Dr Jackie Parsonage-Harrison

MResCP, BScHonsOT, PhD

Elizabeth Casson Research Fellow

Department of Sport, Health Sciences and Social Work

Role

I am an occupational therapist and research fellow based in Centre for Movement, Occupation, & Rehabilitation science (MOReS) at Oxford Brookes University. My work focuses on: 

  • Identifying and developing an occupation focused research programme. 
  • Developing and engaging in research collaborations that build and enhance occupational therapy research capacity, capability, and reach.
  • Supporting and encouraging the development of occupational therapist's who are interested in research.

My research fellowship position is kindly funded by the Elizabeth Casson Trust.

Teaching and supervision

On occassion, I contribute to the teaching program at Oxford Brookes Univeristy and previously at Brunel University. I have presvioulsy spoken about occupational therapy and early intervention, provided an introduction to qualitative methods, and an overview of the Researching Psychosis Together group (User Involvement).  

I have also previously supervised undergraduate research projects and supervised students on placement.

Research

My research interests and activities stem from the many years working as an occupational therapist in the NHS.

My research interests include:

  • Developing our understanding of the relationship between what we do and how that effects our mental health, with particularly interests in adolescence and in the early stages of mental illness.
  • Exploring and developing occupation & activity based knowledge and interventions that can help to inform clinical practice especially in the area of mental health.

Reflecting my own research journey, I am keen to support and encourage occupational therapists and service users to engage in research and develop skills in research. 

Research Projects: 

  • Development of the Activity Time Use Intervention: A mixed method research project to develop  an occupational therapy theory based intervention for 16 to 17 year olds with emerging mental health difficulties. 
  • The Adolescent Time Use Project: exploring how young people use their time and the affect on mental health.  
  • The Researching Psychosis together Group (2007 to 2015) -  a collaborative research group including service users, clinicians and academics working together to co-designed and deliver research. 
  • Gaining meaningful occupation following first episode psychosis (2011-2012) - an NIHR funded, masters in clinical research. 

Research impact

  • Art Engagement project September 2021-December 2021
  • ‘Living with Psychosis’ research study and publication (2007-2015)
  • ‘Meeting in the Mist’ research study and publication (2007-2015) - Funded for 6 months by the Brunel University knowledge transfer scheme.
  • 'Rainbow Reflections' Research study (2007-2015): a collaborative project an occupational therapist MSc student, clinician and service user.
  • Co presentations to occupational therapy MSc cohort in 2010 and 2011 and various conferences and presentations including: ENMESH (2019), CNWL annual OT Conference (2009), OT Mental Health Specialist section conference (2010), COT Annual conference (2010), Involve Conference (2011), Refocus on recovery (2012), Jami, and OT in service training (various).

Centres and institutes

Groups

Projects as Principal Investigator, or Lead Academic if project is led by another Institution

  • The ATUS24, activity focused time-use intervention to improve mental health and wellbeing, in adolescents an acceptability study (01/09/2023 - 30/04/2024), funded by: Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), funding amount received by Brookes: £8,709
  • An exploration of clinic reports on daily activity, identity, and wellbeing from carers of patients referred to the Oxford Brain Health Clinic (01/05/2023 - 30/09/2024), funded by: Alzheimer's Research UK, funding amount received by Brookes: £4,480
  • Supporting working parents caring for adolescents with mental health difficulties (15/08/2022 - 31/10/2022), funded by: Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC), funding amount received by Brookes: £2,133

Publications

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Professional information

Memberships of professional bodies

  • Royal College of Occupational Therapist (RCOT)
  • Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Oxford Society of Occupational Science (OSOS)
  • MOTION

Conferences

  • Parsonage J, Dawes H, & Eklund Mona (2019) Adolescent time-use and mental well-being: Phase 1 of a mixed method investigation to develop a specialised occupational therapy intervention. ENMESH Conference 2019, Lisbon, Portugal.
  • Parsonage J & McDonald K (2015) Using the Model of Human Occupation to identify conceptual need within an EIS case-load. College of Occupational Therapist conference, Brighton, UK.
  • Bryant W, & Parsonage J (2015) Living with psychosis. American Occupational Therapy Association Conference 2015, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
  • Parsonage J & McDonald K, (2014) Using the Model of Human Occupation to identify conceptual need within an EIS case-load. International Early Intervention Association Conference. Tokyo Japan.
  • Parsonage J, & Franco L, (2014) Researching psychosis together: Presentation on research findings to Jami, London, UK.
  • Parsonage J, Andrews C, Bryant W, Franco L, Clark J (2012) Researching psychosis together: changing lives through collaborative research. Refocus on Recovery conference, London, UK.
  • Parsonage J, (2012) ‘Gaining meaningful occupation’ following first episode psychosis. International Early Intervention Association Conference. San Francisco, California, USA.
  • Bryant W, Andrews C, Franco L, Makdisi L, Parsonage J (2011) Living with psychosis: collaborative research designed by mental health service users. CNWL NHS Foundation Trust Occupational Therapy Link Forum
  • Bryant W, Andrews C, Parsonage J, Clark J, Franco L, Makdisi L (2010) Meeting in the mist. College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section – Mental Health, 13th Annual Conference Birmingham, UK
  • Bryant W, Parsonage J, Craik C (2010) Knowledge transfer in action: from service user, academic and practitioner perspectives. College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, Brighton, UK.
  • Bryant W, Andrews C, Franco L, Makdisi L, Parsonage J (2010) Living with psychosis: collaborative research designed by mental health service users. INVOLVE 7th National Conference. Public involvement in research: innovation and impact. East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, UK