Dr Nicole Paraskeva

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About me

Dr Nicole Paraskeva is an applied health psychology researcher known for investigating body image in community and clinical settings with children and adults.

With a professional doctorate in health psychology from the University of the West of England (2016) and a Masters in Health Psychology from the University of Bath (2011), Nicole is passionate about promoting positive body image, particularly among people who are struggling with body image concerns and appearance pressures (e.g., children and adolescents, women who have undergone treatment for cancer, individuals considering cosmetic surgery). 

As a Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Appearance Research, Nicole leads a team of researchers working on a large-scale research project investigating the effectiveness of a body acceptance intervention in the UK and India. This project is being conducted in partnership with the World Association for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, the largest youth organisation for girls in the world, and Unilever's Dove Self-Esteem Project which has reached over 30 million young people with body image education.

Nicole is an expert in researching risk factors for the development of body image concerns, evaluating community-based interventions including the co-ordination of clinical research trials, designing and evaluating shared decision-making tools for use in clinical settings, systematic reviews, and qualitative research to understand patient experiences of undergoing medical procedures related to their appearance.

Skilled in translating research into practice and rigorous research methodologies, Nicole has worked on research and consultancy projects with the Department of Health, NHS England, Unilever, Breast Cancer Now, Succeed Foundation, British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, and the YMCA. She regularly speaks on the topics of body image, cosmetic surgery, and the psychosocial aspects of cancer treatment at academic, professional and community events.

She is a member of the British Psychological Society.

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