Dr Melissa Chapple BSc, MSc, PhD

Personal Statement

I am a lecturer in the department of Primary Care and Mental Health at the University of Liverpool. I completed an ESRC-funded PhD in Psychology at the University of Liverpool in 2022. My thesis was titled "What reading fiction can do: The value of literature in challenging deficit-based understandings of autistic people" and focussed on drawing upon the principles of English Literature and Psychology to challenge the way that we think about the socio-emotional experiences of autistic people within research. As an autistic adult myself, I am passionate about researching the experiences of autistic adults and developing accessible social inclusion provisions. I am additionally interested in research that explores community-based approaches to mental health and wellbeing.

I would be happy to hear from PhD students who are interested in researching the following areas:
1. Wellbeing and social inclusion in autistic adults.
2. Neurodivergent diagnostic pathways and post-diagnostic support.
3. The double empathy problem and the importance of neuroaffirming experiences.
4. The impact of community-based activities on wellbeing and social inclusion.