Bethan Thomas
(she/her)
Teams and roles for Bethan Thomas
Research student
Research Associate
Overview
I am an integrative health psychologist focused on understanding how psychological and physiological processes interact to shape fatigue in long-term conditions.
I currently hold a Health and Care Research Wales Next Steps Award, investigating the interaction between physiological and psychological variables in Infection Associated Chronic Conditions both to understand the mechanisms underlying fatigue within these conditions, and to inform future interventions.
Publication
2024
- Thomas, B. et al. 2024. Defining and measuring Long COVID fatigue – a scoping review. BMJ Open 14 e088530. (10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088530)
- Thomas, B. et al. 2024. Somatosensory processing in long COVID fatigue and its relations with physiological and psychological factors. Experimental Physiology 109 (10), pp.1637-1649. (10.1113/ep091988)
- Thomas, B. et al. 2024. Definitions and measures of long COVID fatigue in adults: a scoping review protocol. JBI Evidence Synthesis 22 (3), pp.481-488. (10.11124/jbies-23-00277)
Articles
- Thomas, B. et al. 2024. Defining and measuring Long COVID fatigue – a scoping review. BMJ Open 14 e088530. (10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088530)
- Thomas, B. et al. 2024. Somatosensory processing in long COVID fatigue and its relations with physiological and psychological factors. Experimental Physiology 109 (10), pp.1637-1649. (10.1113/ep091988)
- Thomas, B. et al. 2024. Definitions and measures of long COVID fatigue in adults: a scoping review protocol. JBI Evidence Synthesis 22 (3), pp.481-488. (10.11124/jbies-23-00277)
Research
I am an integrative health psychologist with a focus on the interactions between psychological and physiological processes and how they shape fatigue in long-term chronic conditions. I submitted my PhD in December 2025 (viva scheduled for March 2026) and am now funded by a Health and Care Research Wales Next Steps Award, through which I am expanding my work on fatigue in infection-associated chronic conditions and refining a model of fatigue.
My research is theoretically informed using a biopsychosocial approach and conducted within multidisciplinary teams, integrating health psychology and physiology. I am particularly interested in how these interactions can inform self-management strategies and interventions for fatigue.
My PhD was supervised by Dr Jennifer Davies, Professor Christine Bundy, and Dr Rachael Pattinson, reflecting my passion for collaborative, cross-disciplinary research.
Biography
2026: PhD in Health Sciences, Cardiff University, UK. (submitted, awaiting viva March 2026)
2021: MSc in Health Psychology, University of Gloucestershire, UK.
2020: BSc in Psychology, University of Gloucestershire, UK.
Professional memberships
British Psychological Society (BPS)
BPS Division of Health Psychology
UK Society for Behavioural Medicine
Academic positions
2026 - Present: Post-doctoral Research Associate, Cardiff University, UK.
2024 - 2025: Graduate tutor, Cardiff University, UK.