Emotional Disorder Genesis and Evolution (EDGE)
- Anxiety
- Clinical Practice
- Depression & Mood Disorders
- Early Life Stress & Trauma
- Individual Differences
- Resilience
Lab Head: Dr Omid V. Ebrahimi
Dr Omid V. Ebrahimi
Emotional Disorder Genesis and Evolution (EDGE)
The Oxford EDGE Lab investigates the events and processes leading to the onset, persistence, and resolution of common mental disorders across the lifespan, with a particular focus on depression and anxiety.
Our research explores how critical incidents, both at the individual level (e.g., adverse life events) and on broader societal scales (e.g., infectious disease outbreaks, economic recessions), accelerate the emergence of mental disorders.
A central question guiding our work is whether psychological and behavioural mechanisms function uniquely or operate similarly across different types of incidents. By addressing this, we aim to identify strategies to mitigate the detrimental impact of these events on mental health and human behaviour.
At the core of our approach is the conceptualisation of mental disorders as complex dynamical systems, where elements across biopsychosocial dimensions dynamically interact and aggravate each other over time to contribute to the onset and maintenance of mental disorders.
To capture these evolving processes, we employ innovative statistical techniques and conduct (intensive) longitudinal studies, tracking individuals over extended periods to map distinct mental health trajectories. This is complemented by using large-scale representative population studies, to facilitate a robust and generalisable understanding of mental health and behavioural change patterns.
Ultimately, our goal is to predict and elucidate the pathways through which individuals transition into and recover from common mental disorders, informing more effective interventions and preventive strategies.
Research Projects
Critical Incidents and Psychological Adaptation (CIPA)
The CIPA Study is a 15-year longitudinal cohort study launched in February 2023. To date, over 20,000 adult participants have been recruited using a rigorous random probability sample based on Norwegian population lists from registries. Additionally, registry (electronic health record) data are retrieved for a random sample of 1 018 600 (~ 1 million) individuals, representing 25% of the Norwegian adult population. A sample on children and adolescents is currently being obtained. The project extends until 2037, aiming to investigate mental health before, during, and after critical events, such as economic recession, infectious disease outbreaks, climate change, and other national and global crises. Specifically, the project aims to identify the risk factors and mechanistic processes that underlie the development of mental health disorders, focusing on the transition from healthy, non-diagnostic states, to disorder states for depression and anxiety. CIPA leverages multimodal information sources, including the integration of registry data, natural language data, in addition to both longitudinal panel measurements and ecological momentary assessments (EMA) of its subjects. CIPA is one of the largest EMA studies conducted to date, having recruited over 3 500 subjects to its EMA arm, yielding over a half million observations of disorder formation and maintenance dynamics. By analysing the granular interactions between mental health problems and their contextual and psychosocial constituents, The CIPA Study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the onset and persistence of common mental disorders over time.
Principal Investigator: Dr Omid V. Ebrahimi
The COVID-19, Mental Health and Adherence Project (MAP-19)
The MAP-19 Study was initiated in March 2020 and is a large-scale nation-wide population study on 10 061 adults spanning over 3 years and 10 longitudinal assessment waves of data to investigate the mental health sequalae tied to the COVID-19 pandemic and its mitigation protocols, in addition to factors predicting adherence to viral mitigation protocols and preventive health behaviours (e.g., vaccination uptake). The study further leveraged the use of daily assessments over 40 days of more than 2 750 adults (i.e., over 110 000 observations) to investigate the granular mechanisms and contextual stressors that were related to depressive and anxious symptoms experienced during the pandemic. The MAP-19 study led to over 35 peer-reviewed international publications, including in major psychological and psychiatric journals such as BMC Medicine, Lancet and Nature outlets, with its results serving as the basis for the monitoring of mental health and the modification of pandemic mitigation protocols across multiple nordic countries.
Principal Investigator: Dr Omid V. Ebrahimi
The Paradox of Intent: Mapping out and addressing the psychological determinants of climate (in)action in individuals and organisations
Large discrepancies have been identified between reported intention (i.e., planned behaviour) of engaging in pro-environmental behaviours and concrete behavioural conduct both at the individual and organisational level. Outside functioning as a critical global incident, climate change is connected to the occurrence of additional critical events (e.g., natural disasters, forced displacement and geopolitical conflict) with national and international repercussions. Employing a systems-based approach to model the constituents of climate (in)action, The Paradox of Intent Study aims to delineate the interplay of group dynamics and intrapersonal psychological processes that contribute to the disparity between intention and action. The study further investigates the impact of climate change and the polarised discourse around this topic on adverse mental health outcomes.
Principal Investigators: Dr Omid V. Ebrahimi and Dr Laurence Wainwright
Trauma, Anxiety and Coping: Temporal Impact of War on Civilians (TACTIC)
The TACTIC study examines how the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war shapes the mental health of civilians. It combines longitudinal quantitative assessments with qualitative data to track changes in mental health before, during, and after war-related critical incidents (e.g., shelling), and to identify new types of coping strategies and psychological processes underlying changes in mental health during armed conflicts. Specifically, the study aims to distinguish between adaptive, survival-oriented responses from those that may signal the onset of pathology once the immediate threat subsides. The findings from the TACTIC study are aimed to inform the development of targeted, context-sensitive mental health interventions aimed at people living in conditions of war.
Principal Investigator: Dr Omid V. Ebrahimi. Co-developed with: Olena Khailenko
Our Team
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Omid V. Ebrahimi
Career Development Research Fellow
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Mikaela Dizon
MSc Psychological Research Student
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Olena Khailenko
MSc Psychological Research Student
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Pin Chen
DPhil Candidate
Sakshi Rajesh DPhil Candidate |
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MSci in Experimental Psychology |
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MSci in Experimental Psychology |
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MSci in Experimental Psychology |
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MSci in Experimental Psychology |
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Externally affiliated students
PhD Candidate |  |
Sarah Borges MSc |  |
PhD Candidate |  |
DClinPsy Candidate |  |
DClinPsy Candidate |  |