LONDON'S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
Dr. Rabya Mughal
BA, MA, Post Grad Cert, PhD
Email: rabya.mughal.14@ucl.ac.uk
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Autism, Sleep, Behaviour, Emotion, Psychosis
I am a research psychologist with a background in adolescent mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions relating to environmental trauma.
Research interests
My research interests include the impact of the environment on biological function. I have conducted research on prenatal environmental stress and trauma, health inequity, the psychological mechanisms of extremist behaviour, and the impact of public service failure on mental wellbeing. I am also interested in the socio-psychological impact of Othering on individuals, particularly those from marginalised groups.
Teaching summary
I have taught undergraduate and postgraduate level on public health and atypical development. I have supervised and mentored MA, MSc and PhD students through the thesis process.
Publications:
Mughal, R (2024, In Press) The Other: The neurodevelopmental impacts of social exclusion in the UK. In: The Routledge International Handbook on Social Exclusion and Radicalisation. Routledge Press, 2024.
Mughal R, Thomson L, Chatterjee H (2024). Mobilising community assets to tackle health inequalities: A case study synthesis and review Mobilising Community Assets to Tackle Health Inequalities. 22 Apr 2024. UCL and National Centre for Creative Health, UCL
Mughal R, Thomson L, Chatterjee H (2024). Community COVID: How can community assets redress health inequities? In Creative approaches to wellbeing. Manchester University Press 2024
Johnson B, Mughal R (2024). Towards a critical pedagogy of trans-inclusive education in UK secondary schools International Journal of Inclusive Education 07 Mar 2024 (Journal article)
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/
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.
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).
Mughal R., Thomson, L.J., Chatterjee, H.J et al. (2022) Community COVID: How can community assets address health inequity? London: University College London
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/
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mughal, R. (2017). Sleep, maladaptive behaviour and language acquisition in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Sleep Medicine., 40, E231.
PhD Thesis:
General summary:
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.