Behavioural Science

Written By Charlie Franklin

What we do?

Behavioural science is at the core of our research and our national in-person and digital programmes. Driven by psychological theories, models and frameworks, we conduct rigorous theoretical mapping and behavioural analysis to inform the development and adaptation of lifestyle prevention and management programmes. These interventions are designed to support behaviour change and improve behavioural, clinical and psychosocial outcomes. Our interventions are tailored to a range of populations, including people (young people and adults) at risk and with long-terms conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, under-served communities, the healthcare force, general population groups, and adults with severe mental illness or intellectual disability. Our research is delivered across different settings, including, workplaces, schools, hospitals and the community; and spans across high, middle and low income countries. In addition to our expertise in intervention development, we have extensive expertise in the robust evaluation of behavioural interventions, employing  methodologies such as randomised controlled trials and mixed-methods process evaluation to measure effectiveness, fidelity and impact.

Members

Highlighted Research

  • Thomas M, Herring LY, Davies MJ, Wilde L, Hall V, Gray LJ, Greenwood SA, Hadjiconstantinou M… and Hannah M. L. Young. Maintaining function and participation through tailored 24-hour movement behaviours for people living with multiple long-term conditions and frailty (The PERSONAL-AGILITY study): Protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility trial. Plos One. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0348372

  • Lightfoot C and Hadjiconstantinou M. Chapter Behaviour Change Principles in Exercise for CKD in Book ‘A Guidebook on Exercise in CKD’. European dialysis and transplant nurses association European renal care association. 2025.

  • Laurence, T., McDermott, G., Dunkley, A., Truesdale, M., Coates, V., Khunti, K., Clarke, M., Pollard, D., Brennan, A., Hadjiconstantinou, M., Caba, M., Jackson, C., Anderson Smith, A., McDowell, C., Agus, A., Toase, S., Schofield, J., & Kelly, R. My Diabetes & Me: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial to test the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a diabetes self-management education programme for adults with intellectual disabilities. NIHR Open Research. 2025. doi.org/10.3310/nihropenres.13964.

  • Khunti K, Sukumar N, Waheed G, Gillies C, Dallosso H, Brough C, Davies MJ, Fitzpatrick C, Gray LJ, Highton P, Rowlands A, Yates T, Saravanan P. Structured group education programme and accompanying mHealth intervention to promote physical activity in women with a history of gestational diabetes: a randomized controlled trial. Diabetic Medicine. 2023:e15118. doi: 10.1111/dme.15118

  • Edwardson CL, Biddle SJH, Clemes SA, Davies MJ, Dunstan DW, Eborall H, Granat MH, Gray LJ, Healy GN, Jaicim NB, Lawton S, Maylor BD, Munir F, Richardson G, Yates T, Clarke-Cornwell AM. Effectiveness of an intervention for reducing sitting time and improving health in office workers: three arm cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2022 Aug 17;378:e069288. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2021-069288

  • Clemes SA, Varela-Mato V, Bodicoat DH, Brookes CL, Chen YL, Edwardson CL, Gray LJ, Guest AJ, Johnson V, Munir F, Paine NJ…..Yates T, King J. The effectiveness of the Structured Health Intervention For Truckers (SHIFT): a cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT). BMC medicine. 2022;20(1):195. doi: 10.1186/s12916-022-02372-7

  • Hartescu I, Stensel DJ, Thackray AE, King JA, Dorling JL, Rogers EN, Hall AP, Brady EM, Davies MJ, Yates T, Morgan K. Sleep extension and metabolic health in male overweight/obese short sleepers: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of Sleep Research. 2022;31(2):e13469. doi 10.1111/jsr.13469

  • Khunti K, Highton PJ, Waheed G, Dallosso H, Redman E, Batt ME, Davies MJ, Gray LJ, Herring LY, Mani H, Rowlands A, Yates T. Promoting physical activity with self-management support for those with multimorbidity: a randomised controlled trial. British Journal of General Practice. 2021;71(713):e921-30. doi: 10.3399/BJGP.2021.0172

  • Khunti K, Griffin S, Brennan A, Dallosso H, Davies MJ, Eborall HC, Edwardson CL, Gray LJ, Hardeman W, Heathcote L, Henson J…Yates T. Promoting physical activity in a multi-ethnic population at high risk of diabetes: the 48-month PROPELS randomised controlled trial. BMC medicine. 2021;19(1):130. doi: 10.1186/s12916-021-01997-4

  • Herring LY, Dallosso H, Schreder S, Smith EJ, Waheed G, Gray LJ, Khunti K, Yates T, Highton PJ, Rowlands AV, Hudson I….Davies MJ. Physical Activity after Cardiac EventS (PACES): a group education programme with subsequent text message support designed to increase physical activity in individuals with diagnosed coronary heart disease: a randomised controlled trial. Open Heart. 2021;8(1):e001351. doi: 10.1186/s13063-018-2923-x

  • Harrington D, Brady E, Blueher S, Edwardson C, Gray L, Hadjiconstantinou M, Jarvis J, Khunti K, Vergara I, Erregerena I, Ribeiro R, Troughton K, Vazeou A, Davies MJ. Development of an interactive lifestyle programme for adolescents at risk of developing type 2 diabetes: PRE-STARt. Children editorial, 8, 69, 2021. doi.org/10.3390/children8020069

  • Harrington DM, Davies MJ, Bodicoat DH, Charles JM, Chudasama YV, Gorely T, Khunti K, Rowlands AV, Sherar LB, Tudor-Edwards R, Yates T, Edwardson CL. Effectiveness of the ‘Girls Active’ school-based physical activity programme: A cluster randomised controlled trial. IJBNPA 2018. doi: 10.1186/s12966-018-0664-6

  • Clemes SA, Bingham DD, Pearson N, Chen Y, Edwardson CL, McEachan RRC, Tolfrey K, Cale L, Richardson G, Fray M, Altunkaya J, Bandelow S, Bhupendra Jaicim N, Salmon J, Dunstan DW, Barber SE. Stand Out in Class: Restructuring the classroom environment to reduce sitting time – findings from a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial. IJBNPA 2020. doi: 10.1186/s12966-020-00958-z

  • Yates T, Edwardson CL, Henson J, Gray L, Ashra NB, Troughton J, Khunti K, Davies M. Walking Away from Type 2 Diabetes: a cluster randomized controlled trial. Diabetic Medicine 2017. doi: 10.1111/dme.13254

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