Staff profile

I am social/health/personality psychologist interested in the factors that create risk or resilience for health and well-being. I have a particular interest in the how self-regulation (how we manage and direct our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours to reach our goals) can impact health and well-being and the factors and qualities that contour people’s capacities to self-regulate. 

I joined Durham University as a Professor in Social and Health Psychology in May 2022, and was previously a Professor at the University of Sheffield. Prior to arriving in the UK in 2015, I was a Canada Research Chair and the Co-ordinator of the multidisciplinary Psychological Health and Well-being Research cluster at Bishop’s University (2010-2015).

I am passionate about communicating the results of psychological science with the public so that research is accessible and impactful beyond academia. To this end, I regularly engage with the public, media, and journalists about research on health and well-being. You can read some of the articles that I have written for The Conversation here.

• Adjustment to chronic health conditions
• Counterfactual thinking
• Emotion regulation
• Health behaviours
• Loneliness and meaningful relationships
• Personality and health-related outcomes
• Positive psychology, esp. self-compassion and gratitude
• Time perspective and temporal thinking

Edited book

• Procrastination, Health, and Well-Being
  Sirois, F. M., & Pychyl, T. A. (Eds.). (2016). Procrastination, Health, and Well-Being. https://doi.org/10.1016/c2014-0-03741-0
• Perfectionism, Health, and Well-Being
  Sirois, F. M., & Molnar, D. M. (Eds.). (2016). Perfectionism, Health, and Well-Being. Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18582-8

Journal Article

• A meta‐analysis of self‐compassion and attachment in adults
  Hill, C., Vasiliou, V. S., Sirois, F. M., Hughes, O., & Thompson, A. R. (online). A meta‐analysis of self‐compassion and attachment in adults. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12590
• Assessing moral injury in health care workers living in secular societies: Introducing the Health care‐Moral Injury Scale (HMIS)
  Fradley, K., Sirois, F., Bentall, R., Ray, J., Bishop, R., Wadsley, J., & Danson, S. (2025). Assessing moral injury in health care workers living in secular societies: Introducing the Health care‐Moral Injury Scale (HMIS). British Journal of Health Psychology, 30(3), Article e12810. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12810
• Gratitude and sleep disturbance in primary care patients: the mediating roles of health self-efficacy, health behaviors, and psychological distress
  Altier, H. R., Hirsch, J. K., Weber, A., Kohls, N., Schelling, J., Sirois, F. M., Toussaint, L. L., & Offenbächer, M. (2025). Gratitude and sleep disturbance in primary care patients: the mediating roles of health self-efficacy, health behaviors, and psychological distress. Frontiers in Sleep, 4, https://doi.org/10.3389/frsle.2025.1459854
• A multi‐centre prospective cohort study investigating the roles of psychological flexibility and self‐compassion in appearance concerns after burn injuries
  Shepherd, L., Sirois, F. M., Harcourt, D., Norman, P., Aaron, D., Adkins, K., Cartwright, A., Hodgkinson, E., Murphy, N., & Thompson, A. R. (2025). A multi‐centre prospective cohort study investigating the roles of psychological flexibility and self‐compassion in appearance concerns after burn injuries. British Journal of Health Psychology, 30(1), Article e12754. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12754
• Profiles of well-being and their associations with self-forgiveness, forgiveness of others, and gratitude among patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.
  Charzyńska, E., Offenbächer, M., Halverson, K., Hirsch, J. K., Kohls, N., Hanshans, C., Sirois, F., & Toussaint, L. (2025). Profiles of well-being and their associations with self-forgiveness, forgiveness of others, and gratitude among patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. British Journal of Health Psychology, 30(1), Article e12749. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12749
• Self‐compassion and psychological distress in chronic illness: A meta‐analysis
  Baxter, R., & Sirois, F. M. (2025). Self‐compassion and psychological distress in chronic illness: A meta‐analysis. British Journal of Health Psychology, 30(1), Article e12761. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12761
• A scoping review of the qualitative literature reporting experiences of living with a stoma for inflammatory bowel disease
  Essex, R., Booth, L., Sirois, F., Burch, J., & Dibley, L. (2025). A scoping review of the qualitative literature reporting experiences of living with a stoma for inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 81(1), 53-68. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16254
• Early appearance concerns after burns: Investigating the roles of psychological flexibility and self-compassion
  Shepherd, L., Sirois, F., Harcourt, D., Norman, P., & Thompson, A. R. (2024). Early appearance concerns after burns: Investigating the roles of psychological flexibility and self-compassion. Body Image, 51, Article 101797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101797
• The acceptability of early psychological interventions for adults with appearance concerns after burns
  Shepherd, L., Sirois, F., Harcourt, D., Norman, P., & Thompson, A. R. (2024). The acceptability of early psychological interventions for adults with appearance concerns after burns. Burns, 50(8), 2103-2113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.burns.2024.07.038
• Procrastination and Health in Nurses: Investigating the Roles of Stress, Health Behaviours and Social Support
  Sirois, F. M., & Biskas, M. (2024). Procrastination and Health in Nurses: Investigating the Roles of Stress, Health Behaviours and Social Support. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(7), Article 898. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070898
• Adverse Childhood Experiences and Autism: A Meta-Analysis.
  Hartley, G., Sirois, F., Purrington, J., & Rabey, Y. (2024). Adverse Childhood Experiences and Autism: A Meta-Analysis. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 25(3), 2297 - 2315. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231213314
• AB0130 PROFILES OF WELL-BEING AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH SELF-FORGIVENESS, FORGIVENESS OF OTHERS, AND GRATITUDE AMONG PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC AND MUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASES
  Charzyńska, E., Offenbächer, M., Halverson, K., Hirsch, J., Kohls, N., Hanshans, C., Sirois, F., & Toussaint, L. (2024). AB0130 PROFILES OF WELL-BEING AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH SELF-FORGIVENESS, FORGIVENESS OF OTHERS, AND GRATITUDE AMONG PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC AND MUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASES. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 83(1), 1298-1299. https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2024-eular.456
• A meta‐analysis of coping strategies and psychological distress in rheumatoid arthritis
  Hinch, R., & Sirois, F. M. (2024). A meta‐analysis of coping strategies and psychological distress in rheumatoid arthritis. British Journal of Health Psychology, 29(3), 771-787. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12726
• Does Psychoeducation Help People to Respond to Goal Lapses With Self-Compassion?
  Biskas, M., Sirois, F. M., & Webb, T. L. (2023). Does Psychoeducation Help People to Respond to Goal Lapses With Self-Compassion?. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 41(8), 839-851. https://doi.org/10.1177/07342829231189010
• Procrastination and health: A longitudinal test of the roles of stress and health behaviours
  Sirois, F. M., Stride, C. B., & Pychyl, T. A. (2023). Procrastination and health: A longitudinal test of the roles of stress and health behaviours. British Journal of Health Psychology, 28(3), 860-875. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12658
• The impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown on weight management practices in UK adults: A self-regulation perspective
  Genes, D., Sirois, F. M., & Buckland, N. J. (2023). The impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown on weight management practices in UK adults: A self-regulation perspective. Health Psychology Open, 10(2), https://doi.org/10.1177/20551029231214058
• Expectations Regarding Gastein Healing Gallery Treatment and Their Connection to Health-Related Quality of Life
  Toussaint, L., Huynh, K., Kohls, N., Sirois, F., Alberts, H., Hirsch, J., Hanshans, C., Nguyen, Q. A., van der Zee-Neuen, A., & Offenbaecher, M. (2023). Expectations Regarding Gastein Healing Gallery Treatment and Their Connection to Health-Related Quality of Life. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(7), Article 5426. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075426
• Web-Based Self-Compassion Training to Improve the Well-Being of Youth With Chronic Medical Conditions: Randomized Controlled Trial
  Finlay-Jones, A. L., Parkinson, A., Sirois, F., Perry, Y., Boyes, M., & Rees, C. S. (2023). Web-Based Self-Compassion Training to Improve the Well-Being of Youth With Chronic Medical Conditions: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e44016. https://doi.org/10.2196/44016
• Mental health burden for NHS healthcare staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: First results of a longitudinal survey
  Danson, S., Sirois, F., Fradley, K., Wadsley, J., Ray, J., Bishop, R., Horsman, J., Mann, C., Chantry-Groves, L., Young, M., & Bentall, R. (2023). Mental health burden for NHS healthcare staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: First results of a longitudinal survey. Heliyon, 9(3), Article e13765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13765
• A meta-analysis of loneliness and use of primary health care
  Sirois, F. M., & Owens, J. (2023). A meta-analysis of loneliness and use of primary health care. Health Psychology Review, 17(2), 193-210. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2021.1986417
• Loneliness and preferences for palatable foods: The role of coping
  Sirois, F. M., & Biskas, M. (2023). Loneliness and preferences for palatable foods: The role of coping. Current Research in Behavioural Sciences, 5, Article 100119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbeha.2023.100119
• The role of self‐compassion in the mental health of adults with ADHD
  Beaton, D. M., Sirois, F., & Milne, E. (2022). The role of self‐compassion in the mental health of adults with ADHD. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 78(12), 2497-2512. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23354
• Using social cognition models to understand why people, such as perfectionists, struggle to respond with self‐compassion
  Biskas, M., Sirois, F. M., & Webb, T. L. (2022). Using social cognition models to understand why people, such as perfectionists, struggle to respond with self‐compassion. British Journal of Social Psychology, 61(4), 1160-1182. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12531
• Experiences of criticism in adults with ADHD: A qualitative study
  Beaton, D. M., Sirois, F., & Milne, E. (2022). Experiences of criticism in adults with ADHD: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE, 17(2), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263366
• Understanding the effects of time perspective: A meta-analysis testing a self-regulatory framework.
  Baird, H. M., Webb, T. L., Sirois, F. M., & Gibson-Miller, J. (2021). Understanding the effects of time perspective: A meta-analysis testing a self-regulatory framework. Psychological Bulletin, 147(3), https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000313
• Adult attachment and Mindfulness: Examining directionality, causality, and theoretical implications
  Stevenson, J. C., Millings, A., Emerson, L.-M., Sirois, F., & Rowe, A. C. (2021). Adult attachment and Mindfulness: Examining directionality, causality, and theoretical implications. Journal of Research in Personality, 90, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2020.104043
• The prospective effects of self-compassion on depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress: A study in inflammatory bowel disease
  Trindade, I. A., & Sirois, F. M. (2021). The prospective effects of self-compassion on depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress: A study in inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110429
• A person-centred test of multidimensional perfectionism and health in people with chronic fatigue syndrome versus healthy controls
  Sirois, F. M., Toussaint, L., Hirsch, J. K., Kohls, N., & Offenbächer, M. (2021). A person-centred test of multidimensional perfectionism and health in people with chronic fatigue syndrome versus healthy controls. Personality and Individual Differences, 181, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.111036
• Neural basis responsible for self-control association with procrastination: Right MFC and bilateral OFC functional connectivity with left dlPFC
  Xu, T., Sirois, F. M., Zhang, L., Yu, Z., & Feng, T. (2021). Neural basis responsible for self-control association with procrastination: Right MFC and bilateral OFC functional connectivity with left dlPFC. Journal of Research in Personality, 91, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2021.104064
• Factors Associated With Psychological Distress in Health-Care Workers During an Infectious Disease Outbreak: A Rapid Systematic Review of the Evidence
  Sirois, F. M., & Owens, J. (2021). Factors Associated With Psychological Distress in Health-Care Workers During an Infectious Disease Outbreak: A Rapid Systematic Review of the Evidence. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.589545
• Neural connectome prospectively encodes the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom during the COVID-19 pandemic
  Chen, Z., Feng, P., Becker, B., Xu, T., Nassar, M. R., Sirois, F., Hommel, B., Zhang, C., He, Q., Qiu, J., He, L., Lei, X., Chen, H., & Feng, T. (2021). Neural connectome prospectively encodes the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neurobiology of Stress, 15, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100378
• A meta-analysis of parental multidimensional perfectionism and child psychological outcomes
  Lilley, C., Sirois, F., & Rowse, G. (2020). A meta-analysis of parental multidimensional perfectionism and child psychological outcomes. Personality and Individual Differences, 162, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110015
• The association between self-compassion and self-rated health in 26 samples
  Sirois, F. M. (2020). The association between self-compassion and self-rated health in 26 samples. BMC Public Health, 20(1), https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8183-1
• Self-compassion and Perceived Criticism in Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  Beaton, D. M., Sirois, F., & Milne, E. (2020). Self-compassion and Perceived Criticism in Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Mindfulness, 11(11), https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01464-w
• Neuroanatomical substrates accounting for the effect of present hedonistic time perspective on risk preference: the mediating role of right posterior parietal cortex
  Xu, T., Chen, Z., Sirois, F. M., Zhang, R., Yang, Y., & Feng, T. (2020). Neuroanatomical substrates accounting for the effect of present hedonistic time perspective on risk preference: the mediating role of right posterior parietal cortex. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 15(1), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-019-00251-z
• Emotional adaptation to relationship dissolution in parents and non-parents: A new conceptual model and measure
  Millings, A., Hirst, S. L., Sirois, F., & Houlston, C. (2020). Emotional adaptation to relationship dissolution in parents and non-parents: A new conceptual model and measure. PLoS ONE, 15(10), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239712
• Sleeping perfectly? Trait perfectionism, perceived stress, and sleep quality
  Molnar, D. S., Janssen, W. F., & Sirois, F. M. (2020). Sleeping perfectly? Trait perfectionism, perceived stress, and sleep quality. Personality and Individual Differences, 167, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110244
• Trait procrastination undermines outcome and efficacy expectancies for achieving health-related possible selves
  Sirois, F. M. (2019). Trait procrastination undermines outcome and efficacy expectancies for achieving health-related possible selves. Current Psychology, 40(8), https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00338-2
• Development and validation of the General Procrastination Scale (GPS-9): A short and reliable measure of trait procrastination
  Sirois, F. M., Yang, S., & van Eerde, W. (2019). Development and validation of the General Procrastination Scale (GPS-9): A short and reliable measure of trait procrastination. Personality and Individual Differences, 146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.03.039
• Examining the factor structure of the Self-Compassion Scale in 20 diverse samples: Support for use of a total score and six subscale scores.
  Neff, K. D., Tóth-Király, I., Yarnell, L. M., Arimitsu, K., Castilho, P., Ghorbani, N., Guo, H. X., Hirsch, J. K., Hupfeld, J., Hutz, C. S., Kotsou, I., Lee, W. K., Montero-Marin, J., Sirois, F. M., de Souza, L. K., Svendsen, J. L., Wilkinson, R. B., & Mantzios, M. (2019). Examining the factor structure of the Self-Compassion Scale in 20 diverse samples: Support for use of a total score and six subscale scores. Psychological Assessment, 31(1), https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000629
• “At least David Cameron resigned”: The protective effects of just-world beliefs for counterfactual thinking after Brexit
  Sirois, F. M., & Iyer, A. (2018). “At least David Cameron resigned”: The protective effects of just-world beliefs for counterfactual thinking after Brexit. Personality and Individual Differences, 121, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.09.015
• Giving in when feeling less good: Procrastination, action control, and social temptations
  Sirois, F. M., & Giguère, B. (2018). Giving in when feeling less good: Procrastination, action control, and social temptations. British Journal of Social Psychology, 57(2), https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12243
• Self-compassion Improves Parental Well-being in Response to Challenging Parenting Events
  Sirois, F. M., Bögels, S., & Emerson, L.-M. (2018). Self-compassion Improves Parental Well-being in Response to Challenging Parenting Events. The Journal of Psychology, 153(3), https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.2018.1523123
• The Relationship Between a Balanced Time Perspective and Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose Among People With Type 1 Diabetes
  Baird, H. M., Webb, T. L., Martin, J., & Sirois, F. M. (2018). The Relationship Between a Balanced Time Perspective and Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose Among People With Type 1 Diabetes. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 53(2), https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kay028