Research interests
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Emotion regulation and dysregulation
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Psycho-physiology (e.g., heart rate variability)
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Neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g., ADHD, autism)
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Non-pharmacological interventions to support mental health
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Global Mental Health
At present, my research is focused on exploring whether specific indicators of arousal regulation, such as heart rate variability, can be utilised as objective markers of emotional dysregulation and internalising symptoms. I am also interested in investigating their potential in monitoring intervention outcomes in conditions like ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
To address these research questions, I conduct evidence synthesis studies, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses, as well as empirical studies that employ techniques such as eye-tracking, electroencephalography, heart rate, and skin conductance measurements, along with psychological testing and assessment.
I also collaborate with colleagues from the University of Nottingham Malaysia, where I co-lead the South-East Asia Mental Health Consortium (SEAMHC), aimed at building capacity to conduct mental health research in Malaysia and South-East Asian neighbouring countries.
In my role as Joint Editor at JCPP Advances, I am dedicated to supporting authors in publishing systematic reviews and meta-analyses in accordance with the most current guidelines and methodological advancements in the field.
For a full list of publications, see my Google Scholar page. For media coverage, see here.
Ongoing Projects
Waiting Well: A mixed-methods study to evaluate the potential for a digital psychoeducation tool to support adults on the waiting list for ADHD diagnostic assessment (2025-26)
Led by Prof. Maddie Groom & Dr. Charlotte Hall (University of Nottingham)
Funded by an NIHR Programme Development Grant, this project is aimed at exploring the potential for a digital psychoeducation tool to support adults referred for ADHD assessment while they are on the waitlist. I am leading Work Package 2: "Review the scientific evidence on psychoeducation and see what digital resources are already available/ in development".
The project will start in July 2025 and will be completed in 2026. Read more about this project here.
Establishing the "South-East Asia Mental Health Consortium" (SEAMHC) (2025-26)
Led by Dr. Alessio Bellato (University of Southampton) & Dr. Hoo Keat Wong (University of Nottingham Malaysia)
Funded by the Academy of Medical Sciences, this networking grant will formally establish the "South-East Asia Mental Health Consortium" (SEAMHC), a collaborative network of researchers, educators, healthcare professionals, and policymakers working together to identify best practices and plan public health initiatives to nurture mental health across South-East Asia.
The first "SEAMHC Summer School 2025" will be a 3-day event in August 2025, aimed at formally establishing the SEAMHC and discuss future opportunities for collaborative research, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building initiatives. More information can be found on the website: https://www.seamhc.com/.
Investigating the effects of cognitive-behavioural therapy on heart rate variability and emotion dysregulation
(2025-2028)
Funded by the University of Kuwait, this project is led by PhD candidate Mr. Ahmad Alkout and aims to further investigate the mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of CBT for improving emotion and arousal regulation. The project started in April 2025 and will be completed in 2028.
We are currently conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis, the protocol is available here.
Completed Projects
Autonomic Arousal, Emotion Regulation, and Attentional Bias in Depression (2023-24)
Led by Dr. Alessio Bellato (University of Southampton) & Dr. Hoo Keat Wong (University of Nottingham Malaysia)
Funded by the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) and the Wellcome Trust within the Neuroscience Capacity Accelerator for Mental Health programme, this study was aimed at investigating the role of emotion regulation strategies and attentional bias in depression. Data (including clinical profiles, eye-tracking data, and heart rate variability) were collected in a sample of young people with a clinical diagnosis of depression in 2024. An event was organised in November 2024 in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), where a focus group was conducted to gather data from young people with lived experience of depression about research priorities and challenges. The final publication is currently being prepared.
The Association Between Emotion Regulation, Autonomic Arousal, Anxiety & Quality of Life in Young Adults
(2022-23)
Funded by the University of Nottingham Malaysia Pump Priming Grant, this study aimed to study whether young adults who predominantly use negative strategies to regulate emotions display more severe anxiety, weaker ability to down-regulate autonomic arousal in response to stress (indexed by reduced heart rate variability), and poorer quality of life. Being the first study of this kind to be conducted in Malaysia, our study has the potential to inform the design of interventions aimed at promoting the use of positive emotion regulation strategies in young people who are more at risk of developing anxiety disorders and having a poor quality of life.
Read the protocol of the study here. The final publication is currently under review.
The SAAND study (2016-2020)
Funded by the University of Nottingham UK, the Baily-Thomas Charitable Fund, and the
Waterloo Foundation, the SAAND study aimed to investigate neural and physiological
mechanisms underlying ADHD and autism, especially in relation to their co-occurrence.
Read more about the study on the ACAMH website, and see our infographic summarising key findings.
