Research Interests

My current research interests include developing interventions to minimise the negative psychological impact of undergoing genetic diagnosis and living with (or at risk of) chronic illness. I am also interested in how individuals' adaptation to living with risk or a chronic disease may be influenced by a range of social, emotional and cognitive factors, and the impact of these variables on adherence to health behaviours and quality of life. I am a Chartered Health Psychologist, member of the BPS Division of Health Psychology and the European Health Psychology Society.

Selected Publications

Hughes L & Phelps C (2010)“the bigger the network the bigger the bowl of cherries. Maybe there’s a cherry for every little problem you might come across.”: Exploring the acceptability of, and preferences for, an ongoing support network for known BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutation carriers. Journal of Genetic Counseling (Accepted for publication Nov 09).

Hilgart, J., Phelps, C., Bennett, P., Hood, K., Brain, K & Murray A (2010).“I have always believed I was at high risk...” The role of expectation in emotional responses to the receipt of an average, moderate or high genetic risk assessment result:A thematic analysis of free-text questionnaire comments.Familial Cancer (accepted for publication Dec 2009).

Phelps, C; Bennett, P., Jones, H., Hood, K., Brain K & Murray, A. (2009). The development of a cancer-genetic specific measure of coping: The GRACE. Psycho-Oncology, Advance on-line publication.

Phelps, C., Bennett, P & Brain, K (2008). The role of appraisals and core relational themes in predicting emotional responses to cancer genetic risk assessment: an applied test of a cognitive theory of emotion.Psychology Health & Medicine, 13(5):545-58.

Phelps, C., Horrigan, D., Protheroe, L., Hopkin, J., Jones, W. & Murray, A. (2008)."I wouldn't classify myself as a patient": the importance of a "well-being" environment for individuals receiving counseling about familial cancer risk." Journal of Genetic Counseling,17(4):394-405

Phelps C.,Wood F., Bennett, P., Brain, K & Gray, J. (2007).Knowledge and expectations of women undergoing cancer genetic risk assessment: A qualitative analysis of free-text questionnaire comments. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 16 (4), 505-514

Bennett, P., Phelps, C., Brain, K., Hood, K., & Gray, J. (2007). A randomised controlled trial of a brief self-help coping intervention designed to reduce distress when awaiting genetic risk information Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 63 (1) 59-64.

Grant Applications

Principal Investigator: WORD research funding scheme 2006: £90k over two years: The CARIAD Trial: an MRC Phase III randomised controlled trial of self-help coping intervention for individuals undergoing cancer genetic risk assessment.

Lead researcher: NHS small grants scheme 2006 (5K): Identifying an integrated care pathway to meet the needs of infertile men with CF/CVAVD facing choices about assisted reproduction.

Co-applicant: The BUPA Foundation: 198K over 2 years: A psychological evaluation of familial ovarian cancer screening.