University of Exeter Medical School

Dr Rachel Nesbit

Dr Rachel Nesbit

Lecturer

 R.Nesbit@exeter.ac.uk

 Washington Singer 242

 

Washington Singer Laboratories, University of Exeter, Perry Road, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK

Overview

Dr Rachel Nesbit completed her BSc (2015) and Ph.D (2019) in Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. During her Ph.D Rachel examined the role of social anxiety, depression and lateralisation for emotion processing in adolescent facial emotion recognition. Rachel has previously held the role as Teaching Associate at Royal Holloway, University of London where she primarily taught research methods and statistics. In 2020, Rachel moved to the University of Reading to work as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow employed as part of a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship examining adventurous play as a mechanism for reducing the risk of childhood anxiety. Rachel continued her work on this project in the ChYMe group in the Medical School at the University of Exeter. Rachel’s role on the project was to gain an understanding of the barriers and facilitators that exist for adventurous play in schools, with the aim to inform school-based interventions.

In August 2023, Rachel moved to the Department of Psychology to take up the role of Lecturer in Psychology. As part of her role, Rachel will be running the third year seminar on the Psychology of Play. 

Qualifications

  • Ph.D Psychology (Royal Holloway, University of London)
  • BSc (Hons) Psychology (Royal Holloway, University of London)
  • Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol)

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Research

Research interests

Dr Rachel Nesbit has a broad interest in developmental psychology, childhood mental health and play. She has previously worked on a range of research projects in the areas of social cognition, statistics anxiety, language development and mental health.

Rachel previously worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow as part of a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (awarded to Professor Helen Dodd), examining the links between adventurous play and childhood anxiety. Rachel’s role on the project was to gain an understanding of the barriers and facilitators that exist for allowing children opportunities and engagement in adventurous play in schools. Rachel is currently carrying out qualitative research with parents, teachers and school staff, with the aim to inform school-based interventions. 

Research projects

  • Adventurous play as a mechanism for reducing risk of childhood anxiety

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Publications

Journal articles

FitzGibbon L, Oliver B, Nesbit R, Dodd H (2024). A scoping review of methods and measures used to capture children's play during school breaktimes. Educational Review, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1-26.
Nesbit RJ, Watling D (2024). Comparing two versions of the Chimeric Face Test: a pilot investigation. LATERALITY, 29(1), 19-36.  Author URL.
Oliver BE, Nesbit RJ, McCloy R, Harvey K, Dodd HF (2023). Adventurous play for a healthy childhood: Facilitators and barriers identified by parents in Britain. Social Science & Medicine, 323, 115828-115828.
Nesbit RJ, Harvey K, Parveen S, Dodd HF (2023). Adventurous play in schools: the parent perspective. Children & Society, 37(6), 2102-2122. Abstract.
Dodd HF, Nesbit RJ, FitzGibbon L (2023). Child's Play: Examining the Association Between Time Spent Playing and Child Mental Health. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev, 54(6), 1678-1686. Abstract.  Author URL.
McDougal E, Ridley E, Nesbit R, Bagnall C (2023). Envisaging an inclusive research future. Psychologist, 36(1-2), 75-76.
Nesbit R, FitzGibbon L, Dodd H (2023). Street play, wellbeing and mental health from childhood into adulthood. European Psychiatry, 66(Suppl 1), s991-s991.
Dodd HF, FitzGibbon L, Watson BE, Nesbit RJ (2022). Correction: Dodd et al. Children's Play and Independent Mobility in 2020: Results from the British Children's Play Survey. Int. J. Environ. Hum. Health 2021, 18, 4334. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 19(15). Abstract.  Author URL.
Oliver BE, Nesbit RJ, McCloy R, Harvey K, Dodd HF (2022). Parent perceived barriers and facilitators of children’s adventurous play in Britain: a framework analysis. BMC Public Health, 22(1). Abstract.
Dodd HF, Fitzgibbon L, Watson BE, Nesbit RJ (2021). Children’s play and independent mobility in 2020: Results from the british children’s play survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(8). Abstract.
Dodd HF, Nesbit RJ, Maratchi LR (2021). Development and evaluation of a new measure of children’s play: the Children’s Play Scale (CPS). BMC Public Health, 21(1). Abstract.
Nesbit RJ, Bagnall CL, Harvey K, Dodd HF (2021). Perceived Barriers and Facilitators of Adventurous Play in Schools: a Qualitative Systematic Review. CHILDREN-BASEL, 8(8).  Author URL.
Nesbit RJ, Watling D (2019). The role of audience familiarity and activity outcome in children's understanding of disclaimers. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, 37(2), 230-246.  Author URL.

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External Engagement and Impact

Committee/panel activities

British Psychological Society (BPS) Developmental Section Committee Member (2017 - present).

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Office Hours:

Wednesdays 4-5pm (via MS teams, please email Rachel for a joining link)

Fridays 11-12pm (WSL 242) 

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