Professor Antonina Pereira

Executive Dean Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities

About

CPsychol, PhD, FHEA, AFBPsS

Executive Dean Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities

Professor of Neuropsychology and Neuroscience

Director – People & Well-Being in The Everyday (POWER) Research Centre

Principal Investigator – Cognitive Ageing and Dementia Research Lab

Professor Antonina Pereira is the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Chichester, where she also holds a Chair in Neuropsychology and Neuroscience. She provides strategic leadership across the School of Law, Business and Psychology and the School of Education, Social Sciences and Humanities, with overarching responsibility for teaching and learning, research, innovation, and external engagement.

A values-driven higher education leader, Antonina has over a decade of executive experience in strategic leadership, governance, and inclusive academic innovation. Her leadership has contributed to major institutional achievements, including increased student retention and attainment, the expansion of inclusive and future-facing curricula, and the strengthening of the University’s national profile through sustained improvements in student satisfaction, continuation, and graduate outcomes. These have been reflected in strong performances across the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), Research Excellence Framework (REF), Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF), National Student Survey (NSS), and leading UK league tables. Serving on the Senior Leadership Team, she plays a pivotal role in institutional strategy, financial governance, and academic policy,

Antonina is deeply committed to education as a catalyst for social and economic transformation. She has championed initiatives that embed entrepreneurship, employability, and innovation across disciplines, co-created apprenticeship and workforce development programmes in collaboration with industry partners, and fostered a culture of belonging and student partnership aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Research

As Professor of Research Methods, Neuropsychology, and Neuroscience, Antonina’s research explores Prospective Memory assessment and rehabilitation in prodromal Alzheimer’s disease through behavioural and neuroimaging (fMRI) paradigms. She has secured over €4 million in competitive research funding and led internationally recognised, policy-shaping projects in health, education, and social care.

Her work, supported by the European Regional Development Fund, the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, the Bial Foundation, and the Woodger Trust, has advanced understanding of memory, cognition, and the neurophysiological mechanisms of ageing.

Antonina leads collaborative research partnerships across national and international networks, including the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics at the University of Reading, the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour at Radboud University, and the Institute of Molecular Medicine at the University of Lisbon.

PhD Supervision

Areas of Supervision: Aging, Alzheimer’s, Cognition, Dementia, Language, Memory, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Neurodegenerative Processes, Neuroplasticity, Neurorehabilitation, Quality of Life, Wellbeing.

Supervised to Completion

2019 – 2021

Institute of Education, Social and Life Sciences – University of Chichester

Supervision for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology provided to Samuel Baeza. Dissertation entitled “Emotional Labour, Organisational Trust, and Turnover in Social Work” – awarded with minor corrections.

2019 – 2021

Institute of Education, Social and Life Sciences – University of Chichester

Supervision for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology provided to Suzanna McGregor. Dissertation entitled “Living out Faith at the Food Bank? Church-based Food Bank Volunteer Work” – awarded with minor corrections.

2015 – 2019

Department of Psychology and Counselling – University of Chichester

Supervision for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology provided to Shane McLoughlin. Dissertation entitled “Relational Framing Training for Educational Contexts” – awarded with minor corrections.

Currently Supervising for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Rylee Spooner. Dissertation entitled ” Recovery Model Development for LGBTQ+ Survivors of Identity Abuse.”.
Susan Hindman. Dissertation entitled “Exploring the Efficacy of Virtual Reality Based Cognitive Training in Schools”.
Camille Cousley. Dissertation entitled “Measuring Prospective Memory to Support Discharge Planning for Patients Living with Dementia on an Acute Dementia Unit”.
Ross Webster. Dissertation entitled “What Aspects of Acute ‘End Of Life’ Management in Individuals with Dementia Do Doctors & Allied Health Professionals Consider as ‘Non-Beneficial’? What Do they Believe Leads to Non-Beneficial Care?”.
Emmanuel Obine. Dissertation entitled “Investigating the usability and efficacy of a developed virtual reality working memory training software for individuals living with mild cognitive impairment.”.
Zita Warren. Dissertation entitled “Parents’ Experiences and Perceptions of Empowerment and Collaborative Care to Support Parents in Neonatal Units”.
Gillian Docherty. Dissertation entitled “The Wonderful World of Adult Ballet, or is it?”.
Alison Woodward. Dissertation entitled “Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Higher Education”.
Jasmine Afaily-Zadeh. Dissertation entitled “Nature Connectedness in Healthcare Setting: implications for Physical and Emotional Wellbeing”.
Lorena Sue Covington. Dissertation entitled “A Mindfulness Intervention for End-of-Life Workers”.
Lisa Armstrong. Dissertation entitled “An investigation focusing on the impact of Informal adult caring on individual carer’s citizenship rights in England”.

Key Publications

BOOKS

Pereira, A. (2010). Enacting the future: New Challenges for the Improvement of Prospective Memory. Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag. ISBN-10: 3639298489; ISBN-13: 978-3639298482.

PUBLICATIONS – ARTICLES IN INTERNATIONAL PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS

Sharpe, B. T., King, R., Banerjee, M., Keates, S., Tyndall, I., Kooner-Evans, P., Sivyer, L., Cotten, E., Obine, E., Tabet, N., Ronen, I., Davies, N., Lewis, I., Tabbner, S., Wilkins, T. and Pereira, A. (2025) Experiences of individuals living with dementia, caregivers, and service providers regarding independence-enhancing technologies: focus group insights. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 1-41. ISSN 1748-3107
Hindman, S., King, R., & Pereira, A. (2025). Virtual Reality Based Executive Function Training in Schools: The Impact of Adaptivity on Executive Function and Motivation. Computers & Education, 105344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2025.105344
Docherty, G., Bennett, S., Clements, L., Pereira, A., & Mason, M. (2025). Psychological Well-Being and Adult Ballet: From the Perspective of the Adult Ballet Teacher. Journal of Dance Education, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/15290824.2024.2447560
Hindman, S., King, R., & Pereira, A. (2024). Virtual reality based executive function training in schools: The experience of primary school-aged children, teachers and training teaching assistants. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2024.100500
King, R., Surrell, I., Sharpe, B., & Pereira, A. (2023). An Integrated Approach to Dementia Support: Sage House. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, 19. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.075707

Covington, L., Banerjee, M., Pereira, A ., & Price, M. (2023). Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Professionals Working in End-of-life Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Palliative Care, 38 (2), 225-238. https://doi.org/10.1177/08258597221100330
Tyndall, I., Hartland, T., Banerjee, M., Giacomelli, V, Ball, I., Churchill, S., Pereira, A., & Lowry, R. (2022). Tailoring sexual health interventions for middle-aged and older adults, including vulnerable populations: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Sexual Health, 34 (4), 593-613, https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2022.2089313
McLoughlin, S., Tyndall, I., & Pereira, A. (2022). Relational operant skills training increases standardised matrices in adolescents: A stratified active-controlled trial. Journal of Behavioural Education, 31, 298-325. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-020-09399-x
McLoughlin, S., Tyndall, I., Pereira, A. & Mulhern, T. (2021). Non-verbal IQ Gains from Relational Operant Training Explain Variance in Educational Attainment: An Active-Controlled Feasibility Study. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement 5, 35–50, https://doi.org/10.1007/s41465-020-00187-z
McLoughlin, S., Tyndall, I., & Pereira, A . (2020). Convergence of multiple fields on a relational reasoning approach to cognition. Intelligence, 83, [Epub ahead of Print]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2020.101491
Gladwin, T. E., Jewiss, M., Banic, M., & Pereira, A. (2020). Associations between performance-based and self-reported prospective memory, impulsivity and encoding support. Acta Psychologica, 206, 103066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2020.103066
Belmar, M., Gladwin, T. E., Reis, L., Pinho, M. S., Silva, D., Nunes, M. V., Raskin, S., de Mendonça, A. & Pereira, A. (2020). An Exploration of Prospective Memory Components and Subtasks of the Memory for Intentions Test (MIST). Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 42(3), 274-284. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803395.2019.1710111
Appleton, K., & Pereira, A. (2019). Behavioural changes in dementia and their impact on professional caregivers: A grounded theory approach. Dementia, doi: 10.1177/1471301217714654.
Tyndall, I., Waldeck, D., Pancani, L., Whelan, R., Roche, B., & Pereira, A. (2018). Profiles of Psychological Flexibility: A Latent Class Analysis of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Model. Behavior modification, 44(3) 365–393. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445518820036
Pereira, A., Altgassen, M., Atchison, L., de Mendonca, A., & Ellis, J. (2018). Sustaining Prospective Memory Functioning in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: a Lifespan Approach to the Critical Role of Encoding. Neuropsychology, 32(5), 634-644. doi: 10.1037/neu0000441.
de Mendonca, A., Maroco, Felgueiras, H., Verdelho, A., Camara, S., Grilo, C., J., Pereira, A., & Guerreiro, M. (2018). Memory complaints in amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: more prospective or retrospective? International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33(8), 1011-1018, https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4886
McLoughlin, S., Tyndall, I., & Pereira, A. (2018). Piloting a brief relational operant training program: Analyses of response latencies and intelligence test performance. European Journal of Behaviour Analysis,19(2), 228-246, doi: 10.1080/15021149.2018.1507087
Raskin, S. A., Shum, D. H., Ellis, J., Pereira, A., & Mills, G. (2017). A comparison of laboratory, clinical, and self-report measures of prospective memory in healthy adults and individuals with brain injury. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 40(5), 423-436, doi: 10.1080/13803395.2017.1371280.
Pereira, A., Meirinhos, V., & Chmiel, N. (2017). Treading the path between intentions and actions: A Complex Hierarchical Model Of Prospective Memory. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, 13(7), P632-P633, DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2017.06.721
Windless, R., & Pereira, A. (2017). Semantic Processing as a Significant Factor in Non-Focal Prospective Memory Cues. Cognition, Brain, Behaviour, 21(1), 1-12, DOI: 10.24193/cbb.2017.21.01
Pereira, A., de Mendonca, A., & Ellis, J. (2016). Prospective Memory in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: in pursuit of an Early Diagnosis. International Journal of Psychology, 51 (S1), 865. ISSN 0020-7594
Pereira, A., Meirinhos, V., & Chmiel, N. (2016). Untangling aging effects in Prospective Memory: A complex hierarchical model. International Journal of Psychology, 51 (S1), 178. ISSN 0020-7594
Pereira, A., Mendonça, A., Silva, D., Guerreiro, M., Freeman, J. and Ellis, J. (2015). Enhancing Prospective Memory in Mild Cognitive Impairment: the Role of Enactment. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 37(8), 863-877. doi:10.1080/13803395.2015.1072499
Duarte, S., Roche, A., Armstrong, J., Ortez, C., Gerontina, E., Pérez, A., O’Callaghan, M., Pereira, A., Sanmarti, F., Molero, M., Artuch, R., Pineda, M. & García-Cazorla, A. (2013). Abnormal expression of cation chloride cotransporters in Rett syndrome patients. PLoS ONE 8(7): e68851. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0068851.
Pereira, A., Ellis, J., & Freeman, J. (2012). Is prospective memory enhanced by semantic relatedness and cue-action enactment at encoding? Consciousness and Cognition, 21(3), 1257-1266.
doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2012.04.012.
Pereira, A., Ellis, J., & Freeman, J. (2012). The effects of age, enactment and cue-action relatedness on memory for Intentions in the Virtual Week task. Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 19(5), 549-565. doi:10.1080/13825585.2011.638977.
Pereira, A., Freeman, & J., Ellis, J. (2011). Acting is the Key: New directions for the stimulation of prospective memory in mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 7, S543-S544. doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2011.05.1534.

KEY-NOTE/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS BY INVITATION

Pereira, A., Altgassen, M., Atchison, L., de Mendonca, A., & Ellis, J. (2021). To Do, or Not to Do: Benefits of Physical Enactment of Intentend Actions in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment. Invited Paper presented at the Memory and Attention in Healthy and Pathological Ageing: Theories and Applications Conference, May 17-18, Lisbon, Portugal.
Pereira, A., Mendonça, A., Freeman, J., & Ellis, J. (2016). Sustaining Autonomy in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: an Early Diagnosis for a Better Outlook. Invited Paper presented at the Prospective Memory in Normal and Abnormal Ageing Symposium of the 6th International Conference on Memory (ICOM2016), July 17-22, Budapest, Hungary.
Pereira, A., Mendonça, A., Freeman, J., & Ellis, J. (2015). Let’s get Physical! Enacting Intended Actions in Prodromal Alzheimer’s Disease. Paper presented at the Prospective Memory and Aging Symposium – 3rd International Conference on Aging & Cognition, April 23-25, Dortmund, Germany.
Pereira, A. (2011). Did I do it? Event-based prospective memory across the lifespan. XII Meeting of the Portuguese Neuroscience Society, May 26-28 2011, Lisbon, Portugal.

Teaching

Antonina contributes to postgraduate teaching and supervision in Psychology, leading advanced modules in applied research methods and mentoring early-career researchers in developing evidence-based practice and impact-driven research.

Research Output

Articles

Sharpe, B. T., King, R., Banerjee, M., Keates, S., Tyndall, I., Kooner-Evans, P., Sivyer, L., Cotten, E., Obine, E., Tabet, N., Ronen, I., Davies, N., Lewis, I., Tabbner, S., Wilkins, T. and Pereira, A.et al (2025) Experiences of individuals living with dementia, caregivers, and service providers regarding independence-enhancing technologies: focus group insights. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. pp. 1-20. ISSN 1748-3107 10.1080/17483107.2025.2511996

Hindman, S., King, R. and Pereira, A. (2025) Virtual reality based executive function training in schools: the impact of adaptivity on executive function and motivation. Computers and Education, 234. pp. 1-13. ISSN 1873-782X 10.1016/j.compedu.2025.105344

Docherty, G., Bennett, S. J., Clements, L., Pereira, A. and Mason, M. R.et al (2025) Psychological well-being and adult ballet-from the perspective of the adult ballet teacher. Journal of Dance Education. pp. 1-13. ISSN 1529-0824 10.1080/15290824.2024.2447560

Hindman, S., King, R. and Pereira, A. (2024) Virtual reality based executive function training in schools: The experience of primary school-aged children, teachers and training teaching assistants. Computers in Human Behaviour Reports, 16. pp. 1-10. ISSN 2451-9588 10.1016/j.chbr.2024.100500

King, R., Surrell, I., Sharpe, B. T. and Pereira, A.et al (2023) An integrated approach to dementia support: Sage House. Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 19 (S20). p. 1. ISSN 1552-5260 10.1002/alz.075707

Tyndall, I., Hartland, T., Banerjee, M., Giacomelli, V., Ball, I., Churchill, S., Pereira, A. and Lowry, R. G.et al (2022) Tailoring sexual health interventions for middle-aged and older adults, including vulnerable populations: A scoping review. International Journal of Sexual Health, 34 (4). pp. 593-613. ISSN 1931-7611 10.1080/19317611.2022.2089313

Covington, L., Banerjee, M., Price, M. and Pereira, A.et al (2022) Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Professionals Working in End-of-Life Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Palliative Care, 38 (2). pp. 225-238. ISSN 0825-8597 10.1177/08258597221100330

McLoughlin, S., Tyndall, I. and Pereira, A. (2020) Convergence of multiple fields on a relational reasoning approach top cognition. Intelligence, 83. ISSN 0160-2896 10.1016/j.intell.2020.101491

McLoughlin, S., Tyndall, I., Pereira, A. and Mulhern, T.et al (2020) Non-Verbal IQ gains from relational operant training explain variance in educational attainment: An active-controlled feasibility study. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, 5 (1). pp. 35-50. ISSN 2509-3290 10.1007/s41465-020-00187-z

McLoughlin, S., Tyndall, I. and Pereira, A. (2020) Relational operant skills training increases standardized matrices scores in adolescents: A stratified active-controlled trial. Journal of Behavioral Education, 31 (2). pp. 298-325. ISSN 1053-0819 10.1007/s10864-020-09399-x

Gladwin, T. E., Jewiss, M., Banic, M. and Pereira, A.et al (2020) Associations between Performance-based and Self-reported Prospective Memory, Impulsivity and Encoding Support. Acta Psychologica, 206. pp. 1-9. ISSN 0001-6918 10.1016/j.actpsy.2020.103066

Belmar, M., Gladwin, T. E., Reis, L., Pinho, M. S., Silva, D., Nunes, M. V., Raskin, S., de Mendonça, A. and Pereira, A.et al (2020) An Exploration of Prospective Memory Components and Subtasks of the Memory for Intentions Test (MIST). Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology. pp. 1-11. ISSN 1380-3395 10.1080/13803395.2019.1710111

Tyndall, I., Waldeck, D., Pancani, L., Whelan, R., Roche, B. and Pereira, A.et al (2018) Profiles of Psychological Flexibility: A Latent Class Analysis of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy model. Behavior Modification. ISSN 0145-4455 10.1177/0145445518820036

Tyndall, I., Waldeck, D., Pancani, L., Whelan, R., Roche, B. and Pereira, A.et al (2018) Profiles of psychological flexibility: A latent class analysis of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy model. Behaviour Modification. ISSN 1552-4167 10.1177/0145445518820036

McLoughlin, S., Tyndall, I. and Pereira, A. (2018) Piloting a Brief Relational Operant Training Program: Analyses of Response Latencies and Intelligence Test Performance. European Journal of Behaviour Analysis. ISSN 1502-1149 10.1080/15021149.2018.1507087

de Mendonca, A., Felgueiras, H., Verdelho, A., Câmara, S., Grilo, C., Maroco, J., Pereira, A. and Guerreiro, M.et al (2018) Memory complaints in amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: more prospective or retrospective? International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33 (8). pp. 1011-1018. ISSN 0885-6230 10.1002/gps.4886

Pereira, A., Altgassen, M., Atchison, L., de Mendonca, A. and Ellis, J.et al (2018) Sustaining Prospective Memory Functioning in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: a Lifespan Approach to the Critical Role of Encoding. Neuropsychology, 32 (5). pp. 634-644. ISSN 0894-4105 10.1037/neu0000441

Pereira, A., Raskin, S. A., Shum, D. H. K., Ellis, J. and Mills, G.et al (2017) A comparison of laboratory, clinical, and self-report measures of prospective memory in healthy adults and individuals with brain injury. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 40 (5). pp. 423-436. ISSN 1380-3395 10.1080/13803395.2017.1371280

Pereira, A. and Appleton, K. (2017) Behavioural changes in dementia and their impact on professional caregivers: A grounded theory approach. Dementia. pp. 1-13. ISSN 1471-3012 0.1177/1471301217714654

Windless, R. and Pereira, A. (2017) Semantic Processing as a Significant Factor in Non-Focal Prospective Memory Cues. Cognition, Brain, Behavior, XXI (1). pp. 1-12. ISSN 2247-9228

Pereira, A., de Mendonca, A. and Ellis, J. (2016) Prospective Memory in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: in pursuit of an Early Diagnosis. International Journal of Psychology, 51 (S1). p. 865. ISSN 0020-7594 10.1002/ijop.12334

Pereira, A., Meirinhos, V. and Chmiel, N. (2016) Untangling aging effects in Prospective Memory: A complex hierarchical model. International Journal of Psychology, 51 (S1). p. 178. ISSN 0020-7594 10.1002/ijop.12299/pdf

Pereira, A., de Mendonca, A., Silva, D., Guerreiro, M., Freeman, J. and Ellis, J.et al (2015) Enhancing prospective memory in mild cognitive impairment: The role of enactment. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 37 (8). pp. 863-877. ISSN 1380-3395 10.1080/13803395.2015.1072499

Duarte, S., Armstrong, J., Roche, A., Ortez, C., Perez, A., O’Callaghan, M. d. M., Pereira, A., Sanmarti, F., Ormazabal, A., Artuch, R., Pineda, M. and Garcia-Cazorla, A.et al (2013) Abnormal expression of cerebrospinal fluid cation chloride cotransporters in patients with Rett Syndrome. PLOS One, 8 (7). ISSN 1932-6203 10.1371/journal.pone.0068851