Northumbria Psychology Bulletin

Vol 2 Issue 1 - Welcome to the Issue (Guest Editorial)

Andrew Scholey — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to this second edition of Northumbria Psychology Bulletin which showcases the outstanding research conducted by our Psychology students at all levels, both on campus and remote. Having returned to Northumbria following a seventeen year absence, I am struck by the transformation of the research infrastructure and culture during the intervening period. This bulletin is a perfect example of that upward trajectory in Psychology research excellence. The quality of papers in this volume is a testament to the staff and students in the School of Psychology, as is the range of subject matter and methodologies. The papers in this issue include: a cross-sectional, quantitative investigation into the impact of gratitude writing; an examination of the influence of atypical sensory processing on autistic and ADHD traits; a qualitative exploration of the efficacy of online mental health interventions; and assessment of the effectiveness of a brief checklist for mitigating attentional blindness in radiology. Taken together, these papers reflect both the methodological breadth and the applied aspects of our Psychology degrees. Each study also has clear benefits with respect to impact on, and engagement with, relevant communities. To echo the editorial from Volume 1 of this series, it is particularly impressive that this bulletin exists because of continued student engagement beyond the degree. While there are institutional benefits from distinguishing our students with respect to research track record, clearly this bulletin stems from the intrinsic personal motivation to take self-initiated research ideas through to publication. I am sure that this volume will stimulate and engage readers and form part of a highly successful series.

Gratitude writing for positive and negative affect: moderation by life satisfaction

Samuel J. P. Wyre — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Gratitude writing interventions have been found to enhance wellbeing; however, these effects may not be equally effective for everyone. A moderator of interest is life satisfaction. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of a gratitude writing intervention on positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). The other aim of the present study was to explore the moderating role of life satisfaction on the effect of a gratitude writing intervention on PA and NA. A cross-sectional, quantitative design was employed. A convenience sample of 90 participants, aged over 18 from the general population, were recruited. Participants completed two self-report questionnaires: the Satisfaction with Life Scale to measure life satisfaction and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to measure PA and NA. Participants were randomised to a gratitude writing condition (n = 44), where they expressed gratitude to a person that had changed their life and wrote how that made them feel, or a control writing condition (n = 46), before repeating the PANAS. There was no significant effect found for the gratitude writing intervention on PA and NA, relative to the control condition. There was no significant effect found for the moderator of life satisfaction, possibly due to the length of the gratitude writing. This study demonstrates that further research is required into how life satisfaction moderates gratitude writing, and to assess under what conditions gratitude interventions are most effective. Studies should use a larger sample and a larger dosage.

Autistic and ADHD Traits and their Relationships with Atypical Sensory Processing and Anxiety

Oliver Wilson-Dickson, Joanna Greer — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently co-occur and show a positive correlation when examined as traits in the general population. Both are associated with anxiety, and Atypical Sensory Processing (ASP) may play a role in this relationship. A cross-sectional design was used to examine ASP as a mediator between autistic / ADHD traits and anxiety and explore the role of ASP in their shared variance. A total of 224 adults from the general population completed self-report surveys of ADHD traits, autistic traits, ASP, and anxiety. All measures correlated positively, and ASP was a partial mediator between autistic traits and anxiety and between ADHD traits and anxiety. In a partial correlation, ASP accounted for the majority of the shared variance between ADHD and autistic traits. Mediation of anxiety via ASP appeared to stem from the shared variance between ADHD and autism but not their unique variance. These results highlight the importance of considering ASP as a source of anxiety for those with higher autistic and ADHD traits. ASP is suggested as a transdiagnostic factor that may help explain the high co-occurrence of ADHD and autism. Areas for further research are discussed.

Exploring the Experience and Efficacy of Online Interventions for Mental Health: A Qualitative Study

Serene Husseini, Claire Murphy-Morgan — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Remote care for a range of mental health needs is now increasingly offered using online support. Understanding the benefits and challenges of receiving remote mental healthcare, from the perspectives of individuals accessing support, is important for considering the development of future interventions. In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who were receiving two or more online mental health support interventions. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and gain meaningful interpretations of these experiences. These data revealed advantages and challenges regarding receiving online support for disorders such as anxiety and depression. Three key themes (‘accessibility of treatment’; ‘therapeutic process’; ‘options and choices’) were identified, which related to the accessibility of online support, the therapeutic process with regards to the role of the therapist and expectations of the intervention recipient, and the individual options and choices. These results suggest that the increased availability of psychological interventions (through telephone and videoconferencing platforms), and establishing remote therapeutic relationships, contributes to the effective delivery of these services. In this study, participants considered online support to be largely advantageous, however, many participants had the view that online support should remain supplementary or act as a gateway to face-to-face support. Future mental health services could be improved by increasing options and the length of support where possible, as a ‘hybrid’ approach might allow for more flexibility and better meet individual needs.

Inattentional blindness in radiology: a concise checklist approach

Christopher Lavender, Joanna Greer — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Inattentional blindness has been identified as a partial cause for missed diagnoses among radiologists. Missed findings present a significant challenge as they can have clinical implications for patients. This study investigated the effectiveness of a four-item concise medical checklist in reducing inattentional blindness among radiologists when interpreting chest computed tomography (CT) scans. Thirty-two radiologists participated in the study: an experimental group (with the checklist, n = 18) and a control group (no checklist, n = 14). Participants were instructed to read seven chest CT stacks (one practice case and six experimental cases), and to mark all lung nodules ≥3 mm. In the final CT stack, a breast cancer mass and lymphadenopathy served as the inattentional blindness stimuli. Lung nodule detection was marginally higher in the control group (62%) than in the experimental group (55%), but this difference was not statistically significant. Almost 80% of radiologists in both groups failed to report the breast cancer mass, whilst lymphadenopathy identification was at chance level in both the control (50%) and experimental (58%) groups. Group comparisons for both analyses were also non-significant. These findings suggest that a concise medical checklist may not be an effective solution to mitigate inattentional blindness among radiologists when interpreting chest CT scans. Further research and alternative approaches are warranted to address diagnostic errors in medical imaging resulting from inattentional blindness.