Research Interests

My core research interests are:

Obsessions and compulsions.  My research currently focuses on role of self-concept, reasoning and doubt in clinical and non-clinical obsessions and compulsions; shame and self-compassion both as elements of obsessive-compulsive phenomenology and as they relate to treatment-seeking decisions; scrupulosity (religious obsessions); magical thinking in children and its relationship to anxiety and obsessional problems; and, family/parental accommodation of obsessive-compulsive problems.

Shame and its relationship with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, anger and risky behaviours in adolescents.

‘Recovery’ in young people. This work involves the conceptualization of the concept of recovery and the development of a measure of recovery that might be used by mental health professionals in evaluating clinical work with young people.

Research Collaborations

NHS Funding: With Mary John and Fiona Warren. Development and initial validation of a measure of recovery for use in specialist mental health services for young people.
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Publications

Kollinsky, L., Simonds, L.M. & Nixon, J. (2012, In Press). A qualitative exploration of the views and experiences of family court magistrates making decisions in care proceedings involving parents with learning disabilities.  British Journal of Learning Disabilities.

Simonds, L.M., Camic, P.M. & Causey, A. (Forthcoming). Using focused ethnography in psychological research. APA Handbook of Research Methods in Psychology.  American Psychological Association.

Newman, S., Simonds, L.M. & Billings, J. (2011). A narrative analysis investigating the impact of first episode psychosis on siblings' identity. Psychosis, 3(3), 216-225.

Hepworth, M., Simonds, L.M. & Marsh, R. (2010). Catholic priests’ conceptualisation of scrupulosity: a grounded theory analysis. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 13(1), 1-16.

Simonds, L.M., Demetre, J.D. & Read, C. (2009). Relationships between magical thinking, obsessive-compulsiveness and other forms of anxiety in a sample of non-clinical children. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 27, 457-471.

Rendall, M.J., Simonds, L.M. & Hunter, M. (2008). The Hot Flush Beliefs Scale: A tool for assessing thoughts and beliefs associated with the experience of menopausal hot flushes and night sweats. Maturitas, 60, 158-169.

Terry, R., Shepherd, M., Simonds, L. & Sperlinger, D. (2007). An initial investigation into clients referred to a primary care psychology and counselling service with CORE-OM scores falling below the clinical cut-off. Clinical Psychology Forum, 176, 10-13.

Simonds, L.M. & Thorpe, S.J. (2003). Attitudes towards obsessive-compulsive disorders: an experimental investigation. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 38, 331-336.

Thorpe, S.J., Patel, S.P. & Simonds, L.M. (2003). The relationship between disgust sensitivity, anxiety and obsessions. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41, 1397-1409.

Simonds, L.M. & Elliott, S.A. (2001). OCD patients and nonpatient groups reporting obsessions and compulsions: Phenomenology, help-seeking, and access to treatment. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 74, 431-449.

Simonds, L.M., Thorpe, S.J. & Elliott, S.A. (2000). The Obsessive Compulsive Inventory: Psychometric properties in a nonclinical student sample. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 28(2), 153-159.

Talks and Presentations

With John, M. (2010). Measuring 'recovery' in young people.  Recovery Research Network Meeting, London, 21 October 2010.

With John, M. (2010). Development of a psychometric tool to measure 'recovery'.  Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust CAMHS Research and Development Seminar, Hove, 27 September 2010.

Co-authors: Futh, A. & Micali, N.  (2008). Parental experience of caring for a child with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Poster presentation at the Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference, London, 12th November 2008.

Co-authors: Howell, R. & Camic, P.M. (2008). Parents' views and uses of parenting TV programmes: A grounded theory study.  Poster presented at the Division of Clinical Psychology Annual Conference, London, 11 December 2008.

Co-authors: Rendall, M. & Hunter, M. (2007). Beliefs about menopausal hot flushes: development of the hot flush beliefs scale (HFBS). Paper presented as part of the Women’s Health Symposium, BABCP Conference, Brighton, 13th September 2007.

Teaching

Research Methods and Statistics, Psych D Clinical Psychology and Counselling Psychology

Occasional lecturer for Level 3 Clinical Psychology and Level 2 PIP

Departmental Duties

Research Tutor for Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

Joint Admissions Tutor for Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

Examinations Officer for Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

Member of FAHS Ethics Committee

Affiliations

Chartered Psychologist and Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Reviewing

Editorial Board member and Statistical Consultant for Arts and Health
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