PhD Studentship in NIHR ARC NENC & NIHR SPHR: From Hidden Harms to Early Intervention: Exploring Adolescent and Family Perspectives on Gaming, Gambling and Mental Health to Inform School-based Prevention

Award summary

100% of home tuition fees paid and an annual stipend (living expenses) of £21,805 (2026-27 UKRI rate). Additional funding provided for research costs and travel. 

Overview

The UK Gambling Act 2005 expanded commercial gambling into online and digital spaces. Concurrently, gaming and gambling have converged through features such as loot boxes, skins, and social casino mechanics, which embed chance-based rewards in games and are linked to gambling-related harms and psychological distress. As video gaming is highly prevalent among young people, these features have the potential to affect adolescents. Early exposure within the family context may heighten vulnerability, as gambling behaviours introduced in childhood are significant predictors of later-life gambling harm. Evidence remains limited regarding how adolescents and families understand these experiences, their effects on mental health, and how emerging harms are recognised and addressed.

This PhD adopts a multi-methods design to explore adolescents’, parents’, school staff’s, and relevant health and community workforce stakeholders’ experiences and understandings of gaming, gambling, and mental health. It will examine how risk, harm, and wellbeing are recognised across home, school, and community settings, and how experiences vary across socioeconomic and family circumstances. It will identify acceptable, feasible, and meaningful school-based prevention and early intervention approaches and generate evidence-informed resources.

Students will undertake an 8-week placement as part of their studies.

Number of awards: 1

Start date: January 2027

Award duration: 3.5 years including placement. Please contact us for part-time options.

Sponsor

NIHR ARC: NENC & NIHR SPHR

Supervisors

Katie Thomson

Eileen Kaner

Andrew Richardson

Liam Spencer

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for this studentship, you will need at least an upper second-class honours bachelors degree, and a masters degree (in a relevant subject) or equivalent professional experience.

A qualitative background and/or an interest working with young people would be beneficial.

This studentship is only available to applicants with a Home fee status (UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status and meet the residency criteria).

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

In ‘Course choice’ tab, click ‘Search Course’ put ‘Postgraduate Research’ in 'Type of Study', ‘Full Time’ in ‘Mode of Study’, ‘2026’ in ‘Year of Entry’, ‘January’ in ‘Month of Entry – Intake’, code ‘8370F’ in ‘Course Title’, blank in ‘Research Area’. 

Press ‘Search’, select ‘PhD Population Health Sciences (FT)’, and click ‘Save selection.’  

Either upload a document or write into the ‘Personal Statement’ section.

Put code ‘ARC4’ in ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’. When prompted for research proposal, select ‘Write Proposal’. Type in the title of the research project from this advert. A research proposal is not required. You can also upload a covering letter and CV, stating how your interests and experience relate to the project.

You must submit one application per studentship, you cannot apply for multiple studentships on one application.

Contact Details

Dr Katie Thomson

Population Health Sciences, Newcastle University

Email: katie.thomson@newcastle.ac.uk

If you have any technical queries about submitting your application via the Apply to Newcastle Portal, please use our FAQs 

Advert information