Biography

Dr. Sarah Foley is a Lecturer in Applied Psychology and Human-Computer Interaction. Her research interests lie at the intersection of healthcare and technology. She completed here PhD in 2019, which examined the role of design and technology in dementia care. Current research projects include work on women's health and qualitative methodologies. She is a member of the Irish Network for Pluralism in Qualitative Research (INPQR) based in the School of Applied Psychology, and a PI in the Research Ireland Lero Centre for Software Engineering. 

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2024) 'Taking Qualitatively Driven Mixed Methods Research Further'
Nollaig Frost, Maria Dempsey, Sarah Foley (2024) 'Taking Qualitatively Driven Mixed Methods Research Further' In: Supporting Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Research. London: Springer International Publishing. [Details]
(2023) 'Learning Pluralism and Researching Pluralistically: Pluralistic qualitative research as a model for teaching and learning qualitative research in psychology'
Sarah Foley, Nollaig Frost, Maria Dempsey (2023) 'Learning Pluralism and Researching Pluralistically: Pluralistic qualitative research as a model for teaching and learning qualitative research in psychology' In: The Routledge International Handbook of Innovative Qualitative Psychological Research. London: Routledge. [Details]
(2020) 'Bridging the Gap: Design for Intergenerational Engagement in Dementia Care'
Sarah Foley, Daniel Welsh (2020) 'Bridging the Gap: Design for Intergenerational Engagement in Dementia Care' In: HCI and Design in the Context of Dementia. Cham: Springer. [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2025) 'Factors influencing the effectiveness of nature-based interventions (NBIs) aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing: An umbrella review'
Topaz Shrestha, Cheryl Voon Yi Chi, Marica Cassarino, Sarah Foley, Zelda Di Blasi (2025) 'Factors influencing the effectiveness of nature-based interventions (NBIs) aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing: An umbrella review'. Environment International, [Details]
(2025) 'The Opportunities and Challenges of Using Online Social Platforms after Pregnancy Loss: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Research'
Stephanie Murphy, Doireann Peelo-Dennehy, Kellie Morrissey, John McCarthy, Sarah Foley (2025) 'The Opportunities and Challenges of Using Online Social Platforms after Pregnancy Loss: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Research'. Computers In Human Behavior Reports, [Details]
(2024) 'You, me, and HPV: Design research to explore attitudes towards cervical self-sampling'
Doireann Peelo Dennehy, Muireann Mc Mahon, Stephanie Murphy, Sarah Foley, Kellie Morrissey (2024) 'You, me, and HPV: Design research to explore attitudes towards cervical self-sampling'. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, [Details]
(2024) 'Living with endometriosis: a reflexive thematic analysis examining women’s experiences with the Irish healthcare services'
Ayisha Lightbourne, Sarah Foley, Maria Dempsey, Mary Cronin (2024) 'Living with endometriosis: a reflexive thematic analysis examining women’s experiences with the Irish healthcare services'. Qualitative health research, [Details]
(2024) 'Mental health professionals’ experiences of adapting mental health interventions for autistic adults: A systematic review and thematic synthesis'
Laura Moore, Fionnuala Larkin, Sarah Foley (2024) 'Mental health professionals’ experiences of adapting mental health interventions for autistic adults: A systematic review and thematic synthesis'. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, [Details]
(2024) 'Keeping Fit & Staying Safe: A Systematic Review of Women's Use of Social Media for Fitness'
Doireann Peelo Dennehy, Stephanie Murphy, Sarah Foley, John McCarthy, Kellie Morrissey (2024) 'Keeping Fit & Staying Safe: A Systematic Review of Women's Use of Social Media for Fitness'. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, [Details]
(2024) 'Understanding the experiences of receiving and providing maternity care for autistic adults: A Multi-perspectival Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis study'
Laura Moore, Sarah Foley, Fionnuala Larkin (2024) 'Understanding the experiences of receiving and providing maternity care for autistic adults: A Multi-perspectival Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis study'. Autism, [Details]
(2024) 'Effects of time management interventions on mental health and wellbeing factors: A protocol for a systematic review'
Anna Navin Young, Aoife Bourke, Sarah Foley, Zelda Di Blasi (2024) 'Effects of time management interventions on mental health and wellbeing factors: A protocol for a systematic review'. Plos One, [Details]
(2023) 'Factors influencing the effectiveness of nature-based interventions (NBIs) aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing: Protocol of an umbrella review'
Topaz Shrestha, Cheryl Voon Yi Chi, Marica Cassarino, Sarah Foley, Zelda Di Blasi (2023) 'Factors influencing the effectiveness of nature-based interventions (NBIs) aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing: Protocol of an umbrella review'. Plos Oneplos One, [Details]
(2023) '“Claim back time for the things that really matter”: A qualitative examination of tracking leisure time and technology use in a reflective time journal'
Anna Navin Young, Sarah Foley, Zelda Di Blasi (2023) '“Claim back time for the things that really matter”: A qualitative examination of tracking leisure time and technology use in a reflective time journal'. European Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, [Details]
(2022) 'Am I lazy, a drama queen or depressed? A journey through a pluralistic approach to analysing accounts of depression'
Maria Dempsey, Sarah Foley, Nollaig Frost, Raegan Murphy, Niamh Willis, Sarah Robinson, Audrey Dunn-Galvin, Angela Veale, Carol Linehan, Nadia Pantidi, John McCarthy (2022) 'Am I lazy, a drama queen or depressed? A journey through a pluralistic approach to analysing accounts of depression'. Qualitative research in psychology, 19 (2):473-493 [DOI] [Details]
(2019) 'The Struggle for Recognition in Advanced Dementia: Implications for Experience-Centered Design'
Sarah Foley, John Mcarthy and Nadia Pantidi (2019) 'The Struggle for Recognition in Advanced Dementia: Implications for Experience-Centered Design'. Acm Transactions On Computer-Human Interaction, [DOI] [Details]

Conference Publications

  Year Publication
(2020) Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
James Hodge, Sarah Foley, Rens Brankaert, Gail Kenning, Amanda Lazar, Jennifer Boger, Kellie Morrissey (2020) Relational, flexible, everyday: learning from ethics in dementia research Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems [DOI] [Details]
(2020) Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Sarah Foley, Nadia Pantidi, John McCarthy (2020) Student Engagement in Sensitive Design Contexts: A Case Study in Dementia Care Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems [DOI] [Details]
(2019) Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Sarah Foley, Daniel Welsh, Nadia Pantidi, Kellie Morrissey, Tom Nappey, John McCarthy (2019) Printer Pals: Experience-centered design to support agency for people with dementia Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems [DOI] [Details]
(2019) Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Sarah Foley, Nadia Pantidi, John McCarthy (2019) Care and design: An ethnography of mutual recognition in the context of advanced dementia Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems [DOI] [Details]
(2018) proceedings of the 2018 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems
Daniel Welsh, Kellie Morrissey, Sarah Foley, Roisin McNaney, Christos Salis, John McCarthy, John Vines (2018) Ticket to Talk: Supporting Conversation between Young People and People with Dementia through Digital Media proceedings of the 2018 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems [ Publisher's Version] [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2024 Lero Impact Award Research Ireland Lero Group
2020 NUI Early Career Award National University Ireland

Conference Contributions

  Year Publication
(2024) CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems,
Maarten Houben, Minha Lee, Sarah Foley, Kellie Morrissey, Rens Brankaert (2024) We share lessons learned on ethical research practices and inclusive design methodologies to be applied in sensitive settings. [Invited Lectures (Workshops)], CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Hawaii . [Details]
(2022) Proceedings of the Participatory Design Conference 2022,
Cristiano Storni, Kellie Morrissey, Luigina Ciolfi, Sarah Foley (2022) roceedings of the Participatory Design Conference. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Proceedings of the Participatory Design Conference 2022, Newcastle . [Details]
(2019) Designing Interactive Systems Conference 2019,
Rens Brankaert, Gail Kenning, Daniel Welsh, Sarah Foley, James Hodge, David Unbehaun (2019) Companion Publication of the 2019 on Designing Interactive Systems Conference 2019 Companion. [Invited Lectures (Workshops)], Designing Interactive Systems Conference 2019, San Diego . [Details]

Teaching Interests

I am currently part of the teaching team for the following modules: 

Post-Graduate: 
-Research Methods and Statistical Applications 
-Designing in Work and Workplaces

Undergraduate: 
-User-Experience Design (module coordinator) 
-People and Technology
-Social Computing
-Applied Developmental Psychology