Gareth Roderique-Davies

University of South Wales · Faculty of Life Sciences and Education

Background and aims: Extreme sports athletes are often labeled “adrenaline junkies” by the media, implying they are addicted to their sport. Research suggests during abstinence these athletes may experience withdrawal states characteristic of individuals with an addiction (Celsi, Rose, & Leigh, 1993; Franken, Zijlstra, & Muris, 2006; Willig, 2008)....

Neuropsychological assessment forms an essential part of the screening, diagnosis and general assessment of Alcohol-Related Brain Damage (ARBD). A number of studies have evaluated the applicability of various neuropsychological tests within the context of ARBD assessment, yet little attempt has been made to collate this evidence and discuss its cli...

Craving for caffeine has received little empirical attention, despite considerable research into the potential for caffeine dependence. The main aim of this study was to develop, and initially validate, a multi-item, multidimensional instrument to measure cravings for caffeine. Participants were 189 caffeine consumers who completed the Questionnair...

In this exploratory qualitative study, the views of a small group of mid-life, professional women who smoke were examined. Data were extracted using thematic analysis. Findings revealed a number of common, emergent themes: ‘being addicted to smoking’, ‘weighing up health and risks’, ‘smoking as a pleasure and reward’ and ‘being anti-establishment’....

Previous research suggests elevated levels of impulsivity and psychopathology in recreational ecstasy users. However, most recreational ecstasy users tend to be poly-drug users. The present study aimed to investigate impulsivity and psychopathology in a sample of recreational ecstasy polydrug users compared with samples of non-ecstasy users, while...

Introduction Alcohol withdrawal (AWS) is a life-threatening condition that can rapidly escalate to seizures and delirium tremens. Management of AWS typically involves benzodiazepine administration. However, some patients may not respond effectively to these medications. In April 2020 the Alcohol Care Team (ACT) at Sandwell and West-Birmingham NHS T...

Introduction Alcohol withdrawal is typically managed using benzodiazepines. However, modulation of both γ-aminobutyric acid-A and N-methyl-d-aspartate-receptors through ethanol provision may provide an alternative management strategy. This systematic review critically analyses the evidence surrounding the use of oral or intravenous ethanol for the...

There is an increasing awareness of the link between chronic alcohol consumption and the development of cognitive, behavioural and functional deficits. Currently, preventative strategies are limited and require engagement in dedicated long-term rehabilitation and sobriety services, the availability of which is low. The acute alcohol withdrawal synd...

Introduction Alcohol dependence is a global issue with many negative consequences, including alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD). Assessment of the sociodemographic and cognitive characteristics of individuals with confirmed or suspected ARBD presenting to alcohol services warrants further investigation. Methods This study retrospectively examined...

Objective Extreme sport participation is growing, yet it is still not clear exactly what motivates individuals to participate in sports where accidents can lead to serious injury or death. The purpose of this systematic review was to review and assess current research and identify the factors that explain engagement in extreme sport participation....

Introduction: Prescribing of ethanol may be an alternative to benzodiazepines for managing alcohol withdrawal syndrome. We present our experience of oral ethanol prescribing within an acute United Kingdom National Health Service setting. Methods: A retrospective review of patients presenting with alcohol withdrawal who were managed with oral eth...

Aim Currently, few gambling screening tools classify risk factors, as many focus on symptoms derived from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) classification for gambling disorder, making them generally ill suited to early identification as part of a public health approach to harm prevention. The aim of t...

Alcohol-related ill health is an important cause of acute hospital presentations. Service demand and resource limitations often lead to a reactive rather than proactive approach in the ED and acute medical units. For the patient, perceived and real treatment barriers can result in disillusionment, despair, repeat attendance, deteriorating health, a...

Individuals with alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) represent a population whose healthcare needs often go unmet. This is the result of a lack of not only an awareness surrounding the condition by healthcare professionals, but also healthcare service inclusion and delivery, more broadly. The Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the associated...

Errorless learning strategies such as stimulus fading and stimulus shaping are commonly used to teach complex skills like categorisation and concept formation. Despite widespread use, very few studies have explored the comparative effectiveness of these procedures in well controlled analyses. The vast majority of existing studies have been undertak...

With increasing evidence about the effectiveness of workplace and executive coaching as an organisational development intervention, research has turned to the components that may predict coaching outcome variance. The 'common factors' model from therapeutic outcome research suggests that 'client and extratherapeutic factors' is the single greatest...

Introduction: Alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) is an umbrella term referring to the neurocognitive impairments caused by excessive and prolonged alcohol use and the associated nutritional deficiencies. This study evaluated the outcomes of an online research-informed training program for ARBD which aimed to improve client outcomes by promoting s...

The “frontal lobe paradox” highlights a phenomenon in which a subset of patients who possess frontal lobe damage and exhibit marked impairments in everyday life are still able to able to verbally describe a logical course of action relating to a task and perform well in interview and test settings. Such cases pose a challenge with regard to the ass...

Background: Gambling poses a global threat to public health due to its far-reaching impacts. Research has demonstrated a ripple effect of harmful gambling on social network members and broader communities. While researchers have documented extreme harms associated with an affected other, limited research has qualitatively investigated how women de...

Online interventions promoted to enhance cognitive ability hold great appeal for their potential positive impact in social, employment, and educational domains. Cognitive training programs have, thus far, not been shown to influence performance on tests of general cognitive aptitude. Strengthening Mental Abilities with Relational Training (SMART) i...

Tilting is a poker-related phenomenon that involves cognitive and emotional dysregulation in response to unfavourable gambling outcomes. Tilting is characterised by an increase in irrational, impulsive and strategically weak betting decisions. This study aimed to adapt and investigate the concept of tilting amongst sport bettors in order to provide...

Background While it is a generally accepted fact that many gambling screening tools are not fit for purpose when employed as part of a public health framework, the evidence supporting this claim is sporadic. The aim of this review is to identify and evaluate the gambling screening tools currently in use and examine their utility as part of a public...

Background Gambling advertising is well-funded and has become increasingly sophisticated in recent years. As the presence and pervasiveness of gambling advertising increases, there is a corresponding need for empirical understanding of the characteristics and trends associated with emergent gambling advertisements and marketing. However, there is l...

Aims Primary aim: to determine the efficacy of FAST (the Fast Alcohol Screening Test) for detecting harmful and dependent levels of alcohol use. Secondary aim: to compare the performance of the FAST to two short forms of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT): the AUDIT-C and AUDIT-3. Methods Data from 3336 individuals in South Wales...

We interviewed health and social care professionals (n = 17) supporting those with Alcohol-Related Neurocognitive Disorders (ARNDs) to better understand the challenges they face and garner recommendations for effective treatment. Thematic qualitative content analysis was used to systematically analyze interview transcripts. Key challenges associate...

In comparison to jurisdictions, such as Australia, limited research has focused upon the perceptions and reported effects of gambling advertising within the unique gambling environment of the UK. An online qualitative survey was conducted with 62 young adult gamblers in the UK. The survey investigated the place, meaning and influence of gambling ad...

Objective: Existing studies relating to the prevalence of alcohol-related neurocognitive disorders (ARNDs; e.g., Korsakoff's Syndrome, alcohol-related dementia) are now outdated and few have been undertaken in the United Kingdom. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of ARNDs in South Wales, U.K., and determine the specific diagnost...

Limited research has evaluated the psychological effect of sports-betting advertising (such as embedded promotion) upon consumers considered ‘higher-risk’. Students are often considered a higher-risk group given the numerous gambling-related risk factors associated with their lifestyle. Furthermore, students studying sports-related subjects may pos...

Background: Recent research evidence has suggested that gambling is a public health concern. A number of studies report the association between gambling activity and increased instances of various other harms, including substance misuse and psychological disorders. In parallel to alcohol misuse, it is also becoming clear that gambling related harm...

Background: Health warnings on alcohol labels can improve awareness regarding the risks of excessive drinking. However, the impact of labels on drinking behavior is debated in the literature. Study one aimed to examine what shoppers attend to when purchasing alcohol, whilst study two investigated the design and placement of health messages on alcoh...

Errorless learning is an instructional strategy used widely with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The present systematic review aims to update the literature on the application of 'within-stimulus' errorless procedures. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018118385). Twenty-eight articles including 283 parti...

Background and Aims Recent investigations have highlighted the value of neuropsychological testing for the assessment and screening of Alcohol-Related Brain Damage (ARBD). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the suitability of the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE-III) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychologi...

Objective: With a strengthening of the evidence base for coaching as an effective developmental intervention, greater understanding is needed regarding the factors that may contribute to this effectiveness. This study sought to determine the effect client 'core self-evaluations' (CSEs) may have on the attainment of contracted coaching goals. It als...

Background: Neuropsychological assessment is central to identifying and determining the extent of Alcohol-Related Cognitive Impairment (ARCI). The present systematic review aimed to synthesize and discuss the evidence appraising the neuropsychological tests used to assess ARCI in order to support clinicians and researchers in selecting appropriate...

Key findings • Most participants were in favour of health messages on bottles and cans; however, they were not found to pay attention to them in detail. Little time was spent looking at the areas of a product where health information is usually presented. • Newly-designed on and off alcohol labels could offer a significant improvement for deliverin...

Although the relationship between childhood trauma and psychological maladjustment is well established, the link between punishing social interactions and psychopathology has yet to be explored. This may be due, in part, to the lack of appropriate measurement tools. This investigation aimed to develop and validate an instrument to measure histories...

Conceptual similarities have been identified between experiences of extreme sports athletes and those with drug and behavioral addictions. Evidence suggests rock climbers experience craving and other withdrawal-like states when abstinent from their sport. However, no studies have attempted to quantitatively measure the craving experienced by partic...

The University of South Wales and a consortium of five Assembly Members jointly funded an investigation of the social impact of problem gambling in Wales. The research consisted of four elements: an online survey to quantify the broader base of gambling in Wales; interviews with service providers; interviews with service users; and an evaluation of...

Background Homeless adults frequently experience poor nutrition. Research suggests raising self-efficacy and nutritional knowledge can increase healthy eating but that the choice of specific behavioral change techniques (BCTs) is also critical. This study investigated how BCTs, operationalized to increase nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy, migh...

This study explored the relation between athletes’ sleep quality and imagery ability. A total of 201 athletes (39.3% female, 60.7% male; Mage = 23.28 years, SD = 6.00) completed the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Simple regression analyses revealed that global sleep quality predicted affect imagery abili...

This pilot study builds on previous research applying the ‘active ingredients’ model to coaching psychology and seeking to identify client traits that may predict coaching efficacy. It examines the relationship between the four ‘core self-evaluation’ traits (self-esteem, generalised self-efficacy, locus of control and neuroticism) and the attainmen...

Buckley’s commentary on our study of rock climber’s withdrawal experiences raises a number of important questions surrounding the concept of extreme or adventure sports addiction. Drawing on the few available investigations of this topic, we respond to Buckley’s questions here, though emphasize the need for further studies of extreme sports addicti...

The aim of this study was to investigate women’s intention to use long-acting reversible contraception using two established models of health behaviour: the theory of planned behaviour and the health belief model. A questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of 128 women attending a community sexual health clinic. The independent variables...

Following recommendations made by the Communities and Culture Committee (Welsh Government, 2010) the Youth Justice Board Cymru commissioned a report into how young people with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCNs) were dealt with in the youth justice system. A review of literature as well as practice elsewhere in the UK was undertaken an...

This qualitative research report outlines the findings of focus groups held to explore parents’ views about parenting practices and approaches to child discipline

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Sports fans derive much of their self-concept from their group membership and committing to a specific team is an essential component of fandom. Few studies, however, examine how sports fans commit to their team, or what commitment means for them. An exploratory qualitative study was, therefore, conducted to investigate sports fans’ understanding o...

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a popular form of inter-personal skill and communication training. Originating in the 1970s, the technique made specific claims about the ways in which individuals processed the world about them, and quickly established itself, not only as an aid to communication, but as a form of psychotherapy in its own right...

A multiple baseline across groups design was used to examine the effects of an imagery intervention on perceptions of collective efficacy. Members (n = 10) from an international wheelchair basketball team were separated into three regional intervention groups. Each group completed a 4 week, video-aided, motivational general-mastery (MG-M) type imag...

This study examines the processes involved in social identification in self-selecting groups. Rugby supporters were questioned about their allegiance to their teams and their rivalries with others. Data was gathered by means of a questionnaire which encompassed both open and closed questions relating to perceptions of own team and rival teams. Samp...

It is believed by some scientists and lay-people that drug craving causes drug addiction, and indeed the assumption that craving is responsible for compulsive drug use is the cornerstone of many scientific and popular conceptualizations of addictive behaviour (Tiffany and Carter, 1998; Tiffany, 1990, 1992, 1997). The concept of " drug craving " has...

Schools in England and Wales are required to teach a comprehensive drugs education programme in key stages 1 through to 4. A number of information sources are available to teachers covering the key features of effective drug, alcohol and tobacco education. A notable absence in the information available to teachers is the concept of ‘craving’. For m...

To develop and initially validate a multi-dimensional questionnaire to measure cravings for amphetamine (speed). The design of the Desires for Speed Questionnaire (DSQ) was based on the Desires for Alcohol Questionnaire and was administered to 174 amphetamine users. Exploratory factor analyses were carried out on the data and relationships between...

Reviews of nicotine gum trials generally confirm the efficacy of this substitute in smoking cessation. However, little research has considered the efficacy of nicotine gum as a method for alleviating acute cravings in situations where smokers are not permitted to smoke. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of nicotine gum in al...

The reliability and validity of the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (QSU), a multi-factorial measure of cravings to smoke cigarettes has recently been called into question. In the first phase of the present study, the reliability of the two-factor structure of QSU was examined. The new and original factor structures were then used to investigate the...

The Questionnaire of Smoking Urges (QSU) was designed to measure cravings elicited by abstinence from cigarette smoking. In the present study, the sensitivity of the QSU both to brief periods of abstinence and to exposure to smoking-related cues was investigated. A progressive ratio (PR) operant procedure was also employed, in which behaviour was m...

This study consisted of two experiments, one in rats and one in human volunteers, that used the identical progressive ratio (PR) operant procedure. In both experiments, responding was reinforced under a progressively increasing work requirement, and different groups of subjects received reinforcers that varied in sweetness. In experiment 1, rats we...