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Dr Sarah MacDonald
Research Associate, DECIPHer
- MacDonaldS@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 29225 10097
- sbarc|spark, Room Room 1.15, 1-3 Museum Place, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
Overview
I am a Research Associate in the DECIPHer research centre where my research draws on qualitative methods to explore children and young people's health and wellbeing, focusing on the way in which different systems and settings interact. My PhD research focussed on the interactions between primary schools and family settings for children's food and eating practices, and more recent interests centre on the interactions between school and community settings for young people's mental health.
I am currently completing a NIHR funded systemtatic review of mental health interventions for children and young people in care and I am also working on a project within DATAMIND exploring schools' use of mental health data.
Publication
2024
- MacDonald, S. et al. 2024. Mental health and wellbeing interventions for care-experienced children and young people: Systematic review and synthesis of process evaluations. Children and Youth Services Review 156, article number: 107266. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107266)
- Evans, R. et al. 2024. What mental health and wellbeing interventions work for which children and young people in care? Systematic review of potential outcome inequities. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal (10.1007/s10560-023-00956-7)
2023
- Macdonald, S., Hewitt, G., Evans, R., Rees, A., Brown, R., Anthony, R. and Jones, S. 2023. Wellbeing and mental health support in schools and colleges for care experienced children and young people: a mixed-methods study of delivering and receiving support. Presented at: BERA Conference 2023, Aston University, Birmingham, 12-14 September 2023.
- Evans, R. et al. 2023. Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic review. Systematic Reviews 12(1), article number: 111. (10.1186/s13643-023-02260-y)
- Macdonald, S., Hewitt, G., Evans, R., Rees, A., Brown, R., Anthony, R. and Jones, S. 2023. Mental health and wellbeing support in schools and further education colleges for care-experienced children and young people. Presented at: EuSARF - 'Equity and Social Justice in Child, Youth and Family Welfare', University of Sussex, 12-15 September 2023.
2022
- Evans, R., Sampson, C., MacDonald, S., Biddle, L. and Scourfield, J. 2022. Contesting constructs and interrogating research methods: re-analysis of qualitative data from a hospital-based case study of self-harm management and prevention practices. Health 26(1), pp. 27-46. (10.1177/13634593211038522)
2021
- Murphy, S. et al. 2021. A Transdisciplinary Complex Adaptive Systems (T-CAS) approach to developing a national school-based culture of prevention for health improvement: the School Health Research Network (SHRN) in Wales. Prevention Science 22, pp. 50-61. (10.1007/s11121-018-0969-3)
- MacDonald, S., Sampson, C., Biddle, L., Kwak, S. Y., Scourfield, J. and Evans, R. 2021. Theorising health professionals’ prevention and management practices with children and young people experiencing self-harm: a qualitative hospital-based case study. Sociology of Health and Illness 43(1), pp. 201-219. (10.1111/1467-9566.13211)
- Evans, R. et al. 2021. Care-experienced cHildren and young people's Interventions to improve Mental health and wEll-being outcomes: Systematic review (CHIMES) protocol. BMJ Open 11(1), article number: e042815. (10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042815)
2020
- MacDonald, S., Sampson, C., Turley, R., Biddle, L., Ring, N., Begley, R. and Evans, R. 2020. Patients’ experiences of emergency hospital care following self-harm: Systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research. Qualitative Health Research 30(3), pp. 471-485. (10.1177/1049732319886566)
- Brown, R. et al. 2020. Ecological exploration of knowledge and attitudes towards tobacco and e-cigarettes among primary school children, teachers and parents in Wales: a qualitative study. Tobacco Use Insights 13, pp. 1-12. (10.1177/1179173X20938770)
2018
- MacDonald, S., Murphy, S. and Elliott, E. 2018. Controlling food, controlling relationships: exploring the meanings and dynamics of family food practices through the diary-interview approach. Sociology of Health and Illness 40(5), pp. 779-792. (10.1111/1467-9566.12725)
- Evans, R., Turley, R., Sampson, C. and MacDonald, S. 2018. The experience of short term self-harm management and prevention provision for over 8 years and their carers: systematic review and thematic synthesis. Presented at: 4th Suicide and Self-harm Early and Mid-Career Researcher's Forum, Glasgow, Scotland, 6-7 June 2018.
2017
- Brown, R., MacDonald, S. and Murphy, S. 2017. A review of alcohol media literacy interventions and potential applications for a UK context. Project Report. [Online]. Alcohol Research UK. Available at: http://alcoholresearchuk.org/alcohol-insights/a-review-of-alcohol-media-literacy-interventions-and-potential-applications-for-a-uk-context/
- Brown, R., MacDonald, S. and Murphy, S. 2017. A review of alcohol media literacy interventions and potential applications for a UK context. Project Report. [Online]. Alcohol Research UK. Available at: http://alcoholresearchuk.org/alcohol-insights/a-review-of-alcohol-media-literacy-interventions-and-potential-applications-for-a-uk-context/
- Segrott, J., Holliday, J., Murphy, S., MacDonald, S., Roberts, J. and Moore, L. 2017. Implementation of a Cooking Bus intervention to support cooking in schools in Wales, UK. Health Education 117(3), pp. 234-251. (10.1108/HE-06-2014-0073)
2015
- MacDonald, S. 2015. Nourishing, nurturing and controlling: exploring structure-agency interactions in children’s food practices across family and school contexts.. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
2014
- MacDonald, S., Murphy, S. and Elliott, E. 2014. Nourishing and nurturing? Patterns of parent-child negotiations around food in the family and school. Presented at: BSA Food Study Group Conference, London, UK, 30 June, 2014.
2010
- MacDonald, S., Murphy, S. and Elliott, E. 2010. Understanding home-school links in relation to children's dietary health improvement. Presented at: BSA Food Study Group Conference, London, UK, 5-6 July 2010.
2007
- Rothwell, H., Murphy, S., MacDonald, S. and Harrop, E. 2007. Exploring responsibility for health in families: analysing social relationships through a focus group study. Presented at: Society for Social Medicine, 51st Annual Scientific Meeting, Cork, Ireland, 12-14 September 2007.
- Murphy, S., MacDonald, S., Harrop, E. and Rothwell, H. 2007. "Nanny knows best": Individual and state responsibilities for health - a qualitative study using focus groups with the general public. Presented at: 19th IUHPE Conference on Health Promotion and Education, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 11-15 June 2007.
- MacDonald, S., Rothwell, H. A. and Moore, L. A. R. 2007. Getting it right: designing adolescent-centred smoking cessation services. Addiction 102(7), pp. 1147-1150. (10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.01851.x)
2006
- Murphy, S., Harrop, E., MacDonald, S. and Rothwell, H. 2006. An examination of perceptions of roles and responsibilities for health amongst the general public. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- MacDonald, S., Harrop, E., Rothwell, H. and Murphy, S. 2006. Organisational roles and responsibilities for health: interviews with representatives from the statutory and non-statutory sectors. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- Rothwell, H., Murphy, S., MacDonald, S. and Harrop, E. 2006. Organisational roles and responsibilities for health: a pilot survey of businesses, primary and secondary schools and local government. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- Murphy, S., MacDonald, S., Harrop, E. and Rothwell, H. 2006. "Nanny knows best": Individual and state responsibilities for health - a qualitative study using focus groups with the general public. Presented at: AWARD Building R&D in Health and Social Care in Wales, Swansea University, Swansea, UK, 21 June 2006.
2005
- MacDonald, S., Geesink, I. and Moore, L. 2005. Evaluation of European adolescent smoking cessation pilot programme: report for the Welsh Assembly Government. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
2004
- MacDonald, S., Elliott, E. and Moore, L. 2004. Evaluation of equity training and advocacy grant pilot programme. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
Articles
- MacDonald, S. et al. 2024. Mental health and wellbeing interventions for care-experienced children and young people: Systematic review and synthesis of process evaluations. Children and Youth Services Review 156, article number: 107266. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107266)
- Evans, R. et al. 2024. What mental health and wellbeing interventions work for which children and young people in care? Systematic review of potential outcome inequities. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal (10.1007/s10560-023-00956-7)
- Evans, R. et al. 2023. Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic review. Systematic Reviews 12(1), article number: 111. (10.1186/s13643-023-02260-y)
- Evans, R., Sampson, C., MacDonald, S., Biddle, L. and Scourfield, J. 2022. Contesting constructs and interrogating research methods: re-analysis of qualitative data from a hospital-based case study of self-harm management and prevention practices. Health 26(1), pp. 27-46. (10.1177/13634593211038522)
- Murphy, S. et al. 2021. A Transdisciplinary Complex Adaptive Systems (T-CAS) approach to developing a national school-based culture of prevention for health improvement: the School Health Research Network (SHRN) in Wales. Prevention Science 22, pp. 50-61. (10.1007/s11121-018-0969-3)
- MacDonald, S., Sampson, C., Biddle, L., Kwak, S. Y., Scourfield, J. and Evans, R. 2021. Theorising health professionals’ prevention and management practices with children and young people experiencing self-harm: a qualitative hospital-based case study. Sociology of Health and Illness 43(1), pp. 201-219. (10.1111/1467-9566.13211)
- Evans, R. et al. 2021. Care-experienced cHildren and young people's Interventions to improve Mental health and wEll-being outcomes: Systematic review (CHIMES) protocol. BMJ Open 11(1), article number: e042815. (10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042815)
- MacDonald, S., Sampson, C., Turley, R., Biddle, L., Ring, N., Begley, R. and Evans, R. 2020. Patients’ experiences of emergency hospital care following self-harm: Systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research. Qualitative Health Research 30(3), pp. 471-485. (10.1177/1049732319886566)
- Brown, R. et al. 2020. Ecological exploration of knowledge and attitudes towards tobacco and e-cigarettes among primary school children, teachers and parents in Wales: a qualitative study. Tobacco Use Insights 13, pp. 1-12. (10.1177/1179173X20938770)
- MacDonald, S., Murphy, S. and Elliott, E. 2018. Controlling food, controlling relationships: exploring the meanings and dynamics of family food practices through the diary-interview approach. Sociology of Health and Illness 40(5), pp. 779-792. (10.1111/1467-9566.12725)
- Segrott, J., Holliday, J., Murphy, S., MacDonald, S., Roberts, J. and Moore, L. 2017. Implementation of a Cooking Bus intervention to support cooking in schools in Wales, UK. Health Education 117(3), pp. 234-251. (10.1108/HE-06-2014-0073)
- MacDonald, S., Rothwell, H. A. and Moore, L. A. R. 2007. Getting it right: designing adolescent-centred smoking cessation services. Addiction 102(7), pp. 1147-1150. (10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.01851.x)
Conferences
- Macdonald, S., Hewitt, G., Evans, R., Rees, A., Brown, R., Anthony, R. and Jones, S. 2023. Wellbeing and mental health support in schools and colleges for care experienced children and young people: a mixed-methods study of delivering and receiving support. Presented at: BERA Conference 2023, Aston University, Birmingham, 12-14 September 2023.
- Macdonald, S., Hewitt, G., Evans, R., Rees, A., Brown, R., Anthony, R. and Jones, S. 2023. Mental health and wellbeing support in schools and further education colleges for care-experienced children and young people. Presented at: EuSARF - 'Equity and Social Justice in Child, Youth and Family Welfare', University of Sussex, 12-15 September 2023.
- Evans, R., Turley, R., Sampson, C. and MacDonald, S. 2018. The experience of short term self-harm management and prevention provision for over 8 years and their carers: systematic review and thematic synthesis. Presented at: 4th Suicide and Self-harm Early and Mid-Career Researcher's Forum, Glasgow, Scotland, 6-7 June 2018.
- MacDonald, S., Murphy, S. and Elliott, E. 2014. Nourishing and nurturing? Patterns of parent-child negotiations around food in the family and school. Presented at: BSA Food Study Group Conference, London, UK, 30 June, 2014.
- MacDonald, S., Murphy, S. and Elliott, E. 2010. Understanding home-school links in relation to children's dietary health improvement. Presented at: BSA Food Study Group Conference, London, UK, 5-6 July 2010.
- Rothwell, H., Murphy, S., MacDonald, S. and Harrop, E. 2007. Exploring responsibility for health in families: analysing social relationships through a focus group study. Presented at: Society for Social Medicine, 51st Annual Scientific Meeting, Cork, Ireland, 12-14 September 2007.
- Murphy, S., MacDonald, S., Harrop, E. and Rothwell, H. 2007. "Nanny knows best": Individual and state responsibilities for health - a qualitative study using focus groups with the general public. Presented at: 19th IUHPE Conference on Health Promotion and Education, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 11-15 June 2007.
- Murphy, S., MacDonald, S., Harrop, E. and Rothwell, H. 2006. "Nanny knows best": Individual and state responsibilities for health - a qualitative study using focus groups with the general public. Presented at: AWARD Building R&D in Health and Social Care in Wales, Swansea University, Swansea, UK, 21 June 2006.
Monographs
- Brown, R., MacDonald, S. and Murphy, S. 2017. A review of alcohol media literacy interventions and potential applications for a UK context. Project Report. [Online]. Alcohol Research UK. Available at: http://alcoholresearchuk.org/alcohol-insights/a-review-of-alcohol-media-literacy-interventions-and-potential-applications-for-a-uk-context/
- Brown, R., MacDonald, S. and Murphy, S. 2017. A review of alcohol media literacy interventions and potential applications for a UK context. Project Report. [Online]. Alcohol Research UK. Available at: http://alcoholresearchuk.org/alcohol-insights/a-review-of-alcohol-media-literacy-interventions-and-potential-applications-for-a-uk-context/
- Murphy, S., Harrop, E., MacDonald, S. and Rothwell, H. 2006. An examination of perceptions of roles and responsibilities for health amongst the general public. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- MacDonald, S., Harrop, E., Rothwell, H. and Murphy, S. 2006. Organisational roles and responsibilities for health: interviews with representatives from the statutory and non-statutory sectors. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- Rothwell, H., Murphy, S., MacDonald, S. and Harrop, E. 2006. Organisational roles and responsibilities for health: a pilot survey of businesses, primary and secondary schools and local government. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- MacDonald, S., Geesink, I. and Moore, L. 2005. Evaluation of European adolescent smoking cessation pilot programme: report for the Welsh Assembly Government. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- MacDonald, S., Elliott, E. and Moore, L. 2004. Evaluation of equity training and advocacy grant pilot programme. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
Thesis
- MacDonald, S. 2015. Nourishing, nurturing and controlling: exploring structure-agency interactions in children’s food practices across family and school contexts.. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
- MacDonald, S., Murphy, S. and Elliott, E. 2010. Understanding home-school links in relation to children's dietary health improvement. Presented at: BSA Food Study Group Conference, London, UK, 5-6 July 2010.
- Rothwell, H., Murphy, S., MacDonald, S. and Harrop, E. 2007. Exploring responsibility for health in families: analysing social relationships through a focus group study. Presented at: Society for Social Medicine, 51st Annual Scientific Meeting, Cork, Ireland, 12-14 September 2007.
- Murphy, S., MacDonald, S., Harrop, E. and Rothwell, H. 2007. "Nanny knows best": Individual and state responsibilities for health - a qualitative study using focus groups with the general public. Presented at: 19th IUHPE Conference on Health Promotion and Education, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 11-15 June 2007.
- Murphy, S., MacDonald, S., Harrop, E. and Rothwell, H. 2006. "Nanny knows best": Individual and state responsibilities for health - a qualitative study using focus groups with the general public. Presented at: AWARD Building R&D in Health and Social Care in Wales, Swansea University, Swansea, UK, 21 June 2006.
Research
Current research interests:
- Care-experienced children and young people's mental health
- Carers', schools' and professionals' experiences of mental health provision for children and young people
- Interactions between systems and settings for children and young people
- Qualitative research methods with children, young people and families.
Teaching
Undergraduate teaching:
Experiments in Knowing (3rd Year): Lecturer
Dissertation: Supervisor and Assessor
Masters teaching:
MA Social Policy: Lecturer
MA Social Work: Dissertation Supervisor and Assessor
Postgraduate supervision:
Lucy Treby, Professional Doctorate, Social Work.
Biography
Career:
Current post (from September 2012) Research Associate, DECIPHer, Cardiff University School of Social Sciences
October 2003 - August 2012 Research Associate, Cardiff Institute of Society, Health and Ethics (CISHE), Cardiff University School of Social Sciences
1999 – September 2003 Research Consultant, SQW Ltd, Economic Development Consultants
1998 - 1999 Secondary school teacher, Caerphilly, South Wales
Education and qualifications:
PhD Social Sciences, Cardiff University
PGCE, Secondary Geography, Aberstwyth University
BA (Hons) Geography, Aberystwyth University.
Honours and awards
Grants Held:
Mental Health and Wellbeing Interventions for Care-experienced Children and Young People: Systematic review of intervention theories, process, effect and equity, NIHR PHR £277, 789 (2020-2022) (co-applicant)
Self-HARm provision in Emergency Services (SHARES study). Children and young people's experience of short-term management and prevention provision following presentation for self-harm: Systematic review and qualitative study, Health and Care Research Wales. £245,509. (2017-2019) (co-applicant)
Primary schoolchildren’s perceptions of e-cigarettes and exposure to e-cigarettes and tobacco smoke. Cancer Research UK Tobacco Action Group. £127,000. (2017-2019) (co-Principal Applicant)
Department of Health and NHS R&D, and the Wales Office of Research and Development for Health and Social Care. Families, households and health improvement: Exploring roles and responsibilities (co PI with Williams G, Murphy S). £214,035. (2006-2010).
Wales Office of Research & Development in Health and Social Care. Public Health Improvement Research Network (Moore L.. PI with others). £360,000. (2005 - 2008).
Wales Office of Research & Development in Health and Social Care. Public Health Improvement Research Network, Scoping Study (Moore L.. PI with others). £10,400. (2005).
Welsh Assembly Government Public Health Improvement Division. Evaluation of Community Food Co-ops (Elliott E PI, with Moore L, Tapper K, Murphy S) £39,676. (2005-2006).
Welsh Assembly Government Public Health Improvement Division. Evaluation of Health Challenge Wales (Murphy S PI, with Elliott E, Williams G). £85,000. (2005).
Welsh Assembly Government Health Promotion Division. Evaluation of EU funded adolescent smoking cessation - pilot project (Moore L. PI, with Geesink I, Holliday J, Burgess S). £39,825. (2005-2006).
Welsh Assembly Government Health Promotion Division. Evaluation of EU funded adolescent smoking cessation - pilot project (Moore L. PI, with Elliott E, Holliday J). £35,769. (2004-2005).
Welsh Assembly Government Public Health Strategy Division. Evaluation of Equity Training and Advocacy Grants Programme (Moore L. PI, with Williams G, Elliott E) £20,175 (2003-2004).