معرفی
Ailsa Russell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath, and a member of the Centre for Applied Autism Research. She is a registered Clinical Psychologist with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and a BABCP-accredited CBT therapist. Ailsa leads the MSc in Applied Clinical Psychology program and specializes in understanding mental health comorbidities in autism, focusing on adapting cognitive behavioral interventions for autistic individuals. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to good health and well-being.
Her research interests include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in high-functioning autism, social identity and self-esteem in autism, and the mental health impacts of repetitive behaviors. She has led numerous projects funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and NHS Trusts, including studies on guided self-help for depression in autistic adults and improving accessibility to psychological interventions.
Key projects include the ADEPT trial (Autism Depression Trial), evaluating low-intensity therapies, and the Bath NIHR Mental Health Research Group, addressing service delivery challenges. Ailsa's work has been cited over 1,000 times, with notable publications on adapting CBT for autism and analyzing repetitive negative thinking in autistic populations.
Her activities include training sessions on adapting CBT for autism and roles on policy committees, such as the House of Lords Special Enquiry Committee. Collaborations span clinical, academic, and governmental sectors, emphasizing real-world applications of research findings.
