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Professor Christopher Darryl Graham

Psychology

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Personal statement

I am probably most accurately considered a 'research clinical psychologist'. I joined Strathclyde in February 2023 as Professor of Clinical Psychology via the Global Talent Attraction Programme.Ìý

I undertake a funded (NIHR, Yorkshire Cancer Research) research programme in clinical health psychology – mostly evaluating the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for improving quality of life in physical and mental health conditions within clinical trials. Work from this programme is published in the leading medical and clinical psychology journals, including The Lancet, Psychological Medicine, Clinical Psychology Review, Annals of Behavioural Medicine, and has featured on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 4 and many other media outlets.

My main research areas are:

1) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as applied to chronic diseases and mental health

2) Psychological therapies for people living with neuromuscular conditionsÌý

3) Psychological interventions for maintaining well-being during and after cancer treatmentÌý

Current trials include:Ìý

- FRESH START (NIHR) -Ìý multi-centre RCT - testing ACT alongside other talking therapies for improving well-being for those who self-harm

- CONTACT-GAD (NIHR) - multi-centre RCT - testing ACT as a treatment for treatment resistent GAD in older adults

- PROPEL (NIHR) - multi-centre RCT - testing a MDT intervention for improving fatigue and well-being in leukaemia

- ROSETA (NIHR Advanced Fellowship - Sam Smith, University of Leeds) - definitive factorial trial of interventions for non-adherence to hormone therapies

Teaching and wider roles:

I teach on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and psychological therapy across programmes in Psychology. I supervise several doctoral students internally and externally at other institutions. I supervise many students on the Masters in Clinical Health Psychology. I lead the mental health stream of the Future Hospitals Initiative. I am a member of the Department Ethics Committee.Ìý

I am Associate Editor of the British Journal of Health Psychology and Chair of the Mental Health sub-committee for the International Standards of Care for FSH Muscular Dystrophy. I am on the Medical Advisory Board for the Myositis Association. I hold honorary academic appointments at the University of Warwick and University of Leeds.Ìý

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Prize And Awards

Recipient
12/5/2026

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Publications

Drescher Kent, van Bruggen Marnix, Garcia Bosquez Tatiana, , Cesar de Carvalho Piccolo Cassiano, van Engelen Baziel GM, Voet Nicoline
Neuromuscular Disorders Vol 66 (2026)
Ingram Jennifer F, Travis Elizabeth, Hall Louise H, Raine Erin, Ellison Rachel, McNaught Emma, Wilkes Hollie, Ow Pei Loo, , French David P, Howdon Daniel, Clark Jane, Waller Jo, Buxton Jacqueline, Moore Sally JL, Parbutt Catherine, Velikova Galina, Farrin Amanda J, Collinson Michelle, Smith Samuel G, Green Sophie MC
NIHR Open Research Vol 6 (2026)
Green Sophie MC, , Smith Samuel G
Trials Vol 27 (2026)
Fišerová Anna, Duchoňová Šarlota, Hafiz Hannah, Hagarová Martina, Morton Brodie, Tessmann Helena, ,
Clinical Rehabilitation (2026)
, , , Ferguson Susanna, Hanley Sinead, Hughes Eilidh, Rankin Taylor, Riley Romano, Callaghan Amy
(2026)
, , , Henrich Gabriela, Mcintosh Aimee, Harju Sophie Emilia, Quigley Niamh, Hardie Chloe, Pieri Matilde
(2026)

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Professional Activities

Consultant
6/2026
Speaker
13/5/2026
Speaker
7/5/2026
Consultant
1/5/2026
Examiner
27/4/2026
Speaker
22/4/2026

Projects

Graham, Christopher Darryl (Principal Investigator) Rickardsson, Nils (Co-investigator)
20-Jan-2026
Graham, Christopher Darryl (Principal Investigator) Rickardsson, Nils (Co-investigator)
01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2027
Rickardsson, Nils (Principal Investigator) Graham, Christopher Darryl (Co-investigator)
Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), and its treatment, is known to have a range of physical and psychological challenges on patients. From a patient perspective, these challenges are documented in both qualitative and quantitative research highlighting the experience of people suffering from them, and the prevalence of these issues. From these findings, psychological support, and the provision of clinical psychology services, in oncology is more common now and is recommended to meet the full biopsychosocial needs of AML patients. However, we have a limited knowledge in terms of what psychological problems are referred to clinical psychology services, and what interventions and methods are used in these services to manage these issues today. It is also not known how psychological therapists find it working with a population faced with a highly challenging condition.

By exploring the experiences of psychological therapists working with people with AML, we hope to learn more about what type of psychological issues they tend to see in their practice, and what techniques and methods they employ to support this patient group. It is hoped that knowing more about this area can support clinicians and services in this field as it can highlight challenges to be addressed or strengths of specific working practices, techniques, models. It is also hoped that this research has validating and educational value to less experienced clinicians. Likewise, by exploring the experiences of clinicians first hand, this can provide qualitative data for researchers developing and evaluating interventions in this area.
01-Jan-2025 - 01-Jan-2027
Graham, Christopher Darryl (Principal Investigator)
01-Jan-2024 - 31-Jan-2027
Ahuja, Hardik Singh (Academic) Rasmussen, Susan (Principal Investigator) Graham, Christopher Darryl (CoPI)
Through my doctoral research, I am studying the Narrative Crisis Model of Suicide (NCM), exploring the mediation of trait vulnerabilities, suicidal narrative and suicide crisis syndrome leading to suicide outcomes. Currently, I am working on a scoping review to map the existing literature on NCM. My focus area in the model is the influence of stressful life events resulting in the onset of a suicidal narrative.
01-Jan-2023
Cogan, Nicola (Principal Investigator) Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Principal Investigator) Fleming, Leanne (Principal Investigator) Quinn, Neil (Principal Investigator) Tse, Dwight (Principal Investigator) Knifton, Lee (Principal Investigator) McCann, Lisa (Principal Investigator) Maguire, Roma (Principal Investigator) Smith, Matthew (Principal Investigator) Graham, Christopher Darryl (Principal Investigator) Grealy, Madeleine (Principal Investigator) Stephen, Susan (Principal Investigator) Weir, Natalie Mcfadyen (Principal Investigator) Donnachie, Craig (Principal Investigator) Cameron, Julie (Principal Investigator) Kane, Tony (Co-investigator) Lakey, Trevor (Academic) Donovan, Kevin (Fellow)
This Engage with Strathclyde event is aimed at all those with an interest in mental health including people with lived experience, NHS and social care personnel and staff, occupational health and human resource management staff, student support services, university student and staff, academics, private and public sector and other personnel interested in mental health research and knowledge exchange.


12-Jan-2023 - 12-Jan-2023

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Contact

Professor Christopher Darryl Graham
Psychology

Email: christopher.graham@strath.ac.uk
Tel: Unlisted