Gemma Kiernan
Dr

Gemma Kiernan (B.A., Ph.D. PostGrad. Dip. Psychotherapy Cert Child Psychotherapy) is an Associate Professor in Psychotherapy in the School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health at Dublin City University. Gemma is a Chartered Counselling Psychologist with the Psychological Society of Ireland and an accredited Psychotherapist with the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Gemma lectures on the Psychotherapy programmes in the School of Nursing and Human Sciences. Her research is predominantly concerned with understanding and improving children’s psychosocial health and development in the areas of illness, disability, and loss.She has published and presented her work at both national and international levels.
Peer Reviewed Journal
Year | Publication | |
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2024 | Hanlon, P; Kiernan, G; Guerin, S (2024) 'Camp Draws You Back Into Life Again: Exploring the Impact of a Therapeutic Recreation-Based Bereavement Camp for Families Who Have Lost a Child to Serious Illness'. Omega, 89 (3). [DOI] | |
2022 | Kiernan, G.; Hurley, F.; Price, J. (2022) '‘With every fibre of their being’: Perspectives of healthcare professionals caring for children with non-malignant life-limiting conditions'. Child: Care, Health and Development, 48 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2021 | Hurley, F.; Kiernan, G.; Price, J. (2021) '‘Starting out in haziness’: Parental experiences surrounding the diagnosis of their child's non-malignant life-limiting condition in Ireland'. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC NURSING, 59 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2021 | Mahon, C.P.; Pachankis, J.E.; Kiernan, G.; Gallagher, P. (2021) 'Risk and Protective Factors for Social Anxiety Among Sexual Minority Individuals'. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 50 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2022 | Khoshfetrat, A.; Moore, G.; Kiernan, G. (2022) 'Problematic psychoanalytic supervision: An interpretative phenomenological analysis study'. COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY RESEARCH, 22 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2022 | Mahon, C; Lombard-Vance, R; Kiernan, G; Pachankis, JE; Gallagher, P (2022) 'Social anxiety among sexual minority individuals: a systematic review'. Psychology and Sexuality, 13 (4):818-862. [DOI] | |
2020 | Guerin, S.; Kiernan, G.; Courtney, E.; McQuillan, R.; Ryan, K. (2020) 'Integration of palliative care in services for children with life-limiting neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families: A Delphi study'. BMC Health Services Research, 20 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2020 | Kiernan, G.; Courtney, E.; Ryan, K.; McQuillan, R.; Guerin, S. (2020) 'Parents’ experiences of services for their child with a life-limiting neurodevelopmental disability'. CHILDRENS HEALTH CARE, 49 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2019 | Mulligan, S; Guerin, S; McKiernan, A; Brown, A; Hartnett, M; Gray, D; Kiernan, G (2019) 'The core features and outcomes of a specialised camp programme for children with life-limiting conditions and their families: A qualitative multi-perspective approach'. Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and community, 24 (4). [DOI] | |
2018 | Courtney, E.; Kiernan, G.; Guerin, S.; Ryan, K.; McQuillan, R. (2018) 'Mothers' perspectives of the experience and impact of caring for their child with a life-limiting neurodevelopmental disability'. Child: Care, Health and Development, 44 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2018 | Hanlon, P.; Guerin, S.; Kiernan, G. (2018) 'Reflections on the development of a therapeutic recreation-based bereavement camp for families whose child has died from serious illness'. Death Studies, 42 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2016 | Coyne, I.; Amory, A.; Gibson, F.; Kiernan, G. (2016) 'Information-sharing between healthcare professionals, parents and children with cancer: More than a matter of information exchange'. European Journal of Cancer Care, 25 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2014 | Coyne, I.; Amory, A.; Kiernan, G.; Gibson, F. (2014) 'Children's participation in shared decision-making: Children, adolescents, parents and healthcare professionals' perspectives and experiences'. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 18 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2011 | Coyne, I., Amory, A, Gibson, F. & Kiernan, G. (2011) 'Children, Parents, and Healthcare Professionals Perspectives on Children’s Participation in Shared Decision Making'. European Journal of Cancer Care, 15 :275-276. | |
2010 | Kiernan, G.; Meyler, E.; Guerin, S. (2010) 'Psychosocial issues and care in pediatric oncology: Medical and nursing professionals' perceptions'. Cancer Nursing, 33 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2010 | Meyler, E., Guerin, S., Kiernan, G & Breathnach, F. (2010) 'A Review of Family Based psychosocial Interventions for Families Affected by Childhood Cancer'. Journal of Paediatic Psychology, 35 :1116-1132. | |
2010 | Gallagher, P.; Buckmaster, A.; O'Carroll, S.; Kiernan, G.; Geraghty, J. (2010) 'External breast prostheses in post-mastectomy care: Women's qualitative accounts'. European Journal of Cancer Care, 19 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2009 | Gallagher, P.; Buckmaster, A.; O'Carroll, S.; Kiernan, G.; Geraghty, J. (2009) 'Experiences in the provision, fitting and supply of external breast prostheses: Findings from a national survey'. European Journal of Cancer Care, 18 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2008 | Hartnett, E.; Gallagher, P.; Kiernan, G.; Poulsen, C.; Gilligan, E.; Reynolds, M. (2008) 'Day service programmes for people with a severe intellectual disability and quality of life: Parent and staff perspectives'. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 12 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2008 | Kiernan, G.; Axford, N.; Little, M.; Murphy, C.; Greene, S.; Gormley, M. (2008) 'The school readiness of children living in a disadvantaged area in Ireland'. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 6 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2005 | Kiernan, G., Guerin, S. & amp; MacLachlan, M. (2005) 'Children's Voices: Qualitative data from the Barretstown Studies'. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 42(7) :733-741. | |
2005 | Kiernan, G. & Walsh, T. (2005) 'When two are one: The changing nature of early childhood care and education in Ireland'. Irish Educational Studies, 23(2) :*-*. | |
2004 | Kiernan, G; Gormley, M; MacLachlan, M (2004) 'The revised-Perceived Illness Experience Scale (R-PIE): Data from the Barretstown studies'. Behavioral Medicine, 30 (1). | |
2004 | Kiernan, G.; Walsh, T. (2004) 'The changing nature of early childhood care and education in Ireland'. Irish Educational Studies, 23 . [Link] [DOI] | |
2004 | Kiernan, G., Gormley, M. & MacLachlan, M. (2004). (2004) 'Outcomes associated with participation in a therapeutic recreation camping programme: Data from the 'Barretstown Studies''. Social Science and Medicine, 59(5) :903-913. | |
2002 | Kiernan, G. & MacLachlan M. (2002) 'Children's perspectives of therapeutic recreation; Data from the 'Barretstown Studies''. Journal of Health Psychology, 7(5) :599-614. | |
2001 | Kiernan, G., Laurent J., Joiner, T., Catanzaro S. & MacLachlan M. (2001) 'Cross cultural analysis of the Tripartite Model; Data from the 'Barretstown Studies'. J'. 77 (2) :359-380. |
Book Chapter
Other Journal
Conference Contribution
Reports
Other Publication
Year | Publication | |
---|---|---|
2022 | Mahon, C.P.; Lombard-Vance, R.; Kiernan, G.; Pachankis, J.E.; Gallagher, P. (2022) Social Anxiety Among Sexual Minority Individuals: A Systematic Review. [Link] [DOI] | |
2010 | Amory, Aislinn; Coyne, Imelda; Kiernan, Gemma; Gibson, Faith (2010) EXPLORATION OF PARENTS' PREFERENCES FOR INFORMATION SHARING WITH CHILDREN WITH CANCER. | |
2010 | Coyne, Imelda; Amory, Aislinn; Gibson, Faith; Kiernan, Gemma (2010) CHILDREN, PARENTS, AND HEALTHCARE, PROFESSIONALS PERSPECTIVES ON CHILDRENS PARTICIPATION IN SHARED DECISION MAKING. | |
2008 | Guerin, Suzame; Kiernan, Gemma (2008) The development of paediatric psycho-oncology in Ireland. | |
2008 | Kiernan, Gemma; Guerin, Suzanne (2008) Medical professionals' perspectives on psychological interventions for childhood cancer. | |
2008 | Guerin, Suzanne; Meyler, Emma; Kiernan, Gemma; Breatnach, Fin (2008) Parents' experiences of a therapeutic programme for families affected by childhood cancer. | |
2008 | Meyler, Emma; Guerin, Suzanne; Kiernan, Gemma; Breatnach, Fin (2008) Psychosocial factors associated with the impact of childhood cancer on families. | |
2007 | Meyler, E. A.; Guerin, S.; Kiernan, G.; Breatnach, F. (2007) The role of a therapeutic recreation programme in mitigating the psychosocial impact of childhood cancer: A mixed method study. | |
2006 | Gallagher, P., O’Carroll, S., Buckmaster, A. Kiernan, G. & Geraghty, J. (2006) An investigation into the provision, fitting and supply of external breast prostheses: A national study. | |
2006 | Meyler, EA; Guerin, S; Kiernan, G; Breatnach, F (2006) Mitigating the impact of childhood cancer: The role of a psychosocial family-based intervention. | |
2006 | Meyler, E.; Guerin, S.; Kiernan, G.; Breatnach, F. (2006) Examining the psychosocial impact of childhood cancers on Irish families and the role of a therapeutic recreation programme in mitigating this impact. | |
2006 | Hartnett, L., Gallagher, P., Kiernan, G., Gilligan, E., Poulsen, C., Reynolds, M. & Downey-Ennis, K. (2006). (2006) Evaluation of the impact of a community based work / leisure day programme on the quality of life of people with a severe level of intellectual disability compared with people attending a campus based day programme. | |
2006 | Murphy, C., Kiernan, G., Curry, P. Greene, S. Axford, N., Couso, P.B. & Little, M. (2006). (2006) Preparing for Life: A Report on School Readiness in a Disadvantaged Community. | |
2005 | Meyler, E; Kiernan, G; Guerin, S (2005) Children's voices: Qualitative data from the 'Barretstown Studies'. | |
2005 | Schonfeld H & Kiernan G (2005) Making connections: A Review of International Policies, Practises and Research relating to Quality in Early Childhood Care and Educations. | |
2001 | Kiernan, G. (2001) Therapeutic Recreation Camping Programmes for Children with Chronic Illnesses, and their Siblings. University of Dublin, Trinity College: |
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2025) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.
Research Interests
Gemma's research is predominantly concerned with understanding and improving children’s psychosocial health and development in the areas of illness, disability, and loss. It involves the application of high quality research designs and evidence to practice to maximise the contribution of services in these areas.
Specific objectives include:
To explore children’s and their families and health professionals perceptions and experiences of serious illness, disability and loss;
To identify the factors influencing psychosocial adjustment to serious illness, disability and loss at individual and family level;
To evaluate the effectiveness of service responses in these areas.