Dr Avril Johnstone

  • Research Fellow (MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit)

email: Avril.Johnstone@glasgow.ac.uk
pronouns: She/her/hers

MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8TB

Import to contacts

ORCID iDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603

Biography

Avril joined the Places and Health programme at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit in 2019 where she is currently a Research Fellow working on several projects. Notably, Avril is managing the School Playgrounds for Wellbeing study, leading the cross-cutting theme on health inequalities for GroundsWell, supporting the SPACES project, and is continuing to contribute to research exploring the role of nature-based childcare on children's health.

Avril's longstanding professional and research interests focus on exploring the role of active play, physical activity and/ or nature on children's health and wellbeing. Before joining the University of Glasgow, Avril received a PhD in Physical Activity and Health in 2019 from the University of Strathclyde. Her PhD aimed to determine the effects of active play interventions on children's physical activity and fundamental movement skills. She has also previously worked for her Local Authority delivering and managing coaching and play sessions and, more recently, she joined the board of a not-for-profit organisation, Actify CIC, as a voluntary non-executive director. 

When Avril is not at work, she can be found on her bike, up a mountain, kicking a football or at a gig. 

Research interests

Avril has methodological expertise in systematic reviews and the development and evaluation of complex interventions. Broadly, she is interested in how active play, physical activity and/ or nature contribute to children's health, wellbeing and development. 

Please check Google Scholar where full details of Avril's publication history can be found.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016
Number of items: 18.

2025

McCrorie, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-6926, Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Nicholls, Natalie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0745-7065, Keime, Marine, Jidovtseff, Boris and Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525 (2025) Risky outdoor play in the early years: how are parental and practitioner perceptions of danger and benefits associated with young children's outdoor play experiences? International Journal of Play, (Accepted for Publication)

2024

Tomaz, Simone A., Reilly, John J., Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Hughes, Adrienne, Robertson, Jenni, Craig, Leone C.A. and Bardid, Farid (2024) A systematic evaluation of physical activity and diet policies in Scotland: Results from the 2021 Active Healthy Kids Report Card. Journal of Public Health, (doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdae022) (PMID:38389318) (Early Online Publication)

2023

Dibben, G. O. et al. (2023) Adolescents’ interactive electronic device use, sleep and mental health: a systematic review of prospective studies. Journal of Sleep Research, 32(5), e13899. (doi: 10.1111/jsr.13899) (PMID:37029099)

Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Mccrorie, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-6926, Olsen, Jonathan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5356-8615 and Mitchell, Rich ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3827-7155 (2023) Research and Policy Agenda on Places and Children’s Health: a Coproduced Cross Sector Vision. Documentation. MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow.

Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525, Clarke, Joanne, Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, McCrorie, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-6926, Langford, Rebecca, Simpson, Sharon Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768 and Kipping, Ruth (2023) A qualitative study of parental strategies to enable pre-school children’s outdoor and nature experiences during COVID-19 restrictions. Health and Place, 79, 102967. (doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.102967) (PMID:36621065)

Zucca, Claudia ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4448-8389, McCrorie, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-6926, Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Chambers, Stephanie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9607-6242, Chng, Nai Rui ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0238-4103, Traynor, Oliver and Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525 (2023) Outdoor nature-based play in early learning and childcare centres: identifying the determinants of implementation using causal loop diagrams and social network analysis. Health and Place, 79, 102955. (doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102955) (PMID:36565541)

2022

Bardid, Farid, Tomaz, Simone A., Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Robertson, Jenni, Craig, Leone C.A. and Reilly, John J. (2022) Results from Scotland’s 2021 report card on physical activity and health for children and youth: grades, secular trends, and socio-economic inequalities. Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, 20(4), pp. 317-322. (doi: 10.1016/j.jesf.2022.07.002) (PMID:36033941) (PMCID:PMC9386094)

Traynor, Oliver, Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525, Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Chng, Nai R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0238-4103, Kenny, Jessica and Mccrorie, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-6926 (2022) A low-cost method for understanding how nature-based early learning and childcare impacts on children’s health and wellbeing. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 889828. (doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.889828) (PMID:35814071) (PMCID:PMC9260060)

Lee, E.‑Y. et al. (2022) Play, Learn, and Teach Outdoors—Network (PLaTO-Net): terminology, taxonomy, and ontology. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 19, 66. (doi: 10.1186/s12966-022-01294-0) (PMID:35701784) (PMCID:PMC9199154)

Johnstone, A. et al. (2022) Nature-based early childhood education and children’s physical activity, sedentary behavior, motor competence, and other physical health outcomes: a mixed-methods systematic review. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 19(6), pp. 456-472. (doi: 10.1123/jpah.2021-0760) (PMID:35537707) (PMCID:PMC7613039)

Johnstone, A. et al. (2022) Nature-based early childhood education and children’s social, emotional and cognitive development: a mixed-methods systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(10), 5967. (doi: 10.3390/ijerph19105967) (PMID:35627504) (PMCID:PMC9142068)

2020

Johnstone, A. et al. (2020) Nature-based early childhood education for child health, wellbeing and development: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol. Systematic Reviews, 9, 226. (doi: 10.1186/s13643-020-01489-1) (PMCID:PMC7532588)

2019

Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Hughes, Adrienne R., Bonnar, Lizann, Booth, Josie N. and Reilly, John J. (2019) An active play intervention to improve physical activity and fundamental movement skills in children of low socio-economic status: feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 5, 45. (doi: 10.1186/s40814-019-0427-4) (PMID:30915229) (PMCID:PMC6417079)

2018

Hughes, Adrienne R., Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Bardid, Farid and Reilly, John J. (2018) Results from Scotland’s 2018 report card on physical activity for children and youth. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 15(S2), S402-S403. (doi: 10.1123/jpah.2018-0516) (PMID:30475152)

Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Hughes, Adrienne, Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525 and Reilly, John (2018) Utilising active play interventions to promote physical activity and improve fundamental movement skills in children. BMC Public Health, 18, 789. (doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-5687-z) (PMID:29940923) (PMCID:PMC6019649)

2017

Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Hughes, Adrienne R., Janssen, Xanne and Reilly, John J. (2017) Pragmatic evaluation of the Go2Play Active Play intervention on physical activity and fundamental movement skills in children. Preventive Medicine Reports, 7, pp. 58-63. (doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2017.05.002) (PMID:28593124) (PMCID:PMC5454126)

2016

Reilly, John J., Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, McNeill, Geraldine and Hughes, Adrienne R. (2016) Results from Scotland’s 2016 report card on physical activity for children and youth. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 13(S2), S251-S255. (doi: 10.1123/jpah.2016-0325) (PMID:27848731)

Hughes, Adrienne R., Muggeridge, David J., Gibson, Ann-Marie, Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603 and Kirk, Alison (2016) Objectively measured sedentary time in children and their parents. AIMS Public Health, 3(4), pp. 823-836. (doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2016.4.823) (PMID:29546197) (PMCID:PMC5690407)

This list was generated on Sun Jun 15 19:14:01 2025 BST.
Jump to: Articles | Research Reports or Papers
Number of items: 18.

Articles

McCrorie, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-6926, Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Nicholls, Natalie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0745-7065, Keime, Marine, Jidovtseff, Boris and Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525 (2025) Risky outdoor play in the early years: how are parental and practitioner perceptions of danger and benefits associated with young children's outdoor play experiences? International Journal of Play, (Accepted for Publication)

Tomaz, Simone A., Reilly, John J., Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Hughes, Adrienne, Robertson, Jenni, Craig, Leone C.A. and Bardid, Farid (2024) A systematic evaluation of physical activity and diet policies in Scotland: Results from the 2021 Active Healthy Kids Report Card. Journal of Public Health, (doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdae022) (PMID:38389318) (Early Online Publication)

Dibben, G. O. et al. (2023) Adolescents’ interactive electronic device use, sleep and mental health: a systematic review of prospective studies. Journal of Sleep Research, 32(5), e13899. (doi: 10.1111/jsr.13899) (PMID:37029099)

Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525, Clarke, Joanne, Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, McCrorie, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-6926, Langford, Rebecca, Simpson, Sharon Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768 and Kipping, Ruth (2023) A qualitative study of parental strategies to enable pre-school children’s outdoor and nature experiences during COVID-19 restrictions. Health and Place, 79, 102967. (doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2023.102967) (PMID:36621065)

Zucca, Claudia ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4448-8389, McCrorie, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-6926, Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Chambers, Stephanie ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9607-6242, Chng, Nai Rui ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0238-4103, Traynor, Oliver and Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525 (2023) Outdoor nature-based play in early learning and childcare centres: identifying the determinants of implementation using causal loop diagrams and social network analysis. Health and Place, 79, 102955. (doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102955) (PMID:36565541)

Bardid, Farid, Tomaz, Simone A., Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Robertson, Jenni, Craig, Leone C.A. and Reilly, John J. (2022) Results from Scotland’s 2021 report card on physical activity and health for children and youth: grades, secular trends, and socio-economic inequalities. Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, 20(4), pp. 317-322. (doi: 10.1016/j.jesf.2022.07.002) (PMID:36033941) (PMCID:PMC9386094)

Traynor, Oliver, Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525, Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Chng, Nai R. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0238-4103, Kenny, Jessica and Mccrorie, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-6926 (2022) A low-cost method for understanding how nature-based early learning and childcare impacts on children’s health and wellbeing. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 889828. (doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.889828) (PMID:35814071) (PMCID:PMC9260060)

Lee, E.‑Y. et al. (2022) Play, Learn, and Teach Outdoors—Network (PLaTO-Net): terminology, taxonomy, and ontology. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 19, 66. (doi: 10.1186/s12966-022-01294-0) (PMID:35701784) (PMCID:PMC9199154)

Johnstone, A. et al. (2022) Nature-based early childhood education and children’s physical activity, sedentary behavior, motor competence, and other physical health outcomes: a mixed-methods systematic review. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 19(6), pp. 456-472. (doi: 10.1123/jpah.2021-0760) (PMID:35537707) (PMCID:PMC7613039)

Johnstone, A. et al. (2022) Nature-based early childhood education and children’s social, emotional and cognitive development: a mixed-methods systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(10), 5967. (doi: 10.3390/ijerph19105967) (PMID:35627504) (PMCID:PMC9142068)

Johnstone, A. et al. (2020) Nature-based early childhood education for child health, wellbeing and development: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol. Systematic Reviews, 9, 226. (doi: 10.1186/s13643-020-01489-1) (PMCID:PMC7532588)

Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Hughes, Adrienne R., Bonnar, Lizann, Booth, Josie N. and Reilly, John J. (2019) An active play intervention to improve physical activity and fundamental movement skills in children of low socio-economic status: feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 5, 45. (doi: 10.1186/s40814-019-0427-4) (PMID:30915229) (PMCID:PMC6417079)

Hughes, Adrienne R., Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Bardid, Farid and Reilly, John J. (2018) Results from Scotland’s 2018 report card on physical activity for children and youth. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 15(S2), S402-S403. (doi: 10.1123/jpah.2018-0516) (PMID:30475152)

Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Hughes, Adrienne, Martin, Anne ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1614-6525 and Reilly, John (2018) Utilising active play interventions to promote physical activity and improve fundamental movement skills in children. BMC Public Health, 18, 789. (doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-5687-z) (PMID:29940923) (PMCID:PMC6019649)

Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Hughes, Adrienne R., Janssen, Xanne and Reilly, John J. (2017) Pragmatic evaluation of the Go2Play Active Play intervention on physical activity and fundamental movement skills in children. Preventive Medicine Reports, 7, pp. 58-63. (doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2017.05.002) (PMID:28593124) (PMCID:PMC5454126)

Reilly, John J., Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, McNeill, Geraldine and Hughes, Adrienne R. (2016) Results from Scotland’s 2016 report card on physical activity for children and youth. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 13(S2), S251-S255. (doi: 10.1123/jpah.2016-0325) (PMID:27848731)

Hughes, Adrienne R., Muggeridge, David J., Gibson, Ann-Marie, Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603 and Kirk, Alison (2016) Objectively measured sedentary time in children and their parents. AIMS Public Health, 3(4), pp. 823-836. (doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2016.4.823) (PMID:29546197) (PMCID:PMC5690407)

Research Reports or Papers

Johnstone, Avril ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-8603, Mccrorie, Paul ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-6926, Olsen, Jonathan ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5356-8615 and Mitchell, Rich ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3827-7155 (2023) Research and Policy Agenda on Places and Children’s Health: a Coproduced Cross Sector Vision. Documentation. MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow.

This list was generated on Sun Jun 15 19:14:01 2025 BST.

Grants

Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.

  • Outdoor nature-based play and learning in early childhood education settings: Intervention development
    Medical Research Council
    2024 - 2026
     

Supervision

Research datasets

Jump to: 2023
Number of items: 1.

2023

Johnstone, A. and Mccrorie, P. (2023) Growing Up in Scotland: Cohort 1, Sweep 8 Physical Activity Data, 2015-2016. [Data Collection]

This list was generated on Sun Jun 15 15:32:16 2025 BST.