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Bethan Thomas
(she/her)
Teams and roles for Bethan Thomas
Research Associate
Overview
I am a postdoctoral Research Associate based in the Research Centre for Clinical Kinesiology, within the School of Healthcare Sciences.
As an integrative health psychologist, my research explores how psychological and physiological processes interact to shape fatigue in long-term health conditions. I use a combination of psychological, physiological, and behavioural research methods to investigate these processes.
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. The research aims to improve understanding of the mechanisms underlying fatigue in these conditions and inform the development of future interventions.
Publication
2026
- Davies, J. L. et al. 2026. The fatigue enigma: towards an integrative theoretical framework across clinical conditions. Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior 14 (3), pp.272-285. (10.1080/21641846.2026.2667701)
2025
- Thomas, B. 2025. Investigating the interplay of physiological and psychological processes in fatigue in Long COVID. PhD Thesis , Cardiff University.
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
- Davies, J. L. et al. 2026. The fatigue enigma: towards an integrative theoretical framework across clinical conditions. Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior 14 (3), pp.272-285. (10.1080/21641846.2026.2667701)
- 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)
Thesis
- Thomas, B. 2025. Investigating the interplay of physiological and psychological processes in fatigue in Long COVID. PhD Thesis , Cardiff University.
Research
I am an integrative health psychologist with a research focus on the interactions between psychological and physiological processes and how these shape fatigue in long-term chronic conditions. I completed my PhD at Cardiff University, where I investigated fatigue in people living with Long COVID.
I am currently funded by a Health and Care Research Wales Next Steps Award, through which I am expanding my work on fatigue across infection-associated chronic conditions and further developing a theoretical model of fatigue.
My work is theoretically informed by a biopsychosocial approach and conducted within interdisciplinary teams, integrating perspectives from health psychology and physiology. I am particularly interested in understanding how mind-body processes interact to influence fatigue, and how this understanding can inform self-management strategies and interventions.
My PhD was supervised by Dr Jennifer Davies, Professor Christine Bundy, and Dr Rachael Pattinson, reflecting my commitment to collaborative, cross-disciplinary research and my interest in bringing together different perspectives to understand complex health conditions.
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.
Contact Details
Research themes
Specialisms
- Health and wellbeing
- Health psychology