Personal statement

I am a Senior Lecturer and Module Leader in Clinical Psychology. This module has a specific emphasis on providing multidisciplinary care to individuals with mental health conditions via group and community-based interventions. I am also involved in teaching Counselling Psychology and the Dissertation Module.

My research focuses on social determinants of health and minority groups, and on developing community interventions to recover from sociocultural trauma. I use art-based methodologies, including storytelling and artmaking, to foster resilience in vulnerable groups. I also have a research interest in the use of Narrative Therapy to support individuals who have been affected by multiple levels of trauma, including forced migrants and survivors of domestic abuse, and those affected by the intersection of risk factors and living with HIV.

I am a Leader for the Mental Health, Wellbeing and Research Centre. 

I am the Academic Staff Representativve for the Research Ethics Committee at Bath Spa University

Doctoral supervision

I am part of the supervision team for three doctoral students:

  • Husam Abbed: Substituting the absent body: Object theatre and puppetry for refugee visibility.
  • Cara Smith: The effectiveness of puppetry in supporting the well-being of children with disabilities.
  • Lisa Conlan: Investigating the design of art projects to support the well-being, resilience, and integration of refugees.

 

Academic qualifications

  • PhD National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
  • MA University of Palermo, Italy
  • University of Palermo, Italy

Professional memberships

  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • Member of the Athena Network (supports migrants' mental health)

Other external roles

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

Conducting individual semi-structured interviews with male refugees on their mental health and integration
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Vitale, A and Ryde, J (2018) 'Conducting individual semi-structured interviews with male refugees on their mental health and integration.' In: SAGE Research Methods Cases. Sage.

A liminal lens on integrating refugees into the workplace: conceptualising a theoretical model
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Loon, M and Vitale, A (2021) 'A liminal lens on integrating refugees into the workplace: conceptualising a theoretical model.' Human Resource Management Journal, 31 (4). pp. 1082-1104. ISSN 0954-5395

Exploring the effectiveness of the Tree of Life in promoting the therapeutic growth of refugee women living with HIV
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Vitale, A, Khawaja, N.G and Ryde, J (2019) 'Exploring the effectiveness of the Tree of Life in promoting the therapeutic growth of refugee women living with HIV.' The Arts in Psychotherapy, 66. e101602. ISSN 0197-4556

Exploring risk factors affecting the mental health of refugee women living with HIV
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Vitale, A and Ryde, J (2018) 'Exploring risk factors affecting the mental health of refugee women living with HIV.' International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15 (10). p. 2326. ISSN 1661-7827

Promoting male refugees’ mental health after they have been granted Leave to Remain (refugee status)
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Vitale, A and Ryde, J (2016) 'Promoting male refugees’ mental health after they have been granted Leave to Remain (refugee status).' International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 18 (2). pp. 106-125. ISSN 2049-8543

Irish General Practitioner referrals to psychological therapies
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Cullinan, V, Veale, A and Vitale, A (2015) 'Irish General Practitioner referrals to psychological therapies.' Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 33 (2). pp. 73-80. ISSN 0790-9667

Promoting mental health through multidisciplinary care: experience of health professionals working in community mental health teams in Ireland
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Vitale, A, Mannix-McNamara, P and Cullinan, V (2015) 'Promoting mental health through multidisciplinary care: experience of health professionals working in community mental health teams in Ireland.' International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 17 (4). pp. 188-200. ISSN 1462-3730

Promoting mental health through multidisciplinary care: service users' experience in Ireland
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Vitale, A and Mannix-McNamara, P (2013) 'Promoting mental health through multidisciplinary care: service users' experience in Ireland.' International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 15 (3). pp. 134-147. ISSN 2049-8543

Facilitating responding in accordance with the relational frame of comparison II: methodological analyses.
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Vitale, A, Campbell, C, Barnes-Holmes, Y and Barnes-Holmes, D (2012) 'Facilitating responding in accordance with the relational frame of comparison II: methodological analyses.' The Psychological Record, 62 (4). pp. 663-675. ISSN 0033-2933

Experiences of clients who have made the transition from the psychiatric hospital to community service provision: a phenomenological approach
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Mannix-McNamara, P, Carew Eichholz, E, Vitale, A and Jourdan, D (2012) 'Experiences of clients who have made the transition from the psychiatric hospital to community service provision: a phenomenological approach.' International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 14 (1). pp. 44-56. ISSN 1462-3730

Using computerized procedures for testing and training abstract comparative relations
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Vitale, A and Cullinan, V (2009) 'Using computerized procedures for testing and training abstract comparative relations.' Proceedings of the 21st Annual Meeting of the Psychology of Programming Interest Group.

Facilitating responding in accordance with the relational frame of comparison: systematic empirical analyses
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Vitale, A, Barnes-Holmes, Y, Barnes-Holmes, D and Campbell, C (2008) 'Facilitating responding in accordance with the relational frame of comparison: systematic empirical analyses.' The Psychological Record, 58 (3). pp. 365-390. ISSN 0033-2933

The contribution of relational frame theory to the development of interventions for impairments of language and cognition
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Vitale, A and Cullinan, V (2008) 'The contribution of relational frame theory to the development of interventions for impairments of language and cognition.' Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Behaviour Analysis (SLP-ABA), 2-3 (4-1). pp. 122-135. ISSN 1932-4731

The effectiveness of COURAGE in promoting the mental health of domestic abuse survivors
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Vitale, A and Enright, E (2024) The effectiveness of COURAGE in promoting the mental health of domestic abuse survivors. In: 33rd International Congress of Psychology (ICP), 21 - 26 July 2024, Prague, Czech Republic.

Using art-based group interventions to support refugees affected by sociocultural trauma
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Vitale, A (2023) Using art-based group interventions to support refugees affected by sociocultural trauma. In: Queensland Transcultural MHPN, 29 August 2023, Brisbane, Australia.

The effectiveness of narrative therapy interventions to support migrants’ mental health
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Vitale, A (2021) The effectiveness of narrative therapy interventions to support migrants’ mental health. In: 11th International Congress on Migration and Mental Health, 30 - 31 October 2021, Bath Spa University, UK [online].

Using the arts to promote health, healing, and inclusion for migrants and refugees
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Vitale, A (2021) Using the arts to promote health, healing, and inclusion for migrants and refugees. In: Culture, Health and Wellbeing International Conference, 21 - 23 June 2021, Arts & Health South West, Exeter, UK [online].

Supporting community engagement and action-based research on the wellbeing and integration of refugees
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McGuire-Snieckus, R and Vitale, A (2019) Supporting community engagement and action-based research on the wellbeing and integration of refugees. In: VIII Congress Migration & Mental Health: Gender, Place & Identity, 11 October 2019, SUNY New Paltz, New York, USA.

Exploring the effectiveness of the Tree of Life in supporting the mental health of refugee women living with HIV: a case study approach
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Vitale, A, Ryde, J and Khawaja, N (2019) Exploring the effectiveness of the Tree of Life in supporting the mental health of refugee women living with HIV: a case study approach. In: 7th Biennial ESDT Conference - The Legacy of Trauma and Disassociation: Body and Mind in a New Perspective, 24 - 26 October 2019, Rome, Italy.

Arts against racism and borders
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Holbourne, Z, Vitale, A and Ryde, J (2019) Arts against racism and borders. In: Migration Mobilities Bristol Events Series, 13 May 2019, University of Bristol, UK.

Exploring the effectiveness of a creative writing intervention to promote refugees’ integration and wellbeing
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Vitale, A, Filer, N, Ryde, J and Smart, A (2017) Exploring the effectiveness of a creative writing intervention to promote refugees’ integration and wellbeing. In: VI International Congress on Migration and Mental Health, 12 October 2017, Rathaus Pankow, Berlin, Germany.

The effectiveness of creative arts in the recovery of individuals affected by trauma
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Vitale, A (2017) The effectiveness of creative arts in the recovery of individuals affected by trauma. In: Culture, Health and Wellbeing International Conference, 19 - 21 June 2017, Bristol, UK.

The effect of prolonged violence in male and female refugees’ mental health and on their integration in the host country
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Vitale, A and El-Warari, A (2017) The effect of prolonged violence in male and female refugees’ mental health and on their integration in the host country. In: International Conference on Interpersonal Violence Interventions: Social and Cultural Perspectives, 14 -16 June 2017, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.

Nathan Filer and Agata Vitale
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Filer, N, Vitale, A and Hamblyn, R (2017) Nathan Filer and Agata Vitale. In: Writing Well and Writing to Get Well, 19 May 2017, Birkbeck School of Arts, London, UK.

The effect of cross-cultural trauma in young refugees
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Vitale, A (2016) The effect of cross-cultural trauma in young refugees. In: Theatre, Youth, Trauma and Europe in Crisis, 25 June 2016, Bath Spa University, Bath, UK.

Personality disorders in offenders
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Vitale, A (2016) Personality disorders in offenders. In: Criminal Research: Writing Wrongs in Creative Arts in Prisons, 23 June 2016, Bath Spa University, Bath, UK.

Evaluating the effectiveness of cross-cultural theories on trauma treatment
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Vitale, A (2016) Evaluating the effectiveness of cross-cultural theories on trauma treatment. In: ESTD Conference: Trauma, Dissociation and Affect Dysregulation Across the Life-Span, 14 - 16 April 2016, de Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Refugees' multiple levels of stress in resettling in the UK
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Vitale, A (2015) Refugees' multiple levels of stress in resettling in the UK. In: IV International Mental Migrant Health Congress, 17 October 2015, SOAS, University of London, UK.

Male refugees and psychotherapists’ perspective on vulnerability factors after being granted Leave to Remain (refugee status) in the UK
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Vitale, A and Ryde, J (2015) Male refugees and psychotherapists’ perspective on vulnerability factors after being granted Leave to Remain (refugee status) in the UK. In: The European Conference on Psychology and the Behavioral Sciences, 6-8 July 2015, Brighton, UK.

Analyzing the experience of male refugees who have been recently granted Leave to Remain: a qualitative study
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Vitale, A and Ryde, J (2015) Analyzing the experience of male refugees who have been recently granted Leave to Remain: a qualitative study. In: Realizing the Potential of Cultural Diversity in the Society and at the Workplace: The 9th Biennial Congress of the International Academy for Intercultural Research (IAIR), 28 June - 2 July 2015, University of Bergen, Norway.

Differences between placement and non-placement students: a mixed methods approach
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McGuire-Snieckus, R, Markopoulos, G, Coombs, M, Stevens, D, Vitale, A and Wainwright, E (2014) Differences between placement and non-placement students: a mixed methods approach. In: BPS (British Psychological Society) Mathematical, Statistical and Computing Psychology Section: Scientific Meeting, 13 December 2014, Keele University, Keele, UK.

Service users’ experiences of enhancing their mental well-being through Community Mental Health Teams in Ireland
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Vitale, A and Mannix-McNamara, P (2014) Service users’ experiences of enhancing their mental well-being through Community Mental Health Teams in Ireland. In: The 8th World Congress on the Promotion of Mental Health and the Prevention of Mental and Behavioural Disorders, 24-26 September 2014, Imperial College, London.

Mental health professionals’ experience of providing multidisciplinary care in Community Mental Health Teams in Ireland
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Vitale, A and Mannix-McNamara, P (2014) Mental health professionals’ experience of providing multidisciplinary care in Community Mental Health Teams in Ireland. In: International Congress of Applied Psychology, 8-13 July 2014, Paris, France.

From the institutional to community-residential care: a journey towards clients’ empowerment in mental health care
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Vitale, A, Mannix McNamara, P and Carew-Eichholz, E (2010) From the institutional to community-residential care: a journey towards clients’ empowerment in mental health care. In: 20th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion and Education, 11-15 July 2010, Geneva, Switzerland.

Exploring the role of multidisciplinarity in the development of clients’ voice
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Vitale, A and Mannix-McNamara, P (2010) Exploring the role of multidisciplinarity in the development of clients’ voice. In: 20th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion and Education, 11-15 July 2010, Geneva, Switzerland.

Other publications and talks

  • Vitale, A. (2017). 'How using paint, pen on paper or song to revisit trauma helps us put it in the past', The Conversation.
  • Vitale, A (2018). 'En finir avec les traumatismes grace a' la peinture, l'ecriture ou chanson', The Conversation (French Edition).
  • Vitale, A. (2023). Cross-cultural trauma and art-based interventions. Department of Psychology, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
  • Vitale, A. (2022). Social Determinants of Health. Department of Public Health, University of Begen, Bergen, Norway.
  • Vitale, A. (2022). Cross-cultural interventions and narrative therapy. Department of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
  • Vitale A. (2022). What’s racial trauma? What can we do about it? Black History Month, Bath Spa University.
  • Vitale A. (2023). Workshop on narrative therapy delivered to visiting colleagues of Save the Children, Ukraine, Bath Spa University. 
  • Vitale A. (2023) The ethics of conducting research with vulnerable groups. Invited talk to ACE Doctoral Training Research Training Methodologies, University of West England, Bristol, UK.