Dr Gary Christopher

Senior Lecturer

Public Health

+44 (0) 1792 604534

gary.christopher@swansea.ac.uk

Office (CADR) - 205
Second Floor
Talbot Building
Singleton Campus

Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7175-6644

Google Scholar

About

Dr Gary Christopher is a gerontologist working in the Centre for Innovative Ageing at Swansea University. His research focuses on cognition and emotion regulation in later life, including dementia.

Alongside journal articles, Dr Christopher has written four books (The Psychology of Ageing: From Mind to Society; Confronting the Existential Threat of Dementia: An Exploration into Emotion Regulation; Dementia: Current Perspectives in Research and Treatment; Depression: Current Perspectives in Research and Treatment)

Dr Christopher sits on the national executive committee of the British Society of Gerontology. He is Co-Director of the Dementia Health Integration Team within Bristol Health Partners Academic Health Science Centre. He is also a Director of the charity BRACE Dementia Research.

Areas Of Expertise

Emotion Regulation
Cognitive Function
Older Adults
Dementia
Depression
Nostalgia
Reminiscence
Terror Management Theory

Career Highlights

Teaching Interests

Gerontology

Later Life

Dementia

Social Care

Research Collaborations

Publications

Research Highlights

All Research

Journal Articles

Short, E., (ICCARP), ., Adcock, I., Al-Sarireh, B., Ager, A., Ajjan, R., Akbar, N., Akeroyd, M., Alsaleh, G., Al-Sharbatee, G., Alavian, K., Amoaku, W., Andersen, J., Antoniades, C., Arends, M., Astley, S., Atan, D., Attanoos, R., Attems, J...., & Tree, J. (2024). Defining an ageing-related pathology, disease or syndrome: International Consensus Statement. GeroScience, 0
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-024-01315-9, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67686
Sharma, K., Fallon, S., Davis, T., Ankrett, S., Munro, G., Christopher, G., & Coulthard, E. (2022). Preliminary evidence that caffeine improves attention in multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 64, 103924
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2022.103924, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62609
Ismail, S., Dodd, E., Christopher, G., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., & Cheston, R. (2022). The Content of Nostalgic Memories Among People Living with Dementia. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 94(4), 436-458.
https://doi.org/10.1177/00914150211024185, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62610
Cheston, R., Dodd, E., Christopher, G., White, P., Wildschut, T., & Sedikides, C. (2022). The Development and Validation of the Threat of Dementia Scale. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 94(4), 496-514.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0091415020957388, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62621
Sharma, K., Fallon, S., Davis, T., Ankrett, S., Munro, G., Christopher, G., & Coulthard, E. (2022). Caffeine and attentional control: improved and impaired performance in healthy older adults and Parkinson’s disease according to task demands. Psychopharmacology, 239(2), 605-619.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-021-06054-9, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62607
Dodd, E., Ismail, S., Christopher, G., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., & Cheston, R. (2022). Nostalgic conversations: The co-production of an intervention package for people living with dementia and their spouse. Dementia, 21(2), 489-502.
https://doi.org/10.1177/14713012211047350, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62608
Cheston, R., Dodd, E., Christopher, G., Wildschut, T., & Sedikides, C. (2022). The mnemic neglect effect and information about dementia: age differences in recall. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 29(1), 1-13.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13825585.2020.1842850, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62606
Ismail, S., Cheston, R., Christopher, G., & Meyrick, J. (2020). Nostalgia as a psychological resource for people with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence of effectiveness from experimental studies. Dementia, 19(2), 330-351.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301218774909, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62611
Cheston, R., Dodd, E., Hart, I., & Christopher, G. (2019). The recall of dementia‐related and neutral words by people with dementia: The ironic process of thought suppression. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 34(5), 756-764.
https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5083, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62614
Williams, A., Christopher, G., & Jenkinson, E. (2019). The psychological impact of dependency in adults with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: A qualitative exploration. Journal of Health Psychology, 24(2), 264-275.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105316643376, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62632
Wills, S., Robbins, L., Ward, T., & Christopher, G. (2018). Significant therapy events with clients with intellectual disabilities. Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 12(5/6), 173-183.
https://doi.org/10.1108/amhid-07-2018-0033, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62620
Ismail, S., Christopher, G., Dodd, E., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., Ingram, T., Jones, R., Noonan, K., Tingley, D., & Cheston, R. (2018). Psychological and Mnemonic Benefits of Nostalgia for People with Dementia. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 65(4), 1327-1344.
https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-180075, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62618
Calder, P., Carding, S., Christopher, G., Kuh, D., Langley-Evans, S., & McNulty, H. (2018). A holistic approach to healthy ageing: how can people live longer, healthier lives?. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 31(4), 439-450.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12566, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62615
Thomas, M. & Christopher, G. (2018). Fatigue in developmental coordination disorder: an exploratory study in adults. Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health and Behavior, 6(1), 41-51.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21641846.2018.1419564, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62617
Jankowski, G., Diedrichs, P., Williamson, H., Christopher, G., & Harcourt, D. (2016). Looking age-appropriate while growing old gracefully: A qualitative study of ageing and body image among older adults. Journal of Health Psychology, 21(4), 550-561.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105314531468, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62623
Cheston, R., Christopher, G., & Ismail, S. (2015). Dementia as an Existential Threat: The Importance of Self-Esteem, Social Connectedness and Meaning in Life. Science Progress, 98(4), 416-419.
https://doi.org/10.3184/003685015x14467423210693, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62622
Smith, A., Christopher, G., & Sutherland, D. (2013). Acute effects of caffeine on attention: a comparison of non-consumers and withdrawn consumers. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 27(1), 77-83.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881112460112, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62624
Gallacher, J., Mitchell, C., Heslop, L., & Christopher, G. (2012). Resilience to health related adversity in older people. Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, 13(3), 197-204.
https://doi.org/10.1108/14717791211264188, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62626
Christopher, G. & MacDonald, J. (2010). The impact of clinical depression on working memory. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 10(5), 379-399.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13546800444000128, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62638
McMurran, M., Oaksford, M., & Christopher, G. (2010). Does social problem solving mediate the relationship between personality traits and personality disorders? An exploratory study with a sample of male prisoners. Personality and Mental Health, 4(3), 180-192.
https://doi.org/10.1002/pmh.129, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62628
Christopher, G. & McMurran, M. (2009). Alexithymia, empathic concern, goal management, and social problem solving in adult male prisoners. Psychology, Crime and Law, 15(8), 697-709.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10683160802516240, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62629
Christopher, G. & Thomas, M. (2009). Social problem solving in chronic fatigue syndrome: preliminary findings. Stress and Health, 25(2), 161-169.
https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.1233, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62630
McMurran, M. & Christopher, G. (2009). Social problem solving, anxiety, and depression in adult male prisoners. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 14(1), 101-107.
https://doi.org/10.1348/135532507x267031, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62631
McMurran, M. & Christopher, G. (2008). Dysfunctional beliefs and antisocial personality disorder. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 19(4), 533-542.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14789940801947800, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62633
McMurran, M., Duggan, C., Christopher, G., & Huband, N. (2007). The relationships between personality disorders and social problem solving in adults. Personality and Individual Differences, 42(1), 145-155.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2006.07.002, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62634
Smith, A., Christopher, G., & Sutherland, D. (2006). Effects of caffeine in overnight-withdrawn consumers and non-consumers. Nutritional Neuroscience, 9(1-2), 63-71.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10284150600582927, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62635
Smith, A., Sutherland, D., & Christopher, G. (2005). Effects of repeated doses of caffeine on mood and performance of alert and fatigued volunteers. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 19(6), 620-626.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881105056534, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62637
Christopher, G., Sutherland, D., & Smith, A. (2005). Effects of caffeine in non-withdrawn volunteers. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 20(1), 47-53.
https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.658, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62636

Authored Books

Cheston, R. & Christopher, G. (2019). Confronting the Existential Threat of Dementia: An Exploration into Emotion Regulation (1st ed.). Springer Nature Switzerland.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-12350-5, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62612
Christopher, G. (2013). The psychology of ageing: From mind to society
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62625
https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/925309

Conference Contributions

Singh-Mehta, A., Nixdorf, ., Schulz, S., Tales, A., & Christopher, G. (2024). Empowering Ageing: Navigating the Future of Digital Healthcare for Older Adults – a Rapid Review of Perspectives and Challenges. In KEEP ON PLANNING FOR THE REAL WORLD. Climate Change calls for Nature-based Solutions and Smart Technologies (pp. 265-274). Reviewed paper included in Proceedings of an international conferernce.
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67170
https://corp.at/archive/CORP2024_56.pdf
Morgan, P., Williams, E., Zook, N., & Christopher, G. (2018). Exploring Older Adult Susceptibility to Fraudulent Computer Pop-Up Interruptions. In Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing (pp. 56-68). Springer International Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94782-2_6, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62616
Christopher, G. (2012). The anatomy of health resilience in older people. In e-epi
SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62627

Taught Modules

PM-370 Global Health

This module enables students to develop a global perspective on population health and recognise emerging and re-emerging population health issues that are paramount in High Income Countries (HICs) and Low to Middle Income Countries (LMICs). The module takes a multidisciplinary perspective, and integrates new ideas, theories and empirical evidence from population health, medicine, demography, epidemiology and social sciences in order to examine specific population health problems as they relate to pandemics, natural disasters, conflict, poverty and sustainable population growth. It considers the political, economic and social dimensions of global health problems, and their influences on health outcomes and health services. Analysis of these topics will centre around the strategies of the UN Millennium Development Goals and the post-2015 development agenda (i.e. UN Sustainable Development Goals).