PROJECT

Mindfulness in clinical psychology

Is mindfulness for everyone?

Mindfulness practice has gained considerable regard in psychology with different mindfulness techniques designed to help people with anxiety, depression, bipolar etc. Although the empirical study of mindfulness has increased exponentially in the last decade, more research is needed to establish its efficacy with academic confidence.

This research will focus on the effects of mindfulness on emotional processing including: emotional reactivity emotional regulation; emotional awareness (alexithymia), in both in clinical and non-clinical samples.

For more background information see the suggested readings below.

Some of the proposed questions to address are:

how much mindfulness is enough? (Dosage effect)
isn’t mindfulness just a complex relaxation technique? (Agent of change)
would any mindfulness technique have the same effect? (Type of mindfulness)
is mindfulness for everyone? (Dispositional mindfulness)

Suggested readings
- Becerra, R., Preece, D., Campitelli, G., & Scott-Pillow, G. (2017). The Assessment of Emotional Reactivity Across Negative and Positive Emotions: Development and Validation of the Perth Emotional Reactivity Scale (PERS). Assessment, 1073191117694455.
- Becerra, R., Dandrade, C. & Harms, C. (2016). Can Specific Attentional Skills be Modified with Mindfulness Training? Curr Psychol (2016).
- Preece, D., Becerra, R., Allan, A., Robinson, K., & Dandy, J. (2017). Establishing the theoretical components of alexithymia via factor analysis: Introduction and validation of the attention-appraisal model of alexithymia. Personality and Individual Differences, 119, 341-352.
- Bojic, S. and Becerra, R. (2017) Mindfulness-Based Treatment for Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 13(3), 573-598.
- Preece, D. A., Becerra, R., Robinson, K., Dandy, J., & Allan, A. (2018). Measuring emotion regulation ability across negative and positive emotions: The Perth Emotion Regulation Competency Inventory (PERCI). Personality and Individual Differences, 135, 229-241.

Research team leader: Associate Professor Rodrigo Becerra

I am a Clinical Psychologist with interest in emotions and psychopathology. My research focuses on the assessment and therapy for emotional difficulties in a variety of diagnoses (e.g., bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, etc.). Intervention for emotion dysregulation, reactivity, and/or awareness is a growing and promising field within clinical psychology. In our clinic at UWA, we are testing new assessment measures and therapeutic programs aimed at improving regulatory skills.

PhD opportunities

Interested in becoming part of this project? Complete the following steps to submit your expression of interest:

Step 1 - Check criteria

General UWA PhD entrance requirements can be found on the Future Students website.

Step 2 - Submit enquiry to research team leader

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Step 3 - Lodge application

After you have discussed your project with the research team leader, you should be in a position to proceed to the next step of the UWA application process: Lodge an application. Different application procedures apply to domestic and international students.

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