glass of whiskey, ashtray, cigarettes, pills and drug paraphernalia on a table

Drug and Alcohol Research Group

Drug and Alcohol Research Group

Welcome to the Drug and Alcohol Research Group at BNU. As the research arm of the University's Substance Misuse Working Party, we are interested in the impact of alcohol and illicity drug use on all stakeholders, including users, families, universities and support services. We are especially committed to working with the local community, engaging with partners on the Buckinghamshire Council Drug and Alcohol Strategy, and with listening to the unheard voice of all those affected by substance use and misuse.

Group members
A head and shoulders shot of Nicola Mallowan, a lecturer at BNU, smiling at the camera.
Dr Nicola Mallowan
  • Senior Lecturer
  • Drug and Alcohol Research Group Lead
A head and shoulders shot of a smiling Maria Ansbro who is wearing a black coat with the BNU land yard around her neck whilst looking directly into the camera
Dr Maria Ansbro
  • Senior Lecturer
The silhouette of a white head and shoulders of a person against a grey background
Dr Ben Clayton
  • Associate Professor
Head and shoulders photo of a smiling Alison Pearce looking stood face on and looking directly into the camera stood outside
Alison Pearce
  • Lecturer
A head and shoulders shot of a smiling Susan Perryman wearing a land yard with a black jumper
Susan Perryman
  • Senior Lecturer
Chris Sallans staff profile photo
Chris Sallans
  • Senior Lecturer
Laura Williams staff profile photo
Laura Williams
  • Lecturer

Selected Current and Recent Projects

Wellness warriors on the run

In drug and alcohol recovery, exercise can be a powerful tool that provides physical, psychological, and social benefits, supporting the rehabilitation process and promoting long-term abstinence. BNU鈥檚 Wellness Warriors on the Run intervention embraces several of the NHS 5 Steps to Wellbeing, supporting participants to connect with others, become physically active, give back to others, and pay attention to their present moment in the journey. The initiative provides users of illicit drugs and alcohol with informative sessions about nutrition and motivation and progresses them to the Couch to 5K programme. The physiological and psychological benefits will be evaluated.

For more information about this project, please contact Charmain Clayton (charmain.clayton@bnu.ac.uk).

 

Current PhD / MPhils

鈥楾he use of image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs) in non-competitive gym and fitness athletes: Prevalence and motivations for use鈥

Past PhD / MPhils

鈥楢lcohol, transitions and the university 鈥榖ubble鈥: A qualitative case study鈥

鈥楾he implications of drug treatment practitioner favourable bias towards illicit drug users on client treatment outcomes鈥

 

Selected Outputs

  • Mallowan, N. (2024) Keynote speech on UK social rehabilitation for substance misuse disorder (International Conference on Drug Abuse and Addiction, Ankara, Turkey, Nov 2024)
  • Belcher, S. Mallowan, N. Ozberk, E. & Pitt, C. (2024) Student attitudes towards the use of substances (International Conference on Drug Abuse and Addiction, Ankara, Turkey, Nov 2024)
  • Sallans, C. (2024) Opinion: ADHD diagnosis limbo. Social Care Today
  • Belcher, S. & Mallowan, N. (2024) University student attitudes towards recreational drugs pre and post Covid (BPS Division of Forensic Psychology, Cardiff, Jul 2024)
  • Harman, C. (2024) How can the indicators for involvement in chemsex be used to engage service users earlier in their journey? (Drug & Alcohol Conference, Bucks New Uni, Jun 2024)
  • Heath, K. (2024) Substance Misuse Treatment Programs - Client Behaviour During Creative Group Sessions. (Drug & Alcohol Conference, Bucks New Uni, Jun 2024)
  • Williams, L. (2024) An exploration of recreational drug use in the UK from the perspectives of self-identifying recreational drug users. (Drug & Alcohol Conference, Bucks New Uni, Jun 2024)
  • Mallowan, N. (2024) The Importance of Therapeutic Trust on Treatment Outcomes for Substance Use Disorder (Drug & Alcohol Conference, Bucks New Uni, Jun 2024)
  • Khan, H. & Mallowan, N. (2021) Ex-offender perceptions of how young people may be drawn into criminality (BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Conference, Online, 2021)
  • Foster, J. H., Martin, C. R., & Davis, J. P. (2021). Alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 lockdown period: predictors of at-risk drinking at different AUDIT-C cut-off thresholds. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(24), 13042.
  • McPherson, A., & Martin, C. R. (2017). Are there gender differences in locus of control specific to alcohol dependence? Journal of clinical nursing, 26(1-2), 258-265.
  • Heath, K. & Mallowan, N. (2016). Substance misuse treatment programs:  client behaviour during creative group sessions (BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Conference, Brighton, Jun 2016)
  • Kelly, R. & Mallowan, N. (2016). The impact of illicit drug user perception on their continued drug use and recovery (BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Conference, Brighton, Jun 2016)
  • Horton, L., Duffy, T., Hollins Martin, C., & Martin, C. R. (2015). Comprehensive assessment of alcohol鈥恟elated brain damage (ARBD): gap or chasm in the evidence? Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 22(1), 3-14.
  • Clayton, B. (2013). Initiate: Constructing the 鈥榬eality鈥 of male team sport initiation rituals. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 48(2), 204-219.
  • Mallowan, N. (2013). The research of illicit drug users: ethical considerations (BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Conference, Belfast, Jun 2013)
  • Mallowan, N. (2013). Ethical considerations associated to the researching of illicit drug users (BPS Annual Conference, Harrogate, Apr 2013)
  • Mallowan, N. Wager, N. & Malone, C. (2012). The implications that drug treatment practitioners鈥 favourable and unfavourable bias towards illicit drug users, have on drug treatment outcomes (BPS Annual Conference, London, Apr 2012)
  • McPherson, A., & Martin, C. R. (2011). Is the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) an appropriate screening tool for use in an alcohol鈥恉ependent population? Journal of Clinical Nursing, 20(11鈥12), 1507-1517.
  • Mallowan, N. Wager, N. & Malone, C. (2010). Drug practitioners鈥 attitudes, and service users鈥 perception of drug practitioners鈥 attitudes towards illicit drugs and drug users: The influence of personal illicit drug use, addiction therapy and treatment outcome goals (BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Conference, Kent, Jun 2010)
  • Mallowan, N. Wager, N. & Malone, C. (2010). Moderators of client鈥 perceptions of their specialist drug practitioners鈥 attitudes towards illicit drugs:  The influence of treatment outcome goals (BPS Annual Conference, Stratford-upon-Avon, Apr 2010)
  • Mallowan, N. Wager, N. & Malone, C. (2009). Moderators of specialist drug practitioners鈥 attitudes towards illicit drugs and drug users: the influence of own previous drug use and addiction therapy (BPS Social Psychology Conference, Sheffield, Sept 2009)
  • Clayton, B., & Harris, J. (2008). Our friend Jack: Alcohol, friendship and masculinity in university football. Annals of leisure research, 11(3-4), 311-330.
  • Martin, C. R. (Ed.). (2008). Identification and treatment of alcohol dependency. M&K Update Ltd.
  • Mallowan, N. Wager, N. & Malone, C. (2008). Development and standardisation of the Thurstone scale 鈥榓ttitudes towards illicit drugs and drug users鈥 survey (BPS North-East Annual Conference, Leeds, June 2008)
  • Nakahara, T., Hashimoto, K., Hirano, M., Koll, M., Martin, C. R., & Preedy, V. R. (2003). Acute and chronic effects of alcohol exposure on skeletal muscle c-myc, p53, and Bcl-2 mRNA expression. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 285(6), E1273-E1281.

Contact Information

For more information about the Drug and Alcohol Research Group or any of its projects, please contact group lead Dr Nicola Mallowan (nicola.mallowan@bnu.ac.uk).