Kathryn Gardner - Academic Staff

Kathryn teaches across a range of topics within Psychology, with much involvement in the delivery of clinical psychology, individual differences, psychometrics and research methods/advanced research methods. Throughout Kathryn's career she has published in the field of emotional intelligence and borderline personality disorder, and has a growing body of research on and passion for better understanding self-harm.

Given Kathryn’s research expertise and passion for mental health research, in 2015 Kathryn worked with colleagues and stakeholders (students, experts-by-experience and carers) to develop UCLan’s MSc Applied Clinical Psychology, which saw its first intake of students in September 2016. Kathryn continues to work as the Programme Director/Course Leader for this MSc, alongside a team of HCPC Registered Clinical Psychologists, expert academics in specialist fields, clinicians across a wide range of specialities, and experts-by-experience.

In 2020 Kathryn also jointly developed the Postgraduate Diploma Associate Practitioner Psychologist (PGDip App) Course alongside Dr Mark Roy. The PGDip App which is a partnership between Lancashire and South Cumbria and Cheshire and Merseyside NHS trusts and the School of Psychology at UCLan, and saw its first intake of students in January 2020. The course aims to meet the delivery needs for psychology practitioner clinical services through addressing the current shortfall of psychological practitioners in post. Given Kathryn’s research expertise and passion for mental health research, in 2015 Kathryn worked with colleagues and stakeholders (students, experts-by-experience and carers) to develop UCLan’s MSc Applied Clinical Psychology, which saw its first intake of students in September 2016. Kathryn continues to work as the Programme Director/Course Leader for this MSc, alongside a team of HCPC Registered Clinical Psychologists, expert academics in specialist fields, clinicians across a wide range of specialities, and experts-by-experience.

Kathryn is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Programme Director for the MSc Applied Clinical Psychology and joint Programme Director for the Postgraduate Diploma Associate Psychological Practitioner (PGDip App) course. Kathryn’s research interests are in mental health with Kathryn being widely published in the fields of personality disorder and self-harm. Kathryn has methodological proficiency in both quantitative methods (e.g., logistic regression, and structural equation modelling) and qualitative methods (e.g., thematic analysis and interpretative phenomenological analysis). Kathryn is Co-founder of Suicide and Self-Harm Research North West, or SSHaRE NoW, a collaboration between the University of Central Lancashire, Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Manchester, the Manchester Self-Harm Project, the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust and the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs). SSHaRe NoW, was launched in June 2017 with the aim of bringing together a wide range of stakeholders with a shared interested in suicide and self-harm research, from across the north west of England. SSHaRE NoW hopes to encourage and support links and collaboration between researchers, clinicians, health services, third sector organisations, service users, and the public, by raising awareness of high quality suicide and self-harm research and initiatives in the local area. SSHaRE NoW also aims to create a positive collaborative space where we can share knowledge, expertise, and experience of all kinds, to help identify and develop key areas of research that may help improve services and reduce suicide and self-harm in the future.

Kathryn has experience of module/course design, assessment, curriculum design/development, and quality assurance, at a variety of different levels (Undergraduate and Postgraduate). Kathryn's teaching, learning and assessment activities are mainly in the following areas: research methods/advanced research methods and statistics; clinical psychology, individual differences, applied/clinical psychology, psychometrics. Kathryn provides doctoral, MSc and BSc supervision for a broad range of mental health/clinical psychology topics, utilising both quantitative and qualitative methods. With regards to quality assurance, Kathryn is a member of the University's University Review Panel and is an External Examiner for the MSc Foundations of Clinical Psychology, Bournemouth University, UK.

2010 Postgraduate Certificate in Research Student Supervision, University of Central Lancashire
2008 Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, University of Central Lancashire
2008 PhD in Psychology, University of Central Lancashire. Thesis title: Ability Emotional Intelligence, Trait Emotional Intelligence and Borderline Personality Disorder
2006 Certificate in Higher Education: Teaching Toolkit, University of Central Lancashire
2004 BSc (Hons Applied Psychology), First Class, University of Central Lancashire

Kathryn's research examines self-harm, particularly non-suicidal self-injury and its functions/motivations, including the non-affective drivers of self-harm such as eliciting care from others. Kathryn’s work focuses also on mechanisms (moderators and mediators) of self-harm; theoretical models of self-harm; staff (e.g., clinician's, teachers) understanding and management of self-harm; help-seeking for self-harm; and self-harm within the school environment. Other areas of expertise include borderline personality disorder (BPD) and associated emotional/social cognitive processes (e.g., facial emotion perception/identification, mentalisation); emotion dysregulation; mechanisms of change in therapy; personality, and assessment. Kathryn’s interests in the social-cognitive aspects of BPD traits has resulted in collaborations with clinicians delivering Mentalisation Based Treatment (MBT), a highly effective treatment for BPD. Kathryn works alongside a team of Clinical Psychologists, expert academics in specialist fields, clinicians across a wide range of specialities, and experts-by-experience. Kathryn’s earlier work concentrated on emotional intelligence (EI), with some of this work lying at the forefront of debate around whether the construct can be measured validly.

Use the links below to view their profiles:

Gardner, K. J., Banks, G., Wade, H., & McGaffin, C. (In Preparation). How do teachers and other school professionals understand, experience, respond to and manage self-harm within their School?
Gardner, K. J. & Rayner, G. (In Preparation). What are the experiences of adults who self-injure? A meta-synthesis. Frontiers in Psychology
Gardner, K. J., Smith, R., Rayner, G., & Lamph, G., (In Preparation). Mental health professional’s perceptions of the significance of concealed and visible self-Harm
Rayner, G. & Gardner, K. J. (In Preparation). What are the experiences of staff who support individuals who self-injure? A meta-synthesis. Frontiers in Psychology
Thornton, A., Gardner, K. J., & Graham-Kevan, N. (In Preparation). The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale: factor analytic investigation and mediational effects on the relationship between personality disorder and treatment readiness in male offenders.
Gardner, K. J. Evaluation of the Postgraduate Diploma Associate Psychological Practitioner Programme. Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (£25,000).

Gardner, K. J (2022). Evaluation of the Postgraduate Diploma Associate Psychological Practitioner Programme. Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (£25,000).
Gardner, K. J. Roy, M. P., & Morley, A. (2021-22). Implementing New Career Routes in Psychological Professions: The Postgraduate Diploma Associate Psychological Practitioner Programme. NHS England (Year 2 – circa £440,500 for delivery of the academic programme.
Lamph, G., Elliott, A., McKeown, M., Traill, S., Gardner, K.J., Graham-Kevan, N., Rayner, G., Gillaspy, E., Pearson, J., & Wright, K. (2022-2023). Offender Personality Disorder Higher Education Training Programme ’Northern Region’. Leeds and York Partnership NHS foundation Trust (Year 4 – 17,466 for programme development, delivery of the educational components).
Gardner, K. J & Graham-Kevan, N. (2021). Evaluation of the ICS commissioned Suicide Bereavement pathway. NHS Blackburn with Darwen Clinical Commissioning Group. (£10,000).
Gardner, K. J. (2021). Research and Outcome work with Psychotherapy and Personality Disorder Hub. Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. (£15,000).
Gardner, K. J. Roy, M. P., & Morley, A. (2020-21). Implementing New Career Routes in Psychological Professions: The Postgraduate Diploma Associate Psychological Practitioner Programme. NHS England (Year 1 - £247,500 for delivery of the academic programme and its research evaluation).
Lamph, G., McKeown, M., Nowland, R., Gardner, K. J.., Graham-Kevan, N., & Christian, D. (2021). A systematic review of relational practice. Leeds & York Partnership NHS foundation Trust. (£74,227.13).
Lamph, G., Elliott, A., McKeown, M., Traill, S., Gardner, K.J., Graham-Kevan, N., Rayner, G., Gillaspy, E., Pearson, J., & Wright, K. (2021-22). Offender Personality Disorder Higher Education Training Programme ’Northern Region’. Leeds and York Partnership NHS foundation Trust (Year 3 - £18,868 for further programme development, and £22,739.56 for research evaluation).
Lamph, G., Elliott, A., McKeown, M., Traill, S., Gardner, K.J., Graham-Kevan, N., Rayner, G., Gillaspy, E., Pearson, J., & Wright, K. (2020-21). Offender Personality Disorder Higher Education Training Programme ’Northern Region’. Leeds and York Partnership NHS foundation Trust (Year 2 - £150,000 for delivery of the educational component only).
Lamph, G., Elliott, A., McKeown, M., Traill, S., Gardner, K.J., Graham-Kevan, N., Rayner, G., Gillaspy, E., Pearson, J., & Wright, K. (2019-2020). Offender Personality Disorder Higher Education Training Programme ’Northern Region’. Leeds and York Partnership NHS foundation Trust (Year 1 - £79,500 for programme development, delivery of the educational components and research evaluation).
Gardner, K. J. Saini, P., Taylor, P. & Clements, C. (2019). Suicide and Self Harm Research North-West (SSHaRe NoW). Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust. (£1,250).
Saini, P., Taylor, P. & Gardner, K. J. (2017). Initial meeting for the North-West Suicide and Self Harm Research Network. The James Wentworth-Stanley Memorial fund. (£1,000).
Gardner, K J. (2014). Facilitating change and avoiding dropout in mentalisation-based therapy (MBT) for personality disorder: Patients and therapists’ perspectives. NIHR Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Bursary. (£340).
Gardner, K .J (2010, 2011, 2011 2015, 2018). Six paid graduate or undergraduate research intern awards. University of Central Lancashire.
Gardner, K. J., (2011). University Sabbatical award. University of Central Lancashire.
Gardner, K. J. (2009). University Arnoux award (part-time PhD studentship). University of Central Lancashire. Dudiak, H., Pope, D., Qualter, P., Gardner, K.J., & Anderson, J. (2009).
The development of Emotional Intelligence within PDP Provision. Higher Education Academy Psychology Network mini-project scheme (£5,543.06).
Qualter, P., Gardner, K .J., Atherton, C., Bottoms, L., Judge, J., Munoz, L., & Taylor, P. (2009). EyeLink II. Learning Development Fund, University of Central Lancashire. (£40,477.50).
Qualter, P., Barlow, A., Gardner, K.J., Ford, F., & Xu, W. (2008). Evaluation of PlaceToBe interventions in East Lancashire. East Lancashire NHS Teaching Primary Care Trust. (£17,297).

Gardner K. J & Clements., C. The location of self-injury on the body: does it matter? Paper presented at the Suicide and Self-Harm Research North-West (SSHaReNoW) annual conference, Preston, June 2022.
Gardner, K. J., (2022). Invited paper. The location of self-injury on the body: does it matter? Invited presentation at 23rd February, 2022, Psychological Health: Advancement and Understanding, Coastal Child and Adult Therapeutic Services Conference.
Graham, S., Gardner, K. J., Ralston, A., Sebalo, A., Benedetto, V., Clegg, A., & Thornton. An evaluation of a new personality disorder (PD) service: does case management and a combined therapeutic day and crisis service support those too complex for both CMHT’s and psychological interventions to remain out of hospital in their local community? Upcoming: Poster to be presented at the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorder conference, Northampton, June 2022.
Graham, S., Dobson, C., & Gardner, K. J., A service user perspective of the experience and impact of long psychiatric inpatient admissions, including being sent out of area for treatment, for people diagnosed with personality disorder: “It feels like a punishment for being unwell”. Upcoming: Poster to be presented at the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorder conference, Northampton, March 2022. Gardner, K. J., Smith, R., Lamph, G., Moores, L., & Rayner, G. (2021, June). The psychological and clinical significance of location of self-injury on the body: a qualitative analysis of staff perspectives. Extended Poster Abstract presented at the International Society for the Study of Self-injury (ISSS) virtual conference.
Lamph, G., Elliott, A., Gardner, K., McKeown, M., Jones, F., Jassat, R., Ramsden, J., Wright, K., Graham-Kevan, N,. Ellis, S., Jones, E & Scott, J. (2021, June). An Evaluation of the Northern Region Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Higher Education Training Initiative. Poster presented at the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorder virtual conference.
Gardner, K. J., Wright, K. M., Elliot, A.., Lamph, G., Graham, S., Parker, L., & Fonagy, P. (2021, June). Learning the subtle dance: the experience of therapists who deliver mentalisation-based therapy for borderline personality disorder. Poster presented at the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorder virtual conference.
Gardner, K. J. (2020, March). The Significance of Site of Cut in Self-Harm in Young People. Extended Poster Abstract presented at the International Society for the Study of Self-injury (ISSS) virtual conference.
Gardner, K. J. (2019, April). The weirdness of having a bunch of other minds like yours in the room: the lived experiences of mentalisation-based therapy for borderline personality disorder. Poster presented at the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorder, Durham.
Gardner, K. J., & Qualter, P. (2008, October). Ability and Trait-Emotional Intelligence and Academic Success in British Secondary Schools. Presentation at British Psychological Society Psychology of Education Annual Conference, Milton Keynes

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Dr Kathryn Gardner

Dr Kathryn Gardner

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