Dr Simon Stewart

Lecturer

Health, Education, Policing and Sciences

I am a lecturer in psychology with substantial prior experience in industries including local authorities and third sector organisations. I joined University of Staffordshire as a lecturer in October 2021. I completed my BSc Psychology with the Open University, after which I gained my MSc in Clinical and Health Research Methods at the University of Southampton as part of an ESRC funded MSc + PhD programme. Following my MSc, I completed my PhD in October 2021. My PhD included specialist training in Conversation Analysis at UCLA during the autumn semester of 2019. My thesis is a conversation analytic study of multi-party interactions comprising a patient, their partner, and a healthcare professional during clinical consultations for prostate cancer.

My research interests span domains of health and social psychology including critical perspectives on both. I am particularly interested in the application of conversation analysis to better understand and improve communication in health and social care settings such as communication during clinical consultations.

Professional memberships and activities
  • British Psychological Society
  • International Society for Conversation Analysis
  • Fellowship of Advance HE

Academic qualifications
  • PhD, ‘Multi-Party Interactions Between Healthcare Professionals, Patients, and their Partners During Consultations for Localised Prostate Cancer’, University of Southampton
  • MSc Clinical and Health Research Methods, University of Southampton
  • PG Cert. Professional and Higher Education
  • BSc (Hons) Psychology, The Open University in Scotland

Expertise
  • Applied Conversation Analysis 
  • Discursive Psychology and Critical Discourse Analysis 
  • Qualitative Research Methods
  • Critical Perspectives on Social Psychology 

Research interests
  • Applied conversation analysis to institutional interactions 
  • Communication in health and social care settings 
  • How sex and sexuality are constructed in healthcare settings 
  • Critical perspectives in Social Psychology

Teaching

Undergraduate modules

  • Childhood Contexts and Application
  • Adventures in Psychology 1 & 2
  • Becoming a Researcher 2
  • Contemporary Issues in Psychology
  • Psychology of Oppression and Empowerment
  • Steps to Success 1, 2, and 3
  • Psychology of Social Perception
  • Theory and Application of Qualitative Research Methods

Postgraduate modules

  • MSc Psychology Dissertation
  • The Impact and Experience of Physical Health Conditions
  • Psychology of Oppression and Empowerment
  • Psychology Research Methods
  • Theory and Application of Qualitative Research Methods

Publications

Jawhar, S. S., Amir, A., Huq, R., & Stewart, S. J. (2024). Collaborative Problem Solving and Literacy Practices: A Conversation-Analytic Case Study of Children’s Online Pre- gaming Interaction. Social Interaction Video-Based Studies of Human Sociality, 7(1), 41–48. https://doi.org/10.7146/si.v7i1.137312

Stewart, Simon J, Roberts, L., & Brindle, L. (2023). Shared decision-making during prostate cancer consultations: Implications of clinician misalignment with patient and partner preferences. Social Science & Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115969

Stewart, Simon John, Roberts, L., & Brindle, L. (2023). Speaking out of turn: Implications of partner contributions for patient autonomy during prostate cancer consultations. Patient Education and Counseling, 112, 10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2023.107722

Stewart, S. J., Roberts, L., & Brindle, L. (2021). Romantic partner involvement during oncology consultations : A narrative review of qualitative and quantitative studies. Patient Education and Counseling, 2019, 0–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2019.116544

Bracher, M., Stewart, S., Reidy, C., Allen, C., Townsend, K., & Brindle, L. (2019). Partner involvement in treatment-related decision making in triadic clinical consultations – a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(2), 245–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2019.08.031

External profiles

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021