About the Project
Stress-related problems cause significant impairment, yet the complex interactions and feedbacks that drive and exacerbate the development of such problems are incompletely understood. To understand the complex interactions underlying stress-related problems, we are offering a PhD studentship for the novel application of system-dynamics modelling to psychological stress development. System dynamics is a modelling and simulation technique previously applied to understand resource management problems in the areas of engineering, economics and ecology. This PhD studentship will be a collaborative project between the candidate with Dr Nick Walsh, a psychologist at UEA, and expert in psychological stress processes, and Dr Ana Mijic, an engineer from Imperial College London and expert in system dynamics modelling. As part of the studentship, the student will receive both full training in system dynamics and the psychology of mental health conditions. This understanding will then be applied over the course of the PhD, to model, using both pre-existing and newly acquired datasets, the development of human stress-related conditions. We invite applications from across academic disciplines, the main requirement being a strong motivation and interest in the project topic. Below we list below relevant background references to provide more context to the proposed studentship.
Note: Applicants should submit a research proposal consistent with the project above, in consultation with the supervisor. Applications without a research proposal will not be considered.
For more information on the supervisor for this project, please go here https://people.uea.ac.uk/nicholas_walsh
This is a PhD programme.
The start date is 1st October 2021.
The mode of study is full time or part time.
References
i) Langellier, B. A., Yang, Y., Purtle, J., Nelson, K. L., Stankov, I., & Diez Roux, A. V. (2019). Complex Systems Approaches to Understand Drivers of Mental Health and Inform Mental Health Policy: A Systematic Review. Adm Policy Ment Health, 46(2), 128-144.
ii) Wittenborn, A. K., Rahmandad, H., Rick, J., & Hosseinichimeh, N. (2016). Depression as a systemic syndrome: mapping the feedback loops of major depressive disorder. Psychol Med, 46(3), 551-562.
iii) Hosseinichimeh, N., Wittenborn, A. K., Rick, J., Jalali, M. S., & Rahmandad, H. (2018). Modeling and estimating the feedback mechanisms among depression, rumination, and stressors in adolescents. PLoS One, 13(9), e0204389.
iv) Veldhuis, G. A., Sluijs, T., van Zwieten, M. H. J., Bouwman, J., Wiezer, N. M., & Wortelboer, H. M. (2020). A Proof-of-Concept System Dynamics Simulation Model of the Development of Burnout and Recovery Using Retrospective Case Data. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(16).
v) Hogberg, B., Strandh, M., & Hagquist, C. (2020). Gender and secular trends in adolescent mental health over 24 years - The role of school-related stress. Soc Sci Med, 250, 112890.