About

I am an HCPC-registered (Health Care Professions Council) health psychologist. I conduct research on psychological and behavioural aspects of chronic illness, including pain coping and pain management, and how people use pain medication. I also have a longstanding interest in the psychology of learning and teaching, especially student writing.

Research interests

I am interested in people's adaptation to chronic conditions, including painful chronic conditions such as haemophilia, sickle cell disease, chronic back pain and dysmenorrhea, and ways that psychotherapeutic approaches like acceptance and commitment therapy can be adapted for specific conditions and settings.

I am also interested in student learning and academic writing, especially in the transition to university. This includes developing and evaluating interventions that help students improve their academic writing and avoid unintentional plagiarism and other academic offenses, especially by improving students' 'authorial identity' and their understanding of the assessment criteria for student writing.

Recent publications

• Harkin, C., Elander, J., Woodward, B., & Yap, T. (2026). Qualitative exploration of the psychological impact of discovering Klinefelter syndrome/XXY during infertility evaluation: a case series. Fertility and Reproduction. https://doi.org/10.1142/S2661318226200021

• Tremblay, L., Van Gordon, W., & Elander, J. (2026). Efficacy of a digital nonattachment-based intervention for post-traumatic stress symptoms: a randomised controlled trial. Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-026-02872-0

• Tremblay, L., Van Gordon, W., & Elander, J. (2026). Exploring cultivation of nonattachment for symptoms of post-traumatic stress: a reflexive thematic analysis. Journal of Humanistic Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00221678261442679

• Henderson-Roe, E., Elander, J., & Staples, P. (2026). ACT-based change processes as predictors of post-stroke depression among stroke survivors. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09602011.2026.2623946

• Tremblay, L., Van Gordon, W., & Elander, J. (2025). Acceptance, embodiment, and meaning making in trauma recovery: a qualitative study of a self-directed nonattachment intervention. International Journal of Spa and Wellness. https://doi.org/10.1080/24721735.2025.2593187

• Tremblay, L., Van Gordon, W., & Elander, J. (2025). Enhancing traumatic stress recovery through nonattachment principles: a scoping review. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 15 (12). https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4426/15/12/614

• Furnell, M., Van Gordon, W., & Elander, J. (2025). The moderating role of personality on the effects of concentration-, ethics-and wisdom-based meditation practices for well-being and prosociality. Healthcare. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13233044

• Tremblay, L., Van Gordon, W., & Elander, J. (2025). Enhancing user empowerment and agency through co-creation of a nonattachment-based post-traumatic stress reduction intervention. European Journal of Mental Health, 20, e0044, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.5708/EJMH.20.2025.0044

• Elander, J., Danton, I. & Kapaadi, R. (2025). How can health psychologists contribute to care for people receiving kidney dialysis? Health Psychology Update, 34 (1), 7-13. https://doi.org/10.53841/bpshpu.2025.34.1.7 Also available from: https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/qyq49/how-can-health-psychologists-contribute-to-care-for-people-receiving-kidney-dialysis

• Davey, S.A., Elander, J., Woodward, A., Head, M.G., & Gaffiero, D. (2025). Understanding barriers to influenza vaccination among parents is important to improve vaccine uptake among children (commentary article). Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 21 (1), 2457198. https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2025.2457198

• Kapadi, R., Elander, J., Burton, A., Taylor, J., Coyne, E., Selby, N., Taal, M.W., Mitchell, K., & Stalker, C. (2025). An exploration of positive psychosocial adjustment to long-term in-centre haemodialysis. Psychology and Health, 40 (3), 394-409. Published online 6th July 2023. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2023.2231007

• Furnell, M., Van Gordon, W., & Elander, J. (2025). A Comparison of the Effects of Ethics- Versus Wisdom-Based Mindfulness Practices on Prosocial Behaviour. Mindfulness, 16, 165-185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02488-2

• Harkin, C. & Elander, J. (2025). A qualitative exploration of experiences of gender identity and gender questioning among adults with Klinefelter syndrome/XXY. Journal of Genetic Counselling, 34, 2, e1952. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgc4.1952 

Membership of professional bodies

• British Psychological Society (Chartered Psychologist)
• Health Care Professions Council (Registered Health Psychologist)
• Higher Education Academy (Registered Practitioner and National Teaching Fellow)

Qualifications

• BSc Psychology
• PhD

Recent conferences

• Secular, F, Lipka, S. & Elander, J. (2022). Exploring behaviour changes techniques in motivational interviews for cardiovascular disease prevention. Paper to be presented at the 36th annual conference of the European Health Psychology Society, Bratislava, Slovakia, and online, 23-27th August 2022
• Elander, J., Stalker, C., Arborg, M., Coyne, E., Kapadi, R., Selby, N.M., Taal, M.W. & Mitchell, K. (2022). Preliminary findings from a feasibility and acceptability trial of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for people receiving renal dialysis. Paper presented at the UK Kidney Week conference, Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel,  7-9th June 2022
• Kapadi, R., Elander, J., Danton, I., Louth, C., Selby, N.M., Taal, M.W. Stalker, C., & Mitchell, K. (2022). An exploration of adjustment experiences among people with chronic kidney disease who continued attending in-centre haemodialysis during the pandemic. Paper presented at the UK Kidney Week conference, 7-9th June, Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel,  2022
• Kapadi, R., Elander, J., Burton, A., Taylor, J., Coyne, E., Taal, M.W., Selby, N. Stalker, C., & Mitchell, K. (2022). An exploration of positive adjustment to long-term in-centre haemodialysis. Paper presented at the Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, 28-29th June, 2022
• Louth, C., Danton, I., Kapadi, R. & Elander, J. (2021). Coping, adjustment and wellbeing among people receiving in-centre haemodialysis during the Covid-19 pandemic. Paper presented at the College of Health, Psychology and Social Care Showcase event, University of Derby, 24^th November 2021
• Elander, J. (2021). Behavioral interventions for pain management and how we can help. Invited talk as part of a symposium on Psychosocial Pain Research: Pain Impact and Intervention. Annual National Hemophilia Foundation Bleeding Disorders conference, Georgia, Atlanta, USA, week of 23rd August 2021 (paper presented Saturday 28th August)
• Kapadi, R., Elander, J., Coyne, E., Taal, M.W., Selby, N. Stalker, C., & Mitchell, K. (2021). Using patient feedback to adapt intervention materials based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people receiving renal dialysis. Poster presented at the UK Kidney Week conference, October 2021
• Kapadi, R., Elander, J., Coyne, E., Taal, M.W., Selby, N. Stalker, C., & Mitchell, K. (2021). What does successful adjustment to haemodialysis look like? An exploration of positive adjustment to long-term in-centre haemodialysis. Poster presented at the UK Kidney Week conference, October 2021
• Danton, I., Kapadi, R., Elander, J. & Louth, C. (2021). Coping, adjustment and wellbeing among people receiving in-centre haemodialysis during the Covid-19 pandemic. Paper presented at the Midlands Health Psychology Network Conference, 10th June 2021
• Kapadi, R., Elander, J., Stalker, C., Mitchell, K., Coyne, E., Taal, M.W., & Selby, N. (2020). Tailoring Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for patients receiving renal dialysis. Poster presented at the College of Health, Psychology and Social Care Research Showcase (online conference), University of Derby, 25th November 2020
• Stalker, C., Elander, J., Mitchell, K., Stewart, P., Taal, M.W., & Selby, N. (2020). The longitudinal impact of acceptance of illness on quality of life outcomes for haemodialysis patients [Or ‘Do changes in acceptance lead to improved quality of life among haemMarchodialysis patients?’. Poster presented at the UK Kidney Week Conference, 24th-26th June 2020, Hilton Birmingham Metropole [rescheduled as a virtual conference October 2020]
• Kapadi, R., Elander, J. & Bateman, T. (2020). Predictors of analgesic dependence among patients with spinal pain. Paper presented at BritSpine 2020 Meeting, Glasgow, March 2020. [Postponed to 10-12th March 2021]

Teaching responsibilities

I teach undergraduate Psychology final year modules about forensic psychology, educational psychology, addictive behaviours, and the psychology of pain. I also teach on the MSc Health Psychology and MSc Behaviour Change and supervise undergraduate, MSc and PhD research.

Courses

• Health Psychology MSc (online)
• Behaviour Change (incorporating PG Dip/PG Cert) MSc