About me
When I started working in 2003 at Priory School I became interested in the psychopathology of autism, a condition where I would meet children who never spoke a word but could complete a jigsaw puzzle, in reverse with the picture hidden. I completed my undergraduate degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics in 2007, which taught me the skill of thinking analytically about the systems and institutions around us, some of which condition our core psychology and even our physiological make up. Subsequently, I worked for seven years in the third sector, amongst a recession-austerity backdrop, taking part in interesting outreach and civil service behaviour change projects on youth, ageing, poverty, unemployment, public health, elderly care, acute mental health, and education. The majority of this period was spent working for Participle, a service design company that addressed the intractable social issues of society, but I also freelanced for Apps for Good (a tech start up) the Young Foundation (a think tank) the Communities Empowerment Network (a charity) and a number of schools and mental health service providers, all of whom focussed on building capacity for underrepresented communities, both from a 'top down' and 'bottom up' perspective.
I completed a masters in Special and Inclusive Education in 2014 and a PhD in Experimental Psychology in 2020.
It always struck me how:
1) There is a delicate, complex, intertwined dance between the inner physiology and our outside world. These seemingly dichotomous things interact with each other more than we know. Socioeconomic status is a predictor of psychopathology, even within the neurodevelopmental conditions that we can be born with and spend our entire lives living with.
2) That in order to create a fairer society, we must start by pulling at the systems and institutions that we conform to and that govern us. Behaviour change models are one way of doing this, but systemic change comes from 'top down' as well as 'bottom up' approaches. Many fail. Some succeed. We in the foothills of this area of research.
My mentor and boss while I was at Participle, Hilary Cottam, influenced much of my view of the world. She terms it as Relational Welfare and asks the question: what would the world look like if, at their core, welfare systems were made up of tangible and real relationships? For me, I wonder how it would be if all institutions - public, private and Foucauldian - reflected a relational social contract: between individuals in a diverse society, and between the individual and the institutions around us.
An overview of my career so far:
University College London, Division of Biosciences (2020-Present)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: UKRI Funded Project - Mobilising Community Assets to Tackle Health Inequalities
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University of Cambridge, Department of Psychiatry (2022- Present)
University College London, Division of Psychiatry (2019-2020)
Postdoctoral Researcher: The Empowering Better End of Life Care in Dementia (EMBED-Care) project at the UCL Division of Psychiatry aims to change the conversation about palliative care in dementia. Whilst services and wellbeing interventions for end of life care are well established within other conditions such as cancer, provisions for dementia require service development that take into consideration the cognitive profiles, wellbeing, and decision making capacity of individuals with dementia.
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University College London, Institute of Education (2019-2020)
Lecturer, MSc Child Development
Dissertation Supervisor
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University College London (2016-2020)
PhD student: Thesis: Sleep and Daytime Functioning in Children on the Fetal Alcohol and Autism Spectrums (FASD).
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University College London (2015)
MA: Special and Inclusive Education at the UCL Institute of Education. Dissertation Title: Sleep and Language Acquisition in Toddlers with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
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University of Cambridge, Homerton College (2014)
Post Graduate certificate of Educational Enquiry
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Education Consultant (2013-2020)
Designing alternative curriculums for children with Autism and in foster care; changing the way teachers deliver lessons. My speciality is ‘hiding’ maths and science within areas the child is interested in. This way, a child who would usually not enjoy the school experience will learn slowly, and in an alternative way. During this time I also freelanced for Apps for Good (teaching coding to kids), The Young Foundation (film courses for at risk youths), Communities Empowerment Network (children excluded from mainstream education) and Hammersmith and Fulham Council (SENCO, virtual school and SEN interventions), MIND (caregivers of individuals with Schizophrenia) and Camden Hub (creating a safe space for individuals with Schizophrenia).
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Participle Ltd (2008-2013)
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Participle Ltd: Lambeth Council & Forest Hill Jobcentre (2012-2013)
Organisational Behaviour Change: Changing the way jobcentre workers interact with jobseekers, thus building their soft skills and 'employability' (BACKR)
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Participle Ltd: Guys & St Thomas NHS (2011-2012)
Organisational Behaviour Change: Developing the way GPs work with individuals with long term/ chronic conditions, thus alleviating pressure on primary care services.
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Participle Ltd: Swindon Council (2010-2011)
Organisational Behaviour Change: Removing the institutional and bureaucratic barriers of social work, thus allowing social workers to develop meaningful and developmental relationships with families.
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Participle Ltd: Southwark Council (2009)
Research question: How can elderly individuals could build real, long lasting relationships with members of their community? Service design/ organisational behaviour change.
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Participle Ltd: Croydon/ Brighton & Hove Council (2008-2009)
Organisational Behaviour Change/ Outreach: Developing youth outreach provisions in the community to incorporate developmental and soft skill interventions.
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University of Warwick (2004-2007)
BA: Philosophy, Politics and Economics
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Special education and pupil referral unit teacher/ teaching assistant (2003-2008)
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Publications
Book
The Other: Asian Women Writers award winner for non fiction. We all have the propensity to Other individuals in society – whether based on race, class, gender, political belief, sexual orientation, religion, neurodiversity, (dis)ability, immigration status or even because of our own perceived victimhood or colonial mindset. “The Other” is a nonfiction book that looks at various Others in society, through the lens of some of the great philosophers, psychologists, and writers throughout history.
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Podcast
Audiovisual Cultures 94 - Community Covid with Dr Rabya Mughal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igp7erVjApY - how do we utilise community assets for the most vulnerable in society?
Peer reviewed publications
Mughal, R. (2023). Social prescribing: arts, heritage, and culture Introduction Headlines from the rapid evidence review. Policy Commons: https://policycommons.net/artifacts/4306203/social-prescribing/5116574/
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Mughal, R., DeMarinis, V., Nordendahl, M., Lone, H., Phillips, V., & Boyd-MacMillan, E. (2023). Public mental health approaches to online radicalisation: an empty systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(16), 6586.
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Benson, A. A., Mughal, R., Dimitriou, D., & Halstead, E. J. (2023). Towards a Distinct Sleep and Behavioural Profile of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): A Comparison between FASD, Autism and Typically Developing Children. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience, 22(3).
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Mughal R., Thomson, L.J., Chatterjee, H.J et al. (2022) Community COVID: How can community assets address health inequity? London: University College London
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Seers, H., Mughal, R. & Chatterjee, H.J. (2022) Connection to Nature Evidence Information Note EIN068. Natural England. Available at: http://nepubprod.appspot.com/publication/5777215462834176
Seers, H., Mughal, R. & Chatterjee, H.J. (2022) Links between natural environments and mental health Evidence Information Note EIN065. Natural England. Available at: http://nepubprod.appspot.com/publication/4973580642418688
Seers, H., Mughal, R. & Chatterjee, H.J. (2022) Links between natural environments and physical health Evidence Information Note EIN066. Natural England. Available at http://nepubprod.appspot.com/publication/6416203718590464
Seers, H., Mughal, R. & Chatterjee, H.J. (2022) How the natural environment can support children and young people Evidence Information Note EIN067. Natural England. Available at http://nepubprod.appspot.com/publication/6705674179575808
Sabey A., Seers H., Chatterjee H.J. & Polley M. (2022) How can social prescribing support older people in poverty? A rapid scoping review of interventions. National Academy for Social Prescribing. Available at: https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/read-the-evidence/older-people/
Mughal R., Polley M., Sabey A. & Chatterjee H.J. (2022) How Arts, Heritage and Culture can support health and wellbeing through social prescribing. National Academy for Social Prescribing. Available at: https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/read-the-evidence/arts-culture-and-creativity/
Kitmitto L., Mughal R., Polley M. & Chatterjee H. J. (2022) How social welfare legal and financial issues affect health and wellbeing: the role of social prescribing. National Academy for Social Prescribing. Available at: https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/read-the-evidence/financial-social-and-legal-social-prescribing/
Mughal R., Seers H., Polley M., Sabey A. & Chatterjee H.J. (2022) How the natural environment can support health and wellbeing through social prescribing. National Academy for Social Prescribing. Available at: https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/read-the-evidence/nature/
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Mughal, R.; Wong, S.S.; Dimitriou, D.; Halstead, E (2021). Nightmares in Children with FASD, ASD and Their Typically Developing Peers. Clocks & Sleep 2021, 3(3), 465-481.
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Mughal, R., Thomson, L.J., Daykin, N. & Chatterjee, H.J. (2021) Rapid evidence review of community engagement in the UK During the COVID-19 pandemic: How can community assets redress health inequities? BMC Public Health, Preprint.
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Mughal, R., Hill, C. M., Joyce, A., & Dimitriou, D. (2020) Sleep and Cognition in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Brain Sciences, 10(11), 863.
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Mughal, R., Joyce, A., Hill, C., & Dimitriou, D. (2020). Sleep disturbance as a predictor of anxiety in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and typically developing children. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 101, 103610.
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Mughal, R. (2017). Sleep, maladaptive behaviour and language acquisition in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Sleep Medicine., 40, E231.​
Conference presentations
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Mughal, R & Rana, M (2021) In conversation with Dr Rabya Mughal and Dr Mah Rana. Creatives Lives, Tackling Inequalities Conference, 2-3 June 2021.
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Mughal, R (2021) Social Prescribing and Inequity: Presentation at the 3rd International Social Prescribing Network Conference: Social prescribing & community - beyond the pandemic' 4th-5th March, Online, GMT
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Mughal, R (2020) Sleep research in FASD: Where are we now? FASD Research Collaboration Symposium, Salford University December 11th 2020
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Mughal, R; Hill, C.M; Dimitriou, D (2020) Sleep, anxiety, executive functioning, behaviour and cognition in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. PIER Network Sleep Conference, Southampton November 20th
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C J Evans, J Aworinde, B Candy, R Mughal, J Anderson, R Harding, E Sampson (2020) A logic model of integrated palliative dementia care to optimise quality of life for people with dementia nearing the end of life; An overview of systematic reviews and meta-synthesis. 11th World Congress of the European Association of Palliative care, Pallermo, May 14-16.
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Mughal, R; Hill, C.M; Dimitriou, D (2018) Sleep and daytime functioning in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. European Conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders., Berlin, September 18-20
Mughal, R, Dimitriou, D (2017) Sleep and vocabulary learning in toddlers with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. World Sleep Congress, Prague, October 15-18
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PhD thesis
Mughal, R (2020) Sleep and Daytime Functioning in Children on the Fetal Alcohol and Autism Spectrums.
General summary:
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I investigated the role of sleep in the developmental process. Sleep is not just a cessation of the waking state, but it is a fundamental process during which our brains are consolidating new memory, organising our thoughts, and replenishing energy that is depleted during the day. It is therefore crucial to the developing brain, and getting a good night’s sleep is now at the forefront of modern science. In some sections of society, sleep quality and duration can be compromised by environmental factors such as chaotic home life, stress and anxiety. Children with Autism and FASD experience high levels of stress and anxiety, usually due to environmental pressures. This affects schoolwork, socialising, wellbeing, and development itself.
Within Autism and FASD (as well as in many other developmental and psychological conditions), sleep quality and quantity remain much lower than the average and necessary amount. It is not known why this is, but research suggests that there is a complex and bidirectional relationship between sleep and development. This relationship may be part of the compromise of atypical development.
The results contained within this thesis link sleep with a number of daytime outcomes in children with Autism and FASD. Sleep is correlational to anxiety, behaviours such as aggression and withdrawal, cognitive aspects such attention, fluid intelligence, receptive vocabulary and working memory, as well as social and environmental factors. This is apparent not only in children in the neurodevelopmental categories, but in typically developing children also. This research also finds that children with Autism and FASD experience significantly more sleep problems than typically developing children.
It is therefore proposed here that sleep health interventions should be strongly considered as part of the therapeutic practice for children with Autism and FASD.
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Policy briefs
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School Exclusions - Communities Empowerment Network. Evaluation Report
Social Impact Summary (Participle, 2015). A report on Capability building (elderly care services).
School Exclusions (Department for Education, 2014). A guide to the permanent and fixed period exclusions in schools in England statistics.
A Research Tool for Measuring Capability (Participle, 2013) A measurement tool for access to health services.
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Public engagement
Creator of FASD Sleep Resources Website (www.fasdsleep.com)
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Question and Answer session as FASD Specialist – Care, Education and Treatment Reviews. Tavistock and Portman Clinic, May 2019.
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Focus Group on Child Sleep Hygiene – FASD Birth Mothers Network, January 2018
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Panel Discussion Participant – User Experience and Service Design in the Public Sector. Royal Academy of Arts, October 2017.
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Panel Discussion Participant – Looked After Children. Tavistock and Portman Clinic, June 2016
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Education
PhD, Experimental Psychology (2020).
UCL Institute of Education
MA, Special and Inclusive Education (2015)
UCL Institute of Education
Post Graduate Certificate in Educational Enquiry (2014).
University of Cambridge, Homerton College
BA, Philosophy, Politics and Economics (2007).
The University of Warwick
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