Staff profile

Emily joined the department in January 2014. She is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a Fellow of Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health. She has a particular interest in research development and training, serving as the Department’s inaugural Director of Research and currently as Director of Postgraduates.

Her research takes the form of two inter-related strands. First, motivation, in particular how this is sustained and strengthened during crises. This includes understanding how and why people cope differently, with a focus on mental health outcomes.

The second strand focuses on translating these ideas to design equitable interventions and policies to support health and wellbeing. Here, the role of physical activity is centred, alongside consideration of how activity-based interventions can engage individuals or groups who may be excluded from standard approaches or services.

Emily has been funded as a Principal Investigator by the National Institute of Health Research, Sport England, and through the Newton Fund. Currently, she is the lead for Fuse’s Public Mental Health research programme and serves as Associate Editor of Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 

Twitter: @_EJOliver

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=_2kRgHsAAAAJ&hl=en

PhD Students

If you are interested in undertaking a PhD under her supervision, Emily would be delighted to discuss opportunities to work with you at Durham. She welcomes applications in two broad research areas. First, motivation, in particular how the environment and individual characteristics influence physical activity and mental health. Second, in translating these findings to design inclusive interventions and policies to reduce health inequalities.

Research Funding

• Oliver, E.J., Gnani, S. et al. (2020). Evaluating community-based co-location models for supporting public mental health. Funder: National Institute for Health Research
• Osborn, D., Oliver, E.J., et al. (2019). Interventions supporting indviduals experiencing acute psychosocial crises. Funder: National Institute for Health Research.
• Oliver, E.J., & Rankin-Wright. (2019). Inclusion and enagement in elite talent development systems. Funder: Sport England.
• Oliver, E.J., Osborn, D. et al. (2019). Improving public mental health in adults experiencing key psychosocial stresses. Funder: NIHR
• Lafortune, Buckner, Oliver et al. (2018). Developing Age-friendly rural communities: the contribution of local participatory planning processes. Funder: National Institute for Health Research.
• Oliver, Cramb, Wimalasekera, and Ranasinghe. (2017). Physical Activity, Rurality, and Health in Sri Lanka: Building sustainable health promotion systems. Funder: Newton Fund.

• Physical Activity Special Interest Group
• Sporting Lives

• Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity
• Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing

Chapter in book

• Oliver, E.J. & Roberts, C.W. (2017). Enhancing young peoples’ engagement: a case study in a regenerating local community. In Making a difference with Psychology. Niven, K., Lewis, S. & Kagan, C. London: Richard Benjamin Trust. 49-55.
• Oliver, E.J. & Flint, S.W. (2014). A new approach to the regulation of body-image discrepancies: examining associations between self-talk and personality. In Psychology Serving Humanity: Proceedings of the 30th International Congress of Psychology. Volume 2: Western Science. Cooper, S. & Ratele, K. New York: Psychology Press. 277-286.
• Hardy, J. & Oliver, E.J. (2014). Self-talk, positive thinking, and thought stopping. In Encyclopedia of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Eklund, R.C. & Tenenbaum, G. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.
• Oliver, E.J (2010). Group Cohesion in Sport. In Sport Psychology. D. Tod, J. Thatcher & R. Rachman Palgrave Macmillan.
• Hardy, J., Oliver, E.J. & Tod, D. (2008). A Framework for the Study and Application of Self-talk within Sport. In S. D. Mellalieu & S. Hanton Routledge.

Edited Journal

• Flint, S.W., Oliver, E.J. & Copeland,R (2017). Obesity stigma in healthcare: impacts on policy, practice, and patients. Frontiers in Psychology, Eating Behavior, 8 (2149).

Journal Article

• Duncan, F., Baskin, C., McGrath, M., Coker, J. F., Lee, C., Dykxhoorn, J., Adams, E. A., Gnani, S., Lafortune, L., Kirkbride, J. B., Kaner, E., Jones, O., Samuel, G., Walters, K., Osborn, D. & Oliver, E. J. (2021). Community interventions for improving adult mental health: mapping local policy and practice in England. BMC Public Health 21(1): 1691.
• Oliver, EJ, Buckley, B, Dodd-Reynolds, C Downey, J, Hanson, C, Henderson, H, Hawkins, J, Steele, J, Wade, M & Watson, P (2021). Where next for the design, delivery and evaluation of community-based physical activity prescription? Emerging lessons from the United Kingdom. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism 46(11).
• McGrath, Michael, Duncan, Fiona, Dotsikas, Kate, Baskin, Cleo, Crosby, Liam, Gnani, Shamini, Hunter, Rachael Maree, Kaner, Eileen, Kirkbride, James Bowes, Lafortune, Louise, Lee, Caroline, Oliver Emily J., Osborn, David P., Walters, Kate R. & Dykxhoorn, Jennifer (2021). Effectiveness of community interventions for protecting and promoting the mental health of working-aged adults experiencing financial uncertainty: a systematic review. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 75(7): 665-673.
• Baskin, C., Zijlstra, G., McGrath, M., Lee, C., Duncan, F., Oliver, E.J., Osborn, D., Dykxhoorn, J., Kaner, E. & Gnani, S. (2021). Community-centred interventions for improving public mental health among adults from ethnic minority populations in the UK: a scoping review. BMJ Open 11(4).
• Oliver, E.J., Dodd-Reynolds, C., Kasim, A. & Vallis, D. (2021). Inequalities and inclusion in exercise referral schemes: a mixed-method multi-scheme analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18(6): 3033.
• Duncan, Fiona H, McGrath, Mike, Baskin, Cleo, Osborn, David, Dykxhoorn, Jen, Kaner, Eileen F S, Gnani, Shamini, LaFortune, Louise, Lee, Caroline, Walters, Kate R, Kirkbride, James, Fischer, Laura, Jones, Oli, Pinfold, Vanessa, Stansfield, Jude & Oliver, Emily J (2020). Delivery of community-centred public mental health interventions in diverse areas in England: a mapping study protocol. BMJ Open 10(7): e037631.
• Rigby, BP, Dodd-Reynolds, CJ & Oliver, EJ (2020). Inequities and inequalities in outdoor walking groups: a scoping review. Public Health Reviews 41: 4.
• Thomas, L.B., Fadeeva, A. & Oliver, E. J. (2020). The double negative: Personality differentially predicts sensitivity to need support and thwarting, and subsequent behavioural response planning. Personality and Individual Differences 156: 109767.
• Hawkins, J., Edwards, M., Charles, J., Russell, J., Kelson, M., Morgan, K., Murphy, S., Oliver, E.J. Simpson, S., Tudor Edwards, R. & Moore, G. (2019). Acceptability and feasibility of implementing accelorometry-based activity monitors and a linked web portal in an exercise referral scheme: A mixed-methods feasibility randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research 21(3): e12374.
• Flint, S.W. & Oliver, E.J. (2019). Seven-year itch: The UK Government’s difficult relationship with the food and drink industry since ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A call to action on obesity in England (2011). Public Health Nutrition 22(7): 1326-1329.
• Hanson, C.L., Oliver, E.J., Dodd-Reynolds, C. & Allin, L. (2019). How do participant experiences and characteristics influence engagement in exercise referral? A qualitative longitudinal study of a scheme in Northumberland, United Kingdom. BMJ Open 9(2): e024370.
• Thomas, L.B., Hudson, J. & Oliver, E.J. (2018). Modelling motivational dynamics: demonstrating when, why, and how we self-regulate motivation. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality 7: 33-47.
• Jamie, K., Oliver, E.J., Paterson, A. & Whittlesea, C. (2019). Discussing alcohol in medicines use reviews: experiences of patients in a community pharmacy context. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 27(3): 318-321.
• Hawkins, J., Edwards, M., Charles, J., Russell, J., Kelson, M., Morgan, K., Murphy, S., Oliver, E.J., Simpson, S., Tudor Edwards, R. & Moore, G. (2017). Protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial of the use of Physical ACtivity monitors in an Exercise Referral Setting: The PACERS study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies 3(1): 51.
• Mawn, L., Oliver, E.J., Akhtar, N., Bambra, C., Torgerson, C., Bridle, C. & Stain, H.J. (2017). Are we failing young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs)? A systematic review and meta-analysis of re-engagement interventions. Systematic Reviews 6: 16.
• Thomas, L. B. & Oliver, E. J. (2017). Application of feedback principles to marking proformas increases student efficacy, perceived utility of feedback, and likelihood of use. Sport and Exercise Psychology Review
• Oliver, E.J., Hanson, C.L., Lindsey, I.A. & Dodd-Reynolds, C.J. (2016). Exercise on referral: Evidence and complexity at the nexus of public health and sport policy. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics 8(4): 731-736.
• Morris, R., Tod, D. & Oliver, E.J. (2016). An Investigation into Stakeholders’ Perceptions of the Youth-to-Senior Transition in Professional Soccer in the United Kingdom. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 28(4): 375-391.
• Thomas, L., Hudson, J. & Oliver, E.J. (2015). Development and Validation of An Implicit Measure of Meta-motivational States. Journal of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality 4: 15-25.
• Oliver, E.J., Hudson, J. & Thomas, L. (2016). Processes of identity development and behaviour change in later life: Exploring self-talk during physical activity uptake. Ageing and Society 36(07): 1388-1406.
• Hoon, A., Oliver, E.J., Szpakowska, K. & Newton, P. (2015). Use of the 'Stop, Start, Continue' method is associated with the production of constructive qualitative feedback by students in higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 40(5): 755-767.
• Morris, R., Tod, D. & Oliver, E.J. (2015). An Analysis of Organizational Structure and Transition Outcomes in the Youth-to-Senior Professional Soccer Transition. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology
• Hudson, J., Day, M. & Oliver, E.J. (2015). A ‘new life’ story or ‘delaying the inevitable’? Exploring older people's narratives during exercise uptake. Psychology of Sport and Exercise 16(3): 112-120.
• Oliver, E.J., Mawn, L., Stain, H.J., Bambra, C.L., Torgerson, C., Oliver, A. & Bridle, C. (2014). Should we ‘hug a hoodie’? Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions with young people not in employment, education or training (so-called NEETs). Systematic Reviews 3: 73.
• Hawkins, J., Oliver, E.J., Wyatt Williams, J., Scale, E. & van Woerdon, H. (2014). Assessing the feasibility of using uniaxial accelerometers with an online support platform in the delivery of a community-based exercise-referral scheme. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health 5(4): 288-290.
• Akehurst, S.A. & Oliver, E.J. (2013). Obsessive passion: a dependency associated with injury-related risky behaviour in dancers. Journal of Sports Sciences 32(3): 259-267.
• Curtis, F., Oliver, E.J., Jones, A., Rice, S. & Thatcher, R. (2013). Health and lifestyle changes associated with ageing in rural communities: the emphasis on current concerns in Wales. (Iechyd a newidiadau ffordd o fyw sy’n gysylltiedig ag oedran mewn ardaloedd gwledig: y pwyslais ar bryderon cyfredol yng Nghymru.). Gwerddon 16: 28-39.
• Tod, D., Hardy, J. & Oliver, E.J. (2011). Effects of self-talk: a systematic review. Psychology of Sport and Exercise Psychology 33(5): 666-687.
• Beattie, S., Leif, D., Adamoulas, M. & Oliver, E.J. (2011). Self-efficacy and performance: Investigating the possible negative effects of self-efficacy upon golf putting performance. Psychology of Sport and Exercise 12: 434-441.
• Law, R., Breslin, A., Oliver, E.J., Mawn, L., Markland, D., Maddison, P. & Thom, J. (2010). Patient perceptions of the effects of exercise on joint health in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology 49(12): 2444-2445.
• Oliver, E.J., Markland, D. & Hardy, J. (2010). Interpretation of self-talk and post-lecture affective states of higher education students: A self-determination theory perspective. British Journal of Educational Psychology 80(2): 307-323.
• Oliver, E.J., Hardy, J. & Markland, D.M. (2010). Exploring elite coaches' views of athletes' practice behaviors. Psychology of Sport and Exercise 11: 433-443.
• Oliver, E.J., Markland, D., Hardy, J. & Petherick, C.M. (2008). The Effects of Autonomy-Supportive and Controlling Environments on Self-Talk. Motivation and Emotion 32(3): 200-212.
• Markland, D. & Oliver, E.J. (2008). The Sociociultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3: A confirmatory factor analysis. Body Image 5(1): 116-121.

Report

• Rigby, B.P., Donkin, B., Oliver, E.J., Lindsey, I. & Mitchell, I. (2018). Influencing Older People's Physical Activity: A Pilot Rapid Evidence Review Produced on Behalf of the Active Durham Partnership Evidence-based Approach Group.
• Hudson, J., Oliver, E.J., Thomas, L. & Higgs, F. (2012). Functional and Psychological Changes during a Community-based 32 Week Postural Stability Training Programme: Recommendations for Future Practice. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.