Thursday, 5 November 2015

Research Seminar: Lisa Marzano, Middlesex University

Date: Thursday 19th November
Time: 16:00 - 17:00
Location: Barn 2


Title: The Application of mHealth to Mental Health: Opportunities and Challenges

Biography:
Lisa Marzano is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Middlesex University, specialising in suicide and mental health research.  She currently leads the QUEST study (http://www.thequeststudy.org/), a project commissioned by Samaritans to inform new approaches to suicide prevention; the INSIGHT collaboration (http://insight.mdx.ac.uk/), which is concerned with the application of technological innovations to mental health research and clinical practice; and research with colleagues at the Glasgow University Suicidal Behaviour Research Lab investigating public attitudes towards self-injury. Further areas of interest include suicide in prisons, gatekeeper training for emergency services, and portrayal of suicidal behaviour in traditional and ‘new’ media.

Abstract:
Smartphones and other wearable digital technologies are increasingly able to gather real-time behavioural, physiological, and psychosocial data in relatively precise and unobtrusive ways. This includes information about people’s moods, cognitions and activities, as well as automated data about their whereabouts, behaviour and physiological states (including GPS location, physical activity, sleep, heart rate and heart rate variability).
Drawing on recent and ongoing research, I will discuss the potential of mobile health applications (‘mHealth apps’) and self-tracking devices, both as data gathering tools in mental health research, and potential adjuncts to traditional intervention methods (e.g. for personalised mood monitoring and bio-feedback mechanisms). The potential risks and key challenges associated with applying mHealth to mental health will also be discussed.

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