PASTPAIN: Personal Autobiographical Stories and Their impact on PAIN

About the Project

The University of Bath and the Centre for Pain Research (CPR) are inviting applications for the following funded PhD project commencing in July 2026 under the supervision of Dr Tom Barry (University of Bath), Dr Samuel Hipkiss (University of Bath) and Dr Bert Lenaert (University of Maastricht).

Overview of the anticipated research:

Most of us will have to deal with persistent severe pain in our lifetime. When we do, pain can redefine how we see ourselves, our world and our future. Pain can throw us back on our history and affect how we see things going forward. “Can I cope with this?”, “What are my limits?” and “Will it always be like this?” are common questions at the centre of how people grapple with a life in pain. The answers to these questions can provide a sense of control and bring predictability to a future that might otherwise feel limited and chaotic.

Our personal history – or autobiographical memory – can shape how we answer these questions, but autobiographical memory is rarely researched in chronic pain. To better understand and help people with pain, we can draw on research in common mental health problems such as Depression where advances have helped us understand how our autobiographical memories can influence our wellbeing: personal memories contribute to our sense of who we are and they offer solutions to adversity; they can remind us of better times and of occasions when we have overcome challenges; they shape how we imagine and anticipate possible future events and the optimism we get from such imaginings; and, they can be shared, creating bonds with others and telling them about our need for help. Difficulties recalling autobiographical memories are common across mental health problems and are associated with a worsening of these problems. Improving autobiographical memory improves mental health.

Building on our work in mental health, we propose that how one remembers one’s past and uses it to understand and manage pain is likely to be a core mechanism in the emergence, maintenance and resolution of chronic pain.

This doctoral project will be a part of a broader ESRC-funded project that explores this. In particular, this project will employ Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to examine the bidirectional association between the experience of pain and autobiographical memory and how this fluctuates during everyday life.

Keywords: Autobiographical memory, depression, pain, ecological momentary assessment

Candidate Requirements:

Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or high Upper Second Class UK Honours degree (or the equivalent) in Psychology or other relevant subjects. A relevant master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.

Non-UK applicants must meet our English language entry requirement by the application deadline.

Enquiries and Applications:

Informal enquiries are encouraged and should be directed to Dr Tom Barry: Tb2249@bath.ac.uk

Formal applications should be submitted via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Psychology prior to the closing date of this advert.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this project may close earlier than the advertised deadline if a suitable candidate is found. We therefore recommend that you contact the lead supervisor should you have any questions prior to applying and submit your formal application as early as possible.

When completing the application form:

1. In the Funding your studies section, select ‘University of Bath LURS’ as the studentship for which you are applying.
2. In the Your PhD project section, quote the project title of this project and the name of the lead supervisor in the appropriate boxes.

Failure to complete these steps will cause delays in processing your application and may cause you to miss the deadline.

More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found on our website.

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.