Background /personal summary
Alex’s research focuses on the mental health and well-being of older adults with a particular focus on loneliness and social interaction.
Before joining the ARC NENC and moving to Newcastle University, Alex obtained both a BSc and MRes in Psychology at Northumbria University. She completed her PhD at the same institution with her thesis investigating aspects of personal social networks and how they relate to loneliness, mental health, and well-being in older populations.
Summary of research project
Alex’s current project examines how aspects associated with ageing may alter the association between loneliness and depression. She is also working on evaluation of public involvement in a large project employing artificial intelligence to examine the inter-relationships between multiple long-term conditions and polypharmacy.
Areas of interest
- Loneliness
- Mental Health
- Ageing
- Multiple Long-Term Conditions
- Personal Social Networks
Recent or relevant publications
- Thompson A, Pollet T. An exploratory psychometric network analysis of loneliness scales in a sample of older adults. Current Psychology 2023, 1-16.
- Thompson A, Smith M, McNeill A, Pollet T. Friendships, loneliness and psychological well-being in older adults: A limit to the benefit of the number friendships. Ageing and Society 2022, pp1-26
- Pollet T, Thompson A, Malcolm C, McCarty K, Saxton T, Roberts S. Are we measuring loneliness in the same way in men and women in the general population and in the older population? Two studies of measurement equivalence. PLoS ONE 2022.
Get in touch
Email: [email protected]
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7968-0122