"PhD Studentship: CareImagined Co‑developing an Imagery‑ and Emotion‑Regulation‑Based Digital Toolkit to Support Informal Caregiver Wellbeing"

University of Birmingham - School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences

The Centre for National Training and Research Excellence in Understanding Behaviour (Centre-UB) is inviting applications for a Doctoral Studentship in association with our collaborative partner Youmi Support Ltd to start in October 2026.

Informal caregivers of people living with mental health challenges (e.g., family members, friends, and peer supporters) often experience chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and reduced wellbeing. Despite their crucial role, caregivers rarely have access to tailored psychological support. This PhD project will address this gap by co‑creating an innovative digital toolkit grounded in mental imagery and emotion‑regulation techniques, developed in partnership with Youmi, a digital mental health organisation supporting caregivers.

The PhD student will work closely with caregivers, lived‑experience partners, and Youmi’s multidisciplinary product, design, and engineering teams to design, prototype, and evaluate a digital intervention. The project will use mixed‑methods and participatory design approaches, including qualitative co‑design workshops, prototype development and usability testing, feasibility and acceptability evaluation, and a final randomised controlled trial. The studentship offers unique training at the intersection of behavioural science, mental health, and digital innovation. The successful application will have opportunities to develop skills in co‑production, intervention design, digital health development, and applied mixed‑methods research.

We are looking for a highly talented and dedicated PhD student with a 1st class or 2:1 degree in the field of Psychology, Sport and Exercise Sciences, Mental Health, Behavioural Science, Digital Health, or a related discipline. An MSc degree in a relevant area is desirable though not necessary. We are also encouraging all applicants to emphasise how their acquired skills and experiences to date would be ideally suited for the PhD project along with highlighting any research experience they have (this could be part of the applicant’s degrees or in their profession). Experience conducting research in psychology, mental health, behavioural science, or a related research area will be an advantage. Experience with qualitative methods, co‑design or participatory approaches, working with caregivers or mental health populations, digital health, or research on stress, emotion regulation, or mental imagery would be desirable. Applicants should demonstrate strong communication skills, the ability to work independently and collaboratively, and an enthusiasm for applied, impact‑oriented research involving lived‑experience partners.

To be considered for this PhD, please follow the instructions, click the 'Apply' button above.

Application deadline: February 17 2026

Interviews for this studentship are expected to take place on March 17 2026.

Centre-UB studentships cover tuition fees, a maintenance stipend, support for research training, as well as research activity support grants. Due to funding stipulations set by UKRI, we are able to recruit up to 30% of international applicants to the cohort each year. You can find further details at https://www.centre-ub.org/studentships/call-for-applicants/

Informal enquiries about the project prior to application can be directed to Dr Sarah Williams (s.e.williams@bham.ac.uk).