Dr Alecia Cousins

Tutor in Psychology, Psychology

+44 (0) 1792 205678 ext 1864

a.l.cousins@swansea.ac.uk

Research Links

Office - 722
Seventh Floor
Vivian Building
Singleton Campus

About

In my current role as a tutor in psychology, I assist in the delivery of various modules across years 1 and 2. I am currently supervising 3^rd year students who are pursing research projects in the subject area of health psychology or hydration, and I am an academic mentor for students in years 1, 2 and 3.

My research primarily focuses on the influence of variations in hydration status on mood and cognitive function. Further interests include exploring the association between vascular function (assessed using the volume displacement technique to measure pulse pressure waveforms) and cognitive function across the lifespan, while looking at how the relationship between these factors might be influenced by hydration.

Areas Of Expertise

Hydration
Mood and cognition
Vascular function
Health psychology
Nutrition

Career Highlights

Research

SNAC: The Swansea Nutrition, Appetite and Cognition Group.

UKRN Swansea: UK Reproducibility Network Swansea, is a research group as part of the national network, which focuses on promoting open and reproducible science across the UK.

Award Highlights

Publications

Research Highlights

Llewellyn, M., Cousins, A., & Tyson, P. (2022). ‘When you have the adrenalin pumping, it kind of flushes out any negative emotions’: a qualitative exploration of the benefits of playing football for people with mental health difficulties. Journal of Mental Health, 31(2), 172-179.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2020.1793119, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62357
Lancastle, D., Hill, J., Faulkner, S., & Cousins, A. (2022). “The stress can be unbearable, but the good times are like finding gold”: A phase one modelling survey to inform the development of a self-help positive reappraisal coping intervention for caregivers of those with autism spectrum disorder. PLOS ONE, 17(3), e0264837
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264837, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62356
Cousins, A., Young, H., Thomas, A., & Benton, D. (2019). The Effect of Hypo-Hydration on Mood and Cognition Is Influenced by Electrolyte in a Drink and Its Colour: A Randomised Trial. Nutrients, 11(9), 2002
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092002, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa51537
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu11092002
Young, H., Cousins, A., Johnston, S., Fletcher, J., Benton, D., Young, H., Cousins, A., & Benton, D. (2019). Autonomic adaptations mediate the effect of hydration on brain functioning and mood: Evidence from two randomized controlled trials. Scientific Reports, 9(1)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-52775-5, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa52886
Roderique-Davies, G., Torrance, J., Bhairon, T., Cousins, A., & John, B. (2020). Embedded Gambling Promotion in Football: An Explorative Study of Cue-Exposure and Urge to Gamble. Journal of Gambling Studies, 36(3), 1013-1025.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-020-09949-y, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62354

All Research

Journal Articles

Llewellyn, M., Cousins, A., & Tyson, P. (2022). ‘When you have the adrenalin pumping, it kind of flushes out any negative emotions’: a qualitative exploration of the benefits of playing football for people with mental health difficulties. Journal of Mental Health, 31(2), 172-179.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2020.1793119, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62357
Lancastle, D., Hill, J., Faulkner, S., & Cousins, A. (2022). “The stress can be unbearable, but the good times are like finding gold”: A phase one modelling survey to inform the development of a self-help positive reappraisal coping intervention for caregivers of those with autism spectrum disorder. PLOS ONE, 17(3), e0264837
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264837, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62356
Bowers, D., Morgan, K., Abbott, L., Fishleigh, L., Cousins, A., & Taylor, R. (2020). User perceptions of powered wheelchair features.. Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 1(2)
https://doi.org/10.1037/tmb0000011, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62355
Roderique-Davies, G., Torrance, J., Bhairon, T., Cousins, A., & John, B. (2020). Embedded Gambling Promotion in Football: An Explorative Study of Cue-Exposure and Urge to Gamble. Journal of Gambling Studies, 36(3), 1013-1025.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-020-09949-y, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62354
Young, H., Cousins, A., Johnston, S., Fletcher, J., Benton, D., Young, H., Cousins, A., & Benton, D. (2019). Autonomic adaptations mediate the effect of hydration on brain functioning and mood: Evidence from two randomized controlled trials. Scientific Reports, 9(1)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-52775-5, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa52886
Cousins, A., Young, H., Thomas, A., & Benton, D. (2019). The Effect of Hypo-Hydration on Mood and Cognition Is Influenced by Electrolyte in a Drink and Its Colour: A Randomised Trial. Nutrients, 11(9), 2002
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092002, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa51537
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu11092002

Taught Modules

PSY351 Nutrition and Behaviour

After initially discussing both macro- and micro-nutrients their roles in the development of the brain and their influence on mood and cognition will be examined. The influence of diet at different stages of the entire life cycle will be considered: in particular in the early stages when the brain is developing and in the aging process. Specifically their role in the development of dementia will be discussed.

Career History

Research Assistant, University of South Wales

2018 - Present

Invited Presentations, Lectures and Conferences

American Society of Nutrition Annual conference

2018

Boston, MA.
British Feeding and Drinking Group Annual conference

2018

Lyon, France
British Society of Gerontology

2017

Swansea, UK
British Feeding and Drinking Group Annual conference

2017

Reading, UK

Dr Alecia Cousins

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