Social Psychology, Health (social science), Health (social science)
12
Scopus Publications
530
Scholar Citations
8
Scholar h-index
8
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
“It’s the Social Aspect of Your Life That Makes You Well”—Acceptability of theGROUPS 4 HEALTH(G4H) Program for Participants With Chronic Disease V. Vanessa Wergin, Nathalia Costa, Linda Nguyen, Maryanne Long, Stephen Woodruffe, et al. Qualitative Health Research, 2026 Loneliness is a health concern for individuals with chronic disease. Unlike most loneliness interventions that connect people to existing groups, the Groups 4 Health (G4H) program builds individuals’ skills to create and sustain meaningful connections. We examine the acceptability of G4H among individuals with chronic disease, focusing on factors facilitating and hindering program completion. Twenty-eight participants took part in either focus groups or individual interviews after completing G4H within a regional nursing and allied health service. Participants described trauma, life stage, and illness-related isolation as key motivators for joining. They valued the group connection, skilled facilitation, and structured, evidence-based content of the program, noting positive impacts on their social confidence. Barriers included social anxiety, content accessibility, and personal circumstances. Participants expressed a preference for self-referral and suggested extended session length and program duration. Findings support the acceptability of G4H in individuals with chronic conditions, while highlighting areas for improvement.
A Social Cure for Loneliness Crystal J. La Rue, Catherine Haslam, Tegan Cruwys, S. Alexander Haslam, Jolanda Jetten, et al. Handbook of Loneliness, 2025
Tackling loneliness together: A three-tier social identity framework for social prescribing S. Alexander Haslam, Catherine Haslam, Tegan Cruwys, Leah S. Sharman, Shaun Hayes, et al. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 2024 In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the threats to health posed by loneliness. One of the main strategies that has been recommended to address this is social prescribing (SP). This typically involves general practitioners (GPs) and other health practitioners directing clients who are experiencing loneliness and related conditions to take part in social activities—typically in recreational and community contexts. However, evidence for the effectiveness of SP is mixed—leading some to suggest that enthusiasm for it might be misplaced. In this review, we argue that a core problem with most existing approaches to SP is that they lack a strong theoretical base. This has been a barrier to (a) understanding when SP will work and why, (b) designing optimally effective SP programmes, and (c) developing practitioner skills and appropriate infrastructure to support them. As a corrective to this state of affairs, this review outlines a three-tier social identity framework for SP and five associated hypotheses. These hypotheses predict that SP will be more effective when (a) clients join groups and (b) these groups are ones with which they identify, and when SP is supported by (c) social-identity-enhancing social infrastructure, (d) a social-identity-based therapeutic alliance, and (e) identity leadership that builds and shapes this alliance as well as clients’ identification with prescribed groups. This framework is supported by a range of evidence and provides an agenda for much-needed future research and practice.
A latent profile analysis of the nature of social group memberships and their contribution to retirement outcomes Crystal J. La Rue, Niklas K. Steffens, Belén Álvarez Werth, Sarah V. Bentley, Catherine Haslam British Journal of Social Psychology, 2024 Positive experiences of groups (e.g., the extent to which groups are important and supportive) tend to be associated with better retirement adjustment outcomes. However, group experiences are not always positive, and we know little about their varied contribution to adjustment outcomes. We addressed this gap by exploring the nature of social group memberships – in terms of varying positive and negative experiences of groups – to better understand how social group memberships shape retirement adjustment, life satisfaction and mental health. A latent profile analysis (using data from 489 retirees and their membership of 1887 groups) identified four profiles of social group memberships: optimal (63%), slightly straining (13%), low‐supportive (18%) and ambivalent (6%). Subsequent regression analysis showed that these different profiles of group membership were differentially associated with retirement adjustment outcomes: belonging to more optimal groups was associated with better perceived adjustment, higher life satisfaction and better mental health, while belonging to slightly straining and ambivalent groups contributed to poorer adjustment, lower life satisfaction and greater depression. These findings have implications for theory and practice, not least because they advance our understanding of the diversity of people's group memberships and their contribution to retirement and health outcomes.
GROUPS 4 RETIREMENT: A new intervention that supports well-being in the lead-up to retirement by targeting social identity management Crystal J. La Rue, Catherine Haslam, Sarah V. Bentley, Ben C. P. Lam, Niklas K. Steffens, et al. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 2024 Successful retirement adjustment requires careful planning in the lead up to this important life transition. While financial planning is routinely prioritized, evidence suggests that the social changes in retirement can be just as challenging to manage — if not more. GROUPS 4 RETIREMENT (G4R) is a new online intervention that addresses this gap by targeting the identity changes that people typically experience in retirement. This paper reports findings from two studies evaluating the acceptability and efficacy of this intervention. Study 1 (N = 89) used a pre‐post design to assess G4R and found that the intervention was positively evaluated by users and led to significant increases in their sense of thriving, perceived control, life satisfaction, anticipated retirement satisfaction, and planning intentions. Study 2 (N = 98) tested the intervention using an experimental design in which participants were randomly assigned to either G4R or a financial planning control condition. Results showed that G4R was as effective as financial planning in improving most outcomes and showed a clear advantage in increasing anticipated retirement satisfaction and intentions to engage in social and activities planning. Together, these studies provide initial evidence of the value of engaging in social identity‐focused social planning to support well‐being and preparedness in the lead up to retirement.
A Longitudinal Examination of the Role of Social Identity in Supporting Health and Well-Being in Retirement Catherine Haslam, Ben C. P. Lam, Eraj Ghafoori, Niklas K. Steffens, S. Alexander Haslam, et al. Psychology and Aging, 2023 Social factors are major determinants of the success of retirement transitions. However, we do not yet fully understand the nature and basis of this impact, particularly as it relates to social group belonging. To address this issue the present article investigated the role that social group memberships play in supporting people's health and well-being in the early phase of transitioning to retirement. More specifically, we drew on the social identity model of identity change (SIMIC) to examine two pathways in which social group processes are theorized to influence adjustment to life change-social identity continuity and social identity gain. To test these pathways, a sample of Australian workers who had transitioned to retirement in the last 12 months (N = 170) were surveyed about their (a) preretirement multiple group memberships and postretirement maintained and new group memberships and (b) their perceived physical health, mental health, and life satisfaction after retirement. While preretirement group memberships did not affect retirement outcomes directly, they supported them indirectly by enabling people both to maintain some existing group memberships and to gain some new group memberships postretirement; as predicted by SIMIC. These findings confirm the importance of social factors and of social group membership in particular, for retiree health and well-being. Theoretically, they support the generalizability of SIMIC and its capacity to explain adjustment to diverse life changes including retirement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
GROUPS 2 CONNECT: An online activity to maintain social connection and well-being during COVID-19 Sarah V. Bentley, Catherine Haslam, S. Alexander Haslam, Jolanda Jetten, Joel Larwood, et al. Applied Psychology Health and Well Being, 2022 COVID‐19 has had significant negative consequences for well‐being. As well as the primary effects of the virus itself, secondary effects have resulted from the social isolation caused by the lockdowns imposed to slow the spread of the virus. Recognising the toxic effects of isolation, researchers, practitioners and policy‐makers are conscious of the need to mitigate the negative effects of social distancing. Drawing on insights from a large body of research on the Social Identity Approach to Health, we devised an online activity—GROUPS 2 CONNECT (G2C)—aimed at helping people to maintain social connectedness when face‐to‐face interaction was not possible. Across four studies (N = 1021), we found that after completing the G2C activity, participants reported an increase in perceived quality of social connection, perceived ability to stay connected and well‐being, with results showing that for two of the three longitudinal studies these uplifts were stable over time, and for all studies, the uplifts remained consistently higher for those who reported completing their social connection goals. These findings provide initial evidence of the value of G2C as a tool to support social connection, thereby reducing the risk of social isolation.
“It’s the Social Aspect of Your Life That Makes You Well”—Acceptability of the GROUPS 4 HEALTH (G4H) Program for Participants With Chronic Disease VV Wergin, N Costa, L Nguyen, M Long, S Woodruffe, A Hulme, ... Qualitative Health Research, 10497323261417543 , 2026 2026
A Social Cure for Loneliness CJ La Rue, C Haslam, T Cruwys, SA Haslam, J Jetten, VV Wergin, ... The Handbook of Loneliness, 511-529 , 2025 2025
Navigating social identity change in workforce and athletic retirement C Haslam, BCP Lam, C La Rue, Y Zhang, SA Haslam, NK Steffens, ... Handbook of Social Identity Research, 148-166 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
9. Navigating social identity change in workforce C Haslam, BCP Lam, C La Rue, Y Zhang, SA Haslam, NK Steffens, ... Handbook of Social Identity Research, 148 , 2025 2025
Mo1184: THE IMPACT OF A FORMALIZED FRAILTY ASSESSMENT ON PATIENT SATISFACTION AND DEMAND FOR SURVEILLANCE COLONOSCOPY IN PATIENTS OVER 65 YEARS N Koloski, K Virgo, N Moy, A Whaley, A Shah, TJ Hansen, J Pickering, ... Gastroenterology 169 (1), S-1037 , 2025 2025
The Role of Workgroups and Leaders for Early Career Academic Success: A Qualitative Investigation N Dawson, C Haslam, SL Parker, J Jetten, K Peters, J Fernando, ... Academy of Management Proceedings 2025 (1), 19277 , 2025 2025
Formalised frailty assessment in a cohort of patients over 65 years referred for surveillance colonoscopy N Koloski, K Virgo, A Whaley, N Moy, A Shah, T Hansen, J Pickering, ... Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 39, 112-112 , 2024 2024
More than sport: A social-identity intervention to support transitions out of elite sport T Young, C Haslam, P Coffee, D Cooper, C McAulay, C Hartley, ... Psychology of Sport and Exercise 75, 102697 , 2024 2024 Citations: 16
Corrigendum to" Tackling loneliness together: A three-tier social identity framework for social prescribing" SA Haslam, C Haslam, T Cruwys, LS Sharman, S Hayes, Z Walter, ... Group Processes and Intergroup Relations 27 (5), 1207-1207 , 2024 2024
Tackling loneliness together: A three-tier social identity framework for social prescribing SA Haslam, C Haslam, T Cruwys, LS Sharman, S Hayes, Z Walter, ... Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 27 (5), 1128-1150 , 2024 2024 Citations: 52
“I’m more than my sport”: Exploring the dynamic processes of identity change in athletic retirement C Haslam, C McAulay, D Cooper, N Mertens, P Coffee, C Hartley, ... Psychology of Sport and Exercise 73, 102640 , 2024 2024 Citations: 47
Testing the acceptability of MORE THAN SPORT: A social-identity intervention to support transitions out of elite sport. T Young, C Haslam, P Coffee, D Cooper, C Mcaulay, C Hartley, ... The 4th International Conference on Social Identity in Sports, Location … , 2024 2024
More Than Sport: A new program of social identity management to support athletes retiring from elite sport C Haslam, T Young, C La Rue, K Fransen, P Coffee, C Hartley, ... The 4th International Conference on Social Identity in Sports, Location … , 2024 2024
A latent profile analysis of the nature of social group memberships and their contribution to retirement outcomes CJ La Rue, NK Steffens, BÁ Werth, SV Bentley, C Haslam British Journal of Social Psychology 63 (2), 591-613 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
GROUPS 4 RETIREMENT: A new intervention that supports well‐being in the lead‐up to retirement by targeting social identity management CJ La Rue, C Haslam, SV Bentley, BCP Lam, NK Steffens, ... Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 97 (1), 1-26 , 2024 2024 Citations: 24
Tackling loneliness together SA Haslam, C Haslam, T Cruwys, LS Sharman, S Hayes, Z Walter, ... 2024
More than sport T Young, C Haslam, P Coffee, D Cooper, C McAulay, C Hartley, ... 2024
A longitudinal examination of the role of social identity in supporting health and well-being in retirement. C Haslam, BCP Lam, E Ghafoori, NK Steffens, SA Haslam, SV Bentley, ... Psychology and aging 38 (7), 615 , 2023 2023 Citations: 35
WITHDRAWN: Using Correlation to assess Feedback within Small Groups B Heslop, K Bailey, C La Rue, RM Taylor, J Paul, E Stojanovski Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 100100 , 2023 2023 Citations: 2
GROUPS 2 CONNECT: An online activity to maintain social connection and well‐being during COVID‐19 SV Bentley, C Haslam, SA Haslam, J Jetten, J Larwood, CJ La Rue Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being 14 (4), 1189-1210 , 2022 2022 Citations: 20
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Social identification-building interventions to improve health: A systematic review and meta-analysis NK Steffens, CJ LaRue, C Haslam, ZC Walter, T Cruwys, KA Munt, ... Health psychology review 15 (1), 85-112 , 2021 2021 Citations: 271
A meta-analysis of retirement adjustment predictors CJ La Rue, C Haslam, NK Steffens Journal of Vocational Behavior 136, 103723 , 2022 2022 Citations: 54
Tackling loneliness together: A three-tier social identity framework for social prescribing SA Haslam, C Haslam, T Cruwys, LS Sharman, S Hayes, Z Walter, ... Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 27 (5), 1128-1150 , 2024 2024 Citations: 52
“I’m more than my sport”: Exploring the dynamic processes of identity change in athletic retirement C Haslam, C McAulay, D Cooper, N Mertens, P Coffee, C Hartley, ... Psychology of Sport and Exercise 73, 102640 , 2024 2024 Citations: 47
A longitudinal examination of the role of social identity in supporting health and well-being in retirement. C Haslam, BCP Lam, E Ghafoori, NK Steffens, SA Haslam, SV Bentley, ... Psychology and aging 38 (7), 615 , 2023 2023 Citations: 35
GROUPS 4 RETIREMENT: A new intervention that supports well‐being in the lead‐up to retirement by targeting social identity management CJ La Rue, C Haslam, SV Bentley, BCP Lam, NK Steffens, ... Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 97 (1), 1-26 , 2024 2024 Citations: 24
GROUPS 2 CONNECT: An online activity to maintain social connection and well‐being during COVID‐19 SV Bentley, C Haslam, SA Haslam, J Jetten, J Larwood, CJ La Rue Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being 14 (4), 1189-1210 , 2022 2022 Citations: 20
More than sport: A social-identity intervention to support transitions out of elite sport T Young, C Haslam, P Coffee, D Cooper, C McAulay, C Hartley, ... Psychology of Sport and Exercise 75, 102697 , 2024 2024 Citations: 16
A latent profile analysis of the nature of social group memberships and their contribution to retirement outcomes CJ La Rue, NK Steffens, BÁ Werth, SV Bentley, C Haslam British Journal of Social Psychology 63 (2), 591-613 , 2024 2024 Citations: 7
WITHDRAWN: Using Correlation to assess Feedback within Small Groups B Heslop, K Bailey, C La Rue, RM Taylor, J Paul, E Stojanovski Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 100100 , 2023 2023 Citations: 2
Navigating social identity change in workforce and athletic retirement C Haslam, BCP Lam, C La Rue, Y Zhang, SA Haslam, NK Steffens, ... Handbook of Social Identity Research, 148-166 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
When the final whistle blows: The role of “Groups 4 Health: Sport” in supporting elite athletes’ transition to retirement. K Franssen, K De Brandt 16th European Congress of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 131-131 , 2022 2022 Citations: 1
“It’s the Social Aspect of Your Life That Makes You Well”—Acceptability of the GROUPS 4 HEALTH (G4H) Program for Participants With Chronic Disease VV Wergin, N Costa, L Nguyen, M Long, S Woodruffe, A Hulme, ... Qualitative Health Research, 10497323261417543 , 2026 2026
A Social Cure for Loneliness CJ La Rue, C Haslam, T Cruwys, SA Haslam, J Jetten, VV Wergin, ... The Handbook of Loneliness, 511-529 , 2025 2025
9. Navigating social identity change in workforce C Haslam, BCP Lam, C La Rue, Y Zhang, SA Haslam, NK Steffens, ... Handbook of Social Identity Research, 148 , 2025 2025
Mo1184: THE IMPACT OF A FORMALIZED FRAILTY ASSESSMENT ON PATIENT SATISFACTION AND DEMAND FOR SURVEILLANCE COLONOSCOPY IN PATIENTS OVER 65 YEARS N Koloski, K Virgo, N Moy, A Whaley, A Shah, TJ Hansen, J Pickering, ... Gastroenterology 169 (1), S-1037 , 2025 2025
The Role of Workgroups and Leaders for Early Career Academic Success: A Qualitative Investigation N Dawson, C Haslam, SL Parker, J Jetten, K Peters, J Fernando, ... Academy of Management Proceedings 2025 (1), 19277 , 2025 2025
Formalised frailty assessment in a cohort of patients over 65 years referred for surveillance colonoscopy N Koloski, K Virgo, A Whaley, N Moy, A Shah, T Hansen, J Pickering, ... Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 39, 112-112 , 2024 2024
Corrigendum to" Tackling loneliness together: A three-tier social identity framework for social prescribing" SA Haslam, C Haslam, T Cruwys, LS Sharman, S Hayes, Z Walter, ... Group Processes and Intergroup Relations 27 (5), 1207-1207 , 2024 2024
Testing the acceptability of MORE THAN SPORT: A social-identity intervention to support transitions out of elite sport. T Young, C Haslam, P Coffee, D Cooper, C Mcaulay, C Hartley, ... The 4th International Conference on Social Identity in Sports, Location … , 2024 2024
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Senior Behavioural Scientist at international behavioural science company, Evidn.
