Dr. Ruth Wadman

Biography

Ruth joined the University of Bradford in 2025 as Associate Professor in Children and Young People’s Mental Health in the Department of Psychology. She leads the NIHR Mental Health Leaders Award. She is an experienced researcher in children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The thoughtful and reciprocal involvement of young people in research that impacts them sits at the core of her work. Ruth is also a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society.

Previously, Ruth was a Research Fellow for the Adolescent Mental Health Collaboratory (University of York) focusing on what works to protect adolescent mental health in the Born in Bradford Age of Wonder cohort study. She has also explored socioemotional wellbeing in young people with developmental disorders, self-harm in young people in care, and student mental health.

Ruth obtained her undergraduate degree in psychology from Durham University. She then moved to the University of Manchester where she completed a Masters and PhD in psychology.

Research

Current research projects:

1.      NIHR Mental Health Leaders Award (Senior Academic Lead)

The University of Bradford Mental Health Leaders Award (March 2025 to February 2030) focuses on preventing mental health challenges facing children and young people in Bradford. Previous solutions have been ineffective, and there is a need for new approaches. Working with local co-production groups, it is evident that we need to focus on upstream determinants of mental health, including physical activity, sleep, and eating. There is also increasing concern around difficulties accessing diagnosis and support for children with neurodevelopmental conditions, which impact mental health.

Despite having strong research groups and resources, Bradford’s potential to prevent youth mental health issues remains underused. The Mental Health Leader Award will enable the University of Bradford to build the skills, expertise, and infrastructure needed to develop impactful mental health research and solutions.

2.     AIM Bradford: Adolescent Interventions for Mental Health in Bradford (previously Bradford Mental Health Collaboratory) (co-Lead)

I co-lead this NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research with Dr Dan Lewer (Bradford Institute for Health Research). This five-year research programme (July 2024 to June 2029) aims to find better ways to prevent mental health problems in teenagers by doing efficient studies of school and community-based mental health projects in Bradford. We will use the Born in Bradford Age of Wonder cohort study as an efficient platform for evaluation.  

I lead Work Package 4 – Trials. We are currently running a feasibility RCT of a multi-level school-based intervention to create a positive school environment that supports student mental health: Promoting Positive Adolescent Mental Health (PPAMH!) for School Climate.  

3.      Youth Mental Health Evidence Synthesis Hub (Y-MHESH) (co-founder)  

Co-founded with Professor Rachel Churchill (Centre for Reviews and Dissemination in York), Y-MHESH is a collaboration between the Universities of York and Bradford (UK) and the University of Auckland (NZ). We bring together research evidence to answer questions about mental health that are important to young people. Evidence synthesis helps us understand what is known, and what is not known from research so that people can make well-informed decisions.

Y-MHESH works in partnership with children and young people to co-design and co-produce meaningful evidence syntheses that have genuine impact on mental health decision-making with, and for, children and young people. Watch our short videos ‘What is Y-MHESH?’ and ‘What are systematic reviews?’ to find out more.