Dr Sarah Kirby BSc, MSc, PhD
Associate Professor
Dr Sarah Kirby is a Health Psychologist and an Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Southampton
After completing my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Staffordshire University in 1998, I spent two years working with children and becoming a qualified play worker, followed by a brief stint in the civil service. I then decided to return to academia where I completed the MSc in Health Psychology at the University of Southampton in 2002. I then undertook stage 2 training following the university route, completing a part-time PhD in Health Psychology Research and Professional Practice at the University of Southampton, graduating in 2007. During this time I also worked part-time at the University as a teaching and research assistant. I continued working at the University of Southampton in various post-doc roles and became a Lecturer in Psychology in 2012, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2016.
I am a HCPC registered Health Psychologist and a Chartered Member of the BPS (CPsychol). I am also a full member of the Division of Health Psychology (DHP)
My research interests include:
- Health issues relating to self-management, acceptance and adjustment to chronic illness (particularly dizziness and vertigo, and asthma). Much of my work in this area focuses on patient beliefs, attitudes and experiences, adherence and barriers to adherence, and predictors of adjustment (including illness perceptions, health anxiety, PTSD, and intolerance of uncertainty).
- Patient-centred approaches to treatment/illness management, communication style and quality, and the therapeutic relationship between health care professionals and patients.
- Work relating to older adults, falls prevention, and spirituality and religion.
- Staff and student wellbeing, and career development.
In May 2012 I contributed to the International Classification of Functioning, disability and health (ICF; the WHO’s framework for measuring health and disability at both individual and population levels) consensus conference to develop the ICF core sets for vertigo.
In July 2014, I was awarded a Vice Chancellor’s Teaching award for my work supporting student employability.
In May 2016 I was awarded a Faculty Academic Award in the category of Best Pastoral Support.