Having completed her BSc in Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire in 2007, Dr Lyndsay Hughes was awarded a 1+3 ESRC CASE studentship in collaboration with the Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Network (ERAN). This allowed her to complete an MSc in Research Methods in Psychology before embarking on her PhD investigating the psychosocial aspects of medication non-adherence in rheumatoid arthritis. After completing her PhD in 2011, Dr Hughes undertook a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences Division at King's College London to develop a new food related quality of life measure for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. She moved to the Health Psychology section of the IoPPN in 2012 as a Lecturer to help establish the MSc in Health Psychology.  

Dr Hughes' research encompasses adjustment to and living with long term conditions with a focus on treatment adherence and managing distress. This includes identifying the psychosocial drivers of intentional and unintentional non-adherence and developing interventions to improve medication taking behaviour. She is also interested in the process of adaptation to the diagnosis of a long term condition including managing distress. Working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams of psychologists, clinicians, nurses and pharmacists. Her current work includes developing interventions delivered through a variety of mediums including mHealth. Clinical areas of interest include autoimmune conditions, oncology, HIV, heart failure and diabetes. 

As well as acting as Programme Director for the MSc in Health Psychology, Dr Hughes is also a member of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Health Psychology Training Committee which overseas accreditation of Stage I and II Health Psychology training across the UK. She has also co-developed MOOCs (open access online course) covering the reasons for medication non-adherence and techniques for changing behaviour, aimed at healthcare professionals and patients worldwide. She is also an Associate Editor for the journal BMC Psychology and regularly act as reviewer for NIHR and Research Council grant panels.

Research interests

• Adjustment to and management of long term conditions  
• Treatment adherence 
• Managing distress in physical conditions 
• Quality of life  
• Development and usage of Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMS) 
• Intervention development 
• Illness and treatment perceptions 
• mhealth 

Teaching

• Health Psychology 
• Research Methods 

Expertise and public engagement

• Associate editor for the journal BMC Psychology 
• Member of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Health Psychology Training Committee