Shani Sephton

Trainee Clinical Psychologist
BA Social Work, MSc Psychology, PGCert Attachment Studies, PGDip Evidence Based Psychological Interventions (CBT)
Monday to Tuesday 9 - 5pm

Academic and research departments

School of Psychology.

About

My research project

University roles and responsibilities

  • Shani is undertaking a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology which includes attending teaching, clinical placements and conducting research.

    Publications

    Niolaki, Z.G., Vousden, J., Terzopoulous, A.R., Taylor, L.M., Sephton, S., Masterson, J. (2020) Predictors of single word spelling in English speaking children: A cross-sectional study.

    The study aimed to explore to what extent variables associated with lexical and sublexical spelling processes predicted single word spelling ability, and whether patterns of lexical and sublexical processes were different across ages. 

    Methods: Beginning (mean age 7-years, N=144) and advanced (mean age 9-years, N=114) English-speaking spellers completed tasks associated with sublexical processing (phonological ability and phonological short-term memory), lexical processing (visual short-term memory, visual attention span), and factors known to predict spelling (e.g., rapid automatised naming). 

    Results: Phonological ability, rapid automatised naming, visual short-term memory and visual attention span were significant predictors of spelling accuracy for beginning spellers, while for more advanced spellers, only visual attention span was a significant predictor. 

    Conclusions: The findings suggested that for beginning spellers, both lexical and sublexical processes are important for single word spelling, but with increasing literacy experience, lexically related variables are more important. 

    Varese, F., White, C., Longden, E., Charalambous, C., Meehan, K., Partington, I., Ashman, E., Marsh, L., Yule, E., Mohammed, L., Chevous, J., Harewood, E., Gronlund, T., Jones, A., Malik, S., Maxwell, C., Perot, C., Sephton, S., Taggart, D., Tooze, L. & A (2023) Top 10 Priorities for Sexual Violence and Abuse Research: Findings of the James Lind Alliance Sexual Violence Priority Setting Partnership.

    The study aimed to establish a James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) to identify research priorities relevant to the health and social care needs of adults with lived experience of recent and/or historical sexual violence/abuse.

    Participants Adults (aged 18+ years) with lived experience of sexual violence/abuse (i.e., ‘survivors’) were consulted for this PSP, alongside healthcare and social care professionals who support survivors across the public, voluntary, community, independent practice and social enterprise sectors.

    Methods In line with standard JLA PSP methodology, participants completed an initial online survey to propose research questions relevant to the health and social care needs of survivors. Research questions unanswered by current evidence were identified, and a second online survey was deployed to identify respondents’ priorities from this list. Questions prioritised through the second survey were presented at a consensus meeting with key stakeholders to agree the top 10 research priorities using a modified nominal group technique approach.

    Results 223 participants (54% survivors) provided 484 suggested questions. Seventy-five unique questions unanswered by research were identified and subsequently ranked by 343 participants (60% survivors). A consensus meeting with 31 stakeholders (42% survivors) examined the top-ranking priorities from the second survey and agreed the top 10 research priorities. These included research into forms of support and recovery outcomes valued by survivors, how to best support people of colour/black, Asian and minority ethnic and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) survivors, improving access to high-quality psychological therapies, reducing public misconceptions/stigma, the impact of involvement in the criminal justice system on well-being, and how physical and mental health services can become more ‘trauma informed’.

    Conclusions These research priorities identify crucial gaps in the existing evidence to better support adult survivors of sexual violence and abuse. Researchers and funders should prioritise further work in these priority areas identified by survivors and the professionals who support them.