Personal profile
Biography
I am an Assistant Professor of Psychology, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. As a clinically focused psychologist and researcher, my work bridges cognitive neuropsychology and psychosocial rehabilitation to advance understanding and support for people living with the hidden consequences of stroke and brain injury.
My research centres on the development and evaluation of co-produced digital and psychosocial interventions that address issues such as visual impairments, identity disruption, stigma, and loneliness after stroke or brain injury. Across my work, I am particularly interested in how motivational, social, and emotional factors shape rehabilitation and recovery, and how these can be harnessed to improve quality of life for survivors and their families.
I completed my PhD in Cognitive Neuropsychology at Durham University, where I investigated how reward-based mechanisms influence eye movements and behaviour—work that informed later research into reward-driven training for visual field deficits such as hemianopia. Following this, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher on a major programme developing and trialling digital tools to support compensation for post-stroke visual loss.
Since joining Northumbria, I have expanded my programme of work to examine the broader psychosocial challenges faced by people after stroke or brain injury, including hidden impairments that affect identity, social participation, and wellbeing. My projects combine clinical insight, co-production, and interdisciplinary collaboration to generate practical solutions to complex rehabilitation needs.
Education/Academic qualification
Neurosciences, PhD, Rewards have a transient and task-specific effect on saccade latency and accuracy, Durham University
1 Oct 2010 → 1 Nov 2014
Award Date: 25 Nov 2014
External positions
Animal Free Research UK
1 Jan 2018 → 1 Jan 2023
Research Group keywords
- Health and Wellbeing
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion keywords
- Disability Equality
- Under-representation
- Marginalisation
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
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SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Bridging care in brain injury rehabilitation: A reflexive thematic analysis of staff perspectives on the role of peer support
Dunne, S., Simpson, A. & Allan, J., 1 Feb 2026, In: British Journal of Health Psychology. 31, 1, 18 p., e70049.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
‘They think we’re just in God’s waiting room’: A discursive study on identity aloneness in stroke survivors
Jefferson, L. & Dunne, S., 1 May 2025, In: Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine. 29, 3, p. 316-334 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile45 Downloads (Pure) -
Life after lockdown: loneliness, exclusion and the impact of hidden disability
Bradbury, C., Fletcher, A. & Dunne, S., 14 Jun 2024, In: Brain Impairment. 25, 3, 8 p., IB23111.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile15 Downloads (Pure) -
Self-administered mindfulness interventions reduce stress in a large, randomized controlled multi-site study
Sparacio, A., Ijzerman, H., Ropovik, I., Giorgini, F., Spiessens, C., Uchino, B. N., Landvatter, J., Tacana, T., Diller, S. J., Derrick, J. L., Segundo, J., Pierce, J. D., Ross, R. M., Francis, Z., LaBoucane, A., Ma-Kellams, C., Ford, M. B., Schmidt, K., Wong, C. C. & Higgins, W. C. & 42 others, , 1 Sept 2024, In: Nature Human Behaviour. 8, 9, p. 1716-1725 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile12 Citations (Scopus)48 Downloads (Pure) -
Uncovering the social determinants of brain injury rehabilitation
Dunne, S., Williams, G., Bradbury, C., Keyes, T., Lane, A. R., Yang, K. & Ellison, A., 1 Sept 2023, In: Journal of Health Psychology. 28, 10, p. 956-969 14 p., 13591053231166263.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Citations (Scopus)90 Downloads (Pure)
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Silent Voices: Our Hidden Stories
Dunne, S. (Organiser) & Cartner, H. (Organiser)
12 Sept 2025 → 10 Jan 2026Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...
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Life After Stroke
Dunne, S. (Organiser)
5 Nov 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...
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Improving Knowledge Mobilisation for Post-Stroke 'Invisible' Disability
Dunne, S. (Speaker)
27 Jun 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Experiences of loneliness in stroke and brain injury survivors
Dunne, S. (Speaker)
5 May 2022Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Maximising Telerehabilitation for Patients With Visual Loss After Stroke
Dunne, S. (Speaker)
9 Jul 2021Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation