Dr Nicholas Troop

2022 – present  Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, University of Plymouth

2007 – 2022    Principal Lecturer in Health Psychology, University of Hertfordshire

2000 – 2007    Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology, London Metropolitan University

1998 - 2000    Lecturer in Psychology, University of Essex

1997 - 1998    Clinical Research Psychologist, Institute of Psychiatry (London)

Qualifications

1992–1996 PhD, Institute of Psychiatry, London (Medical Research Council)

1988–1992 Psychology BSc Hons, University of Dundee, Dundee

Professional membership

Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (British Psychological Society)

Chartered Psychologist (British Psychological Society)

Research interests

My main research interest concerns the role of body compassion in relation to health and health behaviours. Body compassion is self-compassion in relation to a negative body image. Recent projects include:

• the development of a measure of body compassion (the Body Compassion and Criticism Scale)
• development of a prospective model for the role of body compassion in physical activity
• the use of body compassion expressive writing interventions to maintain weight and increase physical activity as well as to improve mood and well-being in people with medical conditions.

Other research interests include the role of stress, social rank, shame and affect regulation (including self-compassion) in disordered eating and eating disorders.

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

Emily Beadle (PhD 2020). Body shame, body compassion and physical activity

Neil Howlett (PhD 2019). Evidence-based and theoretically-driven behaviour change interventions for physical activity to enhance health and wellbeing

Maria Takousi (PhD 2017). Patients' Health Related Quality of Life after Coronary Revascularization: A longitudinal mixed method study

Sandra Van Os (PhD 2016). A mixed methods study of adherence to prophylactic treatment among young people with haemophilia

Josefine Magnusson (PhD 2016). Experiences of adolescent weight management: The perspectives of primary health care professionals, adolescents and parents

Lois Alexander (PhD 2016). When the bells go down: Resilience and vulnerability in firefighters

Nuriye Kupeli (PhD 2014). Stress, affect systems and eating pathology in problematic weight regulation

Carine Lewis (PhD 2012). The relationship between improvisation and cognition

Cliff Roberts (PhD 2005). Eating behaviour and body weight in a sample of adult women: The role of stress and dietary restraint

Stamatia Sotrilli (Counselling Psychology Doctorate: 2005). Towards curing the unthinkable: Reflections on the process of working with survivors of child sexual abuse

Leanne Andrews (PhD 2002). The structure and function of trauma-related avoidance

Syd Hiskey (PhD 2002). Intrusive experiences and psychological adjustment following trauma

Grants & contracts

LEP/HENRY/EDRF Herts Knowledge Exchange Partnership (2019-2023) – £108,399
(Co-applicant with Neil Howlett)
Developing and testing the feasibility of a programme to improve teenagers’ physical and emotional wellbeing through changes in physical activity and nutritional education

Alzheimer’s Society Fellowship (2018-2021) – £224,987
(collaborator with UCL: Fellowship awarded to Dr Nuriye Kupeli)
Exploring how family carers experience and maintain continuing compassion in care: the relationship of compassion with psychological and behavioural outcomes, and co-design of an intervention to support it

UCL-Marie Curie UBEL Doctoral Training Partnership (2018-2021) - £71,560
(collaborator and on supervisory panel, with Paddy Stone, Nuriye Kupeli and Bridget Candy [supervisors] and Marc Serfaty, Kate Fleming and Adrian Tookman [supervisory panel])
Emotional disclosure as a form of therapeutic intervention on health-related outcomes of people in progressive advanced chronic disease and their family carers

Southern Academic Coagulation Consortium (2016-2018) - £86,715
(Supervisor with Sandra Van Os [researcher], collaborating with PI [Dr Daniel Hart, Royal London])
Patient activation and quality of life in personalised treatment for haemophilia following pharmacokinetic testing

Bayer AG Caregiver Award (2012-2015) - £14,700
(Supervisor with Sandra Van Os [recipient, UH], Dr Daniel Hart [Royal London] and Josefine Magnusson [CRIPACC UH])
Adherence to prophylactic treatment among adolescents and young adults with haemophilia

University of Hertfordshire QR Small Grants Competitive Call 2010-2011 - £14,000
(PI with Dr Joe Chilcot [IoP])
Adherence in adolescents and adults with haemophilia

British Academy Small Grant SG100322 (2010-2012) – £7,298
(PI with Nuriye Kupeli [UH] and Dr Cliff Roberts [Southbank University])
Stress and weight regain in formerly overweight women

MRC-ESRC Interdisciplinary Studentship (2009-2013) - £82,670
(PI with Professors Ulrike Schmidt and Iain Campbell at the Institute of Psychiatry)
Stress and affect systems in problematic weight regulation

Knowledge Transfer Partnership (2008-2010) - £99,044
(Academic Advisor with Professor Fletcher [UH], Professor Pine [UH], Dr Mike Page [UH] and Mr Eamonn Swanton [Heales Medical])
Development of a Positive Health Intervention Toolkit for use in occupational settings

ESRC funded PhD Studentship (2000-2002)  £24,000
(Principal Supervisor with Leanne Andrews [Student])
Controlled and automatic avoidance following occupational trauma in emergency service personnel

ESRC funded PhD Studentship (1999-2002)  £36,000
(Principal Supervisor with Syd Hiskey [Student])
Posttraumatic growth following trauma