I am a Psychology Postgraduate Researcher focusing on 'interoception' and mental health.  Interoception refers to the internal sense of our bodies (i.e. respiratory, cardiac, gastric, emotional sensations) and occurs automatically as an unconscious aspect of maintaining homeostasis.  However, aspects of interoception can also enter our conscious awareness when we notice internal sensations such as pain, hunger, heart rate, fatigue and physical manifestations of emotional states.  Research suggests that people have different levels of interoception and interoceptive awareness depending on their life experiences. This has relevance when considering how therapeutic interventions can be developed for different demographics. 

• Other: Masters in Research Psychology - Distinction
  2010–2013
• BSc: Psychology First Class Honours
  2006–2009

My current research project focuses on how attending to the body during and after physical activities effects interoception, utilising physiological, behavioural and psychometric measures, including EEG methods.  This project is supervised by Dr Lara Maister and is further supported by Dr Andrew Cooke and Dr Germano Galliccio via an internship collaboration funded by HEFCW. 

My intention is to contribute to the field of research developing interoceptive awareness interventions, to help manage (or even re-associate) unpleasant bodily symptoms of mental health disorders, i.e. anxiety, depression, PTSD.  Predictive coding theories of interoception and principles of interoceptive exposure are a key focus.

Previous research projects have included developing a curriculum of Interoceptive Awareness Opportunities for use within Outdoor Education for children with a history of complex trauma.  This project was supervised by Dr Lara Maister and Dr Dawn Wimpory.  [Commissioned and funded by Afon Goch Children's Homes Ltd.] 

2023

• PublishedCan attentional focus and physical exertion affect interoception?
  Forster, K., Maister, L., Wimpory, D., Cooke, A. & Gallicchio, G., 28 Jun 2023.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster
• Published‘Interoceptive Awareness Opportunities’ during Outdoor Education for children with a history of complex trauma.
  Forster, K., Maister, L. & Wimpory, D., 21 Dec 2023, In: International Journal of Adventure Therapy.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2022

• PublishedInteroceptive Awareness Opportunities during Outdoor Education: Developing an Adventure Therapy programme for children with a history of complex trauma
  Forster, K., Maister, L. & Wimpory, D., 18 Jul 2022.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
• PublishedRhythmic Relating: Bidirectional Support for Social Timing in Autism Therapies.
  Daniel, S., Wimpory, D., Delafield-Butt, J. T., Malloch, S., Holck, U., Geretsegger, M., Tortora, S., Osborne, N., Schögler, B., Koch, S., Elias Masiques, J., Howarth, M.-C., Dunbar, P., Swan, K., Rochat, M. J., Scholchtermeier, R., Forster, K. & Amos, P., 16 May 2022, In: Frontiers in Psychology. 13, 32 p., 793258.
  Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2020

• PublishedEffects of Intra-Subject Variation in Gait Analysis on ASD Classification Performance in Machine Learning Models
  Henderson, B., Pratheepan, Y., Gardiner, B., McGinnity, T. M., Forster, K., Nicholas, B., Wimpory, D. & Wanigasinghe, J., Jun 2020, 2020 31st Irish Signals and Systems Conference (ISSC), Letterkenny, Ireland. IEEE, 6 p.
  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

2013

• Published‘Gait analysis in Autism: A potential diagnostic tool'
  Wimpory, D. & Forster, K., 2013.
  Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster

Received internship grant from Higher Education Council for Wales to run the project "Can attentional focus and physical exertion affect interoception?"

Received British Psychological Society Beatrice Egdell Prize to fund my attendance at the International Adventure Therapy Conference.

I enjoy outdoor activities, exercise, yoga and meditation. These interests have been a source of personal inspiration for research relating to interoception, for instance how physical exercise and somatic self-awareness can be utilised to benefit mental health.