Dr Jacks Bennett
PhD (Bristol), BSc (Bristol)
Expertise
Current positions
Senior Research Associate
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Contact
Press and media
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Research interests
Dr Jacks Bennett is a chartered psychologist and public health researcher interested in mental wellbeing in higher education. Jacks’ research is focused on prevalence and trends in student wellbeing as well as health, social and educational factors related to both wellbeing, mental health disclosure, and student outcomes. That includes health and social inequalities (and their intersections) such as disability, gender, socio-economic status and ethnic background.
Jacks is currently an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow (2023-2024) but has worked as a Senior Research Associate at University of Bristol since 2017. Her doctoral work examined the impact of a significant investment in new student wellbeing support services in 2018. It was one of the first studies of its kind to investigate impact and effectiveness of non-clinical advisory support for student populations.
Between 2018 and 2022 Jacks also analysed and reported on the University of Bristol annual Student Wellbeing Survey, helping to inform mental health strategy and policy. She has also worked with Smarten - a UKRI-funded national student mental health research network - to develop national guidance for measuring mental health and wellbeing in student cohorts.
Keywords: student wellbeing, student support interventions, student mental health
Jacks is part of several Bristol research groups: The Elizabeth Blackwell Mental Health in Young People Research Initiative, Centre for Academic Mental Health, Bristol’s Suicide and Self Harm Research group, and the Behavioural Genetics Research group.
She is a member of SMaRteN, a national research network funded by UK Research and Innovation, led by King's College London, focusing on student mental health in higher education.
ESRC Mentors: Profs Rona Campbell and Claire Haworth, University of Bristol
Current supervisor: Dr Judi Kidger, University of Bristol
PhD supervisors (2018-2022): Prof D Gunnell, Prof Claire Haworth, Dr Judi Kidger, University of Bristol
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Developing recommendations to support the mental well-being of academic mental health researchers
Principal Investigator
Role
Principal Investigator
Description
Surveying UK-wide academic mental health researchers to develop recommendations for mental health support that addresses challenges arising from exposure to distressing research material, such as self-harm and suicide.Managing organisational unit
Bristol Medical School (PHS)Dates
01/11/2023 to 31/07/2024
ESRC Postdoc Fellowship
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
Bristol Medical School (PHS)Dates
01/10/2023 to 30/09/2024
Publications
Recent publications
27/05/2024Investigating changes in student mental health and help-seeking behaviour after the introduction of new well-being support services at a UK university
BJPsych Open
Student mental health support: A qualitative evaluation of new well-being services at a UK university
Journal of Further and Higher Education
Investigating Change in Student Financial Stress at a UK University: Multi-Year Survey Analysis across a Global Pandemic and Recession
Education Sciences
Measuring psychological wellbeing and mental health in university student cohorts
Measuring psychological wellbeing and mental health in university student cohorts
Barriers to students opting-in to universities notifying emergency contacts when serious mental health concerns emerge
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports
Thesis
A ‘whole university’ approach to improving student mental health and wellbeing
Supervisors
Award date
24/01/2023