About the Project
This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in October 2027.
The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers. Students will have access to the combined research strengths, training expertise and resources of the four research-intensive universities. More information may be found on the DLP's website.
Please note that the application process may close early to either home or international candidates (or both) before the stated deadline if an unprecedented number of applications are received – check the DLP's website for details and updates.
Supervisory Team:
Professor Graeme Fairchild
Professor Sarah Halligan
Dr Anna Price
Dr Rosie McGuire
The Project:
This PhD project will involve mapping mental health service provision for children and young people with disruptive behaviour disorders such as conduct disorder through a nationally representative survey of healthcare professionals, commissioners, and parents and caregivers. It will identify barriers to service access, healthcare professionals' training needs and existing care pathways. The successful applicant will also use existing longitudinal cohort data to investigate the impact of accessing versus not accessing mental health support, on children and parents' mental health and wellbeing, and health economic outcomes. The overall objective is to improve care for this disadvantaged group and their families and inform healthcare commissioning and mental health policy.
The main study will be a nationally representative survey asking NHS clinicians whether youth with conduct problems are diagnosed and accepted for treatment in their services and whether their services adhere to clinical guidelines (i.e., NICE) for the management of disruptive behaviour disorders. It will also ask about their training needs, and facilitators and barriers to working effectively with this population. The project will be modelled on the Managing young people with ADHD in Primary care (MAP) study, which was a nationally representative survey of adult ADHD services, treatment and prescribing practices (Price et al., 2024; https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2023.0595). Three different stakeholder groups will be surveyed: healthcare professionals, commissioners, and the parents of children and young people with disruptive behaviour disorders. This will yield a national map of clinical care for disruptive behaviour disorders in England, highlighting existing services, examples of good practice and ways to overcome barriers to service access, which will be made publicly available.
Additional studies are likely to involve a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches, e.g., a vignette study investigating whether mental health professionals recognise symptoms of disruptive behaviour disorders as a mental health issue and can accurately identify/diagnose these disorders, and analysis of longitudinal cohort data to examine mental health trajectories in children and young people who access versus those who do not access treatment. The successful candidate would be based within the NIHR Mental Health Research Group at the University of Bath (but with strong links with Exeter and Bristol), and therefore part of a wider team investigating service access for children and young people with disruptive behaviour and neurodevelopmental disorders. For more information about the Bath Mental Health Research Group and the study team, please see: https://bathmhrg.org/
Requirements:
Applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a first or upper second-class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of psychology, neuroscience, medicine or data science/statistics. Applicants with a lower second-class degree will only be considered if they have a grade of Merit or above in a master's degree. We also welcome applications from those currently studying for a master's degree in psychology or another relevant discipline. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience.
Non-UK applicants will also be required to have met the English language entry requirements of the University of Bath.
Enquiries and Applications:
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Professor Graeme Fairchild, the lead supervisor on: gf353@bath.ac.uk
Formal applications must be submitted direct to the GW4 BioMed3 DLP using their online application form
A list of all the projects and details on how to apply are available on the DLP's website. You may apply for up to 2 projects and you can submit one application only (i.e., the same application allows you to apply for your top 2 projects).
APPLICATIONS CLOSE AT 17:00 (GMT) ON 21 OCTOBER 2026.
IMPORTANT: You do NOT need to apply to the University of Bath at this stage – only those applicants who are successful in obtaining an offer of funding from the DLP will be required to submit an application for an offer of study from Bath.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:
We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups.
If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement.
Funding Notes
Candidates may be considered for a 4-year GW4 BioMed3 MRC DLP studentship covering tuition fees, a stipend (£21,805 per annum for 2026/27, updated annually) and research training and support funding of up to £5,000 per annum dependent on project requirements.
Studentships are open to both Home and International students. International applicants should note that funding does NOT cover the cost of a student visa, healthcare surcharge and other costs of moving to the UK. In line with guidance from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the number of awards available to International candidates will be limited to 30% of the total.
References
Townend S… Fairchild G et al. (2026). Shared and Distinct Alterations in Brain Structure of Youth with Internalizing or Externalizing Disorders: Findings from the ENIGMA Antisocial Behavior, ADHD, Major Depressive Disorder, and Anxiety Working Groups. Biological Psychiatry, 100(4):399-413. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.08.003.
Bailey M, Fairchild G, Hammerton G, et al. (2025) Associations between childhood trauma and adolescent psychiatric disorders in Brazil: a longitudinal, population-based birth cohort study. Lancet Global Health, 13(2):e309-e318. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00452-2.