Elaine Craig
Senior Research Assistant in Mental Health
My profile
Biography
Academic and professional qualifications
After an extensive career in the media industry, I traded the camera for academia and gained BPS status with a BSc in Psychology & Abuse and a MSc in Psychological Wellbeing in Clinical Practice. I am now an early career Psychologist & Research Assistant working in the interdisciplinary Mental Health team of MMU’s Nursing Department. Our team improves, evaluates and designs healthcare interventions spanning criminology, safeguaring, psychology & vulnerable populations. I have just been awarded a NIHR Pre-Doctoral Fellowship to pursue a PhD in Psycho-traumatology, with particular emphasis on Abuse-related-Trauma. My expertise lies in inductive qualitative methods, Experience Based Co-Design, interviewing and Co-Production.
- BSc. Psychology with Abuse | 85% average | Manchester Metropolitan University | July 2017
- MSc. Psychological Wellbeing in Clinical Practice | 95% thesis | Manchester Metropolitan | Oct 2018
Consultancy and advisory roles
I am an advisor and regular keynote speaker for teen charity ‘Youth Mental Health Matters’. Our aims are to raise awareness of mental health trends in young people, train teachers, pupils and parents how to spot mental health symptoms and to overcome poor help seeking behaviours.
Prizes and awards
- 2019, Early Career Researcher 1st Prize Poster Presentation | Prof. Paul Holmes
- 2018, Student Researcher of the Year | Dr. Sarah Parry
- 2017, Pro-Vice Chancellor Award for Outstanding Student | Prof. Christine Horrocks
- 2017, Examplary Professionalism Award | Prof. Robert Hulme
- 2017, Outstanding Contribution to Academia | Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
Membership of professional associations
• British Psychological Society, Registration: 380034, June 2017 to present
• Honorary Research Assistant at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
• Member of the NHS, Psychological Professions Network (NWPNN)
• Member of European Violence in Psychiatry Research Group (EViPRG)
• Organising Committee Member of Restraint Reduction Network (RRN)
• Member of the Violence Abuse & Mental Health Network (VAMHN)
• Member of UKRI Early Career Researcher Forum
• Member of Fostering & Strengthening Approaches to Reducing Coercion in European Mental Health Services (FOSTREN.EU)
• Member of Restraint Reduction Network, Conference Committee (RRN)
Projects
I am the co-founder of Manchester’s Mental Health Choir – a community based project in partnership with the Bridgewater Hall and disability charity TripleC. My clinical skills underpin the facilitation and safeguarding of this group. The group has over 150 members with 50-65 attending regularly. Research with this group showed choir membership reduces self-reporting anxiety and depression significantly, increases life quality and wellbeing and combats loneliness.
The choir’s impact informed Manchester City Council’s decision to arrange a mass sing-along at the Arena Attack Anniversary 2018. I was interviewed about the science behind singing before the choir sang to an audience of 15,000 people. More recently, the choir partnered with Kensington’s Palace’s ‘Heads Up’ Campaign and launched a campaign to break the stigma of mental health in sport. Together with Prince William, BeeVocal launched the campaign at Wembly Stadium singing live on TV and to audience of 90,000 people https://www.headstogether.org.uk/community-shield-launch/. In Dec 2019, BeeVocal collaborated with artist Emile Sande performing at The Royal Variety Show to raise awareness of mental health. https://vimeo.com/378680158
In February 2017 I launched the Student Academic Innovation Journal at ManMet Uni. The aim of the journal was to showcase outstanding student research. The journal was run for students by students with a supervisory board of undergrad students, tutors and PhD students. After winning a funding bid for £3500 I recruited a team, built a website, collated and peeer reviewed articles and launched the journal in Feb 2017. The Centre of Excellence for Learning and Teaching awarded my efforts with ’Outstanding Contribution to Academia’ in 2017.
Teaching
Postgraduate teaching
GUEST LECTURER (Level 7): “Political and Economic Influences upon Mental Health Intervention Delivery and Design.” MMU, MSc. Psychological Wellbeing in Clinical Practice, January, 2019.
GUEST LECTURER (Level 7): “Abuse Related Trauma Masterclass.” MMU, MSc. Nursing, Dimentions of Mental Health February, 2021.
Research outputs
I have particular aptitude in inductive, qualitative methodologies using experiential, co-produced approaches. I gained British Psychological Society (BPS) Membership in 2017 with a BSc in Psychology and Abuse and an MSc in Psychological Wellbeing in Clinical Practice. Abuse studies considers the role of multi-disciplined health and social care professionals as they endeavour to understand coercive nuances within grooming and exploitation prior to violent/abusive acts. These nuances demonstrate the value of qualitative methodologies giving voice to the experience and person(s) within the data.
SpecifIic Expertise Includes
- Phenomenological Analysis
- Patient and Public Involvement
- Experience Based Co-Design
- Participatory Action Research
- Interviewing
- Filmaking
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Chapters in books
Craig, E., Heyes, K., Bracewell, K., Haines-Delmont, A., Duxbury, J., Chantler, K. (2023) 'Experience-Based Codesign (EBCD) for Sensitive Research.' In Liamputtong, P. (ed.) Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health. Cham: Springer Reference, pp. 1-15.
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Reports
Lewin, C., Smith, A., Morris, S., Craig, E. (2019) Using Digital Technology to Improve Learning: Evidence Review. Education Endowment Foundation.
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Journal articles
Lantta, T., Duxbury, J., Haines-Delmont, A., Björkdahl, A., Husum, T.L., Lickiewicz, J., Douzenis, A., Craig, E., Goodall, K., Bora, C., Whyte, R., Whittington, R. (2023) 'Models, frameworks and theories in the implementation of programs targeted to reduce formal coercion in mental health settings: a systematic review.' Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14pp. 1158145-1158145.
Haines-Delmont, A., Tsang, A., Szifris, K., Craig, E., Chapman, M., Baker, J., Baker, P., Ridley, J., Thomson, M., Bourlet, G., Morrison, B., Duxbury, J. (2022) 'Approaches used to prevent and reduce the use of restrictive practices on adults with learning disabilities: Protocol for a realist review.' PLoS One, 17(9) pp. e0270028-e0270028.
Bracewell, K., Jones, C., Haines-Delmont, A., Craig, E., Duxbury, J., Chantler, K. (2021) 'Beyond intimate partner relationships: utilising domestic homicide reviews to prevent adult family domestic homicide.' Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 6(3) pp. 535-550.
Hallett, N., Duxbury, J., McKee, T., Harrison, N., Haines-Delmont, A., Craig, E., O'Brien, A. (2021) 'Taser use on individuals experiencing mental distress: an integrative literature review.' Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 28(1) pp. 56-71.
Heyes, K., Craig, E., Gray, P., Whittenbury, K., Barclay, L., Leigh, J. (2020) 'Young People and Mental Health: How do young people want mental health support to be delivered?.' Youth and Policy, September 2020
Craig, E. (2020) 'Child’s Play or Sexual Abuse? Reviewing the Efficacy of the Justice Framework in Dealing with Child on Child Sexual Abuse in the United Kingdom.' Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 29(6) pp. 734-748.
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Conference papers
Craig, E., Parry, S., Keenan, J. (2019) '“I’m a Person Not a Disorder.” A Phenomenological Analysis Exploring How Employees with Bipolar Stay Well at Work.' In BPS Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference. Manchester, 10/7/2019 - 11/7/2019.
Craig, E., Parry, S., Keenan, J. (2019) '“I’m a Person Not a Disorder.” A Phenomenological Analysis Exploring How Employees with Bipolar Stay Well at Work.' In Qualitative Methods in Psychology & History and Philosophy of Psychology Conference 2019. Cardiff, 3/7/2019 - 5/7/2019.
Press and media
Media appearances or involvement
RADIO INTERVIEW: BBC One Radio Manchester. ‘Lockdown are you a Coper, resister, sufferer or acceptor?’ with Mike Sweeney. April 2020.
TV INTERVIEW: COVID-19 & the Mental Health Choir: Granada Reports: April, 2020.
TV INTERVIEW: Manchester’s Mental Health Choir: ITV Christmas Carols Special: December, 2019.
TV INTERVIEW: Benifits of Choir Participation on Mental Health: ITV: December, 2019.
RADIO INTERVIEW: BBC One Radio Manchester. ‘Mental Health - Surviving Christmas’ with Mike Sweeney. December, 2019.
NEWSPAPER INTERVIEW: Kensington Palace, Heads Up Online Article. ‘Helping Break the Stigma of Mental Health in Sport’. August 2019.
RADIO INTERVIEW: One hour radio show with Tameside Radio 103.6FM. ‘Helping the Royals Break the Stigma of Mental Health in Sport’ with Ian Cheeseman. August, 2019.
RADIO INTERVIEW: Radio show with BBC Radio Manchester. ‘Helping the Royals Break the Stigma of Mental Health in Sport’ with Mike Sweeney. August, 2019.
NEWSPAPER INTERVIEW: Manchester’s Finest,
online magazine. ‘Bee Vocal Chosen to Partner with Kensington Palace at Wembley.’ August 2019.
VIDEOBLOG: ‘BeeVocal Choir Launching The Royal’s Heads Up Campaign’ with Ian Cheeseman. August, 2019.
PODCAST: MetCast, MMU Podcast. ‘Choir Singing & Young People’s Mental Health’. Sept 2019.
TV INTERVIEW: Mental Health Week 2019: Body Image and Choir Singing. That’s Manchester TV: May 2019.
TV INTERVIEW: Manchester’s Mental Health Choir: Granada Reports: September, 2018.
MANCHESTER AREANA ATTACK ANNIVERSARY: “Science Behind Singing”: Manchester Arena Bomb Anniversary: Albert Square, Manchester: 15,000 people: May, 2018.
TV INTERVIEW: “Science Behind Singing”: Manchester Arena Bomb Anniversary: Albert Square, Manchester. Live on BBC & Sky Reports Television: May, 2018.
RADIO INTERVIEW: Manchester’s Mental Health Choir: Key 103 Radio: March, 2018.