Profile
Caroline Brett
My CV
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Education:
Beaconsfield High School (GCSEs), Wycombe High School (A-levels), University of Edinburgh, University of Essex, University of Stirling, City University of London
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Qualifications:
9 GCSEs (English x 2, combined science x 2, maths, geography, music, Spanish, religious studies).
3 A levels (English, Maths, Geography) and 1 AS level (Music).
MA (Hons) Psychology, University of Edinburgh.
MSc Cognitive Neuropsychology, University of Essex.
MSc Health Psychology (many years later), University of Stirling.
DPsych (professional doctorate in health psychology), City, University of London. -
Work History:
Temporary finance assistant, Charity shop assistant, admin assistant (NHS, 6 months), medical secretary (6 months), assistant clinical psychologist (9 months), research assistant (schizophrenia research, 2 years), research assistant (forensic psychiatry, 6 months), admin assistant (charity, 4 months), research assistant (healthy ageing, 5 years), Census enumerator, research assistant (healthy ageing, 4 years), scientific administrator (temporary), lecturer in health psychology (3.5 years and counting).
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Current Job:
Senior lecturer in health psychology.
Michelle, who I am working with on this Enquiry Zone, is currently studying for her PhD looking at resilience and wellbeing in young people.
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About Me:
I’m a health psychologist, interested in what influences wellbeing
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I live in Liverpool with my husband, having moved here 4 years ago after living in Edinburgh for 20 years. I can quote most episodes of Friends and firmly believe that there aren’t many concepts and ideas in health psychology that can’t be explained using Friends references.
I enjoy going to the cinema, watch far too much TV for my own good, and inbetween I enjoy spending time in the garden (lovely to finally have a garden after 20 years of living in a flat!). I play in an occasional ceilidh band and own approximately 10 tin whistles.
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Having worked for many years as a research assistant at Edinburgh University, I made the move into health psychology in 2010, completing my MSc followed by a professional doctorate in health psychology. I was fortunate to be offered a lectureship in health psychology at Liverpool John Moores University, which I started in October 2015.
Health psychology is, in a nutshell, the application of psychological ideas and theories to physical health – including things like managing and preventing illness, understanding the causes of ill health, enabling people to make healthy lifestyle choices, and informing public policy and healthcare. My own interests lie in what influences how we rate our wellbeing, whether it be our personal characteristics (things like personality, how we react to stressful situations, our outlook, etc.) or our circumstances. I have looked at this in older adults and, more recently, in students. Most of my research is questionnaire-based – asking people to rate their wellbeing, answer questions about their lives, personalities, how they respond to situations, how they’re feeling, etc., and then looking to see how these things all relate to one another.
But there is little point in finding out what influences wellbeing if we’re not going to use that information to help people, and so my research is shifting towards looking at interventions that might make people happier. I’m particularly interesting in things like singing, social groups, and spending time outdoors. Last year we took some of our students to the beach to see if it helped their wellbeing. The results were fairly positive!
As a lecturer, my work is quite varied. I teach anyone from first year undergraduates all the way through to students on PhDs or professional doctorates. Most of my teaching is on health psychology or mental health and wellbeing. I run a module on research skills for our MSc Health Psychology students, which allows me to make use of all those years spent as a research assistant!
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My Typical Day:
Tea, emails, meetings, teaching, meetings, emails, tea, reviewing
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Working in academia is quite varied, but a typical day would involve the above. During semesters, when teaching takes place, my days are structured around any teaching I have (which includes lectures, tutorials, seminars, and workshops), meetings with dissertation students (I supervise dissertations at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as supervising a number of PhD / prof doc students), or meetings with colleagues to discuss teaching or, occasionally, research. In-between these activities I read and answer emails, do a wide variety of admin tasks, chat with colleagues in the corridor or lift, comment on work from PhD students, and occasionally manage to fit in some research. This year I’m covering the programme leader role for our MSc Health Psychology, which means I also answer students’ queries about the course, and meet with any students who have additional questions or are experiencing difficulties.
During the summer, there is a bit more time for research but a lot of time is also needed to prepare for teaching in the next academic year, plus our postgraduate teaching – MSc and doctoral-level – continues all year round, so there are still student meetings, supervision, and reviewing to be done. And of course the summer is just about the only time I can take any annual leave! It’s important to take leave to allow space to reflect and recharge the batteries.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
Empower mothers and communities in sub-Saharan Africa to run educational play schemes
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What question could we try to answer together?:
What makes us happy?
Is what makes you happy different from what makes your siblings, parents, or teachers happy? What is the best way to find this out?
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What do we already know about this area?:
We already know lots about what makes adults happy as individuals and as groups or communities. We know some things about what makes children and young people happy, but not enough. It may be that we are asking the questions in the wrong way. How should we be asking?
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What do I need help with from students?:
It is a long time since I was at school and things have changed a lot since then.
My PhD student, Michelle, and I would like to work with you to come up with a new way to measure happiness and wellbeing in children and young people, and to find out what makes you happy. You know best what would interest you and what would work in your school.
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Why you should vote for this project::
It will be great fun to find a new way to measure happiness, and to hear from you about what you think is important for happiness.
Wellbeing and happiness amongst children and young people is really important, because the better you feel within yourself, the better for everyone.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
enthusiastic, friendly, interested
What did you want to be after you left school?
Psychologist (yes, really)
Were you ever in trouble at school?
No (Caroline) According to my teachers, I was a bit of a chatterbox in school and couldn't sit stil! But other than that, no (Michelle)
Who is your favourite singer or band?
U2 (Caroline). I love a lot of different genres of bands and arties, the Killers and Oasis for example. I enjoy going to concerts and gigs as much as I can (Michelle)
What's your favourite food?
Macaroni cheese (Caroline). Greek salad or most veggie Italian dishes (Michelle)
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To be healthy, happy, and stress-free
Tell us a joke.
What's brown and sticky? A stick
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