Institution: Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory, University of Glasgow, Scotland.
Supervisory team: Professor Rory O’Connor, Dr Katie Robb.
Position: Research Assistant and PhD student.
Current research: My PhD research is examining social comparisons and social rank in relation to suicidal ideation (including upon social media), in particular to feelings of defeat and entrapment. My Research Assistant role is on the STEPPS project (Study to Examine Psychological Processes in Suicidal Ideation and Behaviour), in particular on the prospective Scottish Wellbeing Study and experimental research investigating pain sensitivity.
Research interests:
- Social comparison and rank in relation to mood and suicide
- Social media and suicidal ideation
- Theoretical models of suicidal behaviour
- The transition from suicidal thoughts to behaviour
- Pain sensitivity and suicidal behaviour
Recent Publications:
- Wetherall, K., Robb, K.A., O’Connor, R.C. (2019). Social rank theory of depression: A systematic review of self-perceptions of social rank and their relationship with depressive symptoms and suicide risk. Journal of Affective Disorders.
- Wetherall, K., Cleare, S., Eschle, S., Ferguson, E., O’Connor, D.B., O’Carroll, R., O’Connor, R.C. (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.
- Wetherall, K., Robb, K.A., O’Connor, R.C. (2018). An examination of social comparison and suicidal ideation through the lens of the Integrated Motivational-Volitional Model of suicidal behavior. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior.
- O’Connor, R.C.,Wetherall, K., Cleare, S., Eschle, S., J. Drummond, Ferguson, E., O’Connor, D.B., O’Carroll, R. (2018). Suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-harm: a national prevalence study of young adults. British Journal of Psychiatry Open, 4, 142–148.
- Wetherall, K., Daly, M., Robb, K.A., Wood, A.M., O’Connor, R.C. (2015). Explaining the income and suicidality relationship: Income rank is more strongly associated with suicidal thoughts and attempts than income. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 50, 929-937
Can help with: I have used SPSS a lot, including mediation and moderation analysis. I’m happy to chat about research methods and protocols, including ethics and recruitment.
What’s essential to your well-being? Eating good food is generally when I’m happiest! I also enjoy hill walking and seeing the countryside. I love travelling and seeing different countries and cultures. I listen to loads of different music, which helps me unwind or get going…
Find Karen elsewhere:
- Research Gate
- University Profile
- Email: karen.wetherall@glasgow.ac.uk
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