Dr Heather McClelland
- Research Associate, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology (Mental Health & Wellbeing)
telephone:
01412110281
email:
Heather.McClelland@glasgow.ac.uk
Biography
Dr. Heather McClelland obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Glasgow in 2022, exploring interpersonal factors associated with self-harm. She has a background in neuroscience and psychology and a former CBT clinician with NHS Scotland. Heather has been an active researcher at the School of Health and Wellbeing since 2017 and currently splits her time equally between lecturer of the DClinPsych program and researcher within the Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory.
Additional roles within the department include:
- Senior Academic Advisor to the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group of the Scottish Government
- Module co-ordinator of the DClinPsych program
- Project supervisor to DClinPsych trainees in collaboration with NHS Scotland health boards
- Project supervisor to MSc Global Mental Health
- Trainer of Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) program
- Chair of the Athena Swan Staff Consultation group
- Member of the Network for Early Research Development committee
Particular research interests include interpersonal factors associated with negative mental health outcomes, particularly loneliness and suicide.
Research interests
- Suicide and self-harm
- Loneliness and interpersonal factors
- Affective disorders
- Early intervention and prevention of mental illness
Research Groups
- Suicide Behaviour Research Laboratory (SBRL; researcher)
- Social Isolation and Loneliness Mental Health Network (member)
Supervision
- DClinPsych trainees (ongoing)
- Covid-19, suicidality and physical activity
- Exploring emotion regulation difficulties and Complex Post Traumatic Stress disorder (C-PTSD)
- MSc Global Mental Health (ongoing)
- Understanding the association between caffeine and suicidality: A systematic review
- A prospective empirical exploration of loneliness and associated risk factors in relation to later suicide outcomes
- Understanding the experiences of practitioners who have used a trauma informed pilot service ‘Trusting Hands’: A qualitative study
- MSc Global Mental Health (completed)
- Effective interventions to reduce risks of suicide and self-harm in LGBTQ+ population: A systematic review
- Prevalence of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic among Chinese youth and young adults: a systematic review
- Emotional response following a diagnosis of Human Papilloma Virus: A Systematic Review with narrative analysis
- Investigating the Association between Anxiety Disorder and Self-Injurious Behaviour in South Asia: A Systematic Review
Teaching
DClinPsy Research Design and Statistics ('Module 8'): 2023 - present
Professional activities & recognition
Prizes, awards & distinctions
- 2024: Mental Health Network Travelling Fellowship (NHS Research Scotland)
- 2022/23: John Robertson Bequest Grant (University of Glasgow Senate)
- 2014/15: Postgraduate Excellence Scholarship (University of Glasgow)
Grant committees & research advisory boards
- 2023: Scottish Government, Academic Advisory Board
- 2023: Glasgow Association for Mental Health (GAMH), Young Adult Wellbeing Service (YAWS)
- 2018 - 2022: Scottish Government, National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group
Professional & learned societies
- 2023: Chartered Member, British Psychological Society
Selected international presentations
- 2023: International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) 32nd World Congress (Piran, Slovenia)
- 2022: 19th European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour (Copenhagen, Denmark)
- 2021: Seoul Suicide Prevention Symposium (Seoul, South Korea)
- 2019: International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) 31st World Congress (Derry, Northern Ireland)