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Dr. Margaret Lawler

Assistant Professor (Occupational Therapy)
      
Profile Photo

Dr. Margaret Lawler

Assistant Professor (Occupational Therapy)

 lawlerm1@tcd.ie

 


Dr Margaret Lawler is an Assistant Professor in Psychology at the School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin. Margaret's research spans psychology and public health, focusing on the social contexts that shape adolescent health behaviours and wellbeing, and the role of physical activity in enhancing mental health. Margaret is currently leading a cross-university collaboration investigating the effects of social connection, physical activity, and coping behaviours on students' perceived stress and mental wellbeing (Funded by TCD Research Boost Award, 2024). Margaret has also led quantitative and qualitative research projects exploring the suitability and acceptability of social prescribing for supporting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing. These projects were funded by an IRC New Foundations Award (2022) and TCD MED Research Seed Award (2022). Prior to taking up her academic post, Margaret completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in the School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, which involved delivering, implementing, and evaluating community-based peer-led health behaviour change interventions for at-risk adolescents in marginalised communities. Margaret's PhD, funded by a Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship, explored the psychosocial predictors of adolescents' physical activity patterns and behaviour change over one year. Margaret holds a Bachelor's degree in Sport Science and Health (1st Class Hons) from Dublin City University, a Graduate Higher Diploma in Psychology (1st Class Hons), Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics, and a Structured PhD in Child and Youth Research (Psychology) from Trinity College Dublin. Margaret is a Chartered Health Psychologist of the Psychological Society of Ireland and a member of the European Health Psychology Society. She is an editorial board member for the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity and a member of the All Ireland Social Prescribing Network Research and Evaluation Committee.
  Applied Psychology   Behaviour Change   BODY IMAGE   CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE   Developmental Psychology   Health Psychology   Latent Class Analysis   Mindfulness   MOTIVATION   motivational interview   PHYSICAL ACTIVITY   SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY   SPORT
Project Title
 The effects of social connection and physical activity on perceived stress, coping, and wellbeing of university students. A latent profile analysis
From
01/09/2024
To
31/08/2025
Summary
Funding Agency
TCD Research Boost Award
Project Type
Quantitative Online Survey
Person Months
12
Project Title
 Exploration of suitability and acceptability of social prescribing for adolescents and young adults with cancer
From
16/12/2022
To
31/12/2024
Summary
The social and emotional needs of Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with cancer differ from those of children and older adults and are often not met by paediatric or adult services. Social prescribing (SP), a community-based service that connects people to various activities and supports in the community, has positive health benefits for adults with health difficulties. However, research is needed to determine if SP is suitable for AYA living with cancer. This research will therefore explore the acceptability of SP as a support mechanism for AYA with cancer. Findings could inform development of future services for AYA with cancer.
Funding Agency
Irish Research Council
Programme
IRC New Foundations Award
Project Type
Qualitative
Person Months
12
Project Title
 Social Prescribing for at-risk Adolescents
From
03/03/2022
To
31/-3/2023
Summary
This project explored perspectives on social prescribing for children among 237 healthcare professionals' and 40 link workers' across Ireland and the UK.
Funding Agency
TCD MED Seed Awards 2022
Programme
TCD MED Seed Awards 2022
Project Type
Cross-sectional online survey
Person Months
12
Project Title
 Exploring the suitability and acceptability of social prescribing for men with prostate cancer
From
31 July 2022
To
1 August 2023
Summary
Funding Agency
Trinity St. James's Cancer Institute (TSJCI)
Programme
TSJCI Cancer Research Stimulus Awards
Project Title
 Peer-to-peer motivational interview intervention for smoking, alcohol and physical activity among at-risk adolescents in low SES communities: A feasibility trial.
From
01/03/2017
To
28/02/2020
Summary
Postdoctoral Researcher.(PI: Prof. David Hevey). https://www.hrb.ie/funding/funding-awarded/awards-made/award/peer-to-peer-motivational-interview-intervention-for-smoking-alcohol-and-physical-activity-among-at-3/
Funding Agency
Medical Research Charities Group and Health Research Board
Programme
Joint Funding Award

Page 1 of 2
Details Date
Invited External Grant Reviewer - Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada 2025
Editorial Board Member - International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2022 - Present
Invited Peer Reviewer for several high impact journals in Psychology and Health. Please see https://publons.com/researcher/4433907/margaret-lawler/.
Invited External Grant Reviewer - Rethink Ireland Sport and Wellness Fund (50,000+) 2024
Invited External Grant Reviewer - Rethink Ireland HeadStart Fund (3,000,000 euro) 2023
Invited Research Advisory Board Member for The Gaelic Games Youth Participation Study, a large-scale all-Ireland survey led by the Gaelic Athletic Association 2022
Ordinary Committee Member- Division of Health Psychology, Psychological Society of Ireland 2022
Research and Postgraduate Committee - Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, TCD. 2021 to Present
Ordinary Committee Member - Women in Research Ireland (WIRI) 2020
Details Date From Date To
Chartered Health Psychologist of the Psychological Society of Ireland 2022 Present
Division of Health Psychology (Psychological Society of Ireland) 2021 Present
European Health Psychology Society 2021 Present
International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2022 2023
Lawler, Margaret & Nixon, Elizabeth, Latent profile analysis of adolescents" physical activity motivation: A Self-Determination Theory approach, 38th Annual Conference of the European Health Psychology Society, Cascais, Portugal, 3-6 September 2024, 2024, Conference Paper, PUBLISHED  URL
Connolly H, Delimata N, Galway K, Kiely Lawler M, Mulholland J, O'Grady M, Connolly D., Exploration of Evaluation Practices in Social Prescribing Services in Ireland: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study, Healthcare, 12, (2), 2024, p219 - 229, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  Other  Other
Horgan, Peter; Donnelly, Paul; Lane, Aoife; McKay, Michael; O'Brien, Wesley; Lawler, Margaret; Donoghue, Kevin; Fogarty, Niamh; Harmon, William; Heffernan, James., Youth Participation in Gaelic games: A State of Play Review, EASM 2023 CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, 31st European Association for Sport Management Conference, Belfast, Northern Ireland,, 12-15 September 2023, 202, 2023, pp387 - 388, Oral Presentation, PUBLISHED  URL
Lawler, M., Heary, C. & Nixon, E., Irish adolescents' perspectives on the factors influencing motivation in team sport, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 13, (6), 2021, p1503 - 1516, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Lawler, M., Heary, C., Shorter, G., .& Nixon, E., Peer and parental processes predict distinct patterns of physical activity participation among adolescent girls and boys, International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 20, (2), 2021, p497 - 514, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Walsh, B., Dempsey, R., & Lawler, M., Family perspectives on educational experiences, post-school needs, and quality of life of young autistic adults, Irish Educational Studies , 2021, Notes: [https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2021.1926309], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Dempsey, Rhona, Healy, Olive, Lundy, Emma, Banks, Joanne, Lawler, Margaret, Air travel experiences of autistic children/young people, Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights, 2, (2), 2021, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Lawler, M., Heary,C. & Nixon, E, Peer Support and Role Modelling Predict Physical Activity Change among Adolescents over Twelve Months, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49, (7), 2020, p1503 - 1516, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
O'Byrne, C., Jagoe, C., & Lawler, M. , Experiences of dyslexia and the transition to university: A case study of five students at different stages of study, Higher Education Research and Development, 38, (5), 2019, p1031 - 1045, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Lawler, M., Hickey, A., Hevey, D., Doyle, F., Nixon, E., Darker, C., Barry, M., & Field, C. , Effects of a peer-led motivational interviewing intervention on physical activity levels of adolescents in low SES communities, Psychology Health and Medicine Conference 2019, Maynooth University , 22nd March, 2019, Published Abstract, PUBLISHED
  

Page 1 of 3
Horgan, P., Donnelly, P., Lane, A., McKay, M., McGourty, P., O'Brien, W., Lawler, M., Donoghue, K., Fogarty, N., Meyers, E., Heffernan, J., and Harmon, W., The Gaelic Games Youth Participation Study, Gaelic Athletic Association. Dublin, Ireland, 2024, Report, IN_PRESS

  


Award Date
TCD Research Boost Program (Stream 2 Boost) 2024
IRC New Foundations Award 2022
TCD MED Research Seed Award 2022
TCD Discipline of OT Research Master Bursary 2022
Children's Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin Conference Bursary 2013
TCD Trinity Trust Travel Bursary 2012
Irish Research Council (IRC formerly IRCHSS) Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship 2010
TCD School of Psychology George White Memorial Prize- I received this annual award for a research paper accepted for publication in Journal of Youth and Adolescence during my postgraduate studies (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-009-9500-2) 2010
Trinity College Dublin Postgraduate Research Studentship 2009