Dr Hope Christie (BSc Psychology, MRes Psychology, PhD)
Teaching Fellow in Clinical Psychology
Contact details
- Email: hchrist5@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
-
Doorway 6
Old Medical School
Teviot Place
EH8 9AG - City
- Post code
Background
I am currently a teaching fellow in the Department of Clinical Psychology.
My area of expertise is looking at parents who have experienced a trauma and have developed post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of this experience. My interests are around understanding how PTSD and parent mental health can affect the parent (as an individual), as well as their parenting behaviours and the wider family dynamic. I have mixed methodology experience utilising a number of different methods during my PhD and post-doctoral work, which includes:
- Quantitative data collection and analysis
- Interviews and focus groups
- Observational data
- Photovoice
My research also works across different countries and contexts, having previously worked with trauma exposed parents in both the United Kingdom and South Africa.
Qualifications
University of Bath, 2015 – 2019 Doctorate of Philosophy in Psychology Thesis title: ‘An Investigation of Parental PTSD: How and Why Parental Trauma Impacts the Parent and the Family Dynamic’
Queen Margaret University, 2013 – 2014 Masters in Research (MRes) Masters, with Distinction
Queen Margaret University, 2009 – 2013 Degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours in Psychology, Upper Second Class Division
Open to PhD supervision enquiries?
Yes
Research summary
I am currently interested in the following topics:
- Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Parent mental health and wellbeing
- Parental PTSD
- Parenting behaviours and the parent-child relationship
- Family dynamic and family systems
- Male/father mental health
- Global mental health and trauma exposure
- Trauma exposure and PTSD in LMICs
Knowledge exchange
2021 Co-lead a roundtable discussion with members of the public, charity organisations, teachers and practitioners discussing the impact of Covid-19 on children with Intellectual Disabilities and their families.
2021 Involved in discussions with the Department of Education (England and Northern Ireland) as well as other civil servants to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on parents and carers in the United Kingdom
2021 Commissioned a radio play to be broadcast in S. Africa, on the topic of trauma experience in parents and where to seek support in the community. I led on networking with playwrights, producers; and managed the South African team in script feedback and liaising with community radio stations.
2021 Co-lead a rapid review for the Department of Education and SAGE on the impact of COVID-19 on parents and carers in the United Kingdom
2021 Public Q and A on Trauma and Depression, hosted by University of Edinburgh
2020 Podcast interview with Dr Kathy Weston: ‘Get a Grip’ Parenting Podcast
2020 Knowledge Exchange activity with social workers at the Trauma Centre, South Africa
2018 Co-design and co-development of web-based resource for parents (https://childtraumarecovery.com/). This involved meeting with a number of professionals including hospital staff, nurses, academics and clinical psychologists.
2018 Delivered talk to sixth-form students about higher education and research
2017 Ran a community led forum in Khayelitsha, South Africa, sharing research findings and having an open dialogue with community members about directions of future research
Past project grants
2021 ESRC Impact Acceleration Grant: Festival of Social Science 2021
Collaborative funding with Dr Gillespie-Smith, Grace Khawam, Dr Goodall and Dr McConachie
2021 Napier University Public Engagement Fund
Joint funding was awarded as a collaborative effort between colleagues at Napier University and Dr Hope Christie.
2020 Global Challenges Research Fellowship
Fully funded, highly competitive fellowship enabled by the University of Edinburgh’s Scottish Funding Council allocation from Global Challenges Research Fund.
2017 ESRC Institutional Visit Grant
Award for international institutional visit between University of Bath and Stellenbosch University, South Africa
2016 ESRC Overseas Fieldwork Grant
Award for fieldwork costs for data collection in South Africa
2015 Economic Social Research Council
Award of a fully funded PhD studentship from the ESRC