Michèle Birtel

Dr Michèle Birtel Dipl.-Psych, PhD

Associate Professor of Social Clinical Psychology and Centre Lead of the Centre for Mental Health

Key details

Dr Michèle Birtel

Associate Professor of Social Clinical Psychology and Centre Lead of the Centre for Mental Health

Dr. Michèle Birtel is an Associate Professor of Social Clinical Psychology, Centre Lead of the Centre for Mental Health and the Director of the Health Inequalities and Stigma Lab.

Education:
  • PhD in Social Psychology, University of Kent (UK)
  • Diploma in Psychology (equivalent to 2-year BSc, 4-year MSc & MRes), University of Mannheim (Germany).
Research Areas:
  • Health Equity
  • Social determinants of health
  • Stigma
  • Intergroup relations
  • AI and health
  • Cyber security/online harms.

For more detailed information visit: www.michelebirtel.com

PhD applications are welcome. Apply here.

Teaching: psychopathology and clinical psychology, social psychology, research methods and statistics.

Psychology

Allied health professions, dentistry, nursing and pharmacy

Recent publications

Article

Tausch, Nicole , Birtel, Michèle D., Górska, Paulina, Bode, Sidney , Rocha, Carolina (2024), A post-Brexit intergroup contact intervention reduces affective polarization between Leavers and Remainers short-term. Nature. In: , , , . Nature, Communications Psychology, 2: 95 2731-9121 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-024-00146-w).

Birtel, Michèle D. , Di Bernardo, Gian Antonio, Vezzali, Loris, Turner, Rhiannon N. , Crisp, Richard J. , Martin, Robin (2024), Dispositional empathy and personality as predictors of contact quality: the mediating roles of contact self-efficacy and effort towards contact. Elsevier. In: , , , . Elsevier, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 102: 101986 ISSN: 0147-1767 (Print), 1873-7552 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2024.101986).

Birtel, Michèle D. , Di Bernardo, Gian Antonio, Hobson, Hannah, Collins-Quirk, Ashleigh , Vezzali, Loris (2023), Avoiding affect in intergroup relations: the roles of dispositional and intergroup empathy in the relationship between alexithymia and prejudice. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Journal of Applied Social Psychology ISSN: 0021-9029 (Print), 1559-1816 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.13015).

Azevedo, Flavio , Pavlović, Tomislav, Rêgo, Gabriel Gaudencio do, Ay, F. Ceren , Gjoneska, Biljana , Etienne, Tom , Ross, Robert M , Schönegger, Philipp , Riaño, Julian , Cichocka, Aleksandra (2023), Social and moral psychology of COVID-19 across 69 countries. Nature Research. In: , , , Social and moral psychology of COVID-19 across 69 countries. Nature Research, Scientific Data, 10: 272 . pp. 1-26 2052-4463 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02080-8).

Zingora, Tibor , Birtel, Michele, Graf, Sylvie, Hrebickova, Martina , Lacko, David , Rupar, Mirjana , Tocik, Jaroslav , Voca, Shpend (2022), Change in anti-COVID-19 behavior and prejudice against minorities during the COVID- 19 pandemic: longitudinal evidence from five European countries. Wiley. In: , , , Change in Anti-COVID-19 Behavior and Prejudice against Minorities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Evidence from Five European Countries. Wiley, European Journal of Social Psychology, 53 (4) . pp. 645-663 ISSN: 0046-2772 (Print), 1099-0992 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2928).

Birtel, Michèle D. and , Mitchell, Briana L. (2022), Cross-cultural differences in depression between white British and South Asians: causal attributions, stigma by association, discriminatory potential. Wiley-The British Psychological Society. In: , , , . Wiley-The British Psychological Society, Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 96 (1) . pp. 101-116 2044-8341 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12428).

Birtel, Michele and , Oldfield, Gemma (2022), Affective, cognitive, and behavioral mental illness stigma in healthcare: a comparison between general ward nurses and the general population. American Psychological Association (APA). In: , , , . American Psychological Association (APA), Stigma and Health, 7 (4) . pp. 380-388 ISSN: 2376-6972 (Print), 2376-6964 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000416).

Pavlović, Tomislav , Azevedo, Flavio, De, Koustav, Riaño-Moreno, Julián C , Maglić, Marina , Gkinopoulos, Theofilos , Donnelly-Kehoe, Patricio Andreas , Payán-Gómez, César , Huang, Guanxiong , Kantorowicz, Jaroslaw (2022), Predicting attitudinal and behavioral responses to COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning. Oxford Academic Press. In: , , , . Oxford Academic Press, PNAS Nexus, 1: pgac093 (3) ISSN: 2752-6542 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac093).

Van Bavel, Jay J. , Cichocka, Aleksandra, Capraro, Valerio, Sjåstad, Hallgeir , Nezlek, John B. , Pavlović, Tomislav , Alfano, Mark , Gelfand, Michele J. , Azevedo, Flavio , Birtel, Michele D. (2022), Author Correction: National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic. Nature. In: , , , . Nature, Nature Communications, 13: 1949 ISSN: 2041-1723 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29658-x).

Drury, Lisbeth , Birtel, Michele D., Randsley de Moura, Georgina, Crisp, Richard J. (2022), Remembrance of contact past: when intergroup contact meta-cognitions decrease outgroup tolerance. Sage. In: , , , . Sage, Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 26 (3) . pp. 652-668 ISSN: 1368-4302 (Print), 1461-7188 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302221079220).

Van Bavel, Jey J. , Cichocka, Aleskandra, Capraro, Valerio, Sjåstad, Hallgeir , Nezlek, John B. , Pavlović, Tomislav , Alfano, Mark , Gelfand, Michele J. , Azevedo, Flavio , Birtel, Michele (2022), National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic. Nature Research. In: , , , . Nature Research, Nature Communications, 13: 517 2041-1723 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27668-9).

Di Bernardo, Gian Antonio , Vezzali, Loris, Birtel, Michèle D., Stathi, Sofia , Ferrari, Barbara , Giovannini, Dino , Pettigrew, Thomas F. (2021), The role of optimal conditions and intergroup contact in promoting positive intergroup relations in and out of the workplace: A study with ethnic majority and minority workers. SAGE. In: , , , . SAGE, Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 25 (6) . pp. 1516-1533 ISSN: 1368-4302 (Print), 1461-7188 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302211010929).

Russell, Pascale Sophie , Birtel, Michele D., Smith, Debbie M., Hart, Kathryn , Newman, Rebecca (2021), Infant feeding and internalized stigma: the role of guilt and shame. In: , , , . , Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 51 (9) . pp. 906-919 ISSN: 0021-9029 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12810).

Birtel, Michèle D. , Di Bernardo, Gian Antonio, Vezzali, Loris (2021), Fading affect bias in intergroup relations: The role of intergroup contact in fading outgroup affect. Hogrefe. In: , , , . Hogrefe, Social Psychology, 52 (4) . pp. 203-214 ISSN: 1864-9335 (Print), 2151-2590 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000449).

Russell, Pascale Sophie , Smith, Debbie M., Birtel, Michèle D., Hart, Kathryn H. , Golding, Sarah E. (2021), The role of emotions and injunctive norms in breastfeeding: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Taylor and Francis. In: , , , . Taylor and Francis, Health Psychology Review, 16 (2) . pp. 257-279 ISSN: 1743-7199 (Print), 1743-7202 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2021.1893783).

Cadamuro, Alessia , Birtel, Michèle D., Di Bernardo, Gian Antonio, Crapolicchio, Eleonora , Vezzali, Loris , Drury, John (2021), Resilience in children in the aftermath of disasters: a systematic review and a new perspective on individual, interpersonal, group, and intergroup level factors. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 31 (3) . pp. 259-275 ISSN: 1052-9284 (Print), 1099-1298 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2500).

Vezzali, Loris , Di Bernardo, Gian Antonio, Birtel, Michèle D., Stathi, Sofia , Brambilla, Marco (2019), Outgroup morality perceptions mediate secondary transfer effects from direct and extended contact: Evidence from majority and minority members. SAGE. In: , , , . SAGE, Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 23 (7) . pp. 1066-1084 ISSN: 1368-4302 (Print), 1461-7188 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430219879223).

Ahmed, Sehar , Birtel, Michèle D., Pyle, Melissa, Morrison, Anthony P. (2019), Stigma towards psychosis: cross-cultural differences in prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination in White British and South Asians. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 30 (2) . pp. 199-213 ISSN: 1052-9284 (Print), 1099-1298 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2437).

Vezzali, Loris , Birtel, Michèle D., Di Bernardo, Gian Antonio, Stathi, Sofia , Crisp, Richard John , Cadamuro, Alessia , Visintin, Emilio Paolo (2019), Don’t hurt my outgroup friend: A multifaceted form of imagined contact promotes intentions to counteract bullying. SAGE Publications. In: , , , . SAGE Publications, Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 23 (5) . pp. 643-663 ISSN: 1368-4302 (Print), 1461-7188 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430219852404).

Birtel, Michèle D. , Reimer, Nils, Wölfer, Ralf, Hewstone, Miles (2019), Change in school ethnic diversity and intergroup relations: The transition from segregated elementary to mixed secondary school for majority and minority students. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, European Journal of Social Psychology, 50 (1) . pp. 160-176 ISSN: 0046-2772 (Print), 1099-0992 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2609) NB Item availability restricted.

Birtel, Michèle D. , Di Bernardo, Gian Antonio, Stathi, Sofia, Crisp, Richard J. , Cadamuro, Alessia , Vezzali, Loris (2019), Imagining contact reduces prejudice in pre-school children. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Social Development, 28 (4) . pp. 1054-1073 ISSN: 0961-205X (Print), 1467-9507 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12374).

Mirza, Aisha , Birtel, Michele D., Pyle, Melissa, Morrison, Anthony (2019), Cultural differences in psychosis: The role of causal beliefs and stigma in White British and South Asians. SAGE Publications. In: , , , . SAGE Publications, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 50 (3) . pp. 441-459 ISSN: 0022-0221 (Print), 1552-5422 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022118820168).

Birtel, Michèle D. , Vezzali, Loris, Stathi, Sofia (2018), Extended contact and affective factors: A review and suggestions for future research. Cises Srl. In: , , , . Cises Srl, Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 25 (2) . pp. 213-238 ISSN: 1972-6325 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.4473/TPM25.2.4).

Huggett, Charlotte , Birtel, Michèle D., Awenat, Yvonne F., Fleming, Paul , Wilkes, Sophie , Williams, Shirley , Haddock, Gillian (2018), A qualitative study: experiences of stigma by people with mental health problems. Wiley. In: , , , . Wiley, Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 91 (3) 2044-8341 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12167).

Ali, Safa , Ogden, Jane, Birtel, Michèle D. (2017), Building a dual identity as an immigrant in the UK: Eritreans’ search for freedom and a sense of balance. Taylor & Francis. In: , , , . Taylor & Francis, Ethnic and Racial Studies . pp. 1-18 ISSN: 0141-9870 (Print), 1466-4356 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2017.1384555).

Visintin, Emilio Paolo , Birtel, Michèle Denise, Crisp, Richard J. (2017), The role of multicultural and colorblind ideologies and typicality in imagined contact interventions. Elsevier. In: , , , . Elsevier, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 59 . pp. 1-8 ISSN: 0147-1767 (Print), (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2017.04.010).

Birtel, Michèle , Wood, Lisa, Kempa, Nancy J. (2017), Stigma and social support in substance abuse: Implications for mental health and well-being. Elsevier. In: , , , . Elsevier, Psychiatry Research, 252 . pp. 1-8 ISSN: 0165-1781 (Print), 1872-7123 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2017.01.097).

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