Professor Paul Montgomery

By appointment

• DPhil Oxford 2002 - Child Psychiatry
• DipSW 1996 Oxford
• MSc 1996 Oxford Applied Social Studies
• BA (Hons) 1984 Keele Geography and Economics

Professor Montgomery’s current academic work can be considered in two broad categories: (1) Methodology of Psycho-Social Intervention, (2) Studies and trials related to Behavioural Interventions.

Methodology

Paul's methodological work is having a considerable impact on the ways that randomised trials and systematic reviews are conducted and reported in the rapidly growing field of social intervention. He has recently spearheaded the development of CONSORT-SPI, a reporting guideline for randomised trials of complex psychological and social interventions. He also led the development of the Oxford Implementation Index, and has researched the significance and utility of so-called 'empty reviews' (i.e., systematic reviews which find no studies eligible for inclusion). Currently he is leading the GRADE Extension for Complex Interventions funded by ESRC.

Behavioural Interventions

Paul's study of behavioural interventions began with his doctoral work evaluating Brief Interventions for sleep problems, and has evolved into a large, successful programme of systematic reviews and (mostly) randomised trials. Of note, recently he developed and piloted an evidence-based training manual to support democratic policing in Israel. As well, following promising results in a recent pilot study in Ghana, Paul (with colleagues at the Saïd Business School) is conducting a large trial of puberty education and sanitary pad provision for girls' empowerment, this time in Uganda. 

Paul has taught on the MA in Social Policy and lead the Policy Evaluation Module as well as contributing to the Policy Futures Module. He also contributed to the Social Work MA where he taught Research Methods. Most of his current teaching now is at doctoral level.

Paul is currently supervising the following PGRs

Caroline Greenhalgh

Hanna Head

Simon Howorth

Ulviyya Khalilova

Ajeng Patria

Emma Reith Hall

Danielle Roe

Marcia Rose

Maria Whitley Gronborg

Yunyi Xiao

PhD title

Brief treatment for child sleep disorders (University of Oxford, 2001)

Research interests

Paul's key areas of research focus are:

Methodology in psycho-social interventions

• CONSORT-SPI: A CONSORT Extension for Social and Psychological Interventions
• Evidence-based research for local services and decision-making
• GRADE Guidance for Complex Social Interventions
• How Empty are Empty Reviews?
• The Oxford Implementation Index
• DHA Learning and Behaviour Clinical Trial
• The DHA (docasahexaenoic acid) Oxford Learning and Behaviour (DOLAB) confirmatory study
• Democratic police training in Israel: moving towards an evidence base
• Menstruation and the cycle of poverty
• Organisational interventions for teacher wellbeing: intervention development and piloting
• Methodology in psycho-social interventions

• School Health Guidelines

Nutrition research

• DHA Learning and Behaviour Clinical Trial
• The DHA (docasahexaenoic acid) Oxford Learning and Behaviour (DOLAB) confirmatory study

Behavioural interventions

• Democratic police training in Israel: moving towards an evidence base
• Menstruation and the cycle of poverty
• Organisational interventions for teacher wellbeing: intervention development and piloting
• Methodology in psycho-social interventions

Current projects

• Redthread Youth Violence Intervention Programme
  This project will try to find out whether Redthread workers can help support young people through their violence intervention programme. (January 2022 - May 2023)

• LGBTQ+ young people's experiences of social care
  What Works for Children’s Social Care and other What Works Centres,(£267,000) April 2021 – March 2023, Principal Investigator.
  
  There are two linked studies: the first qualitatively assesses the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth in residential care, the second evaluates an LGBTQ+ training programme for social workers working with LGBTQ+ young people. This project is the first in the UK to gather experiences of LGBTQ+ young people in residential care, and to understand what works and what needs to change to improve LGBTQ knowledge for social workers. Both studies are co-produced, working with stakeholder groups including youth, carers, social workers, support organisations and policymakers that are connected to LGBTQ+ young people.  With: Dr Jason Schaub

• Professor Montgomery is a member of the Cross-Whitehall Trial Advice Panel, Cabinet Office, Government of the United Kingdom and is an Affiliate Professor, Department of Family Studies, University of Malta. He is also on the Advisory Panel of two “What Works Centres” -Wellbeing and Children’s Social Care.
• Currently Professor Montgomery sits on NIHR and ESRC panels and is an Editor for the International Journal of Social Welfare and for the Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems Group (DPLPG) of the Cochrane Collaboration

• Member, Cross-Whitehall Trial Advice Panel, Cabinet Office, Government of the United Kingdom
• Affiliate Professor, Department of Family Studies, University of Malta
• Member, Advisory Panel, What Works Centre for Wellbeing, London
• NIHR Doctoral Panel Member
• Associate Editor – Systematic Literature Reviews, International Journal of Social Welfare
• Editor, Developmental, Psychosocial and Learning Problems Group (DPLPG) of the Cochrane Collaboration
• Consulting Editor, Information for Practice, New York University (NYU)