Professor Ronan O'Carroll

Professor

Psychology University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Professor Ronan O'Carroll

Share a link

About me

About me

Professor Ronan O'Carroll FRSE, FAcSS, FEHPS & FHEA is a Clinical and Health Psychologist who is  interested in behaviour, health and medicine. He is also a registered Clinical Neuropsychologist. He is past President of the UK Society for Behavioural Medicine. He has published over 250 papers in peer-reviewed journals and his work has been cited over 17,000 times. In January 2023 his Google Scholar h-index was 75 with an i10-index of 210.

History He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1979 with a BSc in Biological Sciences, with Honours in Psychology. He then completed an MRC funded PhD studentship (1980-83) entitled "The behavioural effects of androgens in man" in Edinburgh. His PhD thesis was awarded the Kinsey Institute International Prize by the University of Indiana, USA for outstanding doctoral research in 1984. Two of the papers from his PhD now have accrued more than 230 citations each. He then trained as a Clinical Psychologist in Edinburgh (1983-85), and then worked as an NHS Clinical Psychologist in Edinburgh (1985-88) before moving to Canada, to take up an Assistant Professor position at Memorial University, helping to run a Clinical Psychology post-graduate programme (1988-90). He returned to Scotland, and took up a position as Senior Scientist at the Medical Research Council Brain Metabolism Unit in Edinburgh (1990-96), before accepting a post as Senior Research Fellow at the University of Stirling (1996-99). He was then appointed Professor of Psychology at the University of St Andrews (1999-2003), before returning to take up the post of Professor of Psychology at the University of Stirling in February 2003. He is still here....

Academic Roles In November 2019 he was appointed as the Behaviour Change Expert to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) “Vaccine uptake in the general population” public health guideline committee. NICE provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care. He also served on the NICE organ transplantation clinical guideline development group (2010, 2013, 2016). He was appointed as an Expert Adviser for the NICE Centre for Guidelines (2017-2020). In 2017 he was appointed to the NIHR Policy Research Unit Commissioning Panel. He was a member of UK National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Health Services & Delivery Research Grants Board (2010-2017) and the UK NIHR Programme Grants Board for Applied Research (2011-2014). He was the British Psychological Society Representative on the Executive Committee of Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) (2009-2021). He was Chair of the Scientific Programme Committee for the International Congress of Behavioural Medicine (ICBM) 2014, and served on the Scientific Programme Committee for ICBM 2016. He was Associate Editor of Health Psychology and the British Journal of Health Psychology. He serves on the Editorial Boards of Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Psychology and Health, British Journal of Health Psychology and the Journal of Behavioural Medicine.

Honours and Awards Fellow of the UK Academy of Social Sciences (2012). Distinguished International Affiliate of the Division of Health Psychology (Division 38) of the American Psychological Association (2013). Fellow of the European Health Psychology Society (2014). British Psychological Society outstanding Contribution to Research in Health Psychology Prize (2016). Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2017).

Research (32)

General area of research interest - why we don't do what doctors want us to do and the role of emotion in guiding our health-decision-making. Examples : (a) Behavioural Medicine, (b) Organ transplantation and strategies to increase donor registrations, (c) Increasing participation in cancer screening. and (d) Improving adherence to medication and treatment guidelines, (c)

Example Research Projects  A pilot telephone intervention to incease uptake of breast cancer screening in Scotland (TELBRECS) Anticipated Regret to Increase CRC Screening (ARTICS)  Increasing organ donation via anticipated regret: (INORDAR)  Improving Adherence to Medication in stroke Survivors (IAMSS) 

Projects

Vaccines against AMR in Aquaculture
PI: Professor Margaret Crumlish
Funded by: International Development Research Centre

Community pharmacy: Highlighting Alcohol use in Medication aPpointments (CHAMP-1) research programme
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: National Institute for Health Research

SCENIC: Surmounting COVID Challenges, Experiences of Nurses in Charge
PI: Dr Kathleen Stoddart
Funded by: NHS Lothian and NHS Grampian

Increasing Medication Adherence Among adults with Atrial Fibrillation: a MRC complex intervention framework development and feasibility study
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

Developing an adapted parent-youth teamwork intervention to improve medication adherence among adolescents with asthma: a feasibility study
PI: Dr Pamela Rackow
Funded by: Medical Research Council

Increasing uptake of bowel cancer screening: development of a planning support tool
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

A Randomised Control Trial to Assess the Impact of a Lifestyle Intervention in Women attending NHS breast screening clinics
PI:
Funded by: Scottish Government

COVID19 social distancing effects on social engagement, loneliness, wellbeing and physical activity in Scottish older adults, and an exploration of potential ameliorating strategies.
PI: Professor Anna Whittaker
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

How can we explain impairments in executive functioning? The role of chronic pain and social context during adolescence.
PI: Dr Line Caes
Funded by: The Royal Society of Edinburgh

Promoting smoking cessation during pregnancy: a combined feasibility and pilot trial of a theory-based intervention using narrative, images and embedded behaviour change techniques, delivered via text-messaging
PI: Professor Helen Cheyne
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

Personalised Risk Information and its Impact on Informed Choice and Intention to Undergo Colonoscopy in the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

Study to Examine Physiological Processes in Suicidal Ideation and Behaviour (STEPPS)
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: U.S. Army Medical Research & Materiel Command

A Brief School-Based Intervention To Reduce Sunburn In Adolescence: A Feasibility Study
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

Provision of Supervision for Health Psychologists in Training
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: NHS Education for Scotland

Evaluation of Teenage Cancer Trust education intervention funded by the Detect Cancer Early Campaign
PI:
Funded by: Teenage Cancer Trust

Developing a brief school-based psycho-educational intervention to promote sun-safe behaviours in Scottish adolescents
PI: Dr Stephan Dombrowski
Funded by: Teenage Cancer Trust

LivingWell- a feasibility study to assess the impact of a lifestyle intervention in people attending family history clinics with an increased risk of colorectal or breast cancer.
PI:
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

A pilot telephone intervention to increase uptake of Breast Cancer Screening in socially deprived areas of NHS Tayside
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: NHS Tayside

Cancer as a catalyst for change? Extent and predictors of changes in diet, physical activity and tobacco use after colorectal cancer diagnosis
PI:
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

TreatWELL – a feasibility study to assess the delivery of a lifestyle intervention for colorectal cancer patients undergoing potentially curative treatment
PI:
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

The Use of Cardiac rehabilitation services to aid the recovery of colorectal
PI:
Funded by: National Institute for Health Research

A randomised controlled trial of a brief psychological intervention to increase the uptake of colorectal cancer screening in Scotland
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

Working together to support active living and well being in the health promoting health service - feasibility trial to reduce breast cancer risk factors
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

A randomised controlled trial to test if a simple anticipate regret manipulation leads to significant increase in organ donor registrations
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

Improving Adherence to Medication in Stroke Survivors (IAMMS); Pilot Study
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

A brief intervention to increase walking in patients with peripheral arterial disease: long term follow-up
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

Implicit attitudes as barriers to registration as an organ donor
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: The British Academy

A pilot study of psychological factors affecting adherence to disease modifying treatments for multiple sclerosis
PI: Nicola Gray
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

Evaluation of Moodjuice self-help web-site and of Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Beating the Blues) for mild to moderate mental health problems in
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Forth Valley NHS Board

Functional and psychosocial outcome in living liver donors and recipients in Scotland
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

Psychological factors which influence adherence to medication in stroke survivors
PI: Professor Ronan O'Carroll
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office

Banning Smoking in Public Places: The impact on not smoking, physical activity and diet
PI:
Funded by: Forth Valley NHS Board

Outputs (281)

Outputs

Showing 100 of 281 — See all 281 outputs

Addendum

Anderson AS, Chong HY, Craigie AM, Donnan PT, Gallant S, Hickman A, McAdam C, McKell J, McNamee P, Macaskill EJ, Mutrie N, O'Carroll RE, Rauchhaus P, Sattar N, Stead M & Treweek S (2022) Correction to: A novel approach to increasing community capacity for weight management a volunteer-delivered programme (ActWELL) initiated within breast screening clinics: a randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 19, Art. No.: 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01232-6


Article

Wetherall K, Cleare S, McClelland H, Melson AJ, Niedzwiedz CL, O'Carroll RE, O'Connor DB, Platt S, Scowcroft E, Watson B, Zortea T, Ferguson E, Robb KA & O'Connor RC (2022) Mental health and well-being during the second wave of COVID-19: longitudinal analyses of the UK COVID-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing study (UK COVID-MH). BJPsych Open, 8 (4), Art. No.: e103. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2022.58


Article

Zaremba SMM, Stead M, McKell J, O'Carroll RE, Mutrie N, Treweek S & Anderson AS (2022) Response to a novel, weight self‐awareness plan used in a multi‐component lifestyle intervention programme to reduce breast cancer risk factors in older women – secondary analysis from The ActWELL trial. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13062


Article

O’Connor DB, Wilding S, Ferguson E, Cleare S, Wetherall K, McClelland H, Melson AJ, Niedzwiedz C, O’Carroll RE, Platt S, Scowcroft E, Watson B, Zortea T, Robb KA & O’Connor RC (2022) Effects of COVID-19-related worry and rumination on mental health and loneliness during the pandemic: Longitudinal analyses of adults in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health & Wellbeing study. Journal of Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2022.2069716


Article

King E, Cheyne H, Abhyankar P, Elders A, Grindle M, Hapca A, Jones C, O’Carroll R, Steele M & Williams B (2022) Promoting smoking cessation during pregnancy: A feasibility and pilot trial of a digital storytelling intervention delivered via text-messaging. Patient Education and Counseling. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2021.12.019


Article

Anderson AS, Chong HY, Craigie AM, Donnan PT, Gallant S, Hickman A, McAdam C, McKell J, McNamee P, Macaskill EJ, Mutrie N, O’Carroll RE, Rauchhaus P, Sattar N, Stead M & Treweek S (2021) A novel approach to increasing community capacity for weight management a volunteer-delivered programme (ActWELL) initiated within breast screening clinics: a randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 18, Art. No.: 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01099-7


Article

Young B, Kotzur M, Gatting L, Bonner C, Ayre J, McConnachie A, Batcup C, McCaffery K, O'Carroll R & Robb KA (2021) The impact of theory-based messages on COVID-19 vaccination intentions: a structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials, 22, Art. No.: 311. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05277-7


Article

McCambridge J, Atkin K, Dhital R, Foster B, Gough B, Madden M, Morris S, O'Carroll R, Ogden M, Van Dongen A, White S, Whittlesea C & Stewart D (2021) Addressing complex pharmacy consultations: methods used to develop a person-centred intervention to highlight alcohol within pharmacist reviews of medications. Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, 16 (1), Art. No.: 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-021-00271-5


Article

O’Connor RC, Wetherall K, Cleare S, McClelland H, Melson AJ, Niedzwiedz CL, O’Carroll RE, O’Connor DB, Platt S, Scowcroft E, Watson B, Zortea T, Ferguson E & Robb KA (2021) Mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal analyses of adults in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health & Wellbeing study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 218 (6), pp. 326-333. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2020.212


Article

Pearsons A, Hanson CL, Gallagher R, O'Carroll RE, Khonsari S, Hanley J, Strachan FE, Mills NL, Quinn TJ, McKinstry B, McHale S, Stewart S, Zhang M, O'Connor S & Neubeck L (2021) Atrial fibrillation self-management: a mobile telephone app scoping review and content analysis. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 20 (4), pp. 305-314. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvaa014


Article

Stewart D, van Dongen A, Watson M, Mandefield L, Atkin K, Dhital R, Foster B, Gough B, Hewitt C, Madden M, Morris S, O'Carroll R, Ogden M, Parrott S & Watson J (2020) A pilot cluster randomised trial of the medicines and alcohol consultation (MAC): an intervention to discuss alcohol use in community pharmacy medicine review services. BMC Health Services Research, 20, Art. No.: 943. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05797-z


Article

Digby J, O’Carroll RE, Chambers JA & Steele RJC (2020) The impact of hypothetical PErsonalised Risk Information on informed choice and intention to undergo Colorectal Cancer screening colonoscopy in Scotland (PERICCS)-a randomised controlled trial. BMC Medicine, 18, Art. No.: 285. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-020-01750-3


Article

McLellan JM, O’Carroll RE, Cheyne H & Dombrowski SU (2019) Investigating midwives' barriers and facilitators to multiple health promotion practice behaviours: a qualitative study using the theoretical domains framework. Implementation Science, 14 (1), Art. No.: 64. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-019-0913-3


Article

Siddaway AP, Wood AM, O'Carroll RE & O'Connor RC (2019) Characterizing self-injurious cognitions: Development and validation of the Suicide Attempt Beliefs Scale (SABS) and the Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Beliefs Scale (NSIBS). Psychological Assessment, 31 (5), pp. 592-608. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000684


Article

Steele RJC, Digby J, Chambers JA & O’Carroll RE (2019) The impact of personalised risk information compared to a positive/negative result on informed choice and intention to undergo colonoscopy following colorectal Cancer screening in Scotland (PERICCS) - a randomised controlled trial: study protocol. BMC Public Health, 19 (1), Art. No.: 411. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6734-0


Article

Doyle F, Morgan K, Mathew M, Palatty P, Kamat P, Doherty S, Quigley J, Henderson J & O’Carroll R (2019) Theory Content, Question-Behavior Effects, or Form of Delivery Effects for Intention to Become an Organ Donor? Two Randomized Trials. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 (7), Art. No.: 1304. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16071304


Article

Wetherall K, Cleare S, Eschle S, Ferguson E, O’Connor DB, O’Carroll RE & O’Connor RC (2018) From ideation to action: differentiating between those who think about suicide and those who attempt suicide in a national study of young adults. Journal of Affective Disorders, 241, pp. 475-483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.07.074


Article

Anderson AS, Craigie AM, Gallant S, McAdam C, Macaskill EJ, Mutrie N, Neilson AR, O'Carroll RE, Rauchhaus P, Sattar N, Stead M & Treweek S (2018) Randomised controlled trial to assess the impact of a lifestyle intervention (ActWELL) in women invited to NHS breast screening. BMJ Open, 8 (11), Art. No.: e024136. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024136


Article

Macleod M, Steele RJC, O'Carroll RE, Wells M, Campbell A, Sugden JA, Rodger J, Stead M, McKell J & Anderson AS (2018) Feasibility study to assess the delivery of a lifestyle intervention (TreatWELL) for patients with colorectal cancer undergoing potentially curative treatment. BMJ Open, 8 (6), Art. No.: e021117. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021117


Article

Anderson AS, Dunlop J, Gallant S, Macleod M, Miedzybrodzka Z, Mutrie N, O'Carroll R, Stead M, Steele R, Taylor RS, Vinnicombe S & Berg J (2018) Feasibility study to assess the impact of a lifestyle intervention ('LivingWELL') in people having an assessment of their family history of colorectal or breast cancer. BMJ Open, 8 (2), Art. No.: e019410. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/2/e019410


Article

O'Carroll RE, Haddow L, Foley L & Quigley J (2017) If you needed an organ transplant would you have one? The effect of reciprocity priming and mode of delivery on organ donor registration intentions and behaviour. British Journal of Health Psychology, 22 (3), pp. 577-588. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12248


Article

Anderson AS, Caswell S, Macleod M, Steele R, Berg J, Dunlop J, Stead M, Eadie D & O'Carroll R (2017) Health behaviors and their relationship with disease control in people attending genetic clinics with a family history of breast or colorectal cancer. Journal of Genetic Counselling, 26 (1), pp. 40-51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-016-9977-2


Article

O'Connor DB, Green JA, Ferguson E, O'Carroll R & O'Connor RC (2017) Cortisol reactivity and suicidal behavior: investigating the role of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responses to stress in suicide attempters and ideators. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 75, pp. 183-191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.10.019


Article

Chambers J, Gracie K, Millar R, Cavanagh J, Archibald D, Cook A & O'Carroll R (2016) A pilot randomized controlled trial of telephone intervention to increase Breast Cancer Screening uptake in socially deprived areas in Scotland (TELBRECS). Journal of Medical Screening, 23 (3), pp. 141-149. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969141315608212


Article

Hubbard G, Munro J, O'Carroll R, Mutrie N, Kidd L, Haw S, Adams R, Leslie S, Rauchhaus P, Campbell A, Mason H, Manoukian S, Sweetman G & Treweek S (2016) The use of cardiac rehabilitation services to aid the recovery of patients with bowel cancer: a pilot randomised controlled trial with embedded feasibility study. Health Services and Delivery Research, 4 (24). https://doi.org/10.3310/hsdr04240


Article

Hubbard G, O'Carroll R, Munro J, Mutrie N, Haw S, Mason H & Treweek S (2016) The feasibility and acceptability of trial procedures for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial of a structured physical activity intervention for people diagnosed with colorectal cancer: findings from a pilot trial of cardiac rehabilitation versus usual care (no rehabilitation) with an embedded qualitative study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 2, Art. No.: 51. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-016-0090-y


Article

Hubbard G, Stoddart I, Forbat L, Neal RD, O'Carroll R, Haw S & Kyle R (2016) School-based brief psycho-educational intervention to raise adolescent cancer awareness and address barriers to medical help-seeking about cancer: a cluster randomised controlled trial. Psycho-Oncology, 25 (7), pp. 760-771. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4001


Article

Chambers J, Callander A, Grangeret R & O'Carroll R (2016) Attitudes towards the Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) versus the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) for colorectal cancer screening: perceived ease of completion and disgust. BMC Cancer, 16, Art. No.: 96. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-016-2133-4


Article

Anderson AS, Macleod M, Mutrie N, Sugden J, Dobson H, Treweek S, O'Carroll R, Thompson AM, Kirk A, Brennan G & Wyke S (2014) Breast cancer risk reduction - is it feasible to initiate a randomised controlled trial of a lifestyle intervention programme (ActWell) within a national breast screening programme?. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 11 (1), Art. No.: 156. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-014-0156-2


Article

Chambers J, O'Carroll R, Cook A, Cavanagh J, Archibald D & Millar R (2014) A pilot telephone intervention to increase uptake of breast cancer screening in socially deprived areas in Scotland (TELBRECS): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMC Public Health, 14 (1), Art. No.: 824. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-824


Article

Munro J, Adams R, Campbell A, Campbell S, Donaldson C, Godwin J, Haw S, Kidd L, Lane C, Leslie S, Mason H, Mutrie N, O'Carroll R, Taylor C, Treweek S, Watson A & Hubbard G (2014) CRIB - the use of cardiac rehabilitation services to aid the recovery of patients with bowel cancer: a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) with embedded feasibility study. BMJ Open, 4 (2), Art. No.: e004684. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004684


Article

Hubbard G, Brown A, Campbell A, Campbell NC, Diament R, Fielding S, Forbat L, Masson L, O'Carroll R, Stein K & Morrison DS (2014) Do health behaviours change after colonoscopy? A prospective cohort study on diet, alcohol, physical activity and smoking among patients and their partners. BMJ Open, 4 (1), Art. No.: e003706. http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/1/e003706.full.pdf+html; https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003706


Article

Kyle RG, Macmillan I, Rauchhaus P, O'Carroll R, Neal RD, Forbat L, Haw S & Hubbard G (2013) Adolescent Cancer Education (ACE) to increase adolescent and parent cancer awareness and communication: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial. Trials, 14, Art. No.: 286. https://doi.org/10.1186/1745-6215-14-286


Book Chapter

O'Carroll R (2012) Clinical presentation of neuropsychiatric disorders. In: Gurd J, Kischka U & Marshall J (eds.) The Handbook of Clinical Neuropsychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 663-692. http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199645817.do; https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof%3Aoso/9780199234110.003.032


See all 281 outputs

Research programmes

Research themes