PhD Studentship - The Development and Feasibility of Attentional Bias Modification Training with Adults Who Have Intellectual Disabilities

The Centre for Educational Development Appraisal and Research (CEDAR) at the University of Warwick, in collaboration with Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust (http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/cedar/) has a fully funded full time PhD scholarship available for  entry before March 2023. This studentship is a partnership with the NHS through the Warwick Industrial Fellowship scheme.

The studentship is for full-time study and open only to applicants who meet the University of Warwick’s criteria for home/EU PhD fees. The studentship covers PhD study fees and an annual stipend at the level recommended by the UK Research & Innovation (UKRI). The maintenance grant is currently £17,668 per year (£1,472.33 per month) for academic year 2022/23[1]. The successful student will be based at the University of Warwick in Coventry.

The studentship funding is available for 3.5 years. Thus, applicants should already have completed (or almost completed) a relevant research-intensive Master’s degree or have at least the equivalent level of research experience. Applicants’ first degrees are expected to be of an upper second-class honours level as a minimum, and must be in a relevant discipline – Psychology, or a closely related discipline.   Experience with working with computers and coding is essential.  The successful student will be supervised by Professor Peter Langdon and Professor Kylie Gray.

The proposed PhD will involve three related studies.  The first will involve the further development and adaptation of cognitive bias modification protocols using visual stimuli collaboratively with adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health professionals. The use of techniques that are not as reliant on verbal communication have the potential to be more acceptable for use with people with intellectual disabilities.   The second will involve modelling the intervention with a group of adults with intellectual disabilities to collect some initial data to allow us to further refine the intervention.   The final study will take the form of a feasibility study and process evaluation to test the intervention further.

Informal enquiries can be directed to Professor Peter Langdon (Peter.Langdon@warwick.ac.uk)

Closing date for applications: 4pm UK time on Tuesday 7^th February 2023.

To apply, please send a single document (pdf or MS Word) containing: a cover letter detailing your interest in and suitability for the studentship, a full academic CV, and the names and contact details of two academic referees who can comment on your suitability for PhD study. The application document should be submitted to diana.smith@warwick.ac.uk

INTERVIEWS:  TBC.

[1] UKRI

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