Trainee Research Excellence Award 2025: Dr Liam Myles
We are pleased to announce that the Trainee Research Excellence Award for 2025 has been given to an exceptional newly trained clinical psychologist, Dr Liam Myles.
Dr Liam Myles was a trainee on the Clinical Psychology Doctoral programme at the University of Oxford and is now working as a clinical psychologist in the NHS in Berkshire. His doctoral research investigated the effect of learning processes on mental health difficulties.
In the first study of its kind, Dr Myles investigated the theory that hallucinations are caused by paying high levels of attention to one's own thoughts. He found evidence contradicting this theory, posing a seminal challenge to the Salience Hypothesis of psychosis. Dr Myles also conducted a meta-analysis examining the effect of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) on associative learning. His results suggested that people with OCD struggle to unlearn associations, which he proposed may account for the continuation of compulsions in the absence of reinforcement. These projects enrich academic debate and have the potential to influence therapeutic approaches by challenging what has become accepted fact in theories of psychosis and OCD.
Finally, Dr Myles conducted an exemplary service improvement project to improve therapy waitlists. It influenced local practice and a consultancy project, which shaped the delivery of Behaviour Family Therapy within an Early Intervention for Psychosis Service. This work showed a commitment to the involvement of Experts by Experience with a strong motivation to improve services.
Dr Myles has published around 50 papers, five of which arose from work conducted on the Clinical Psychology Doctoral programme. His research spans several areas, including clinical applications of associative learning, psychosis, single case experimental design methodology, depression, diabetes and spatial navigation. More generally, Dr Myles has shown a commitment to improving psychological theory, research and practice, as evidenced by his regular involvement in peer review and presentation of research at conferences.
As a member of the Division of Clinical Psychology Pre-Qualification Group, Dr Myles contributed to the production of the BPS Standards of Recruitment for Assistant Psychologists. This work informed policy and professional practice by providing guidance and recommendations on hiring and employment practices.
This award signifies an excellent start to Dr Myles' career as a clinical psychologist and we look forward to seeing this develop further.
