Extra seminar in psychology, with Federica D'Andrea
Seminar
Date: Tuesday 28 October 2025
Time: 14.00 – 15.00
Location: Seminar room Jordgubbe (Strawberry)
On Tuesday, 28 October, 2025, 14:00–15:00, Dr Federica D'Andrea, University of West London, UK, will speak on the subject "Olfaction, ageing, and dementia: Methodological gaps in psychosocial interventions and future research directions".
The seminar will take place in Seminar room Jordgubbe (Strawberry), House 4, 3rd floor, Albano.
Read more about Dr Federica D'Andrea
Contact: Jonas Olofsson
Abstract
The seminar will explore current methodological challenges and novel approaches in psychosocial intervention research for dementia, drawing on the updated UK Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for developing, evaluating, and implementing complex interventions (Skivington et al., 2021). While the MRC framework highlights the importance of intervention context, stakeholder engagement, and theory-driven evaluation across stages of research (development, feasibility/piloting, evaluation, implementation), psychosocial intervention studies predominantly rely on Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs). RCTs often overlook contextual factors and the dynamic complexities in dementia care settings, thus limiting insights into the mechanisms underlying changes.
Dr Federica D’Andrea will discuss these methodological gaps, focusing on the value of stakeholder-informed and co-produced approaches, alongside realist and theory-driven methods. She will present initial findings from a realist review on olfactory interventions in dementia care homes, an underexplored but promising field for supporting well-being and quality of life. This work demonstrates the potential of theory-led synthesis to improve our understanding of intervention mechanisms, contexts, and outcomes.
Dr D’Andrea will outline an international collaboration to advance research methods and methodologies in dementia psychosocial interventions through the METHODEM project, including an extensive scoping review and Delphi study. She will also present future directions for advancing research on olfactory sense as a supportive system in ageing and dementia, with potential for positive impacts on physical and psychological well-being. A central strand of this work involves establishing an interdisciplinary network that brings together lived experience experts and professionals in olfaction, ageing, and dementia. The network aims to identify gaps, set priorities, and drive collaborative innovation, positioning olfaction as an important area in ageing and dementia research.
About the General seminars in psychology
This series of seminars is a collaboration between the six research divisions at the Department of Psychology. Local, national and international researchers are invited to speak of current research subjects.
The seminars are held on Wednesdays at 14:00–15:00 onsite in Albano and/or online in Zoom. Extra seminars can also be held on other weekdays or hours, among these the so called half-time seminars in the Doctoral Program in Psychology.
Last updated: October 2, 2025
Source: Department of Psychology