About
Research
Email: gayani.gamage@stmarys.ac.uk
Tel: 020 8240 4277
Biography
|
Gayani is a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol.) and she joined St Mary’s in March 2023 as a Lecturer in psychology. She completed her BSc (Hons) in Psychology at City University and MSc in Health Psychology from London Metropolitan University. She obtained her PhD from the University of East London in 2011 investigating the role of health message framing and issue involvement on physical activity promotion.
She began her academic career as a Lecturer in psychology at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka (2012-2015) and was appointed as the founding Head of the Department of Psychology and Counselling at the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) in 2017. In 2018, she led her resource team to develop and launch the first distance learning BSc (Hons) psychology degree at the Open University of Sri Lanka and the University Counselling Centre which is administered by the psychology department. She has contributed to numerous initiatives of developing psychology education and application in Sri Lanka such as:
- National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) and National Palliative Care Programme
- National Child Protection Authority (NCPA)
- Postgraduate Institute of Medicine (Mental Health modules)
- University of Colombo (MPhil in Clinical Psychology)
- University of Moratuwa (Psychology elective module)
- Reviewer for National and International Conferences held in Sri Lanka.
Academic & Teaching responsibilities
Gayani's academic and teaching responsibilities include:
- PSY6035-Health Psychology (Module Convener)
- PSY6037-Counselling Psychology (Module Convener)
- PSY6030-Independent Research Project (Dissertation supervisor)
- PMH7025- Psychological Interventions in Mental Health (Module Convener)
- PMH7012- Independent Project (Supervisor)
Professional memberships
Gayani's professional memberships include:
- British Psychological Society (BPS)
- BPS Division of Health Psychology (DHP)
|
Research
Research profile
Research interests
Gayani's research profile and full list of publications can be viewed on ResearchGate. The research areas of interest to Gayani include:
- Health promotion
- Mental health stigma
- Palliative care
- Lived experiences
Conference presentations
- De Silva, G.N.J. & Gamage, G.P. (July 2022). Queen of Hearts: The Lived Experiences of Mothers of Infant Complex Congenital Heart Disease Patients in Sri Lanka. Oral Presentation at the BPS Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, Bristol, UK (28th July-29th July 2022).
- Boralessa, P. T. D. S. & Gamage, G.P. (2021). The Impact of Language Use in Relation to Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness among Psychiatric Out-Patients in Colombo District Hospitals. Online presentation at BPS Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference (Virtual Conference on 29th-30th June 2021).
Poster presentations
- Wijekoon, H.M.R.U. & Gamage, G.P. (July 2022) Depression and Anxiety among patients with Psoriasis and their quality of life: A Sri Lankan perspective. Poster selected for the BPS Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, Bristol, UK (28th July-29th July 2022).
- Jayawardana, H.K.H. & Gamage, G.P. (2019). Mental Health Care Provision for School going Adolescents in Colombo: A School Counsellor’s perspective. Poster presented at BPS Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, Manchester, UK (10th-11th July 2019).
Journal publications
- Jayawardena, H.K.H. & Gamage, G.P. (2021). Exploring challenges in mental health service provisions for school-going adolescents in Sri Lanka, School Psychology International.
- Gamage, G.P. & Herath, H.M.C.J. (2021). Mental health of undergraduate distance learners: a cross sectional study, Asian Association of Open Universities Journal.
- Randeniya, D & Gamage, G.P. (2019). A Review Study on Attitudes of Sri Lankan Undergraduates towards Gender Based Violence, VISTAS, Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 12(1), pp.1-16.
Other publications
- Gamage, G.P., De Zoysa, P., Rajasuriya, M. & Rathnayake, A. (2022). Effective communication in Palliative care (pp.7-13). In Palliative care for Cancer patients in Primary Health Care: A Guide for Health Care Professionals (2nd Edition). National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka.
- Gamage, G.P., Rajasuriya, M., De Zoysa, P.T., Randenikumara, S., Anthony, C.M.A. (2022). Managing Loss, Grief and Bereavement during Palliative Care (pp.87-91). In Palliative care for cancer patients in Primary Health Care: A Guide for Health Care Professionals (2nd Edition). National Cancer Control Programme, Ministry of Health Sri Lanka.