Dora Sharpe-Davidson presents at the European Health Psychology conference

The 29th European Health Psychology Society conference was a great opportunity for Dora to see some of the newest empirical and theoretical research in health psychology. The conference showcased a diverse range of topics on how to facilitate behaviour change in health and illness, including e-mental health interventions, motivational interviewing, physical exercise interventions and the influence of social relationships.

Dora’s paper, was titled “The protective properties of self- concept organisation in response to discrimination and general life stress”.

She explored the roleĀ of self-clarity: an individual difference factor that may buffer or reduce the impact of discrimination on health. This has implications for mental health interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as a key part of ACT is helping clients to develop self-clarity through identifying their values and engaging in value driven behaviours.

EHPS Conference Cyprus 2015