Profile
Dr Latika Ahuja
Postdoctoral Research Associate
South Cloisters 3.09
South Cloisters, University of Exeter, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
Overview
Latika is currently working as a systematic reviewer within the Exeter HS&DR Evidence Synthesis Centre aiming to improve the organisation and delivery of health services within the UK.
Prior to this role, she pursued her PhD within the Department of Psychology at the University of Exeter. She was awarded her PhD in 2020, determining the influence of British and Indian culture on perfectionism, achievement, control and beliefs of suppression that increase the risk of disordered eating behaviours. During this time she also worked as a teaching and research assistant. While she is particularly interested in the area of evidence synthesis and has worked on several systematic reviews, she is also experienced in conducting mixed methods (primary qualitative and quantitative) research.
She trained as a mental health professional in India and has previously worked across various public and private mental health institution in Mumbai and New Delhi, India.
Qualifications
- PhD in Psychology (University of Exeter, 2020) - Unpacking the Influence of Culture: Perfectionism, Achievement, Control and Beliefs of Suppression as predisposing factors of Specific Disordered Eating Behaviours
- MA in Clinical Psychology (SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, India, 2016)
- BA (Hons) in Applied Psychology (Amity University, Noida, India, 2014)
Research
Research interests
Latika has an ongoing interest in research aiming to understand and improve mental health at a global level across different cultures. She is interested in prevention and early intervention of common mental health problems and eating disorders specifically in low and middle income countries.
Within the Exeter HS&DR Evidence Synthesis Centre she is leading a systematic review of evidence relating to the implementation of different strengths based models of adult social work practice. Her work involves the delivery of all review stages, from application of screening criteria, quality appraisal, synthesis of results and write up of reports for publication.
Her PhD thesis focussed on examining cross-cultural and culture-specific predisposing factors of disordered eating behaviours, amongst young adults, in Indian and UK contexts. This was a mixed methods research, where she conducted a full scales systematic review/meta-analysis, and various qualitative and quantitative (survey and experiment) studies.
Research projects
2020 - Leading on the systematic review of evidence related to different models of social work practice
2019 – Involved in development of an online course of Postnatal Depression Management on FutureLearn Platform.
2018 – Involved in a systematic review examining cost-effectiveness of treatments used in treating Personality Disorders.
External Engagement and Impact
Committee/panel activities
- Ahuja, L., O’Mahen, H.A., Williams, H., & Frampton, I. Prevalence of eating disorders in India and the risk factors associated with it: A systematic review Presented in Eating disorders group of Devon (2018)
- Ahuja, L., O’Mahen, H.A., Williams, H., & Frampton, I. A qualitative, cross-cultural exploration of culture-specific factors of eating disordered behaviours in India and the UK Presented in BABCP (2018); LEDC (2019); Eating disorders group of Devon (2019)
- Ahuja, L., O’Mahen, H.A., Williams, H., & Frampton, I. Risks factors under the influence: A cross-cultural examination of binge eating behaviours in India and the UK Presented in World Congress of CBT (2019); Eating disorders group of Devon (2019)
Media Coverage
- Webinar on Food and Wellbeing during COVID 19 with a focus on how this pandemic could be conducive to disordered eating and how can we prevent these behaviours.
Presented at Amity University, Noida, India. - Podcasts addressing issues like importance of cross-cultural research practitioner collaborations through technology (https://health-4-0-leadership-podcast-with-namrata- bagaria.simplecast.com/episodes/cross-cultural-research-practitioner-collaboration-and-health-40- interview-view-with-dr-latika-ahuja-Nm0tszG), Fat Shaming (https://healthsimplifiedpodcast.com/episodes/fat-shaming), and Depression and stigma associated with it in India (https://healthsimplifiedpodcast.com/episodes/depression-is-like-any-other- disease).
Teaching
Between 2017 and 2019, Latika was a teaching assistant on various undergraduate psychology modules, including clinical psychology, qualitative research methods, personality module and developmental psychology module. She also assessed presentations of final year undergraduate research projects during this time.