Emily Arden-Close

Dr. Emily Arden-Close is a Principal Academic in Psychology at Bournemouth University, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. She holds a PhD in Health Psychology from the University of Southampton and is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. She is registered as a Health Psychologist with the Health Professions Council and qualified to supervise professional doctorates in Health Psychology.

Education:

• BSc (Hons) in Psychology, University of Warwick (2001)
• MSc in Health Psychology, University of Southampton (2005)
• PhD in Health Psychology Research & Professional Practice, University of Southampton (2009)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, University of Southampton (2014)

Her research focuses on two primary areas: preventing harms from online gambling and improving quality of life for individuals with long-term illnesses like cancer and Behçet’s Disease. She employs both qualitative and quantitative methods, often developing and evaluating web-based or digital interventions. Her work emphasizes behavior change, psychosocial support, and intervention feasibility.

Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in gambling harm prevention, particularly among youth and vulnerable populations, using behavioral insights, transparency, and social norms. Other works explore dietary behavior, stress perception, and virtual reality for symptom distraction. She frequently collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, including computer scientists and public health researchers.

Scientific Awards and Recognition:

• Chartered Psychologist, British Psychological Society
• Associate Fellow, British Psychological Society
• Health Psychologist, Health Professions Council
• Fellow, Higher Education Academy

Dr. Arden-Close supervises PhD students in areas related to gambling, misinformation, chronic illness, and digital interventions. She has secured grants from major funders including GambleAware, ESRC, NIHR, and Prostate Cancer UK. Her projects include developing mindfulness interventions for ovarian cancer, responsible gambling tools, and participatory design for persuasive technologies.

She leads the MSc Health Psychology program and teaches modules on advanced research methods, chronic illness, and health psychology. She is actively involved in public engagement, including parliamentary receptions on safer gambling, and holds leadership roles in Athena SWAN and professional societies.