Overview
I am currently a Research Associate working within the PHIRST Insight team at DECIPHer.
My research interests are varied but include
- Health Psychology
- Health behaviours, especially in pregnancy e.g. Physical activity, diet, smoking and alcohol intake
- Maternal health and wellbeing
- Infant and child health and wellbeing
I hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Masters degree in Health Psychology from the University of Bath. My PhD was funded by the GW4 MRC Biomed DTP and was undertaken at Cardiff University. This involved working with the Grown in Wales longitudinal birth cohort to investigate the influence of maternal health behaviours in pregnancy on maternal and infant health and development.
I would be keen to collaborate with anyone with similar research interests.
Publication
2024
- Morgan, K., Garay, S., Reed, H., de Vocht, F. and Murphy, S. 2024. Factors underpinning the adoption of a school-based growth mindset intervention: a qualitative study. Educational Psychology in Practice 40(4), pp. 509-530. (10.1080/02667363.2024.2414455)
- de Vocht, F., Garay, S., Reed, H., Small, G., Barrett, A., Murphy, S. and Morgan, K. 2024. Impacts of the Mindset Teams programme on teacher outcomes and pupil educational attainment: secondary data analysis. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness (10.1080/19345747.2024.2403989)
- Morgan, K., Reed, H., Garay, S., De Vocht, F. and Murphy, S. 2024. Perceived impacts of a school-based growth mindset programme ‘Mindset Teams’ in Scotland: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health 24, article number: 2199. (10.1186/s12889-024-19611-6)
2022
- Garay, S. M., Sumption, L. and John, R. 2022. Prenatal health behaviours as predictors of human placental lactogen levels. Frontiers in Endocrinology 13, article number: 946539. (10.3389/fendo.2022.946539)
- Dingsdale, H. et al. 2022. Cord serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels at birth associate with temperament outcomes at one year. Journal of Psychiatric Research 150, article number: 47-53. (10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.03.009)
- Garay, S. M. 2022. Exploring the influence of maternal health behaviours in pregnancy on maternal and infant health and development. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
2021
- Savory, N. A., Hannigan, B., John, R. M., Sanders, J. and Garay, S. M. 2021. Prevalence and predictors of poor mental health among pregnant women in Wales using a cross-sectional survey. Midwifery 103, article number: 103103. (10.1016/j.midw.2021.103103)
- Garcia Martin, I., Penketh, R. J. A., Garay, S. M., Jones, R. E., Grimstead, J. W., Baird, D. M. and John, R. M. 2021. Symptoms of prenatal depression associated with shorter telomeres in female placenta. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22(14), article number: 7458. (10.3390/ijms22147458)
- Dingsdale, H. et al. 2021. The placenta protects the fetal circulation from anxiety-driven elevations in maternal serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Translational Psychiatry 11(1), article number: 62. (10.1038/s41398-020-01176-8)
- Garay, S., Sumption, L., Pearson, R. and John, R. 2021. Risk factors for excessive gestational weight gain in a UK population: A biopsychosocial model approach. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 21, article number: 43. (10.1186/s12884-020-03519-1)
2020
- Sumption, L. A., Garay, S. M. and John, R. M. 2020. Low serum placental lactogen at term is associated with postnatal symptoms of depression and anxiety in women delivering female infants. Psychoneuroendocrinology 116, article number: 104655. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104655)
- Savory, K. et al. 2020. Prenatal symptoms of anxiety and depression associated with sex differences in both maternal perceptions of one year old infant temperament and researcher observed infant characteristics. Journal of Affective Disorders 264, pp. 383-392. (10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.057)
2019
- Garay, S. M., Savory, K. A., Sumption, L. A., Penketh, R. J., Jones, I. R., Janssen, A. B. and John, R. M. 2019. Seasonal variation in salivary cortisol but not symptoms of depression and trait anxiety in pregnant women undergoing an elective caesarean section. Psychoneuroendocrinology 108, pp. 14-19. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.05.029)
- Garay, S. M., Savory, K. A., Sumption, L., Penketh, R., Janssen, A. B. and John, R. M. 2019. The Grown in Wales Study: Examining dietary patterns, custom birthweight centiles and the risk of delivering a small-for-gestational age (SGA) infant. PLoS ONE 14(3), article number: e0213412. (10.1371/journal.pone.0213412)
2018
- Janssen, A. et al. 2018. Persistence of anxiety symptoms after elective caesarean delivery. Bjpsych Open 4(5), pp. 354-360. (10.1192/bjo.2018.48)
Articles
- Morgan, K., Garay, S., Reed, H., de Vocht, F. and Murphy, S. 2024. Factors underpinning the adoption of a school-based growth mindset intervention: a qualitative study. Educational Psychology in Practice 40(4), pp. 509-530. (10.1080/02667363.2024.2414455)
- de Vocht, F., Garay, S., Reed, H., Small, G., Barrett, A., Murphy, S. and Morgan, K. 2024. Impacts of the Mindset Teams programme on teacher outcomes and pupil educational attainment: secondary data analysis. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness (10.1080/19345747.2024.2403989)
- Morgan, K., Reed, H., Garay, S., De Vocht, F. and Murphy, S. 2024. Perceived impacts of a school-based growth mindset programme ‘Mindset Teams’ in Scotland: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health 24, article number: 2199. (10.1186/s12889-024-19611-6)
- Garay, S. M., Sumption, L. and John, R. 2022. Prenatal health behaviours as predictors of human placental lactogen levels. Frontiers in Endocrinology 13, article number: 946539. (10.3389/fendo.2022.946539)
- Dingsdale, H. et al. 2022. Cord serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels at birth associate with temperament outcomes at one year. Journal of Psychiatric Research 150, article number: 47-53. (10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.03.009)
- Savory, N. A., Hannigan, B., John, R. M., Sanders, J. and Garay, S. M. 2021. Prevalence and predictors of poor mental health among pregnant women in Wales using a cross-sectional survey. Midwifery 103, article number: 103103. (10.1016/j.midw.2021.103103)
- Garcia Martin, I., Penketh, R. J. A., Garay, S. M., Jones, R. E., Grimstead, J. W., Baird, D. M. and John, R. M. 2021. Symptoms of prenatal depression associated with shorter telomeres in female placenta. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22(14), article number: 7458. (10.3390/ijms22147458)
- Dingsdale, H. et al. 2021. The placenta protects the fetal circulation from anxiety-driven elevations in maternal serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Translational Psychiatry 11(1), article number: 62. (10.1038/s41398-020-01176-8)
- Garay, S., Sumption, L., Pearson, R. and John, R. 2021. Risk factors for excessive gestational weight gain in a UK population: A biopsychosocial model approach. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 21, article number: 43. (10.1186/s12884-020-03519-1)
- Sumption, L. A., Garay, S. M. and John, R. M. 2020. Low serum placental lactogen at term is associated with postnatal symptoms of depression and anxiety in women delivering female infants. Psychoneuroendocrinology 116, article number: 104655. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104655)
- Savory, K. et al. 2020. Prenatal symptoms of anxiety and depression associated with sex differences in both maternal perceptions of one year old infant temperament and researcher observed infant characteristics. Journal of Affective Disorders 264, pp. 383-392. (10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.057)
- Garay, S. M., Savory, K. A., Sumption, L. A., Penketh, R. J., Jones, I. R., Janssen, A. B. and John, R. M. 2019. Seasonal variation in salivary cortisol but not symptoms of depression and trait anxiety in pregnant women undergoing an elective caesarean section. Psychoneuroendocrinology 108, pp. 14-19. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.05.029)
- Garay, S. M., Savory, K. A., Sumption, L., Penketh, R., Janssen, A. B. and John, R. M. 2019. The Grown in Wales Study: Examining dietary patterns, custom birthweight centiles and the risk of delivering a small-for-gestational age (SGA) infant. PLoS ONE 14(3), article number: e0213412. (10.1371/journal.pone.0213412)
- Janssen, A. et al. 2018. Persistence of anxiety symptoms after elective caesarean delivery. Bjpsych Open 4(5), pp. 354-360. (10.1192/bjo.2018.48)
Thesis
- Garay, S. M. 2022. Exploring the influence of maternal health behaviours in pregnancy on maternal and infant health and development. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
- Garay, S. M., Sumption, L. and John, R. 2022. Prenatal health behaviours as predictors of human placental lactogen levels. Frontiers in Endocrinology 13, article number: 946539. (10.3389/fendo.2022.946539)
- Dingsdale, H. et al. 2022. Cord serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels at birth associate with temperament outcomes at one year. Journal of Psychiatric Research 150, article number: 47-53. (10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.03.009)
- Garay, S. M. 2022. Exploring the influence of maternal health behaviours in pregnancy on maternal and infant health and development. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
- Savory, N. A., Hannigan, B., John, R. M., Sanders, J. and Garay, S. M. 2021. Prevalence and predictors of poor mental health among pregnant women in Wales using a cross-sectional survey. Midwifery 103, article number: 103103. (10.1016/j.midw.2021.103103)
- Garcia Martin, I., Penketh, R. J. A., Garay, S. M., Jones, R. E., Grimstead, J. W., Baird, D. M. and John, R. M. 2021. Symptoms of prenatal depression associated with shorter telomeres in female placenta. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22(14), article number: 7458. (10.3390/ijms22147458)
- Dingsdale, H. et al. 2021. The placenta protects the fetal circulation from anxiety-driven elevations in maternal serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Translational Psychiatry 11(1), article number: 62. (10.1038/s41398-020-01176-8)
- Garay, S., Sumption, L., Pearson, R. and John, R. 2021. Risk factors for excessive gestational weight gain in a UK population: A biopsychosocial model approach. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 21, article number: 43. (10.1186/s12884-020-03519-1)
- Sumption, L. A., Garay, S. M. and John, R. M. 2020. Low serum placental lactogen at term is associated with postnatal symptoms of depression and anxiety in women delivering female infants. Psychoneuroendocrinology 116, article number: 104655. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104655)
- Savory, K. et al. 2020. Prenatal symptoms of anxiety and depression associated with sex differences in both maternal perceptions of one year old infant temperament and researcher observed infant characteristics. Journal of Affective Disorders 264, pp. 383-392. (10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.057)
- Garay, S. M., Savory, K. A., Sumption, L. A., Penketh, R. J., Jones, I. R., Janssen, A. B. and John, R. M. 2019. Seasonal variation in salivary cortisol but not symptoms of depression and trait anxiety in pregnant women undergoing an elective caesarean section. Psychoneuroendocrinology 108, pp. 14-19. (10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.05.029)
- Garay, S. M., Savory, K. A., Sumption, L., Penketh, R., Janssen, A. B. and John, R. M. 2019. The Grown in Wales Study: Examining dietary patterns, custom birthweight centiles and the risk of delivering a small-for-gestational age (SGA) infant. PLoS ONE 14(3), article number: e0213412. (10.1371/journal.pone.0213412)
- Janssen, A. et al. 2018. Persistence of anxiety symptoms after elective caesarean delivery. Bjpsych Open 4(5), pp. 354-360. (10.1192/bjo.2018.48)
Contact Details
GaraySM@cardiff.ac.uk
+44 29208 74759
sbarc|spark, Room 03.14, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
+44 29208 74759
sbarc|spark, Room 03.14, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ