• Department of Psychology
  • Office: Α1-112 Addictions Lab, 1st floot, Α1 building
  • 28310 – 77527
  • p.spanakis@uoc.gr
  • Full CV

Brief CV

I completed my Ph.D. in Addiction Psychology at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom in 2019 and my master’s degree in Clinical and Developmental Psychopathology at VU University Amsterdam in the Netherlands in 2014. I received my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Crete in 2010. I have worked as a researcher and faculty member at the University of Liverpool, Addiction and Appetite Lab, Department/School of Psychology (2014–2018) and as a researcher at the Department of Health Sciences, University of York (2020–2021). I have also served as an external research collaborator at King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, and at the UK National Health Service (NHS), in the Research and Development Department of Foss Park Hospital in York. I have been a member of scientific networks in the United Kingdom, such as the Closing the Gap Network and the Applied Research Collaboration – Mental and Physical Multimorbidity theme, which aim to investigate health inequalities in populations with severe psychiatric disorders. In March 2022, I joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Crete as an adjunct professor, and in 2023 I was appointed as a Laboratory Teaching Staff (E.D.I.P.) in Addiction Psychology.

Professional Career

  • Department of Psychology, University of Crete, Rethymno (2023–present)
    • Laboratory Teaching Staff (E.D.I.P.), Psychology of Addictions
  • Department of Psychology, University of Crete, Rethymno (2023)
    • Adjunct Lecturer, Digital Psychology
      Department of Psychology, University of Crete, Rethymno (2022)
    • Contract Faculty Member 407, Psychology of Addictions
  • Department of Health Sciences, University of York, U.K. (2021 – present)
    • Honorary Fellow
  • Department of Psychology, Mediterranean College, Athens. (2021 – 2023)
    • Faculty
  • Department of Health Sciences, University of York, U.K. (2020 – 2021)
    • Research Associate
  • Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, U.K. (2018 – 2019)
    • Research Associate
  • School of Psychology, University of Liverpool, U.K. (2014 – 2018)
    • University Teacher

Research Interests

My research interests focus on the following areas:

Cognitive and psychological variables involved in substance use behaviors.
The use of digital tools in psychological research, with an emphasis on substance use behaviors.
Digital exclusion and inequalities caused by digital exclusion in vulnerable groups, with an emphasis on individuals with severe psychiatric disorders.

  1. Spanakis, P., Lorimer B., Newbronner, E., Wadman, R., Crosland, S., Gilbody.,S., Johnston, G., Walker, L. and Peckham, E. (2023). Digital health literacy and digital engagement for people with severe mental ill health across the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in England. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-023-02299-w
  2. Peckham, E., Lorimer, B., Spanakis, P., Heron, P., Suzanne, C., Walker, L., Gilbody, S. (2023). Health risk behaviours among people with severe mental ill health: Understanding modifiable risk in the Closing the Gap Health Study. British Journal of Psychiatry. 1-7. doi:10.1192/bjp.2022.143
  3. Heron, N.P., Henderson, M.L., Crosland, S., Gilbody, M.S, Gordon A, J., Moriarty S.A, Newbronner, E., Paterson, A., Spanakis, P., Wadman, R., Walker, L., Peckham, E. (2022). Sleep health among people with severe mental ill health: results from a linked UK population cohort study. Frontiers in Psychiatry: Public Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.975593
  4. Spanakis, P., Wadman, R., Walker, L., Heron, P., Mathers, A., Baker, J., Johnston, G., Gilbody, S. and Peckham, E. (2022). Measuring the digital divide among people with Severe Mental Ill Health using the Essential Digital Skills framework. Perspectives in Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1177/17579139221106399
  5. Spanakis, P., Gribble, R., Stevelink, A. M. S., Roberto, J. R., Fear T. N. and Goodwin, L. (2022). Problem drinking recognition among UK military personnel: prevalence and associations. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-022-02306-x.
  6. Smith, J. J., Spanakis, P., Gribble, R., Stevelink, S., Rona, R. J., Fear, N. T., & Goodwin, L. (2022). Prevalence of at-risk drinking recognition: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109449
  7. Peckham E., Spanakis P., Heron P., Crosland S., Johnston G., Newbronner E., Wadman R., Walker L., Gilbody S. (2022). A year into the pandemic: the diversity of experience amongst people with severe mental ill health. Frontiers in Psychiatry: Public Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.794585
  8. Heron P., Spanakis P., Crosland S., Johnston G., Newbronner E., Wadman, R., Walker L., Gilbody S., Peckham, E. (2022). Loneliness among people with severe mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from a linked UK population cohort study. Plos One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262363.
  9. Newbronner, E., Spanakis, P., Wadman, R., Crosland, S., Heron, P., Johnston, G., Walker, L., Gilbody, S., & Peckham, E. (2022). Exploring Access to Mental Health and Primary Care Services for People With Severe Mental Illness During the COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychiatry: Public Mental Health, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.799885
  10. Spanakis, P, Peckham, E, Young, B, Heron, P, Bailey, D, Gilbody, S. (2021) A systematic review of behavioural smoking cessation interventions for people with severe mental ill health—what works? Addiction 1– 17 https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15724
  11. Peckham, E., Allgar, V., Crosland, S., Heron, P., Johnston, G., Newbronner, E., Ratschen, E., Spanakis, P., Wadman, R., Walker, L. and Gilbody, S. (2021). Investigating smoking and nicotine dependence among people with severe mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of linked data from a UK Closing the Gap cohort. BJPsych Open, 7(3), E86. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2021.45
  12. Peckham, E., Algar, V., Crosland, S., Heron, P., Johnston, G., Newbronner, E., Spankis, P., Wadman, R., Walker, L. and Gilbody, S. (2021). Health risk behaviours among people with severe mental ill health during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of linked cohort data. Plos One. 16(10): e0258349. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258349
  13. Shoesmith E., Spanakis P., Pekcham E., Heron P., Johsnton G., Walker L., Crosland S., Ratschen E. (2021). The role of animal ownership for people with severe mental illness during the Covid-19 pandemic: a mixed-method study investigating links with health and loneliness. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(22), https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182211908
  14. Spanakis, P., Heron, P., Walker, L., Crosland, S., Wadman, R., Newbronner, E., Johnston, G., Gilbody, S., and Peckham, E. (2021). Use of the Internet and digital devices among people with severe mental ill health during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Frontiers in Psychiatry: Digital Mental Health, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.732735
  15. Spanakis, P., Peckham, E., Mathers, A., Shiers, D., & Gilbody, S. (2021). The Digital Divide: Amplifying health inequalities for people with severe mental ill health in the time of COVID-19. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2021.56
  16. Gribble, R., Spanakis, P., Stevelink, S., Rona, R., Fear, T. N. and Goodwin, L. (2020). Help-seeking for alcohol problems in serving and ex-serving UK military personnel. Forces in Mind Trust, available at https://s31949.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/20201116-REPORT-v3-Helpseeking-for-alcohol-problems-in-serving-ex-serving-personnel_FINAL.pdf
  17. Spanakis, P., Jones, A., Field, M., and Christiansen, P. (2019). A Stroop in the hand is worth two in the laptop: Superior reliability of a smartphone-based alcohol Stroop in the real world. Substance use and misuse. 54 (4), 692-698, https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2018.1536716.
  18. Creemers, H.E., Spanakis, P., Delforterie, M.J. and Huizink, A.C. (2017). Alcohol use of immigrant youths in The Netherlands: The roles of parents and peers across different ethnic backgrounds. Drug and Alcohol Review, 36, 761-768. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.12555
  19. Ιωαννίδου, Ε.Μ. και Σπανάκης, Π. (2011). Τεχνικές εξέτασης σεξουαλικά κακοποιημένων ανηλίκων: Η τεχνική της ζωγραφικής και η χρήση της ανατομικής κούκλας. Στο Ο. Γιωτάκος, Μ. Τσιλιάκου, Α. Τσίτσικα (Επ.). Κακοποίηση παιδιού και εφήβου: Ανίχνευση, Αντιμετώπιση, Πρόληψη. Εκδόσεις Πεδίο.
  20. Σπανάκης, Π. (2009). Πρακτική άσκηση ΕΠΕΑΕΚ σε ασθενείς με ψυχιατρικά νοσήματα: Προγράμματα παρέμβασης. Στο Α.Β. Ρήγα (Επ.) Πρακτική άσκηση φοιτητών Ψυχολογίας: Οργάνωση, Εφαρμογή, Προοπτικές. Εκδόσεις Gutenberg – Γιώργος και Κώστας Δαρδανός.

Undergraduate Programme

ΨΧ-3512 Digital Interventions in Mental Health
ΨΧ-3513 Digital Mental Health
ΨΧ-2502 Addiction Psychology
ΨΧ-3105 Statistical Data Analysis in Psychological Research
ΨΧ-3514 Substance Use Behaviour Change

Postgraduate Programme

ΚΠΕ-06 Quantitative Data Processing: Analysis Methods and Techniques
ΚΠΕ-08 Digital Interventions in Behavioural Addictions