David Gillanders
Senior Lecturer

Contact details
Background
I graduated from City University in London and trained in clinical psychology at the University of Glasgow, qualifying in 2000. My major research thesis was an experimental study investigating repetitive information processing in depression.
After qualifying I worked for NHS Ayrshire, spending part of the time in a community mental health team and part of the time in a district general hospital treating individuals who had been referred from a wide range of medical specialties and in particular chronic pain services.
I joined the University of Edinburgh in October 2004 and until August 2012 spent half the week working for the University and the other part of the week working for NHS Lothian Chronic Pain Service. I now work full time for the University.
My main theoretical interest is in contextual behavioural approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT, said as one word, rather than three letters).
I am one of only a handful of Peer Reviewed Trainers in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the UK and can provide training to other organisations in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, through an arrangement via Edinburgh Innovation. Please email me to enquire further.
Qualifications
University of Glasgow, 2000, DClinPsy
City University, London, 1994, BSc (HONS) Psychology
Responsibilities & affiliations
School Academic Workload Allocation Model Lead
British Psychological Society Chartered Psychologist
Health and Care Professions Council Registered Practitioner Clinical Psychologist
Association for Contextual Behavioural Science Founding Member
Association for Contextual Behavioural Science Fellow
Former President of the ACBS UK & ROI Chapter
Former ACBS Training Committee Chair
Postgraduate teaching
- DClinPsychol, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- DClinPsychol, Research Tutorials
Open to PhD supervision enquiries?
No
Research summary
I lead a research programme in clinical health psychology, focused on a variety of long term health conditions and investigating different theoretical perspectives on psychological factors in long term conditions. This research strategy supports thesis projects for DClinPsychol students, and PhD students.
These projects have investigated adjustment and acceptance in long term health conditions, including pain, breast cancer, HIV, diabetes and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This programme of research has investigated relationships between appraisals, acceptance, adjustment, emotion regulation and how these relate to emotional and behavioural function.
Current research interests
The majority of my research activity comes through the supervision and mentorship of Trainee Clinical Psychologists and PhD students. Many of these research collaborations lead to publication and presentation, for a list of publications and conference presentations see below. Our research programme has two main overlapping strands: living effectively with illness, including persistent and terminal illness and theory and measurement in acceptance and commitment therapy. These research themes have led to studies and collaborative projects in the area of chronic pain, cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, breast cancer, prostate cancer and palliative care. In addiiton, we have published a well validated measure of cognitive fusion. A developing area that I am currently working on is the empirical evaluation of ACT training, and the application of ACT to Palliative and Supportive care.Affiliated research centres
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Feasibility of RESTORE: An online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy intervention to improve palliative care staff wellbeing
(13 pages)
In:
Palliative Medicine, pp. 1-13
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/02692163221143817
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Research Evaluating Staff Training Online for Resilience (RESTORE): Protocol for a single-arm feasibility study of an online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy intervention to improve staff wellbeing in palliative care settings
(16 pages)
In:
AMRC Open Research
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12688/amrcopenres.13035.2
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The impact of group emotion regulation interventions on emotion regulation ability: A systematic review
In:
Journal of Clinical Medicine, vol. 11
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11092519
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
Caring for someone with an acquired brain injury: The role of psychological flexibility
(14 pages)
In:
Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, vol. 23, pp. 151-164
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.01.005
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Self-compassion in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for chronic pain: A pilot study
In:
Scandinavian Journal of Pain
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2021-0214
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Brief Engagement and Acceptance Coaching for Hospice Settings (the BEACHeS study): Results from a Phase I study of acceptability and initial effectiveness in people with non-curative cancer
(13 pages)
In:
BMC palliative care, vol. 20
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-021-00801-7
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Psychological flexibility and fear of recurrence in prostate cancer
In:
European Journal of Cancer Care, vol. 30
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.13483
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The experiences of palliative care professionals and their responses to work-related stress: A qualitative study
In:
British Journal of Health Psychology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12565
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Behind the masks: A cross-sectional study on intolerance of uncertainty, perceived vulnerability to disease and psychological flexibility in relation to anxiety and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic
(11 pages)
In:
Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, vol. 22, pp. 52-62
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2021.09.003
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Psychometric properties of the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire in females with fibromyalgia
(11 pages)
In:
Current psychology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02214-4
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print)