News
8th July 2024
The third edition of our Health Psychology textbook has just been published. Find out more here.
24th June 2024
We're delighted that Georgina Wren has joined us as a new Research Fellow on our Cancer Research UK funded project investigating the effectiveness of two behaviour change interventions aimed at improving bowel cancer screening uptake.
18th June 2024
Congratulations to Naomi Kingston who has been awarded a Thomas Ward PhD Scholarship to research "Childhood trauma, stress and suicide risk: Advancing understanding of mechanisms of action", working with Daryl O'Connor and Andrew Prestwich.
3rd May 2024
Daryl is interviewed by the The Times about the effects of stress on health for a new article entitled "How stressed are you? 14 steps to beat burnout?"
17th April 2024
Many congratulations to Liz Travis for passing her PhD viva. Her thesis was entitled "Barriers and facilitators to colorectal cancer screening intention and uptake: Understanding and addressing patient and practitioner perspectives" and supervised by Daryl and Laura Ashley (Leeds Beckett University. Thanks also to the examiners Professor Katie Robb (University of Glasgow; external examiner), Professor Ronan O'Carroll (University of Stirling, external examiner) and Professor Mark Conner (internal examiner). Well done Liz!
15th April 2024
Research Fellow in Health Psychology
Do you have a background in Health Psychology? Are you interested in testing the effectiveness of a behaviour change intervention to increase bowel cancer screening uptake?
Come join us!
Deadline: 30th April 2024
https://jobs.leeds.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=MHPSY1121
3rd April 2024
New PhD studentship opportunity working with Daryl O'Connor and Andrew Prestwich entitled: "Childhood trauma, stress and suicide risk: Advancing understanding of mechanisms of action". More information here. Get in touch if you want to discuss further. Closes 23rd April 2024.
14th February 2024
New podcast: Daryl is interviewed by Nick Sheppard and Ruth Winden for their Research Culture Uncovered talking about his own journey through open research. Listen here.
12th February 2024
Daryl O'Connor and Mark Conner together with colleagues, Darren Greenwood (School of Medicine, University of Leeds) and Katie Robb (University of Glasgow), have been awarded a Cancer Research UK Early Detection & Diagnosis Project Award. This work will test the effectiveness of two promising behaviour change interventions to improve bowel cancer screening uptake.
9th February 2024
Third edition of our Health Psychology textbook now has a publication date. It'll be publised early in July 2024. More details here.
24th December 2023
Here's my Annual Christmas Quiz 2023
Christmas Quiz - without answers (including an embedded music intros round)
Christmas Quiz - with answers (including an embedded music intros round)
The Quiz is for all ages, family and friends. Please share, forward it to others and hope you enjoy it.
Merry Christmas Everyone
12th December 2023
Daryl's final visit of 2023 as Presenter’s Friend on BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind. Another great episode talking about compassion fatigue, natural emotion word use & cardiovascular responses and much more. Listen again here.
4th December 2023
New article published in the Daily Telegraph "What stress really does to your body - and how to stop it making you sick" with contributions and comment from Daryl.
21st November 2023
Daryl was back on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind, as studio guest and talking about our own recent research on interventions to change cortisol levels, as well as links between private renting and biological ageing, and the benefits of exercising before work. Listen again here.
9th November 2023
Daryl was interviewed on RTE Radio 1's Drivetime show following his keynote address "Stress: The Quiet Killer" at the Psychological Society of Ireland's Annual Conference in Cork. Listen again here (from 2:08:50 onwards in the programme).
Daryl delivering the keynote address at the Psychological Society of Ireland's Annual Conference in Cork on 9th November 2023
31st October 2023
Series 74 of BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind kicks off tonight at 9pm & Daryl is back as Claudia Hammond's studio guest. Lots of great new research covered: brain activity & sleep, thought suppression & the benefit sof expressing gratitude. Listen again here
31st August 2023
Have you a paper you’re planning to submit soon? Fancy a chance of making it open access? If yes, then why not submit it for one of our Cogent Psychology *Research Spotlight Awards* (details here). Deadline for abstracts 15th October.
7th August 2023
Many congratulations to Amy Willgoose for passing her DClinPsy viva. Her thesis was entitled "Childhood Trauma and Eating Attitudes and Behaviours: Exploring the Role of Daily Stressors and Perfectionistic Thinking" and supervised by Daryl. Thanks also to the examiners Dr Dawn Branley-Bell (Northumbria University; external examiner) and Professor Andy Hill (internal examiner). Well done Amy!
6th June 2023
Daryl is back as Claudia Hammond's studio guest on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind. We discuss new research on whether nominative determinism exists in the real world & links between intelligence and decision-making (& there’s much more).
23rd May 2023
Great summary of one of our recent papers published in Psychoneuroendocrinology by PsyPost: "Cortisol reactivity might alter stress-induced snacking behaviors".
9th May 2023
Fancy hearing about whether lonely people process the world in different ways or about a new mindfulness study for trauma recovery for refugees? Dary is back as studio guest on BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind.
4th April 2023
Daryl was part of the team that authored a Statement on Open Science in Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, on behalf of the Behavioral Medicine Research Council, that was published simultaneously in Psychosomatic Medicine, Health Psychology and Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
21st March 2023
Many congratulations to Tmam Al-Ghunaim who successfully defended her PhD thesis entitled "Surgeon Burnout, Patient Safety and Quality of Care: Contributors, Consequences and Possible Solutions" supervised by Dr Jude Johnson and Daryl. Thanks to the examiners, Professor Anthony Montgomery (external examiner) and Dr Gina Koutsopoulou (internal examiner). Well done Tmam, a great achievement.
8th March 2023
Daryl has recently been elected Fellow of the American Psychosomatic Society (FAPS) in recognition of his sustained excellence in scholarship and professional contributions to the field of psychosomatic medicine and commitment to the American Psychosomatic Society. He received the honour while at their Annual Scientific Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
12th January 2023
More good news. Many congratulations to Khalid Alshahrani (below) for passing his PhD viva for his thesis investigating "Post-traumatic stress disorder in paramedics in Saudi Arabia" (supervised by Dr Jude Johnson and Daryl). Many thanks to the examiners Dr Maria Panagioti (University of Manchester; external examiner; below right) and Dr Chris Keyworth (internal examiner). Excellent work Khalid, well done!
4th January 2023
Many congratulations to Dane McCarrick (below) for passing his PhD viva with flying colours. His thesis was entitled "The extended perseverative cognition hypothesis: Testing the effects of worry/rumination on physical and behavioural health outcomes" and as supervised by Dr Andrew Prestwich and Daryl. Thanks also to the examiners Professors Mark Cropley (University of Surrey; external examiner) and Mark Conner (internal examiner). Well done Dane!
24th December 2022
Here's my Annual Christmas Quiz
Christmas Quiz - without answers (including a music round with downloadable audio file)
Christmas Quiz - with answers (including a music round with downloadable audio file)
The Quiz is for all ages, family and friends. Please share, forward it to others and hope you enjoy it.
Merry Christmas Everyone
20th December 2022
Daryl's final visit of 2022 as studio guest on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind. Fantastic episode which includes Claudia Hammond's excellent interview with war correspondent, Fergal Keane. Daryl also discusses the findings of his recent research investigating the links between contracting COVID and longer-term mental health as well as research on how to reduce PTSD and more.
13th December 2022
Daryl is studio guest on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind commenting on new findings on using pretend play to increase persistence in science in girls and on the beneficial effects of an emotional regulation strategy known as temporal distancing.
8th December 2022
"First-wave COVID-19 linked to long-term depressive symptoms". We've published the latest findings from the UK COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing Study in Scientific Reports.
16th November 2022
The University of Leeds has joined the UK Reproducibility Network and Daryl has agreed to be the University's inaugural Institutional Lead. This is an exciting development and reflects the University's commitment to promoting Open Research.
28th July 2022
Daryl is special guest on the excellent Food, We Need to Talk podcast talking to Juna Gjata and Eddie Phillips about stress and cortisol, eating, trauma & suicide. A brilliantly edited and produced 30 minute episode.
6th July 2022
Congratulations to Jasmine Maydom and Charley Blackwell for successfully defending their excellent DClinPsy theses. Really great work in the area of childhood trauma. Best wishes for your future careers in clinical psychology.
2nd June 2022
I couldn't resist ;-). Here's a Brief Jubilee Bank Holiday Quiz
Bank Holiday Quiz - without answers
Bank Holiday Quiz - with answers
The Quiz is for all ages, family and friends. Please share, forward it to others and hope you enjoy it.
31st May 2022
Daryl makes his final visit of the series to be studio guest at BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind. He discusses his new research into the long-term effects of COVID-19 on mental health as well as commenting on work on self-perceptions of aging and mortality and more.
10th May 2022
Daryl is Claudia Hammond’s studio guest on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind commenting on on-going mental health research including new findings that show that deliberately seeking out discomfort can help drive personal growth.
26th March 2022
Daryl has been elected to the Council of the American Psychosomatic Society (APS) as announced at the Members' Meeting at the APS meeting in Long Beach, California.
3rd February 2022
Sarah Wilding, Mark Conner and Daryl O’Connor discuss their on-going study aiming to increase cervical cancer screening uptake in Yorkshire for a blogpost to mark World Cancer Day.
5th January 2022
Daryl joins Psychosomatic Medicine as an Associate Editor as part of the editorial team working with newly appointed Editor-in-Chief Suzanne Segerstrom (University of Kentucky).
24th December 2022
Here's my Annual Christmas Quiz
Christmas Quiz - without answers (including a music round with downloadable audio file)
Christmas Quiz - with answers (including a music round with downloadable audio file)
The Quiz is for all ages, family and friends. Please share, forward it to others and hope you enjoy it.
Merry Christmas one and all and remember to keep an eye out for those less fortunate and potentially vulnerable!
23rd November 2021
Daryl is Claudia Hammond’s studio guest on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind commenting on new research on air pollution and mental health, depersonalisation disorder and an exciting new counter-messaging strategy called the Poison Parasite Counter.
17th November 2021
Between 29th Nov and 6th Dec 2021, researchers from University of Leeds are conducting a study exploring ways to increase cervical cancer screening in Yorkshire. If you're due an invitation and want to opt out, please follow this link.
22nd September 2021
Daryl talks BBC World Service's Health Check about a children’s wellbeing study in the US, in which adolescents wrote letters of gratitude to people in their lives. [Clip starts at approximately 26 minutes, seven seconds].
7th September 2021
Have you a paper you’re planning to submit soon? Fancy a chance of making it open access? If yes, then why not submit it for one of our Cogent Psychology *Research Spotlight Awards* (details here). Deadline for abstracts 18th October.
27th August 2021
Bank Holiday Quick and Easy Quiz. Here’s a brief quiz I put together en route from Belfast International Airport to Derry (my home town) for a family gathering this weekend.
Bank Holiday quiz without answers
Bank Holiday quiz with answers
9th August 2021
Jon Drury, on behalf of the British Psychological Society's COVID-19 Behavioural Science and Disease Prevention Taskforce, writes about the Psychology of 'Freedom Day'.
4th August 2021
New blog by Dane McCarrick and Daryl O’Connor for “Psyche” entitled “Here’s how to take back your life from long term worrying”.
26th July 2021
Daryl has been elected Honorary Life Member of the British Psychological Society. The award recognises his long-standing, sustained and significant contributions to UK psychology and psychological science.
28th June 2021
Daryl is a co-investigator on new £3.4M research project entitled LOCOMOTION funded by NIHR led by Dr Manoj Sivan (University of Leeds) and Professor Brendan Delaney (Imperial College London). This exciting research project aims to create a “gold standard” approach for the treatment of long COVID.
1st June 2021
Daryl is back on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind discussing new research using behavioural activation for depression in older people, gratitude and motivation and beneficial effects of remembering times when you handled difficult situations well.
25th May 2021
Many congratulations to Arianna Prudenzi for successfully defending her PhD thesis entitled "Exploring the Role of Psychological Flexibility on Mental Health and Burnout in Healthcare Professionals".
4th May 2021
Daryl was back as studio guest on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind. He was talking about the links between racial microaggressions and mental health, whether the pen is mightier than the keyboard, and using nostalgia to promote help-seeking.
17th March 2021
Exciting news: Cogent Psychology has a new Editor-in-Chief (me) and a fantastic new team of Section Editors. We publish Open Access, Open Science, Brief Reports, Systematic Reviews, Brief Replication Studies and Registered Reports. More information here
24th December 2020
Here's my Annual Christmas Quiz (uploaded for the first time last year, in pre-COVID-19 times, now for the second time).
Christmas Quiz - without answers (including a music round with downloadable audio file)
Christmas Quiz - with answers (including a music round with downloadable audio file)
It's been an extraordinary year - no-one has been unaffected by the ravages of COVID-19 - one way or the other. Therefore, it is important that we all try to stay safe & remember to keep an eye out for those less fortunate and potentially vulnerable!
This Christmas is going to be very different for everyone. Hope you still have fun.
Best wishes for less Zoom, and more in person in 2021.
7th December 2020
New preprint submitted discussing Open Science entitled "Leonardo da Vinci, pre-registration and the architecture of science: Towards a more open and transparent research culture".
1st December 2020
Check out our publications pages for various new papers
23rd November 2020
Newly available: The European Health Psychology Society's Special Interest Group (SIG) on Open Science launch event. Check out each of the lightning talks here. Daryl spoke about "International Strategies to Increase Open Science"
10th November 2020
Daryl is studio guest on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind talking about COVID-19 conspiracy theory beliefs & health protective behaviours, whether smiling is associated with health care seeking & how loneliness “can get under the skin”.
12th October 2020
Daryl was recently interviewed for The Engagement Coach Podcast by Amrit Sandhar talking all things stress, work, health and how we can manage it. Listen here
12th August 2020
New study, led by Sarah Wilding, with Mark Conner and Daryl O'Connor, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, aimed to identify the key factors that influence participation in the national cervical screening programme. Download the paper here. Press release here and Yorkshire Evening Article here.
20th July 2020
Just published: New paper, led by Daryl, in which psychologists identify the seven key research priorities to help support societies recovery from COVID-19. Press releases here and here. Download the paper here
16th June 2020
Daryl was a guest again on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind talking about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of NHS frontline workers and early life stress and catching the common cold as an adult.
29th May 2020
Fancy a brief quiz for the easing of the lockdown. Here's 3 quick and easy rounds :-).
A very brief "Coming out of lockdown" quiz (without answers)
A very brief "Coming out of lockdown" quiz (with answers)
11th April 2020
Bored in lockdown? Here's just what you need - my "COVID-19 Lockdown Quiz #1". General knowledge and picture quiz - fun for all the family and friends :-).
COVID-19 Lockdown Quiz #1 (without answers)
COVID-19 Lockdown Quiz #1 (with answers)
10th April 2020
Did you know that today is Siblings Day? Here's a brief piece Daryl wrote with his twin brother, Rory, on how being identical twins has influenced our professional lives.
2nd March 2020
New PhD opportunity working with Rebecca (Lawton) and Daryl "Understanding and measuring the impact of in-hospital stress on post-hospital outcomes". Closing date: Friday 3rd April
14th January 2020
Lovely to start 2020 as studio guest on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind with the fantastic Claudia Hammond. Amongst other things, we discuss one of the finest papers I've read in a while - on altruism reducing pain perception!
22nd December 2019
As a PhD student in Liverpool I used to run a pub quiz every Wednesday evening for around 3 years and have been writing an Annual Christmas Quiz for many years. This year I thought I'd upload it. Therefore, please download, share and hopefully it will provide some welcome relief in between the turkey and your Christmas pudding ;-).
Annual Christmas Quiz Pack (without answers)
Annual Christmas Quiz Pack (with answers)
Merry Christmas, stay safe and remember to keep an eye out for those less fortunate and vulnerable.
21st December 2019
Annual Christmas Quiz done and dusted.
18th December 2019
Many congratulations to Debbie Hill, Rachael Moss and Faye Clancy (not pictured) on their PhD graduation today. An excellent trio to supervise over the last number of years. Best wishes for your next chapter.
26th November 2019
Daryl is studio guest again for BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind with Claudia Hammond. Daryl discusses recent research on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, his own recent work in this area and research on conscientiousness and brain health.
26th July 2019
NEW PODCAST: "The Effects Of Stress And How To Manage It" with Daryl in conversation with Stevie Ward (Leeds Rhinos) and Chris O'Connor (no relation) for Mantality Magazine.
It turned out to be one of the most enjoyable conversations I’ve had in a long time about stress, life, death, the universe and much more. Download here
4th June 2019
Daryl was a guest on BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind discussing a new technique to reduce fear of spiders, the need for more psychologists, empathic cars and affective computing.
16th May 2019
Daryl recorded a podcast with Stevie Ward (Leeds Rhinos) and Chris O'Connor (no relation) for Mantality Magazine talking all things stress, mental health and wellbeing. Podcast should be available here soon.
5th December 2018
Daryl was Claudia Hammond's studio guest on BBC Radio 4's All in the Mind. Listen again here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0001f1g (at 10m 50s & 18m 35s)
14th November 2018
Daryl is a winner of one of the "Meritorious Oral Abstracts" awards at the International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Santiago, Chlle.
7th November 2018
Read Daryl's blog post "Are You Stress Aware?" written for National Stress Awareness Day (07/11/18)
21st September 2018
Daryl will be giving a Funzing talk entitled "Stress: The Quiet Killer" at Leeds Hifi Club on 28th November 2018 at 7pm. More details here
15th August 2018
Many congratulations to Anastasia Tsipa for the successful defence of her PhD thesis.
L-R: Siobhan Hugh-Jones, Anastasia Tsipa and Ronan O'Carroll
21st May 2018
The Psychologist reported on a recent talk by Daryl at the British Psychological Society's Annual Conference in Nottingham on daily cortisol levels, childhood trauma and suicide risk.
15th May 2018
Daryl was Claudia Hammond's studio guest on All in the Mind. Listen again here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b2jh7g
27th April 2018
Daryl has Invited to serve as a Committee Member of the Editorial Committee of the Annual Review of Psychology.
23rd March 2018
Daryl has been appointed to the UoA4 sub-panel: Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience for REF2021 and here's the full UoA4 sub-panel list
16th February 2018
Daryl's talk "Psychological Science as a Trail-blazer for Science?” from BPS/EPS/AHPD Replication and Reproducibility Event II at Royal Society is now uploaded.
26th January 2018
Daryl chaired and spoke at the BPS/EPS/AHPD Replication and Reproducibility Event II: Moving Psychological Science Forward at the Royal Society.
8th January 2018
A new piece published in The Conversation on our recent work on the links between childhood trauma, the stress response and suicide risk later in Life.
28th September 2017
Four volume Health Psychology collection edited by Daryl O'Connor and Rory O'Connor now published. The collection contains 84 landmark and cutting edge papers. Check out the papers that made the cut (see Contents)
19th May 2017
Nice report on my recent talk at the BPS Annual Conference in Brighton on stress, cortisol and suicide (plus link to the journal article)
2nd November 2016
Daryl talks to BBC Radio Leeds about all things stress and health on National Stress Awareness Day. Listen here from 1hr 20mins
30th June 2016
The BPS/EPS/AHPD Replication and Reproducibility in Psychological Science event is now available to view now on YouTube here.
19th May 2016
Daryl will be chairing the BPS/EPS/AHPD Open Debate: Replication and Reproducibility in Psychological Science at the Royal Society on May 26th.
21st March 2016
Congratulations to Antonia Wilson for successfully defending her PhD thesis. Well done Antonia!
1st February 2016
Exciting PhD Studentship opportunity: "Stress reactivity and suicidal behaviour: Exploring hair cortisol as a biomarker for suicide vulnerability". Further details here. Deadline Friday 26th February 2016.
11th November 2015
Daryl will be one of the Keynote Speakers at the Northern Ireland Branch of the British Psychological Society 2016 60th Anniversary Annual Conference, Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. 3rd-5th March 2016.
10th November 2015
The British Psychological Society calls for new commitment for research funding with a brief comment from Daryl. Statement is here
27th September 2015
The Reproducibility Project is discussed on BBC Radio 4's More or Less with a contribution from Daryl
19th August 2015
Dr Dawn Branley joins the Laboratory today as new Research Assistant on our STEPPS project exploring stress and cortisol in suicidal behaviour.
3rd July 2015
Exciting opportunity. We're recruiting for Research Assistant post exploring the role of stress reactivity in suicidal behaviour. Closing date: 14th July. Further details here
16th June 2015
Congratulations to Rachael Moss who will be joining us in September on a matched-funded PhD studentship
28th May 2015
Daryl has been elected as Distinguished International Affiliate of Division 38 (Health Psychology) of the American Psychological Association.
14th May 2015
Daryl is the new Chair of the British Psychological Society's Research Board. More here
27th February 2015
University of Leeds 110 Anniversary Research Scholarship awarded. Congratulations to Deborah Hill who will be joining us in September.
10th February 2015
Daryl is giving a "Psychology in the Pub" research talk in Bath on April 22nd at 7:30pm. This public talk is entitled "Stress: A Portrait of a Killer" and will take place at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution. Further details here.
16th January 2015
11th December 2014
5th December 2014
Congratulations to Kara Gray-Burrows who successfully defended her PhD thesis entitled "The relationship between executive control, conscientiousness and health behaviour"
17th November 2014
110 University of Leeds Anniversary Research Scholarships
Three PhD Opportunities for October 2015 entry
** Closing date Monday 8th December **
1. Effects of stress on eating behaviour in early childhood
2. Increasing uptake and evaluation of Leeds City Council's Leeds Let's Get Active website and campaign
3. Personality, sleep and health
Further details about the application process can be found here
26th September 2014
Apostrophe no more! Did you know that there's a huge difference between an apostrophe and an inverted comma in an email address? Well there is when your name is O'Connor. Anyway, please note that my email address is d.b.oconnor@leeds.ac.uk henceforth.
24th September 2014
New PhD studentship awarded. Anastasia Isavella Tsipa will be joining us in October on a Leeds City Council - School of Psychology funded PhD studentship
20th July 2014
Exciting New PhD Opportunity working with Professors Daryl O'Connor and Mark Conner and Dr Fiona Day (Office of the Director of Public Health, Leeds City Council).
Increasing Bowel Cancer Screening Uptake in Vulnerable Populations in Leeds
** Further details here. Closing date: 17th September **
7th July 2014
PhD Opportunity working with Professor Daryl O'Connor & Dr Judith Johnson: Investigating the impact of wellbeing and burnout on GP medical errors. **Closing Date: 30th July**.
6th May 2014
New PhD studentship awarded. Faye Clancy will be joining us in September on an ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Centre (WR DTC) 1+3 Advanced Quantitative Methods Postgraduate Studentship
29th April 2014
Congratulations to Gemma Louch for successfully defending her PhD thesis entitled "Opening the 'Black Box' of Patient Safety: The Impact of the Nursing Environment, Job and Individual Characteristics".
15th April 2014
Professor Daryl O’Connor has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)