The UCD Psychosocial Approaches To Health (PATH) lab investigates the bidirectional pathways linking mental health, physical health, and wellbeing. We are interested in the comorbidity between mental and physical health conditions, the biopsychosocial mechanisms (mediators and moderators) of these associations, and more broadly, the psychosocial determinants of physical and mental health.
To answer our research questions, we use approaches from health psychology and epidemiology. We are also interested in harnessing novel techniques, such as digital phenotyping and network analysis, to tease apart the complex mechanisms underlying comorbidity and health. We aim to produce robust, scientific output to improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms of health and ill health, with the ultimate goal being to promote health and wellbeing and reduce the burden of mental and physical ill health.
We have divided our main areas of interest into four research streams, though they are not mutually exclusive and many of our papers incorporate aspects from more than one of our areas of interest.
Research Streams