Paul George Dempster, Ph.D

My interests are in applied qualitative health research especially in the area of technology and mental health. I have also worked as a lecturer in qualitative research methods, where I have specialised in CAQDAS (Computer aided qualitative data analysis software), grounded theory, phenomenology and alternative approaches to transcription. I am a methodological consultant for the University of Wisconsin- Madison providing advice for (Transana) a software package which explores video analysis and am currently coauthoring a book 'Digital tools for qualitative research', which is due out in Spring 2013.

My early research focussed on staff experience of looking after older people in care homes and the experiences surrounding death and dying in care homes. This involved taking the metaphors and language from the arts and street performance and seeing if they could be utilised in hard to research areas. Further I am interested in memorials and how they are used by staff to remember especially within care homes. This led to being involved in a National program which looked at bereavement and its implications for the NHS in Scotland.

More recently my work as a research fellow has involved large scale qualitative research programs exploring Foundation Trust hospitals and the implementation of electronic records within the NHS. This has meant developing new ways to manage and explore data, especially in larger teams.

Currently I am the qualitative researcher working on ASSSIST, a trial which seeks to explore the use of a new manual for Social Stories for children with autism. I am also the lead qualitative researcher in a computerised cognitive behavioural therapy trial with teenagers, who suffer from low moods. 

I am very interested in adapting existing technologies to be more useful to researchers and I enjoy developing and exploring methodology.