentor and the Most Inspiring Lecturer.
Linda’s research examines the long-term effect of disabilities upon adult siblings and the reasons behind the increased propensity of some of these siblings towards anxiety and depression. Perceived parenting, adult attachment styles, personality traits and the impact of different disability types are some of the areas that are explored. This is a relatively understudied area and consequently Linda hopes to recognize potential problematic areas in order to inform future interventions or clinical therapies to try to ensure the future wellbeing of these siblings. Linda primarily uses quantitative research methods.
Journal articles
O’Neill, L.P, & Murray, L.E. (2016). Anxiety and Depression Symptomatology in Adult Siblings of Individuals with Different Developmental Disability Diagnoses. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 52, 116 -125. Doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2015.12.017
O’Neill, L.P, & Murray, L.E. (2016). Perceived parenting styles fail to mediate between anxiety and attachment styles in adult siblings of individuals with developmental disabilities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46, 3144-3154. Doi: 10.1007/s10803-016-2859-5
Murray, l.E., & O’Neill, L.P. (2019). Neuroticism and extraversion mediate the relationship between having a sibling with developmental disabilities and anxiety and depression symptoms. Journal of Affective Disorders, 243, 232 -240. Doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.09.042
Conference Papers
O’Neill, L.P., & Keane, K. (2019). “Parental wellbeing: Stress, Parental Sense of Competence, Social Support and Hope in parents of children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Poster presented at Seattle Club Conference. University College London.
O’Neill, L.P., & Murray, L.E. (2018). “Does self-esteem and social support mediate the relationship between having a sibling with disabilities and anxiety and depression?” Paper presented at Seattle Club Conference. University College Shrewsbury.
O’Neill, L.P., & Murray, L.E. (2016). “The comparative risk of divorce between families with different disability diagnoses and typically developing families.” Poster presented at Seattle Club Conference. University of Glasgow.
O’Neill, L.P., & Murray, L.E. (2015). “Anxiety and depression symptomatology in adult siblings of individuals with different developmental disability diagnoses.” Poster presented at Seattle Club Conference. University of Cardiff.
O’Neill, L., Carroll, J., Kirkham, J., & Yilmaz, M. (2015). “Students – switch your mobiles on!” Teaching enhancing student engagement. Paper presented at SPE - Staff Conference, University of Chester.
O’Neill, L., Carroll, J., Kirkham, J., & Yilmaz, M. (2014). Enhancing the student experience. Paper presented at HEA Stem Annual Learning and Teaching Conference: Enhancing the STEM Student Journey, Edinburgh.
Linda was awarded a first class degree in Psychology from the University of Liverpool. Then, after undertaking further study, she was awarded her PhD ‘Anxiety and depression symptomatology in adult siblings of disabled individuals: The role of perceived parenting, attachment, personality traits and disability types’ from the University of Liverpool. In 2006 Linda was awarded the Louise Higgins Psychology Prize and in 2007 she was awarded the University Prize. Linda is a chartered member of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.