Dr Zara Brodie
Lecturer in Applied Psychology
Contact details
- Email: Zara.Brodie@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Old Medical School
Teviot Place - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH8 9AG
Background
Following completion of my MSc in Forensic Psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University in 2011, I undertook my PhD in Psychology at Queen Margaret University (2013-2017). My PhD focused on “Adult Attachment, Anger Regulation and Aggression: Individual Differences in the Experience and Expression of Anger”. Towards the end of my PhD, I was appointed as a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of West of Scotland (2016-2022) before being appointed as a lecturer in Applied Psychology at the University of Edinburgh in August 2022.
Undergraduate teaching
Course Organiser – Psychological Perspectives in Health and Care
Postgraduate teaching
Course Organiser – Psychological Therapies
Dissertation Supervisor - MSc Mental Health (Psychology Conversion)
Dissertation Supervisor - MSc Mental Health in Children and Young People: Psychological Approaches
Open to PhD supervision enquiries?
Yes
Research summary
My research focus lies widely on the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on development and later functioning, with a specific focus on links between poor early relationships and attachments, and maladaptive behaviours in adulthood (e.g. aggression, risky behaviour). I am currently working on projects exploring links between insecure attachment, emotion regulatory deficits, and various forms of aggression including physical, cyber and intimate partner aggression - from both a perpetration and victimisation perspective. At present, I'm working with Police Scotland on projects exploring police officer experiences of trauma-informed training procedures and their attitudes towards the so-called ‘ACEs movement’. I am also interested in exploring trauma-informed practice in other sectors, including primary and higher education.
Knowledge exchange
2022 ‘Victims and Trauma – The Impact of Trauma Training’, invited seminar for the NHS Scotland Forensic Network
2022 ‘Locked Down: The Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Domestic Abuse’, Eventbrite seminar targeted at professionals, policymakers and the public.
2022 ‘Experts: Domestic abuse behind closed doors has become a shadow pandemic’, expert interview with The Sunday Post about the challenges in tackling domestic abuse in the UK. https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/domestic-abuse-pandemic/
2022 Press coverage on the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on domestic abuse:
• The Times, The Herald, The Scotsman, Sunday Post, Edinburgh Evening News, The National, Aberdeen Evening News, Care Appointments, The i newspaper, The Daily Record, The Independent, Yahoo News, The Press and Journal, The Courier, AlphaGalileo, Phys.org, Renfrewshire 24. E.g., https://www.scotsman.com/news/crime/domestic-abusers-weaponised-government-restrictions-to-control-victims-3571183
2021 ‘Sexting and Cyber Coercion in Young People: Risk and Prevention’, invited expert seminar for the Centre for Excellence in Action Against Stalking (CAAS).
2019 ‘The motivators, benefits and consequences of sexting in early adulthood’, ESRC Festival of Social Sciences event
Project activity
Recent projects include on-going investigations into attachment-related differences in the regulation of anger and expression of aggression, exploring police officer understanding of adverse childhood experiences and attitudes towards trauma-informed practice in collaboration with Police Scotland, and working with several UK-based domestic abuse charities to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on those living with domestic abuse, and children and young people within the home, in the UK.
Current project grants
Goodall, K., Gillespie-Smith, K., & Brodie, Z. P. (2021). Trauma-aware policing in the custody suite: an in-depth case study. SIPR Future of Policing Grant (successful; £16,078).
Brodie, Z. P., Hawkins, R., & MacLean, C. (2021). Exploring the experiences of domestic abuse helpline staff and service users during COVID-19 lockdown. ESRC/UKRI Rapid COVID-19 Response Fund (successful, £40,950).
Past project grants
Brodie, Z. P., Hawkins, R., & MacLean, C. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 on domestic abuse helpline provision: Perspectives from helpline staff. UWS Crucible Research Fund (successful, £3,539).
Scott, G., Boyle, E., Baxter, G., Brodie, Z. P., Bruce, G., Keir, P. & Simpson, A. (2019). Developing a Graduate Employability Skills App. Erasmus+ (successful, £244,135.00).
Gillespie-Smith, K., Brodie, Z. P. (Co-PI), Goodall, K., & Collins, K. (2018) Moving towards Trauma-Informed policing: An exploration of police officer knowledge and attitudes regarding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). SIPR Police Community Relations Collaborative Projects fund (successful; £19,284).