Exploring the relationship between Parental Mental Illness and Coercive Control

Summary

The proposed PhD project will investigate the relationship between parental mental illness (PMI) and coercive control within family relationships, with a particular focus on families in Northern Ireland. It aims to examine how coercive and controlling behaviours, as defined within the operational framework of coercive control, interact with PMI and influence family functioning, parenting, and child wellbeing.

While coercive control is increasingly recognised as a pervasive and patterned form of domestic abuse that undermines autonomy, safety, and psychological wellbeing, its relationship with PMI remains underexplored.

This is particularly significant in Northern Ireland, where the implementation of coercive control legislation has highlighted the need for a stronger evidence base to inform policy and practice.

By exploring these complex and intersecting experiences, the study will generate new knowledge on how coercive control and PMI interact within family systems and how these experiences are recognised and responded to by services.

The research will adopt a qualitative, exploratory design, combining a comprehensive literature review with in-depth, semi-structured interviews.

Participants may include survivors of coercive control, adult children who grew up with a parent experiencing mental illness and who witnessed coercive control, and professionals working with affected families across mental health, social work, domestic abuse, and family support services.

Bringing together lived experience with professional perspectives will provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue, enabling the research to identify gaps between policy, practice, and family experience.

Thematic analysis will explore the psychological and relational processes underpinning coercive control, the influence of parental mental illness on family dynamics, the experiences of children and parents, and the barriers that hinder effective identification, intervention, and coordinated support.

The findings will make an important contribution to both research and practice in Northern Ireland. They will provide an evidence base to inform the development of trauma-informed policies, earlier identification of families experiencing coercive control and PMI, and more integrated responses across mental health, children's services, social care, and domestic abuse sectors.

Although centred on the Northern Ireland context, the findings will have wider relevance for the UK and internationally by addressing a significant gap in understanding the intersection of coercive control, PMI, and family wellbeing.

Please note: Applicants with a 2:1 degree in Psychology (or close to completion) are encopuraged to apply

AccessNI clearance required

Please note, the successful candidate will be required to obtain AccessNI clearance prior to registration due to the nature of the project.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement demonstrating interest in the subject area
• Evidence of academic writing skills (a short sample of academic written work of the applicant's choosing (Max 3 pages, A4, font 11)) – please upload in the section entitled Research Proposal
• Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• Applicants should hold, or expect to hold a First Class Honours Degree in a relevant subject area
• Work experience relevant to the proposed project
• A demonstrable interest in or experience of using Open Science methods

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)
• Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship (VCRS)

PhD scholarships are available for this project to all applicants worldwide, regardless of residency or domicile, and will cover:

• Tuition fees.
• A maintenance allowance of approximately £22,000 (exact rate is to be confirmed) per annum for three years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.
• A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of approximately £900 per annum.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year, or part-time equivalent, funded from any source, including self-financing students, are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Students in full-time employment are not eligible for an award.

Part-time PhD scholarships may be available at a 0.5 pro rata rate of the full-time scholarship, which would require a six-year registration period.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.

The University will award a successful candidate one of the following scholarships for the project, depending on the funding available at the time an admissions offer is made:

1. Department for the Economy (DfE) PhD Scholarships
2. Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarships (VCRS)

Please note that the Terms and Conditions for scholarships are subject to change for 2027/28.