Forensic and clinical science group

We are a dynamic hub for research, specialist teaching, and consultancy within the area of forensic and clinical psychology.

We seek to advance psychological theory and knowledge in legal and wellbeing contexts and to address real-world issues by developing and testing evidence-based interventions and solutions.

Psychologists in this research group work closely with local and international external agencies such as police forces, prisons, charities, and NHS Trusts.

Group members

• Fiona Gabbert (group leader)
• Gordon Wright
• Adrian Scott
• Caoimhe McAnen
• Lucy Oldfield
• Lorna Goddard
• Ashok Jansari
• Rebecca Charlton

Research highlights

Outputs

• Powell, A., Scott, A.J., & Henry, N. (2020). Digital harassment and abuse: Experiences of sexuality and gender minority adults. European Journal of Criminology, 17(2), 199-223
• Gabbert, F, Hope, L, Luther, K, Wright, G, Ng, M, Oxburgh, G. (2020). Exploring the use of rapport in professional information-gathering contexts by systematically mapping the evidence base. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 35(2), 329-341
• Davies, E., Read, J., & Shevlin, M. (2021).  Childhood adversities among students at an English University: A latent class analysis.  Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, in press
• Florez, E., Cohen, K., Ferenczi, N., Linnell, K. J., Lloyd, J., Goddard, L., Kumashiro, M., & Freeman, J. (2020). Linking recent discrimination-related experiences and wellbeing via social cohesion and resilience. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 4(1), 92-104
• Hørlyck, L.D., Obenhausen, K., Jansari, A., Ullum, H., Miskowiak, K.W. (2021). Virtual reality assessment of daily life executive functions in affective disorders: associations with neuropsychological and functional measures. Journal of Affective Disorders

Grants

• Fiona Gabbert is working with colleagues Laura Farrugia (Sunderland University) and Gavin Oxburgh (Northumbria University) to develop a secure computer programme - The Forensic Interview Trace (FIT)© - designed to record the structure, content, and characteristics of a forensic interview, funded by a Defence and Security Accelerator grant
• Fiona Gabbert and colleagues, Ruth Horry (Swansea University) and Lorraine Hope (University of Portsmouth) have been awarded a grant from the Road Safety Trust to develop a Self-Administered Interview to capture the best information from witnesses to serious road traffic collisions
• Adrian Scott is part of a team investigating Revenge pornography with funding from an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant

Research dissemination

• Alice Jones Bartoli has been interviewed for ACAMH podcast
• Fiona Gabbert presented a talk titled ‘Exploring the use of rapport in professional information-gathering contexts’ to the Deception Research Society
• Ashok Jansari has developed a series of free public talks on a range of topics in psychology/neuroscience
• Fiona Gabbert advised on the development and drafting of New Principles on Effective Interviewing for Investigations and Information Gathering (the Méndez Principles) that will support the United Nations in the legal prohibition of torture and coercive interrogation practices

Find out more

Send us an email if you'd like to talk to us about our research, discuss potential collaborations, or to join our mailing list to hear about upcoming events - FPU (@gold.ac.uk).