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Staff Profile

Dr Cassey Muir

Research Associate

Background

I am a Research Associate at the Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University and a Public Involvement and Engagement Researcher within the NIHR Children and Families Policy Research Unit, UCL.

My research aims to improve the health and social needs of vulnerable children and families. I am interested in co-production and intervention development linked to adverse childhood experiences, mental health, resilience and stigma.

I am currently working on a project called REPRESENT: Developing a poveRty-informEd learning health and social care system to PRevent mEntal health problemS in disadvantagEd childreN and parenTs.

I have recently worked on a project called ORACLE: OveRcoming Adverse ChiLdhood Experiences. This project was funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NIHR and was a collaboration between King's College London, Newcastle University, University of Liverpool and National Children's Bureau. We were interested in how we might improve outcomes for children, young people and families who have experienced adverse childhood circumstances, such as having parents with mental health problems or where there has been domestic abuse, or substance use at home (or a combination of these experiences).

My doctoral research (SPRing: Study of Parental substance use and Resilience in young people) explored the lived experiences and support needs of children and young people whose parents use alcohol and other drugs. I was awarded ‘Excellence in public involvement and engagement’ for my research with young people and practice partners throughout my PhD by Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health. I have co-produced a children’s storybook, Twinkle, Twinkle Arti, to help facilitate conversations between trusted adults and children who experience parental alcohol and other drug use, with Impact Accelerator funding from NIHR School for Public Health Research.

Research

Selected Publications:

Muir, C., Adams, E. A., Evans, V., Geijer-Simpson, E., Kaner, E., Phillips, S. M., Salonen, D., Smart, D., Winstone, L., & McGovern, R. (2022). A systematic review of qualitative studies exploring lived experiences, perceived impact, and coping strategies of children and young people whose parents use substances. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 0(0), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380221134297

 

Muir, C., McGovern, R., & Kaner, E. (2022). Stigma and young people whose parents use substances. In: Addison, M., McGovern, W., McGovern, R. (eds) Drugs, Identity and Stigma. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98286-7_8

 

McGovern, R., Bogowicz, P., Meader, N., Kaner, E., Alderson, H., Craig, D., Geijer-Simpson, E., Jackson, K., Muir, C., Salonen, D., Smart, D., & Newham, J. J. (2023) The association between maternal and paternal substance use and child substance use, internalizing and externalizing problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Addiction, 118(5), 804-818. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16127

 

Barrett, S., Muir, C., Burns, S., Adjei, N., Forman, J., Hackett, S., Hirve, R., Kaner, E., Lynch, R., Taylor-Robinson, D., Wolfe, I., & McGovern, R. (2023). Interventions to reduce parental substance use, domestic violence and mental health problems, and their impacts upon children’s well-being: A systematic review of reviews and evidence mapping. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 0(0), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231153867

 

Salonen, D., McGovern, R., Sobo-Allen, L., Adams, E., Muir, C., Bourne, J., Herlihy, J., Tasker, F., Hunter D., & Kaner, E. (2023) Being and becoming a father in the context of heavy drinking and other substance use: A qualitative evidence synthesis. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2023.2167650

 

Alderson, H., Mayrhofer, A., Smart, D., Muir, C., & McGovern, R. (2022). An innovative approach to delivering a family-based intervention to address parental alcohol misuse: qualitative findings from a pilot project. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19(13), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19138086

 

Scott, S., Muir, C., Stead, M., Fitzgerald, N., Kaner, E., Bradley, J., Wrieden, W., Power, C., & Adamson, A. (2020). Exploring the links between unhealthy eating behaviour and heavy alcohol use in the social, emotional, and cultural lives of young adults (aged 18–25): A qualitative research study. Appetite, (44), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2019.104449


Muir, C., Graye, A., Scott, S., Kaner, E., Wrieden, W., & Adamson, A. (2018) A03: Developing a co-designed intervention for young adults, supporting healthier eating and safer alcohol use, to reduce risks associated with obesity and risky drinking. International Journal of Obesity Supplements, 8, 4–5. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41367-018-0002-0


Scott, S., Beyer, F., Parkinson, K., Muir, C., Kaner, E., Stead, M., Power, C., Fitzgerald, N., Bradley, J., Wrieden, W., & Adamson, A. (2018). Non-pharmacological interventions to reduce unhealthy eating and risky drinking in young adults aged 18-25 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 10, 1538. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101538 


Research Funding:

Joint Principal Investigator: McGovern, R., Muir, C., Smart, D., Barrett, S., and Beresford, L. (2023). Supporting conversations between parents and children in substance exposed families: the Safe Space children's book. NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR) Impact Accelerator Award. £19,704.


Principle Investigator: Muir, C., Lochhead, L., McGovern, W., Addison, M., Scott, S., Cooper, C., Thomson, K., Jackson, K., McGowan, V., Carlisle, V., & McGovern, R., (2023). Umbrella review of interventions to reduce the impact of stigma for adults who experience disadvantage or intersecting inequalities and their families. Blackburn with Darwin Borough Council. £9,905.

 

Co-investigator: McGovern, W., Addison, M., Alderson, H., Cavener, J., Lhussier, M., McGovern, R., and Muir, C. (2023). Combatting and Responding to Stigma, Trauma, Substance Use and Violence. Newcastle City Council. £9,250.

 

Co-investigator: Alderson, H., Muir, C., Smart, D., and McGovern, R. (2021). Bottled Up 2 – Identifying and supporting children to reduce alcohol harm. North Tyneside Council. £19,836.

 

Co-investigator: Adams, E. A., Muir, C., Smiles, C., Dotsikas, K., Crosby, L., Widnall, E., Ramsay, S., Kaner, E., O’Donnell, A., Burrows, M., Broadbridge, A., and Reed, C. (2020). Exploring and understanding access to community-based mental health and addiction services for severe and multiple disadvantage service users and providers in Newcastle and Gateshead in times of extreme adversity. NIHR SPHR ResNet Early Career Research Funding. £25,627.44.

 

Co-investigator: McGovern, R., Alderson, H., Kaner, E., Smart, D., Geijer-Simpson, E., and Muir, C. (2019). Bottled up: Children of Alcoholic Parents Innovation Fund Local Evaluation. Public Health England. £45,000.

Teaching

I am currently supervising an MSc Public Health student (Which interventions are effective in reducing the impact of mental health stigma for children and young people? A review of reviews)


I have previously supervised:

Publications