Dr Joanne M Lusher
Dr Joanne M Lusher
Senior Lecturer in Psychology School of Psychology
BSc (Hons), MSc, PGCHE, PhD, CPsychol (Health)
Room 158, Calcutta House, City Campus
Direct line: 020 7320 1282
Fax: 020 7320 1236
Email: j.lusher@londonmet.ac.uk
Research interests
My research with Dr Chris Chandler and Dr David Ball examines vulnerability factors to substance dependence. A series of studies have been conducted to examine how genetic variants, personality traits and responsiveness to substance-related stimuli can influence an individual’s propensity to a severe dependency on drugs. Our findings support the view that certain genes might predispose individuals toward a particular personality type, which in turn can act as a vulnerability factor to addiction and these particular genes can influence the extent to which an individual becomes sensitised to drugs and related environmental stimuli.
My second area of interest investigates issues surrounding teaching and learning in higher education and ultimately aims to support students to improve their academic performance. I contribute to various internal and external pedagogical research projects, including the Assessment Plus Project [http://www.writenow.ac.uk/assessmentplus], the CLaSS Project [http://www.uclan.ac.uk/CLaSSProject], the CETL Write Now Project [/depts/dops/writing-centre/writing-centre.cfm] and the Authorship project [http://www.writenow.ac.uk/student_authorship.html].
I have also enjoyed working in the area of pain management issues in sickle cell disease with Professor James Elander. This research looked at how pain-related and non-pain-related symptoms of substance dependence are associated with pain coping strategies and treatment for painful episodes in hospital. We conducted systematic assessments of concern-raising behaviours and associations with other factors, including DSM-IV symptoms of substance dependence. This research has considered the treatment of analgesic addiction amongst patients with painful chronic illnesses and staff-patient interactions that give rise to pseudo-addiction.
Publications
Lusher, J., and Martin, N., (1998). Disgust and the neuropsychology of face perception. The Psychologist, 1, 33.
Lusher, J., Ebersole, L., and Ball, D., (2000). Dopamine D4 Receptor gene and severity of dependence. Addiction Biology, 5, 469-72.
Elander, J., and Lusher, J., (2000). Pain management experiences and pain coping styles among people with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Paper presented at the BPS Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, September 6-8th.
Lusher, J., (2001). Report on the annual conference of the BPS division of health psychology: social stress, social support and susceptibility to infectious disease: Keynote speech by Sheldon Cohen. Health Psychology Update,10, 1, 38-40.
Lusher, J., Ebersole, L., and Ball, D., (2001). Dopamine D4 Receptor gene (DRD4) is associated with Novelty Seeking (NS) and substance abuse: The saga continues… Molecular Psychiatry, 6, 497-99.
Elander, J., and Lusher, J., (2001). Pain management experiences and pain coping styles among people with sickle cell disease (abstract). Proceedings of the British Psychological Society, 9, 1, 53.
Taurah, L., Lusher, J., and Chandler, C., (2001). Visual alcohol cues influence smoking Stroop performance. Poster presented at the BPS PsyPag Annual Conference, July 23rd-25th.
Elander, J., Lusher, J., Bevan, D., and Telfar, P., (2003). Pain management and symptoms of substance dependence among patients with sickle cell disease. Social Science and Medicine, 57, 1683-96.
Elander, J., Lusher, J., Bevan, D., Telfar, P., and Burton, B., (2004). Understanding the causes of problematic pain management in sickle cell disease: Evidence that pseudoaddiction plays a more important role than genuine analgesic dependence. Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, 27, 2, 156-69.
Lusher, J., Chandler, C., and Ball, D., (2004). Alcohol dependence and the alcohol Stroop paradigm: Evidence and issues. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 75, 3, 225-31.
Lusher, J., Chandler, C., and Ball, D., (2004). DRD4 and cue reactivity in substance abusers. Poster presented at the Fourth European Foundation of Psychiatry Meeting, Beyond Nature and Nurture Conference, November 8-9th.
Norton, L., Harrington, K., Elander, J., Sinfield, S., Lusher, J., Reddy, P., Aiyegbayo, O., and Pitt, E., (2005). Supporting students to improve their essay writing through assessment criteria focused workshops. In C. Rust (Ed.), Improving Student Learning 12. Diversity and Inclusivity. Oxford, Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development.
Harrington, K., Elander, J., Lusher, J., Aiyegbayo, O., Pitt, E., Norton, L., Robinson, H., and Reddy, P., (2006). Using core assessment criteria to improve essay writing. In C. Bryan and K. Clegg (Eds), Innovative Assessment in Higher Education. London, Taylor and Francis Group.
Lusher, J., Elander, J., Bevan, D., Telfar, P., and Burton, B., (2006). Analgesic addiction and pseudoaddiction in painful chronic illness, The Clinical Journal of Pain, 22, 3, 316-24.
Lusher, J., Chandler, C., and Ball, D., (2006). A contemporary investigation into vulnerability factors of alcoholism: A distinct substance of abuse. In R. Yoshida (Ed.), Trends in Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Research., New York, Nova Science Publishers.
Lusher, J., (2007) How workshops can be used to improve performance in student assessment. Health Psychology Update, In press.
Work in progress
Lusher, J., Chandler, C., and Ball, D., (2007). The DRD4 gene influences attentional bias in heroin abusers and cigarette smokers. Manuscript submitted.
Lusher, J. (2007). How is personality described in contemporary theory? In S. R. Moore (Ed.), Individual Differences: The Psychology of Personality and Intelligence. London: Sage. In preparation.
Lusher, J. (2007). Is personality shaped by genetics or our environment? In S. R. Moore (Ed.), Individual Differences: The Psychology of Personality and Intelligence. London: Sage. In preparation.
Lusher, J. (2007). Applications of Personality research. In S. R. Moore (Ed.), Individual Differences: The Psychology of Personality and Intelligence. London: Sage. In preparation.
Lusher, J. (2007). Biological contributions to intelligence. In S. R. Moore (Ed.), Individual Differences: The Psychology of Personality and Intelligence. London: Sage. In preparation.
Teaching responsibilities
Postgraduate
I am Deputy Course Leader for the new (starting September 2007) M.Sc. Addiction Psychology [/pgprospectus/courses/addiction-psychology.cfm]. I contribute to the teaching on the following MSc Health Psychology and MSc Addiction Pschology modules:
PYP012C Cognitive & emotional Influences on health
PYP011C Research Supervision & Support
PYP014C Health over the life-span
PYP016C Responses to Illness
PYP138C Introduction to addiction
PYP140C Consequences of addiction
PYP141C Non-drug addiction and addiction in special populations
PYP143C Treatment options in addiction
PYPPA6C Addiction psychology research project
Undergraduate
I am Personal Development Planning (PDP) [/ugstudy/] coordinator, Certificate Level coordinator, Health Psychology Module Leader and Psychological Pespectives & HE Orientation Module Leader. I contribute to the teaching of the following modules:
PY1H01C Psychological perspectives and HE orientation
PY1003/23C Personality and social psychology
PY1006C Psychological research methods 1 Inc. IT
PY2001C Psychological research Methods 2
PY2004C Individual differences
PY2E08C Career and professional development
PY3P01/2C Psychology project
PY3P22C Empirical study
PY3009C Abnormal psychology
PY3006C Health psychology
