Nursing and Human Sciences

Biographical Details:

Dr. Anne Walsh-Daneshmandi (PhD. DipStat, BSc. (Hons)) first joined the academic community in DCU in September 2003, in the role of part-time lecturer in Psychology on the BSc. in Nursing Programme. Subsequently, she was appointed to a full-time post in Mental Health Nursing in February 2004. In addition to her contribution to the BSc programme Anne also supervises on taught research programmes, BNS and MSc. in Counselling and Integrative Psychotherapy. Anne trained as a Psychiatric Nurse in the late 1970¿s and worked in a variety of care settings in both the private and public sectors. In addition to her nursing work she was an active volunteer in the Mental Health Association during the mid 1980¿s. In addition to her advocacy work in the area of mental health, her volunteer work involves community development work, particularly in the area of environment and health. In the 1990¿s Anne embarked on a third-level education path and was awarded a BSc.(Hons) from UCD and a Ph.D. from TCD through the Department of Psychology. Her doctoral thesis focused on two areas of special interest to her: Mental Health and the Environment. The title of her thesis is: ¿Environmental Philosophy, Threat and Well-Being¿. (Dept. of Psychology, TCD; 2002). While reading for her doctorate Anne taught several courses in the health science field including Health Psychology, Statistics and Research Methodology. Subsequently, her work as a post-doctoral teaching fellow (at TCD, Dept. of Psychology) included the development and delivery of a BA course entitled ¿Environmental Psychology¿, the first of it¿s kind in Ireland. Anne has a strong research track record and her work has been published in peer reviewed publications and presented at both national and international conferences within Psychology and Nursing.

Research Interests:

Research interests focus on the psycho-social, political, environmental and cultural context of mental health and mental health nursing. Four main areas can be defined. Firstly, the area of Environment and Psychological health currently relates to theoretical and applied development of the landscape defining the interplay of these two constructs. Secondly, the focus on Mental Health nursing is expressed in the exploration of Nursing Documentation and decision making in the nursing process. Thirdly, the socio-political context includes an interest in Health Care user advocacy, including rights-based health care delivery. The fourth area includes the psycho-social implications of intellectual and physical challenges for the individual and society.

Selected Peer Reviewed Journals

• Walsh-Daneshmandi, A., & MacLachlan, M. 2004. Psychometric evaluation of the CHEAKS. Journal Of Environmental Education, In review,
• Walsh-Daneshmandi, A., & MacLachlan, M. 2000. Environmental Risk to the Self: Factor Analysis and Development of Subscales for the Environmental Appraisal Inventory (EAI) with and Irish Sample. Journal Of Environmental Psychology, 20(1),, pp141-149.

Selected Chapters

• MacNeela, P., Scott, P.A., Matthews, A., Corbally, M., Walsh-Daneshmandi, A., Gallagher, P. 2005. Empowerment, job satisfaction and organisational commitment among the nursing workforce in Ireland: Results of a national study. Korunka, C. & Hoffmann, P. (eds.) Change and Quality in Human Service Work (Organisational Psychology and Health Care, Volume 4. Series editors: J.M. Peiro & W. Schaufeli). Munich: Hampp Publishers.

• Walsh-Daneshmandi, A., O'Regan, M., & MacLachlan, M., Testing an Individual Psycho-Ecological Carrying Capacity (IPECC) hypothesis., 5th European Congress on Psychology, 1997, - , Dublin, Ireland.
• Walsh-Daneshmandi, A., & MacLachlan, M., Is environmental awareness good for your health? Testing an environmental-load hypothesis., 10th European Health Psychology EHPS Conference, (1996)., - , Dublin, Ireland.
• Walsh-Daneshmandi, A., Measuring 'Environment-Self' Threat: Factor analysis of the EAI., PSI Annual Conference, (1998), - , Kilkenny, Ireland.
• Walsh-Daneshmandi, A., Environmental Psychology in Ireland: Is it a myth., PSI Annual Conference, (2001), - , Westport, Ireland.
• Walsh-Daneshmandi, A., Scott, P. A., Treacey, M. P., Mac Neela, P., Corbally, M., Henry, P., Hyde, A., Butler, M., Irving, K., Byrne, A. , Mental Health Nurses Contribution to Care in Ireland , 8th Nursing Research Conference (2004), - , Seville, Spain
• Walsh-Daneshmandi, A., Relationships between ecological concern and well-being., PSI Annual Conference, (1996)., - , Waterford, Ireland.