Research | Gaffiero Health Behaviour Research Group

HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY AND BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE

Understanding health behaviour in individuals relationships communities healthcare systems context.

We investigate how psychosocial factors shape symptom experience, health decisions and engagement with healthcare.

RESEARCH PROGRAMME

Three connected strands.

Our research examines health and healthcare at interconnected levels - from the cognitive processes that shape symptom experience to the structural conditions that influence behaviour and access to care.

01

Research strand

Symptom experience and cognitive processes

Investigating how attention, interpretation, memory, beliefs and expectations shape symptom perception, pain and adjustment to long-term health conditions. This strand also develops more valid experimental approaches to measuring cognitive bias.
- Chronic pain
- Eating disorders
- Experimental psychology
02

Research strand

Preventive health behaviour

Understanding the psychosocial factors that influence preventive health behaviours—including risk perception, communication, access and inequality.
- Vaccination
- Breast cancer screening
- Message framing
03

Research strand

Healthcare experiences and systems

Examining how people seek, receive and experience healthcare, including patient–practitioner communication and symptom validation.
- Menopause
- Blood donation
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia

Research in focus

Research questions
made visible.

Three selected studies show how each research strand is translated into a focused question and a clear research logic.

Symptom experience and cognitive processes

How can interpretation bias in pain be measured more validly, and how does it relate to recent pain experience?

This study developed and validated two sets of ambiguous scenarios, then examined whether interpretation-bias responses were associated with recent pain experience.

Research record

Interpretation biases in pain: Validation of two new stimulus sets

Published
2022
Frontiers in Psychology
Interpretation bias

View research record

Pain interpretation

Stimulus development

Creation of two sets of ambiguous scenarios about a person in pain

Ambiguous scenarios task

Participants read scenarios with varying information about symptom context

Interpretation bias

Bias index derived from interpretation patterns across scenarios

Recent pain experiences Contextual variable

This diagram illustrates the experimental pathway used to examine interpretation bias. Two stimulus sets of ambiguous scenarios were developed and used to elicit interpretation responses, from which a bias index was derived and tested in association with recent pain experiences.

Research record

Understanding breast cancer screening intentions in Malta among women aged 18–49: comparing the predictive ability of the health belief model and the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Published
2026
Cogent Psychology
Breast screening

View research record

Significant predictors and outcome

Behavioural attitudes

More positive attitudes were associated with greater certainty about attending screening once eligible.

Transport access

Access to transport was associated with greater certainty about attending screening once eligible.

Perceived benefits × self-efficacy

The relationship between perceived benefits and intention varied according to self-efficacy.

Future screening intention

Certainty about attending breast screening once eligible

These factors were identified as significant predictors of future screening intention in the final model.

Research record

Exploring the lived experiences of patients with fibromyalgia in the United Kingdom: a study of patient-general practitioner communication

Published
2025
Psychology & Health
Fibromyalgia

View research record

GP communication

Experiences of
GP communication

Diagnosis

Feeling dismissed Delayed recognition Uncertainty and confusion Validation of symptoms

Treatment

Limited treatment options Trial-and-error management Medication concerns Frustration with support

Ongoing communication

Being listened to Continuity of care Empathy and understanding Clear communication needs

This diagram shows the key themes and sub-themes identified in patient accounts of GP communication, organised across diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing communication.

Emerging directions

Questions shaping the
next phase.

These are priority questions guiding the programme’s next phase. They represent emerging research directions being developed for future study.

View active research

Dynamic interpretation

How do pain-related interpretations change as new information unfolds?

Developing dynamic paradigms that measure initial interpretation, belief updating and confidence over time.

Screening invitations

How can breast-screening invitations be redesigned to support informed attendance?

Co-designing and testing behaviourally informed invitation letters that clarify action and reduce practical friction.

Menopause consultations

Where do patient and GP understandings of menopause-related symptoms align or diverge?

Using complementary qualitative studies to identify communication gaps and opportunities for more responsive care.

Active research

Work currently
in motion.

A curated view of studies currently being developed, conducted, analysed or prepared for publication across the research programme.

9: Active studies
4: Programme strands
3: Locations

Manuscript in preparation

Making Sense of Endometriosis-Related Healthcare: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ofGender-Diverse Individuals’ Experiences in the UK

Research strand: Healthcare experiences and systems
Lead researcher: Zofia Szaprowska

Research team

Project progress

Development
Ethics
Data collection
Analysis
Manuscript
Under review

Three connected strands.

Symptom experience and cognitive processes

Preventive health behaviour

Healthcare experiences and systems

Research questions
made visible.

How can interpretation bias in pain be measured more validly, and how does it relate to recent pain experience?

Pain interpretation

Stimulus development

Ambiguous scenarios task

Interpretation bias

What shapes breast-screening intentions among women not yet eligible for routine screening?

Significant predictors and outcome

Behavioural attitudes

Transport access

Perceived benefits × self-efficacy

Future screening intention

How do people with fibromyalgia experience communication with their general practitioners?

GP communication

Experiences of
GP communication

Diagnosis

Treatment

Ongoing communication

Questions shaping the
next phase.

How do pain-related interpretations change as new information unfolds?

How can breast-screening invitations be redesigned to support informed attendance?

Where do patient and GP understandings of menopause-related symptoms align or diverge?

Work currently
in motion.

Making Sense of Endometriosis-Related Healthcare: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ofGender-Diverse Individuals’ Experiences in the UK

Bridging Care and Connection: Young Adult’s Experiences of Professional Support in Chronic Kidney Disease – An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Parental perspectives on Human Papillomavirus vaccination for sons aged 9-13 in the United Kingdom: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis

A Systematic Review of Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing Treatment and Support for Psychological and Neurological Symptoms Across the Menopause Transition

Co-Developing a digital-supported self-management programme for osteoarthritis: A Multi-Stakeholder Delphi Consensus Study

Psychological and Demographic Predictors of Intention to Request PSA/DRE Testing among Men under 50 in the United Kingdom

NHS England Breast Screening: Who Attends, and Why? The Influence of Psychosocial and Demographic Determinants.

Exploring barriers and facilitators to help-seeking behaviour in rural and urban women with breast cancer in Scotland

Development of new methodology to investigate tendency toward eating disorders and effectiveness of Eating Disorder Interventions.

Understanding health behaviour in context.

Symptom experience and cognitive processes

Preventive health behaviour

Healthcare experiences and systems

How can interpretation bias in pain be measured more validly, and how does it relate to recent pain experience?

What shapes breast-screening intentions among women not yet eligible for routine screening?

How do people with fibromyalgia experience communication with their general practitioners?

How do pain-related interpretations change as new information unfolds?

How can breast-screening invitations be redesigned to support informed attendance?

Where do patient and GP understandings of menopause-related symptoms align or diverge?

Making Sense of Endometriosis-Related Healthcare: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ofGender-Diverse Individuals’ Experiences in the UK

Bridging Care and Connection: Young Adult’s Experiences of Professional Support in Chronic Kidney Disease – An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Parental perspectives on Human Papillomavirus vaccination for sons aged 9-13 in the United Kingdom: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis

A Systematic Review of Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing Treatment and Support for Psychological and Neurological Symptoms Across the Menopause Transition

Co-Developing a digital-supported self-management programme for osteoarthritis: A Multi-Stakeholder Delphi Consensus Study

Psychological and Demographic Predictors of Intention to Request PSA/DRE Testing among Men under 50 in the United Kingdom

NHS England Breast Screening: Who Attends, and Why? The Influence of Psychosocial and Demographic Determinants.

Exploring barriers and facilitators to help-seeking behaviour in rural and urban women with breast cancer in Scotland

Development of new methodology to investigate tendency toward eating disorders and effectiveness of Eating Disorder Interventions.