Kathy Looney

Dr. Kathy Looney is an Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology at University College Dublin (UCD), School of Psychology. She holds a dual role, working half-time as a senior clinical psychologist with the Child and Adolescent Complex Obesity Service at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI). She completed her doctorate at Royal Holloway University London and holds additional qualifications in psychological science and university teaching from UCD. Her research focuses on child health, particularly pediatric obesity, oncology, and chronic illness, emphasizing intervention development and psychosocial mechanisms. She is part of UCD’s Psychological Health, Wellbeing and Resilience Research group and coordinates modules on clinical psychology and interventions. Her work spans systematic reviews, clinical trials, and experimental studies addressing mental health stigma, trauma, and adolescent oncology.

Education:

• BA (Hons), Trinity College Dublin
• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Royal Holloway University London
• Masters in Psychological Science, University College Dublin
• Professional Certificates in University Teaching & Learning, UCD

Research Interests: Dr. Looney’s work intersects clinical and developmental psychology with a focus on pediatric populations. Her key areas include:

• Pediatric obesity interventions
• Psychosocial support for adolescents with cancer
• Mental health stigma reduction via social media
• Imagery rescripting for PTSD
• Factors influencing quality of life in severe mental illness

Teaching & Supervision: She coordinates modules such as Psychological Interventions, Intellectual Disability Blocks, and Clinical Psychology. She supervises doctoral students in psychological science, focusing on clinical and developmental research.

Labs & Teams: Active member of UCD’s Psychological Health, Wellbeing and Resilience Research group, collaborating on projects addressing child health challenges and clinical intervention efficacy.