Students with a high 2(1) or first class undergraduate degree in Psychology are invited to apply for this studentship, which is offered for a three year period to support research in relation to depression and is to be held within the Department of Psychology starting 1 October 2013.  

Supervisors: Profs Glenn Waller and Gillian Hardy
Contact: g.waller@sheffield.ac.uk or g.hardy@sheffield.ac.uk 

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is successful to helping to reduce depressive symptoms for many people. However, some people do not improve and/or drop out of therapy (between 30-50%). It is not clear how much such outcomes are influenced by factors that are inherent in the therapy itself. There is evidence in other disorders that therapists tend to ‘drift’ in their use of CBT techniques, so that they do not offer the evidence-based, manualised treatment recommended for depression. This study will investigate factors that lead to this drift, and factors that moderate the relationship between therapist drift and therapy outcome. Possible therapist factors (experience and responsiveness), patient factors (such as motivation) and interactive factors (e.g., therapeutic relationship) will be studied, using practice-based data from Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services. 

Candidates are encouraged to contact the named supervisor directly prior to any application and should specify the project area of interest in their application.  Please note there are other projects in competition for this studentship. 

Full details can be found on the following page:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/psychology/prospectivepg/funding 

The Trust provides a fee bursary and financial support at the basic Research Council rate (£13,726 per annum in 2013-14), plus support for Research Training (£500 per annum). 

Informal enquiries to Professor Gillian Hardy are welcome:
Email: g.hardy@sheffield.ac.uk
Tel: 0114 2226568. 

To make an application:

Please see the following page for details of how to apply:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/apply 

For enquiries regarding the application process please contact:

Angela Young
Postgraduate Secretary
Department of Psychology
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TP 

Email: a.young@sheffield.ac.uk
Tel: 0114 2226564, Fax: 0114 2766515

Closing date for applications is the 30 August 2013. Interviews will be held during the week beginning 9 September 2013.