Welcome to the third Research Bulletin of 2025 from the Academic Institute at St Patrick’s Mental Health Services. As we move through the year, we continue to build momentum in our research outputs exploring new perspectives, sharing knowledge, and advancing understanding in mental health care.
Record research outputs
Since our last Research Bulletin, we are delighted to report a record number of staff publications and conference presentations, the details of which are highlighted later in this issue. For readers wishing to access the full text of any of these articles, our online repository, SPIRE, provides a comprehensive and regularly updated catalogue of publications, organised by date of publication.
A new archive feature
This edition also introduces a new feature, “From the Archive”, which aims to showcase significant historical contributions preserved within SPIRE. Our inaugural selection revisits an address delivered in Dublin on 8 July 1931 by Dr Richard Leeper, then Superintendent of St Patrick’s Hospital, reflecting on the progress of psychiatry at that time.
Celebrating staff and partnerships
Alongside details of upcoming training and events, we include a Researcher Spotlight focus on staff member Debbie Van Tonder. Debbie’s extensive research experience encompasses two MSc and current PhD studies. Finally, we are pleased to celebrate the achievement of Ciara Ní Dhubhlaing, Head of Discipline of Pharmacy, who has been awarded the title of Adjunct Clinical Lecturer at the School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, an accomplishment that reflects both her expertise and the strength of our academic partnerships.
Training and events
In the Autumn 2025 term, the Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab (RREAL) at University College London will be offering six courses on rapid research and evaluation. [Details here].
- Introduction to rapid research and evaluation: 12 September 2025: 10:00-13:00
- Introduction to rapid ethnography: 19 September 2025: 10:00-13:00
- Introduction to RREAL Sheets: 10 October 2025: 10:00-11:00
- Introduction to Big Qualitative Data Methods: 17 October 2025: 10:00-12:00
- Intermediate Course on Big Qualitative Data methods: 7 November 2025: 10:00-12:00
- Scoping studies in rapid research and evaluation: 14 November 2025: 10:00-13:00
University College London is also commencing face-to-face and online workshops on specific qualitative methodologies and their applications in health research. Click here for further information.
The QHRN Qualitative Health Research Network Seminar series continues with a free webinar:
Implementing integrated healthcare: Lessons from ‘Primrose’ – supporting people with severe mental illness to reduce cardiovascular risk on the 16 October 2025, 1pm. You can register here.
Research Ethics Course for the public and patients now on HSeLanD
HSE R&D, in partnership with IPPOSI, the National Office for Research Ethics Committees, and academic/patient partners, have launched a new online course designed to equip the public, patients, researchers and staff with the knowledge and skills to contribute to ethical review processes.
Modules cover:
- History of research ethics and core principles
- RECs, ethical reviews and PPI
- Informed consent, data protection and inclusive research
- Ethics in vulnerable populations
- Emerging topics (AI, biobanking, etc.)
To access, register as a volunteer on HSeLanD.
Calls for papers for special issue in psychotherapy
Measurement-based care [MBC] has emerged as an evidence-based practice that improves client outcomes and serves as a lynchpin for practice-oriented research. The goal of this special issue is to highlight recent advances, as well as diverse applications and extensions of MBC, which mark its rapid maturation and future promise for advancing more effective and patient-centered clinical practice. Please review the information on the Psychotherapy website to learn about typical design and reporting expectations.
Interested authors should submit by December 1, 2025 an Abstract of no more than 500 words.
Funding opportunities
Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme and Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme will open on 11 September 2025.
PhD staff support group
If any member of staff is commencing or currently conducting a PhD and would like to join our bi-monthly online meeting group, please get in touch gdonohue@stpatricks.ie
We meet next online on September 23rd at 10.30am.
Recently published articles
- Outcomes of Virtual Versus Physical Psychiatric Admissions: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
- Association Between Concomitant Anticonvulsants and Clinical and Cognitive Outcomes of Electroconvulsive Therapy for Depression.
- ‘You're Obviously Not Trying Hard Enough’: A Qualitative Exploration of the Construct of Overcontrol.
- Realist research in nursing: an introduction to seeing beyond 'what works'.
- Why is electroconvulsive therapy for depression more effective in older age? A causal mediation analysis.
- Expression of concern re: Shi, Z.-M. et al. Intravenous ketamine versus electroconvulsive therapy for major depressive disorder or bipolar depression: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- Parents Plus Systemic, Solution-Focused Parent Training Programs: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- “It's Impacted on Everything…”: A Qualitative Exploration of The Experience of Significant Others Supporting Individuals in Complex Trauma Intervention.
Article of the Issue
“It's impacted on everything. It's impacted on my work, it's impacted on relationships, it's impacted on everything I have done” said a significant other: A qualitative exploration of the experience of significant others who provide support to individuals attending intervention for complex trauma
Authors: Emma Maloney, Clodagh Dowling, Tara Deehan, Niamh Willis, Gary O’Reilly
Background: Few studies have sought to explore the experience of providing informal support to an adult with a complex trauma history. Moreover, the authors are unaware of any studies that explore the role of supporters of adults attending a phased-based intervention for Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Knowledge of the roles supporters embody, the impact, and the effect that this may have on the relationship between the supported and the supporter could be used to inform the development of future interventions and the adaptation.
You can locate a summary of the article in SPIRE here or email emaloney@stpatricks.ie or gdonohue@stpatricks.ie for full version.
Researcher spotlight
Debbie van Tonder, Program Manager: Dean clinics and Adolescent Service.
Can you tell us about your research career to date?
I’ve been interested and taking part in research projects over the years. My area of special interest is implementation science in mental health care. I am curious to explore and evaluate how new innovations or models of care are introduced and embedded in practice. I’ve been involved in several projects aimed at showing clinical outcomes in natural environments and presented these with my colleagues at conferences.
Working with the Anxiety Disorders program team provided ample opportunities to integrate evidence-based practice effectively in SPMHS and improving service user outcomes. We presented a poster on individual care planning on the Anxiety Disorders program at the Mental Health Commission conference in 2012 (van Tonder, D., Ryan, M., Moran, J., McDonough, M., (2012) Individualized Recovery Focused Care Packages within an Anxiety Disorders Program, Mental Health Commission Conference, Dublin). Another poster by the Anxiety Disorders program team on Obsessional Slowness at Founders Day the same year won the prize for best poster (van Tonder, D., Ryan, M., Moran, J., McDonough, M., (2012) Teaming Up Against Obsessional Slowness, St Patricks University Hospital, Founders Day). I proceeded to do a MSc in Cognitive Therapy with my thesis comparing the clinical outcomes of a Transdiagnostic CBT group and an OCD specific group: “Transdiagnostic or Disorder Specific Group CBT: The case of OCD” a retrospective cohort study.
Working as a program manager further sparked my interest in implementation science as I experience first hand the challenges of translating evidence into practice. My thesis for my MSc in Healthcare management was a change management project on the implementation of the independent advocacy service in WGAU. I presented a poster at the TCD conference in 2021 and won best poster award (Van Tonder, D., (2021) “Helping You Help Yourself” Youth Advocacy in an Adolescent Mental Health Unit, Trinity Health and Education International Research Conference (THEconf2021), Dublin).
My lifelong dream was to do a PhD and I am currently a third year PhD candidate in the TCD School of Nursing and Midwifery. My research is a mixed method study that focus on evaluating the effectiveness of the WGAU homecare service with the aim to strengthening the evidence base to guide future service design and implementation. I presented “We Hear You – The value of PPI in the early stages of research on the WGAU virtual ward” at the SPMHS Nursing symposium in 2024. The next presentation was at the TCD Nursing conference in 2025 where I presented the findings of a scoping review in a talk named “Virtual Mental Health Wards: Clinical Models – a Scoping Review”. The most daunting was presenting “The Implementation of an Adolescent Virtual Mental Health Ward: An innovative solution to meet service needs”, at the Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing conference in Spain in May 2025. The PhD journey has been a steep learning curve but it’s a privilege that I deeply appreciate.
What are you currently working on?
As mentioned, I am in my third year of a part-time PhD. I am preparing for my confirmation in November 2025 and will start data collection by the end of the year.
Another project close to my heart is the Physical Health Monitoring service that commenced in 2024. This project has gone from strength to strength and is another example of implementing evidence base practice in the real-world. I, with co-authors Catherine Moloney, Tom Maher, and Dr Gráinne Donohue, are engaged in a descriptive paper on the development and implementation of the inpatient physical health monitoring service. This paper was peer-reviewed and accepted for publication by the British Journal of Mental Health Nursing and we are eagerly awaiting the publication.
This physical health monitoring project is an ongoing project and I am especially interested in assessing the effectiveness and identifying factors that influence successful implementation.
What do you see as a priority for mental health research in the next five years?
I believe more research should be done on increasing accessibility to mental health care nationally and in SPMHS by exploring how virtual and telemental health can be developed and resourced to serve more people in Ireland. My priority for mental health research is to encourage nursing staff to take part in research, showcase the valuable work they do and to realise that they too can contribute to the evidence-base on what works, for whom and under what circumstances.
Any tips for SPMHS staff wishing to engage in research projects?
Start by having a clear understanding of what your research question is. Collaborate with your line manager and make sure that the study is something that will add value to SPMHS. Make sure you understand research methods, and the research process. Understanding the ethical approval process and Data protection guidelines are vital and without approval from the DPO and Research Ethics Committee you cannot do research at SPMHS. Download the REC application form to get an idea of what is required. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Remember: If I can do it – you can do it.
