Our Research & Projects

Workstream Lead: Dr Lee Hulbert-Williams

Over the past fifteen years, Lee has led on a wide range of psychometric measurement research projects, for a range of different populations, and psychological outcomes. The importance of developing and validating robust and accurate ways to measure psychological constructs and behaviour — for both clinical practice and for use in research — led us to identify psychological measurement as one of our core work streams in the Centre.

Our completed projects over the last few years have led to publication of the following measures, all of which are free to use and in the public domain:

> the Bangor Life Events Schedule for Intellectual Disabilities (BLESID)

> the British-English version of the Food Craving Inventory (FCI-UK)

> the Mindful Eating Scale (MES)

> the Psychological Impact of Cancer Scale (PIC)

Current Projects

 Testing the psychometric validity of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire: The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II; Bond et al. 2011) is the most widely used measure of psychological flexibility. Whilst there is existing evidence of its reliability and validity, some psychometric questions remain. By combining Item Response Theory (IRT) with more traditional psychometric approaches, we aimed to further validate the measure and outline an ultra-brief version suitable for daily recording in both research and practice. Project Lead: Lee Hulbert-Williams

The Three Selves Scale: Relational Frame Theory (RFT) provides a function conceptualisation of the self that is tripartite; including self-as-content, self-as process, and self-as-context. Previously validated measures fail to psychometrically distinguish these three components, but a scale that does so is important for both research and applied practice. This study aims to develop the Three Selves Scale. Project Lead: Nick Hulbert-Williams

 The Multi-Attitudinal Stigma Scale: There are many scales that measure varying types of specific stigma (e.g. self-stigma, stigma toward mental illness, homonegativity, etc.). However, many of these are dated and use language not in common use today. Additionally, there is no modern scale that measures stigma toward many different populations in a flexible manner where the researcher can adjust the presentation of the scale to refer to one potentially stigmatised group or another. This study aims to create and validate a questionnaire that measures participants’ stigmatised attitudes towards any given population. Project Lead: Sabrina Norwood

Measuring self-authenticity: The concept of self-authenticity involves being aware of, and engaged with, personal values and values-based living. These are crucial constructs in psychological interventions, most notably in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This study aims to develop a novel psychometric that measures self-authenticity according to contemporary theoretical frameworks. Project Lead: Tim Cartwright

Improving our assessment of subjective wellbeing: One of Lee’s primary research interests is in subjective well-being — from stress and depression at one end of the continuum, to happiness and contentment at the other. However, there are very few psychometric tools that reliably capture both end of this continuum in a single measurement. This work aims to develop such a tool with both research and applied practice utility. Project Lead: Lee Hulbert-Williams

Recent Grants

Hulbert-Williams NJ, Hulbert-Williams SL, Swash B, Pendrous R & Joy J. Measuring the three selves: Development and initial validation of a quantitative psychometric scale. University of Chester: £1,915 (2018-2019).

Workstream Lead: Dr Kevin Hochard

Kevin has recently taken a lead on this developing workstream within the Centre, given his extensive knowledge and experience in experimental research methods. We are especially interested in using experimental science to test and develop components and exercises that might be used in applied psychology interventions. Much of our current work in this area is focussed on improving and evaluating values-clarification exercises.

Current Projects

 Integrating approach and avoidance to achieve valued living. People with higher levels of negative emotion often have difficulty problem solving and projecting themselves into the future. As such they may be biased towards negative evaluations of events, and less able to specify and elaborate their values prior to setting achievable goals, as is required in conventional values-clarification exercises. In this study we will develop and test the utility of a new values clarification exercise where participants (i) identify negative traits they want to avoid (e.g., being unkind) prior to (ii) using that negative descriptor to prompt identification of an opposing trait (a value to strive towards), and (iii) setting achievable goals in line with those identified values.

Project Lead: Kevin Hochard

Testing the equivalence of values clarification exercises in the laboratory setting. Values clarification exercises are used in ACT, Logotherapy, and other therapeutic/intervention approaches to help clients develop a stronger sense of coherence and purpose in life. A variety of exercises allows practitioners to select those deemed most client-appropriate. We are testing, comparatively, under controlled laboratory conditions, the equivalence of such exercises and differences in the resulting values identified.

Project Lead: Kevin Hochard

Appetitive augmental functions and common physical properties in metaphor effect. Relational Frame Theory (RFT) advocates that the tacit understanding of metaphorical language pertains to our ability to derive arbitrary relations when relevant contextual cues are specified. Previous experimental work has shown that the presence of additional cues within perseverance metaphors which specify common physical properties (e.g. “very cold”) encourages verbal generalisation to the cold pressor task, thus increasing pain tolerance (Sierra et al.,  2016). Testing an RFT conceptualization of metaphor aptness is important to ensure accurate understanding. We recently conducted an experimental replication of work in this area.

Project Lead: Rosie Pendrous

Recent Grants

 Hulbert-Williams L, Ashcroft S, Hochard K & Hulbert-Williams NJ. A novel test of combinatorial entailment in Relational Frame Theory. University of Chester: £3,311 (2017-18).

Hochard, K. D., Hulbert-Williams, L., & Townsend, E. Brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention to moderate the effects of low belongingness (Cyberball study). University of Chester: £3838 (2015-17).

Hulbert-Williams L, Hulbert-Williams NJ, Flynn S, Hochard K & Hooper N. Testing the generalisation of brief mindfulness instructions in the context of physical pain. University of Chester: £3,333 (2015-16).         

Hulbert-Williams NJ, Heaton-Brown L, McHugh R, Cousins M & Hulbert-Williams L. Improving audio-delivered mindfulness interventions: what type of voice do people prefer and find most effective? University of Chester: £4,399 (2013-15).

Workstream Lead: Prof Nick Hulbert-Williams

As a Professor of Behavioural Medicine, Nick leads our stream of work developing data-driven and theoretically-informed psychological interventions for the Centre. We are currently focussing on two programmes of applied work:

Suicide and Self-Harm

Dr Kevin Hochard’s research examines the links between sleep disorders (e.g. insomnia and nightmares) and suicidal behaviours. He is interested in the processes through which sleep can regulate mood and the impact of this regulation or lack thereof on waking life. He aims to develop brief behavioural interventions to tackle this important issue. Click here for more details.

Current Projects

Psychological flexibility as a moderator for known predictors of suicidality. Defeat, hopelessness, and hyper-arousal are commonly identified risk factors for suicidality. Third-wave therapeutic interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) have been show to build psychological flexibility, a behavioural tendency to persist toward valued ends and to accept difficult emotions and experiences with equanimity. This study aims to recruit a large sample for a cross-sectional, theoretical modelling study of these specific therapeutic process of as predictors of suicidality. Project Lead: Kevin Hochard

Cancer and End of Life Care

Prof Nick Hulbert-Williams leads a stream of research focussed on projects that will provide a better understanding of the psychological impact of a cancer or palliative care diagnosis (for patients and their families), and to developing interventions to improve wellbeing and quality of life in these patient groups by reducing unmet needs and distress.  Much of this work focuses on the application of third-wave psychological interventions within this setting. Click here for more details.

Current Projects

Transition after cancer: component mapping and intervention planning using contextual behavioural science. The period of end of treatment transition is psychologically stressful for cancer survivors; our previous research demonstrates that patients feel isolated and abandoned at this time, and risk of psychological disorders, for example anxiety and depression continues into survivorship. Current evidence for the effectiveness of psychological interventions is, however, poor. We are recruiting an international cohort of cancer survivors at the end of treatment who we will follow for a two-year period, to establish the kinds of psychological techniques that may help cancer survivors to return to a values-led and meaningful life after their treatment has finished. Project Lead: Nick Hulbert-Williams

Brief Engagement and Acceptance Coaching in Community and Hospice Settings (The BEACHeS Study): Finding out that cancer is no longer curable can be psychologically distressing for both patients and their family. The subsequent referral and transition into specialist palliative care services can be a time of uncertainty and fear. Some patients are reluctant to plan for their future and quality of life is often negatively affected. The BEACHeS study aimed to develop and pilot test a brief, manualised form of ACT to support people with cancer that can’t be cured as they transition into palliative care. Project Lead: Nick Hulbert-Williams

Evaluating Process and Effectiveness of a Low-Intensity CBT intervention for women with gynaecological cancer (The EPELIT Trial): One of our newest pilot trials is the EPELIT study, a non-randomised controlled trial of a low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy for women who are completing first-line treatment for gynaecological cancer. This is a group at high risk of psychological distress and poor survival and so working out to provide effective and affordable psychological support is paramount.  Project Lead: Nick Hulbert-Williams

Finding My Way UK: Online, web-based, psychological interventions are a cost-efficient way of supporting large numbers of people with their psychological problems. Finding My Way is a psycho-educational and cognitive-behavioural therapy based intervention developed for Australian cancer survivors. We are currently working on adapting this for the needs of people with an advance breast cancer diagnosis, and for use in the UK healthcare setting. Project Lead: Nick Hulbert-Williams

Preferences for psychological and supportive care in haematological cancer: We know that people diagnosed with, and treated for, haematological cancers have particularly high levels of distress and unmet supportive care needs. But they also access psychological and supportive care services less frequently. This study aims to understand why this is, and how these patients would like their needs to be better met. Project Lead: Brooke Swash

Recent Grants

Hulbert-Williams NJ, Hulbert-Williams L, Beatty L, Koczwara B, Ashley L, Coulson N, Hall P, Watson E & Millington S. Finding My Way UK: Adaptation and replication testing of the benefits of online psychological support for cancer survivors. North West Cancer Research: £294,646 (2020-2023).

Finucane A, Gillanders D, Spiller J, Swash B & Hulbert-Williams NJ. A psychological intervention to promote wellbeing in staff working in a palliative care setting: A development and feasibility study. Marie Curie UK: £9804 (2020-2021).

Beatty L, Koczwara B, Butow P, Girgis A, Schofield P, Turner MJ, Hulbert-Williams NJ, Coll J & Kaambwa B. Can a web-based psychological intervention for women with advanced breast cancer improve well-being and reduce health care use? Cancer Council South Australia: AUD$75,000 (2017-2020).

Hulbert-Williams NJ, Swash B, Gillanders D, Storey L, Patterson P, MacDonald F & Lambert S. Psychological transition after primary cancer treatment – component mapping and intervention planning using an Acceptance and Commitment Framework. University of Chester: £11,723 (2015-2020).

Hulbert-Williams NJ, Swash, B, Gillanders D, Spiller J, Finucane A, Strachen J, Millington S. Developing and pilot testing an evidence-based psychological intervention to enhance wellbeing and aid transition into palliative care. Macmillan Cancer Support Research Grants Scheme: £33,363 (2017-2018).

Hulbert-Williams NJ, Hulbert-Williams L, Swash B, Evans G, Price A, Offord E & MacDonald-Smith C. Evaluating process and effectiveness of a low-intensity CBT intervention for women with gynaecological cancer. University of Chester: £17,555 (2017-2019).

Wells M, MacAulay F, Patterson J, Hulbert-Williams NJ, Dougall N, McGarva J, Niblock P, Slaven E & Boa S. Improving quality of life and swallowing function in patients with head and neck cancer: Development and feasibility of a Swallowing Intervention Package. Chief Scientist Office, Scotland: £200,204 (2014-2016).

Our work is grounded in published frameworks for the development and implementation of complex interventions. As such we use a range of methodologies dependent on the state of existing evidence. This includes evidence synthesis and systematic reviewing, observational research, cohort studies and applied clinical trials.