New interdisciplinary centre to launch at King's College, London

An £8 million research centre is set to launch at King's College, London bringing together academics with expertise in psychology, anthropology, sociology, epidemiology and geocomputation to investigate how our society affects mental health. Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Centre for Society and Mental Health will focus on three main areas – the role of social and economic changes on young people, and on marginalised communities, as well as modern work and welfare policies and their impact on mental health.

The research carried out at the centre will be developed alongside those who use mental health services, government departments, local authorities, schools, policy-makers and charities. Its multidisciplinary team is aiming to be involved in the creation of new policies to tackle the issues which may be driving mental health problems.

Co-Director of the centre, Professor Craig Morgan, from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, said in a statement that the centre would address one of the major challenges of our times – asking what are the effects of rapid social change on mental health, particularly among the most disadvantaged? 'The factors that drive good and poor mental health lie in our communities, schools, and workplaces. Mental health problems develop across the life course and are more common among those who experience adversity. Our sustained and long-term research will help develop social policies and practices for creating environments that support mental health and give people the best chance of leading healthy, productive lives.'

The centre will be officially launched in January 2020 and will be based at the King's College, London Strand Campus.