David Sheffield
University of Derby, Psychology, Faculty Member
Introduction The theory of challenge and threat states in athletes (TCTSA; Jones et al., 2009) outlines that athletes in a challenge state experience higher self-efficacy, more control, an approach orientation, more positive emotions, a... more
Introduction The theory of challenge and threat states in athletes (TCTSA; Jones et al., 2009) outlines that athletes in a challenge state experience higher self-efficacy, more control, an approach orientation, more positive emotions, a more beneficial interpretation of their emotional state, and a more effective cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) pattern (decreased total peripheral resistance and increased cardiac output). In contrast, a threat state is characterised by lower self-efficacy and control, an avoidance orientation, more negative emotions, a less beneficial interpretation of their emotional state, and a less effective CVR pattern (increased TPR and decreased CO). This study examined if athletes respond differently in terms of challenge and threat states to competitions that they performed up to, or above, their standard compared to a competition they performed below their standard. Method Thirty student-athletes participated in three conditions, preceded by a five-minute r...
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The theory of challenge and threat states in athletes (TCTSA) outlines that a challenge state, in contrast to a threat state, is characterised by high levels of self-efficacy and perceived control, approach goals, positive emotions, a... more
The theory of challenge and threat states in athletes (TCTSA) outlines that a challenge state, in contrast to a threat state, is characterised by high levels of self-efficacy and perceived control, approach goals, positive emotions, a helpful interpretation of emotional state and a cardiovascular reactivity pattern of increased cardiac output and decreased total peripheral resistance. Four studies were conducted to examine the relationship between the cognitive, affective and physiological components of challenge and threat states in a sport setting. These comprised a qualitative analysis of athletes’ interviews about an upcoming competition (study 1), a cross-sectional questionnaire study (study 2) and two studies where self-report data were associated with cardiovascular responses to an upcoming competition (study 3) or previous competition (study 4). Overall, the cognitive and affective components are largely supportive of the TCTSA, with a positive relationship between self-effi...
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The short-term efficacy of pain management programs (PMPs) is well established. However, their ability to demonstrate long-term benefits for people with chronic pain remains a key question for both the application and evolution of PMPs.... more
The short-term efficacy of pain management programs (PMPs) is well established. However, their ability to demonstrate long-term benefits for people with chronic pain remains a key question for both the application and evolution of PMPs. Objective: To evaluate the long-term treatment gains of pain management program (PMP) interventions on self-efficacy, catastrophic thinking, and pain perceptions in patients with chronic pain. Methods: Electronic databases, key journals and reference lists of included studies were scrutinized for inclusion. The search process revealed a total of eleven studies for inclusion. Assessment of study quality was made based on length of follow-up period, the validity of measures used and information regarding the intervention. Results: Six studies included a 12 month follow-up, four studies included a 6 month follow-up, and a single study included a 9 month follow-up. Meta-analyses revealed treatment gains across pain perceptions are maintained at 12 months post-treatment. However, gains in self-efficacy significantly decreased at 12 months follow-up. There were significant improvements in pain-perception, self-efficacy and pain perceptions at 6 month follow-up compared to baseline. Conclusion: The review provides some support for the long-term efficacy of PMP interventions. There is a need for pragmatically designed follow-up studies to measure the long-term efficacy of PMPs on psychological variables, especially self-efficacy. Further research is warranted into the observed loss in treatment gains in self-efficacy over time; booster sessions delivered at 6 months post-treatment aimed at enhancing self-efficacy may help aid self-management of chronic pain
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Although often categorised by cultural differences (e.g. collectivism and individualism), Japan and the UK have several cultural commonalities. One of them is that both countries are known to have a ‘shame culture’; people in these... more
Although often categorised by cultural differences (e.g. collectivism and individualism), Japan and the UK have several cultural commonalities. One of them is that both countries are known to have a ‘shame culture’; people in these countries often recognise shame in their lives relating to their cultural virtues. While shame can lead to social conformity, this negative affect associated with a sense of inadequacy can also damage our wellbeing. Because of the rapid advancement of technologies in these economically developed countries in the 4IR, workers are put under greater pressure, which is associated with more mental health problems. Their challenged mental health is further exacerbated by strong shame associated with mental health problems. Accordingly, we examined mental health shame in UK and Japanese workers. Four hundred workers (131 Japanese and 269 UK workers) completed measures of mental health and mental health shame, specifically negative attitudes and external, internal, and reflected shame. The results showed that Japanese workers had higher levels of mental health problems and shame than UK workers. In both countries, mental health and shame were overall associated with each other, apart from some family-related variables in Japanese workers. Family-reflected shame was a significant predictor in Japanese workers, while self-reflected shame was a significant predictor in UK workers. We discuss the implications of these findings with particular reference on how to reduce mental health shame in Japanese and UK workplaces and the provision of solutions for better work mental wellbeing, relating to the advantages of technologies. Because shame often involves perception of others, online interventions may be useful as they can be undertaken by each worker at a private place (instead of their office). Such individualised interventions enabled by the technologies of the 4IR may help to address shame-associated mental health problems in modern workplaces.
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As part of research to develop an approach to improving nature connectedness the ‘three good things’ intervention was revised to focus on nature. Participants (n=35) noted three good things in nature, or three good things (n=33) or three... more
As part of research to develop an approach to improving nature connectedness the ‘three good things’ intervention was revised to focus on nature. Participants (n=35) noted three good things in nature, or three good things (n=33) or three factual things (n=27) each day for five days. As planned the nature intervention group showed sustained and significant increases in nature connectedness compared to the other groups. However, the three good things group did not replicate previous results in showing positive well-being outcomes, indeed at two months there was a significant increase in perceived stress and the three good things group was the only group not to show improvements in psychological health.
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Through this paper, we explore unbundling, the separation of various aspects of education, resources, teaching and assessment (Ossiannilsson et al., 2015) and rebundling, where these activities are “recombined into new configurations with... more
Through this paper, we explore unbundling, the separation of various aspects of education, resources, teaching and assessment (Ossiannilsson et al., 2015) and rebundling, where these activities are “recombined into new configurations with little loss of functionality” (Ge et al., 2004, p. 1). We chart the evolution of online learning at the University of Derby, from a small-scale learning and certification bundle to a rebundled online university experience. In this rebundled model, a bespoke department is responsible for the operationalisation and quality of the university’s online experience. Firstly, we established the quality impact of this model, using higher education institution (HEI) value drivers. Secondly, focus groups explored macro (national), meso (institutional) and micro (practice) issues from strategic manager, academic and student experience perspectives. To facilitate discussion about the online university experience, we used a new conceptual pedagogic realignment w...
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The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of postcompetition positive reflection on attributions, emotions, and self-efficacy. Following a golf putting competition, participants (n= 80) were randomly assigned to either an... more
The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of postcompetition positive reflection on attributions, emotions, and self-efficacy. Following a golf putting competition, participants (n= 80) were randomly assigned to either an experimental or control group. In the experimental group participants completed a modified version of the performance evaluation sheet (Holder, 1997). In the control group participants completed the concentration grid exercise (Harris & Harris, 1984). All participants subsequently completed measures of ...
With clear links between an individual’s sense of nature connectedness, their psychological wellbeing, and engagement in nature-friendly behaviours, efforts to improve people’s relationships with nature can help unite human and planetary... more
With clear links between an individual’s sense of nature connectedness, their psychological wellbeing, and engagement in nature-friendly behaviours, efforts to improve people’s relationships with nature can help unite human and planetary wellbeing. In the context of a rapidly growing evidence base, this paper updates previous meta-analytic reviews to explore the impact of (quasi-) experimental manipulations and field interventions on nature connectedness in adult populations. The analysis examines the relative effects of type of contact (direct or indirect), quality of engagement (active or passive) and the timing of the engagement (single session, repeated practice or residential). Results show a medium positive short-term mean effect of manipulations on nature connectedness, with similar effect sizes for immediate and sustained increases. No effect size differences were observed between different types of contact, quality, or timing of engagement. Follow-up measures were mostly us...
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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine condition that has been associated with atypical emotional regulation strategy use as well as elevated levels of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Despite the existence... more
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine condition that has been associated with atypical emotional regulation strategy use as well as elevated levels of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Despite the existence of clinical screening guidance for this population, there is still little to no understanding of how non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal ideation and intention manifest in women with PCOS and how this might differ from women without PCOS. Within this cross-sectional investigation, women with and without a diagnosis of PCOS (n = 418) completed validated metrics of emotion dysregulation, rumination and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), as well as self-reported indices of previous suicidal ideation and future suicidal intention. Group comparisons indicated that women with, relative to those without, PCOS reported significantly greater metrics across all variables. Moreover, serial mediation analyses were conducted to test the ideation-to-action framew...
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Since the early 2000s, a plethora of web-based learning technologies has been developed, each proposing to improve the student experience. Yet, a study conducted by Martin et al. (2018) demonstrate sporadic new technology adoption in... more
Since the early 2000s, a plethora of web-based learning technologies has been developed, each proposing to improve the student experience. Yet, a study conducted by Martin et al. (2018) demonstrate sporadic new technology adoption in Higher Education (HE), despite wide-scale social interest and a wealth of academic publications. This paper aims to provide a framework to explore this problem from an institutional perspective, involving both educational planners and pedagogues. This framework, the Pedagogic Realignment with Organisational Priorities and Horizon Emergent Technologies Framework or PROPHET Framework, is a new three phase framework that combines two distinct research methodologies used by policy makers and pedagogues with a new dynamic multi-level diffusion of innovation (DMDI) model specifically designed to support dialogue between these stakeholders. Application of the PROPHET Framework will enable stakeholders to arrive at a common understanding about the efficacy of s...
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Risky decisions involve cognitive and emotional factors. As the primary test for the Somatic Marker Hypothesis (SMH), the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) examines these factors. Skin conductance shows anticipatory physiological responses on the... more
Risky decisions involve cognitive and emotional factors. As the primary test for the Somatic Marker Hypothesis (SMH), the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) examines these factors. Skin conductance shows anticipatory physiological responses on the IGT supporting SMH. Pupil dilation offers an alternative physiological marker. Predictive effects of anticipatory pupillary responses to positive and negative decks on IGT performance were examined in an extended IGT. The extended Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) examined the relationship between reflective thinking and IGT performance. Data demonstrated correlations between reflective thinking and performance from the second block onwards and that task learning continued into the additional blocks performance was not optimized even in the final block. Regression analysis showed both anticipatory pupil dilation for disadvantageous and advantageous decks, and reflective thinking were strong predictors of IGT performance. While both emotional and refle...
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The current study examined the relationship between math anxiety and arithmetic performance by focusing on intrusive thoughts experienced during problem solving. Participants (N = 122) performed two-digit addition problems on a... more
The current study examined the relationship between math anxiety and arithmetic performance by focusing on intrusive thoughts experienced during problem solving. Participants (N = 122) performed two-digit addition problems on a verification task. Math anxiety significantly predicted response time and error rate. Further, the extent to which intrusive thoughts impeded calculation mediated the relationship between math anxiety and per cent of errors on problems involving a carry operation. Moreover, results indicated that participants experienced a range of intrusive thoughts and these were related to significantly higher levels of math anxiety. The findings lend support to a deficient inhibition account of the math anxiety-to-performance relationship and highlight the importance of considering intrusive thoughts in future work.
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Narrative reviews offer a flexible way to report intervention results and comprise the majority of reviews published in top medical journals. However variations in their transparency pose evaluation challenges, compromising their value... more
Narrative reviews offer a flexible way to report intervention results and comprise the majority of reviews published in top medical journals. However variations in their transparency pose evaluation challenges, compromising their value and potentially resulting in research wastage. Calls have been made to reduce the number of narrative reviews published. Others argue narrative reviews provide an important platform and should even be placed on an equal footing to systematic reviews. We believe narrative intervention reviews can provide a vital perspective when transparent, and thus support Systematic Transparency Assessment in Intervention Reviews (STAIR). This research evaluates the transparency of 172 health-related narrative and literature reviews (K = 172), by assessing how they communicate information about the interventions they review. Eight points supporting transparency, relating to sample sizes, traceability, article numbers, and references, were assessed. Half of the reviews reported on at least four of the eight points, but 24% reported on none. Only 56% of the reviews clearly communicated full references. The STAIR* (Sample sizes, Traceability, Article numbers, Intervention numbers, References*) checklist comprises five sections, and nine points. It is proposed as a convenient tool to address STAIR and complement existing review guidelines to assist authors in planning, reviewers in evaluating, and scholars in utilising narrative reviews. The objectives of STAIR* are to: 1) encourage narrative review transparency and readability, 2) facilitate the incorporation of narrative reviews results into other research; and 3) enrich narrative review methodology with a checklist to guide, and evaluate, intervention reviews.
Research Interests: Research Methodology, Narrative, Urban And Regional Planning, Medicine, Applied Economics, and 11 moreLiterature Review, Intervention, Psychological Intervention, Checklist, Readability, Systematic review, Health related research, Public health systems and services research, Interventions, Medical Interventions, and Narrative Review
Theories relating to healthy and successful aging do not specifically cater for the oldest-old. This predominantly theoretical research considers the relevance of existing healthy and successful aging theories in the oldest-old. It... more
Theories relating to healthy and successful aging do not specifically cater for the oldest-old. This predominantly theoretical research considers the relevance of existing healthy and successful aging theories in the oldest-old. It explores a small sample of interviews of independently living oldest-old using Differential Qualitative Analysis. The Activity Theory and the Disengagement Theory were particularly relevant to investigate differences. The Engage-Disengage model was conceived as a pragmatic holistic model to address specific challenges facing the oldest-old. Engage-Disengage reflects attainable healthy and successful aging in the oldest-old according to individual abilities (intrinsic physical and mental capacities), values, and external resources (social, material, and environmental).N/
Research Interests: Health Psychology, Health Sciences, Geriatrics, Gerontology, Aging, and 10 moreAdult Development And Aging, Ageing and Health, Aging & the life course, Wellbeing, Older Adults, Healthy Aging, Quality of life in older age, Public health systems and services research, Successful Aging, and Geriatrics and Gerontology
Buddhism is an ancient religion and philosophy of living that is practised worldwide. More recent interest in mindfulness as a practice and intervention in the West has highlighted Buddhist-derived concepts as useful in supporting health... more
Buddhism is an ancient religion and philosophy of living that is practised worldwide. More recent interest in mindfulness as a practice and intervention in the West has highlighted Buddhist-derived concepts as useful in supporting health and well-being. As a result, the desire to understand Buddhism in its more complete form has strengthened. Although research into mindfulness and compassion is growing, there is a new interest in second-generation mindfulness, i.e. interventions that draw upon a more holistic use of Buddhist practices. To date, little research has explored this in Western contexts. For the current study, Nichiren Buddhists from the United Kingdom who had been practising for at least three years were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore their experience of this practice and how it informed their approach to daily life and, in particular, their health and well-being. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was employed as a method to understa...
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Shinrin-yoku, immersing oneself in nature using one’s senses, has been receiving increased attention internationally. While most of the existing studies have focused on physical health, this systematic review and meta-analysis examined... more
Shinrin-yoku, immersing oneself in nature using one’s senses, has been receiving increased attention internationally. While most of the existing studies have focused on physical health, this systematic review and meta-analysis examined the mental health impacts of shinrin-yoku, using the PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO registry: BLINDED). Of 497 articles retrieved on databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Science Direct and Google Scholar, twenty met the inclusion criteria. All studies were conducted in Asia and Europe, and used a variety of different bathing approaches (e.g. breathing, walking, yoga). While noting a need for more rigorous research and extensive follow-up assessments, the findings indicate that shinrin-yoku can be effective in reducing mental health symptoms in the short term, particularly anxiety. More careful examination of shinrin-yoku practices is needed; longer follow-up with participants from a range of countries along with greater examination of potential ...
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Urban green space can help mitigate the negative impacts of urban living and provide positive effects on citizens’ mood, health and well-being. Questions remain, however, as to whether all types of green space are equally beneficial, and... more
Urban green space can help mitigate the negative impacts of urban living and provide positive effects on citizens’ mood, health and well-being. Questions remain, however, as to whether all types of green space are equally beneficial, and if not, what landscape forms or key features optimise the desired benefits. For example, it has been cited that urban landscapes rich in wildlife (high biodiversity) may promote more positive emotions and enhance well-being. This research utilised a mobile phone App, employed to assess people’s emotions when they entered any one of 945 green spaces within the city of Sheffield, UK. Emotional responses were correlated to key traits of the individual green spaces, including levels of biodiversity the participant perceived around them. For a subsample of these green spaces, actual levels of biodiversity were assessed through avian and habitat surveys. Results demonstrated strong correlations between levels of avian biodiversity within a green space and...
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Research Interests: Psychology, Mindfulness, Medicine, Mindfulness Meditation, RM, and 4 moreExplore, Bf, H, and Medical and Health Sciences
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Background/aims Athletes who choose to engage in contact sports do so with the knowledge that participation will bring pain in the form of contact with others, injury, and from exertion. Whilst athletes who play contact sports have been... more
Background/aims Athletes who choose to engage in contact sports do so with the knowledge that participation will bring pain in the form of contact with others, injury, and from exertion. Whilst athletes who play contact sports have been shown to have higher pain tolerance than those who do not, it is unclear whether this is a result of habituation over time, or as a result of individual differences at the outset. The aim was to compare pain responses over an athletic season in athletes who participated in contact sport and those who disengaged from it. Methods One hundred and two new contact athletes completed measures of cold and ischaemic pain tolerance, perceived pain intensity, pain bothersomeness, pain coping styles and attendance at the start, middle (4 months) and end (8 months) of their season. The athletes were drawn from martial arts, rugby and American football. Cluster analysis placed 47 athletes into a participating category and 55 into a non-participating cluster. Resu...
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Low back pain remains a major health problem with huge societal cost. Biomedical models fail to explain the disability seen in response to reported back pain and therefore patients' beliefs, cognitions and related behaviours have... more
Low back pain remains a major health problem with huge societal cost. Biomedical models fail to explain the disability seen in response to reported back pain and therefore patients' beliefs, cognitions and related behaviours have become a focus for both research and practice. This study used the Pain Beliefs Questionnaire and had two aims: To examine the extent to which pain beliefs are related to disability, anxiety and depression; and to assess whether those relationships are mediated by pain self-efficacy and locus of control. In a sample of 341 chronic low back pain patients, organic and psychological pain beliefs were related to disability, anxiety and depression. However, organic pain beliefs were more strongly related to disability and depression than psychological pain beliefs. Regression analyses revealed that these relationships were in part independent of pain self-efficacy and locus of control. Further, mediation analyses revealed indirect pathways involving self-eff...
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In an increasingly urbanised world where mental health is currently in crisis, interventions to increase human engagement and connection with the natural environment are one of the fastest growing, most widely accessible, and... more
In an increasingly urbanised world where mental health is currently in crisis, interventions to increase human engagement and connection with the natural environment are one of the fastest growing, most widely accessible, and cost-effective ways of improving human wellbeing. This study aimed to provide an evaluation of a smartphone app-based wellbeing intervention. In a randomised controlled trial study design, the app prompted 582 adults, including a subgroup of adults classified by baseline scores on the Recovering Quality of Life scale as having a common mental health problem (n = 148), to notice the good things about urban nature (intervention condition) or built spaces (active control). There were statistically significant and sustained improvements in wellbeing at one-month follow-up. Importantly, in the noticing urban nature condition, compared to a built space control, improvements in quality of life reached statistical significance for all adults and clinical significance f...
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Traditionally a psychotherapeutic intervention, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is receiving increasing attention within the extant literature as an intervention to enhance the athletic performance and psychological wellbeing of... more
Traditionally a psychotherapeutic intervention, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is receiving increasing attention within the extant literature as an intervention to enhance the athletic performance and psychological wellbeing of competitive athletes. Whilst the benefits of REBT on psychological health are established, less is understood about the effects on athletic performance. The present study aimed to examine the immediate and maintained effects of REBT on physiological, psychological, and performance outcomes with elite Paralympic athletes. Using a single-case research design, eight athletes recruited from the same Paralympic sport (M = 40.12, SD = 12.99) received five, one-to-one REBT sessions. Measures of irrational beliefs were collected weekly, whereas the remaining psychological and physiological measures were collected at a pre-, post-, and at a 9-month follow-up time-point. Visual and statistical analysis of the data indicates reductions in irrational beliefs we...
Anxiety and depression have been linked to blunted blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) reactions to mental stress tests; however, most studies have not included indices of underlying hemodynamics nor multiple stress tasks. This study... more
Anxiety and depression have been linked to blunted blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) reactions to mental stress tests; however, most studies have not included indices of underlying hemodynamics nor multiple stress tasks. This study sought to examine the relationships of anxiety and depression with hemodynamic responses to acute active and passive coping tasks. A total of 104 participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales and mental arithmetic, speech, and cold pressor tasks while BP, HR, total peripheral resistance, and cardiac output (CO) were assessed. After adjustment for traditional risk factors and baseline cardiovascular activity, depression scores were negatively associated with systolic BP, HR, and CO responses to the mental arithmetic task, while anxiety scores were inversely related to the systolic BP response to mental arithmetic. High anxiety or depression scores appear to be associated with blunted cardiac reactions to mental arithmetic (an acti...
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Research demonstrates that highly self-critical individuals can respond negatively to the initial introduction of a range of therapeutic interventions. Yet touch as a form of therapeutic intervention in self-critical individuals has... more
Research demonstrates that highly self-critical individuals can respond negatively to the initial introduction of a range of therapeutic interventions. Yet touch as a form of therapeutic intervention in self-critical individuals has received limited prior investigation, despite documentation of its beneficial effects for well-being. Using the Forms of Self-Criticism/Self-Reassuring Scale, 15 high- and 14 low- self-critical individuals (from a sample of 139 females) were recruited to assess how self-criticism impacts upon a single instance of focused touch. All participants took part in a hand massage- and haptic control- intervention. Salivary cortisol and alpha amylase, as well as questionnaire measures of emotional responding were taken before and after the interventions. Following hand massage, analyses revealed cortisol decreased significantly across all participants; and that significant changes in emotional responding reflected well-being improvements across all participants. ...