NCMD Research Seminar Series 1st May 2026

Presentation title: Understanding Social Connectedness in Severe Mental Illness: Insights from the Social Health Cohort Study and Applications of Social Network Mapping.

Presented by Rasoul Sabaei, Research Assistant, Newcastle University; MSc Clinical Health Psychology.

Rasoul Sabaei is a Research Assistant at Newcastle University working on an MRC-funded study investigating severe mental illness. He holds an MSc in Clinical Health Psychology from the University of Strathclyde, as well as MSc and BSc degrees in Clinical Psychology from Iran. His research focuses on social determinants of mental health, community connectedness, stigma, recovery, and the role of interpersonal environments in shaping psychological outcomes.

His MSc dissertation at the University of Strathclyde examined how community belonging influences suicidal ideation among LGBTQ+ individuals, while his MSc dissertation in Iran evaluated the effectiveness of psychodrama-based group interventions for women living with bipolar disorder. He has also contributed to peer-reviewed public health research and has clinical and voluntary experience supporting individuals experiencing distress through therapeutic, community, and crisis-support settings.

Presented by Dr Furo Cookey, Consultant Psychiatrist, Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.

Furo Cookey is a consultant psychiatrist currently working in Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment, and training in Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT). She has experience in service development, specifically addressing the gap between primary and secondary care mental health provision. Clinically, her work integrates biological, psychological and social understanding to meet the needs of patients presenting in acute crisis, and with more chronic difficulties, while considering systemic barriers to care.

She has an interest in diagnostic classification, transdiagnostic approaches to mental health research, and holistic psychiatric care. Her academic work in CAT has focused on the impact of interpersonal and organisational dynamics on care delivery. She has presented internationally on the interaction of personality structure and dynamic risk, looking beyond diagnosis at more individualised risk factors.

This presentation introduces the Social Health Cohort Study, a longitudinal research project investigating how social connectedness influences mental health trajectories among individuals living with severe mental illness. The study examines how the size, composition, and quality of social networks predict changes in quality of life, functioning, and symptom severity over 12 months. Using a mixed-methods design, the project integrates self-report measures, biological markers, ecological momentary assessment, electronic health records, and qualitative neighbourhood interviews to capture the dynamic relationship between social experiences and mental health outcomes. The session will also highlight social network analysis and social network mapping as key methodological components, demonstrating how network-based approaches can advance understanding of recovery,
risk, and resilience and inform future interventions targeting social determinants of mental health.

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