4 Fully-Funded Ph.D. Scholarships at University College Cork, Ireland are currently open for application.

The application deadline: 29th May 2022

The School of Public Health and the National Suicide Research Foundation at University College Cork have initiated a new research training programme: Early Identification of Suicide and Self-Harm Risk and Comorbid Mental and Physical Disorders: An Interdisciplinary Training, Research, and Intervention Programme (MHAINTAIN), funded by the Health Research Board Ireland, led by an interdisciplinary team.

 

ABOUT MHAINTAIN

MHAINTAIN is a research training network addressing the need for doctoral training and career paths, to improve early identification and intervention of self-harm and suicide risk. The Vision of this interdisciplinary consortium is to improve capacity building in the assessment of the risk of suicide and self-harm and evidence-based interventions across patient-focused research, health services research, and population health research. The MHAINTAIN research training programme includes four Doctoral Projects, with positions for five Ph.D. Scholars. MHAINTAIN will offer a representative range of research designs and methodological approaches.

One project will address the early identification of the risk of self-harm and suicide and comorbid mental disorders among people diagnosed with cancer and chronic respiratory illnesses. The second project will address the impact of an improved Cognitive Behaviour Therapy programme on self-harm patients in terms of neuropsychological and biological markers. The third project will focus on the early identification of risk factors for repeated self-harm in children and adolescents aged 10-18 years. The fourth project will examine services and supports to minimise the risk of suicide, self-harm, and comorbid mental and physical health outcomes during public health emergencies.

The MHAINTAIN Consortium is led by Professor Ella Arensman, two Co-Leads: Professor Eugene Cassidy and Dr. Paul Corcoran, and ten Core Partners. The MHAINTAIN research training programme will commence in September 2022. The duration of the Ph.D. projects will be four years, until September 2026.

 

 

The 4 Fully-Funded Ph.D. Scholarships at University College Cork, Ireland Comprise:

DOCTORAL PROJECT 1: Early identification of risk of self-harm among people with chronic diseases: a prospective study

This Doctoral Project aims to improve the early identification of determinants of self-harm and suicide among people diagnosed with cancer and chronic respiratory illnesses. The main objective is to examine how ‘trait’ i.e. early adversity, history of mental disorder, trait hopelessness, and/or ‘state’ factors i.e. comorbidity of mental disorders, chronic pain, disease severity, contribute to the occurrence of suicidal ideation among individuals with chronic physical illness and examine if access to means of intentional drug overdose impacts such behaviour. This project will involve a mixed quantitative and qualitative design.

The quantitative research will involve 3 studies. Study 1 uses a prospective design, involving consecutive adult patients (age 18+) attending a regional Acute Medicine and Cancer service hub with an index acute hospital presentation. Study 2 comprises a matched (age/gender) case-control cohort study. Study 3 is a qualitative study involving adult patients with cancer or COPD with an intentional drug overdose.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Masters in Epidemiology/Psychiatry/Medicine/Public Health or MB
• Experience in working as Clinical Nurse Specialist or Mental Professional in a clinical setting
• Experience in epidemiological, clinical, or interdisciplinary research
• Good communication skills in both written and oral format
• Ability to work independently and take own initiative
• Ability to work in a team

Preferred criteria:

• Experience in conducting research into mental and physical health comorbidities
• Experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Familiarity in working with large databases
• Completed courses in research integrity, research ethics, and data protection
• Experience in writing in scientific publications

Funding for the Ph.D. Scholarship:

This Ph.D. scholarship provides the following for four years:

• Salary – €39,523 per annum
• Full fees (EU) for four years covered by the HRB

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DOCTORAL PROJECT 2: Effectiveness of Enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for self-harm patients with psychiatric and physical disorders.

This Doctoral Project will comprise a randomised controlled trial (RCT) for self-harm patients with comorbid Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), General Anxiety Disorder and/or PTSD, and physical health comorbidity. Patients who present to the hospital with self-harm, MDD, Anxiety Disorder or PTSD, and comorbid chronic pain and/or inflammatory disease, will be invited to participate in the randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

The specific objectives are

1. To examine the impact of an enhanced CBT programme for self-harm patients with psychiatric and physical comorbidities, on both psychological and biological markers and to examine interaction effects, and
2. To determine the requirements for implementation of the optimised CBT treatment programme for mental and physical health comorbidities associated with self-harm as part of national suicide prevention policy. The CBT treatment will be delivered by Psychotherapists and Clinical Psychologists who will be specially trained in the optimised CBT treatment protocols and who are independent of the Ph.D. researchers who are conducting the trial.

 

Ph.D. Scholar 1:

Essential criteria:

• Masters in Clinical Trials
• Work experience in the mental health area
• Experience in epidemiological or interdisciplinary research
• Good communication skills in both written and oral format
• Ability to work independently and take own initiative
• Ability to work in a team

Desirable criteria:

• Experience in conducting research into mental and physical health comorbidities
• Experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Familiarity in working with large databases
• Completed courses in research integrity, research ethics, and data protection
• Experience in writing in scientific publications

Funding for the Ph.D. Scholarship:

This Ph.D. scholarship provides the following for four years:

• A Ph.D. stipend [€18,000]
• Full fees (EU) for four years covered by the HRB

 

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Ph.D. Scholar 2:

Essential criteria:

• Masters in Neuroscience, Medicine, Psychiatry, or Psychology or MB
• Experience in working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist or Mental Health Professional in a clinical
  setting
• Work experience in the assessment and management of patients with self-harm
• Experience in epidemiological or interdisciplinary research
• Good communication skills in both written and oral format
• Ability to work independently and take own initiative
• Ability to work in a team.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience in conducting research into mental and physical health comorbidities
• Experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Familiarity in working with large databases
• Wet lab skills including immunoassays, PCR would be advantageous
• Completed courses in research integrity, research ethics, and data protection
• Experience in writing in scientific publications

Funding for the Ph.D. Scholarship:

This Ph.D. scholarship provides the following for four years:

• Salary – €39,523 per annum
• Full fees (EU) for four years covered by the HRB

 

 

DOCTORAL PROJECT 3: Risk factors associated with self-harm and repetition among children and adolescents

This Doctoral Project aims to improve the early identification of risk factors associated with self-harm and improve knowledge on protective factors in order to reduce the risk of repeated self-harm and suicide in children and adolescents. This interdisciplinary project will examine self-harm in children and adolescents through 3 inter-related studies using mixed methods and designs, including a national
cohort study examining the onset of self-harm; in-depth research into the clinical and psychosocial features of self-harm in children and adolescents, including international comparative data; and a qualitative study among adolescents who have presented to the hospital with self-harm for the first time.

The specific objectives are to

1. examine the onset of self-harm among children and adolescents, and its trajectory and patterns of repetition into adulthood
2. examine the clinical and psychosocial
   features of self-harm in children and adolescents, and
3. explore the young person’s account of the onset and trajectory of their self-harm, its perceived lethality and intent, comorbidity, social support, and barriers to help-seeking.

Essential criteria:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Psychology, Psychiatry, or Mental Health or MB
• Have the experience of working in a Child – Youth Mental Health area
• Experienced in epidemiological or interdisciplinary research
• Experience in conducting quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis
• Good communication skills in both written and oral format
• Ability to work independently and take own initiative
• Ability to work in a team

Desirable criteria:

• Demonstrated interest/experience in mental health research
• Familiarity in working with large databases
• Completed courses in research integrity, research ethics, and data protection
• Experience in authoring or co-authoring scientific articles for publication

Funding for the Ph.D. Scholarship:

This Ph.D. scholarship provides the following for four years:

• Salary – €39,523 per annum
• Full fees (EU) for four years covered by the HRB

 

 

DOCTORAL PROJECT 4: Services and supports to minimise risk of suicide, self-harm, and comorbid mental and physical health outcomes during public health emergencies.

This Doctoral Project aims to understand what mental health supports and services are needed for whom, and in what circumstances, during Public Health Emergencies (PHEs) to minimise adverse impacts on comorbid mental and physical health conditions and the risk of self-harm and suicide. PHEs include serious, sudden unexpected, or unusual events that constitute a public health risk and encompass pandemics such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, e.g. bush fires, as well as the release of hazardous materials into the environment, and war/conflict.

The key objectives of this project are

1. To conduct a systematic review on mental health support
   provision and needs during PHEs among people with comorbid mental and physical health conditions
   in high-income countries,
2. To conduct comparative research between Ireland and Australia, using a
   Delphi study approach, on the provision of mental health services during a PHEs considering public
   health measures, challenges, and solutions, and to produce recommendations on best practices in the
   delivery of mental health services during PHEs.

Essential criteria:

• Masters in Public Health, Public Mental Health, Global Mental Health, Psychology, or related
  discipline
• Experience in epidemiological and/or interdisciplinary research
• Good communication skills in both written and oral format
• Ability to work independently and take own initiative
• Ability to work in a team

Desirable criteria:

• Having a background in health/mental health service delivery or mental health interventions
• Experience in conducting research into public health emergencies, global mental health or
  mental and physical health
• Experience in conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Experience in conducting evidence syntheses (i.e. systematic review, meta-analyses)
• Familiarity in working with large databases
• Completed courses in research integrity, research ethics or data protection
• Experience in writing in scientific publications
• Experience in stakeholder engagement in research.

Funding for the Ph.D. Scholarship:

This Ph.D. scholarship provides the following for four years:

• A Ph.D. stipend [€18,000]
• Full fees (EU) for four years covered by the HRB

 

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE 4 FULLY-FUNDED PH.D. SCHOLARSHIPS AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK, IRELAND

Please submit the following by email to [email protected] with the subject heading ‘Doctoral Project’ and the number of the project and post you are applying for:

1. A CV with contact details for at least two referees
2. A personal statement (maximum 500 words) outlining why you would like to undertake a Ph.D. in the area and explaining how your research interests relate to the post you are applying for.
3. Transcripts of your undergraduate and master’ results. (If these are not available before the closing date, they may be submitted separately from the items above).

The closing date for applications is 29th April 2022

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE 4 FULLY-FUNDED PH.D. SCHOLARSHIPS AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK, IRELAND

If you would like to discuss any of the roles informally, please contact Professor Ella Arensman ([email protected]).

DOWNLOAD THE ADVERT HERE MHAINTAIN_PhDScholarships 

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