- Behn, N., Hoepner, J., Meulenbroek, P., Capo, M. and Hart, J. (2022). Core components of project‐based intervention after acquired brain injury: Delivering meaningful groups online. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12834.
- Cruse, N., Piotto, V., Coelho, C. and Behn, N. (2022). Telehealth administration of narrative and procedural discourse: A UK and US comparison of traumatic brain injury and matched controls. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12813.
- Devane, N., Behn, N., Marshall, J., Ramachandran, A., Wilson, S. and Hilari, K. (2022). The use of virtual reality in the rehabilitation of aphasia: a systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation pp. 1–20. doi:10.1080/09638288.2022.2138573.
- Northcott, S., Behn, N., Monnelly, K., Moss, B., Marshall, J., Thomas, S. … Hilari, K. (2022). “For them and for me”: a qualitative exploration of peer befrienders’ experiences supporting people with aphasia in the SUPERB feasibility trial. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(18), pp. 5025–5037. doi:10.1080/09638288.2021.1922520.
- Moss, B., Behn, N., Northcott, S., Monnelly, K., Marshall, J., Simpson, A. … Hilari, K. (2022). “Loneliness can also kill:” a qualitative exploration of outcomes and experiences of the SUPERB peer-befriending scheme for people with aphasia and their significant others. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(18), pp. 5015–5024. doi:10.1080/09638288.2021.1922519.
- Exell, R., Hilari, K. and Behn, N. (2022). Interventions that support adults with brain injuries, learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders in dating or romantic relationships: a systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(12), pp. 2567–2580. doi:10.1080/09638288.2020.1845824.
- Ankrett, S., Smithson, J., Limond, J., Behn, N., Wade, S.L., Wilkinson, L. … Adlam, A.-.L.R. (2022). Understanding and supporting peer relationships in adolescents with acquired brain injury: A stakeholder engagement study. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation pp. 1–30. doi:10.1080/09602011.2022.2062006.
- Behn, N., Harrison, M., Brady, M.C., Breitenstein, C., Carragher, M., Fridriksson, J. … Hilari, K. (2022). Developing, monitoring, and reporting of fidelity in aphasia trials: core recommendations from the collaboration of aphasia trialists (CATs) trials for aphasia panel. Aphasiology pp. 1–23. doi:10.1080/02687038.2022.2037502.
- Flood, C., Behn, N., Marshall, J., Simpson, A., Northcott, S., Thomas, S. … Hilari, K. (2022). A pilot economic evaluation of a feasibility trial for SUpporting wellbeing through PEeR-Befriending (SUPERB) for post-stroke aphasia. Clinical Rehabilitation pp. 26921552110635–26921552110635. doi:10.1177/02692155211063554.
- Exell, R., Hilari, K. and Behn, N. (2021). Current practices and beliefs regarding supporting dating skills in rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury: a survey study. Brain Injury, 35(11), pp. 1358–1370. doi:10.1080/02699052.2021.1970805.
- Hilari, K., Behn, N., James, K., Northcott, S., Marshall, J., Thomas, S. … Goldsmith, K. (2021). Supporting wellbeing through peer-befriending (SUPERB) for people with aphasia: A feasibility randomised controlled trial. Clinical Rehabilitation, 35(8), pp. 1151–1163. doi:10.1177/0269215521995671.
- Behn, N., Moss, B., McVicker, S., Roper, A., Northcott, S., Marshall, J. … Hilari, K. (2021). SUpporting wellbeing through PEeR-Befriending (SUPERB) feasibility trial: fidelity of peer-befriending for people with aphasia. BMJ Open, 11(8). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047994.
- Moss, B., Northcott, S., Behn, N., Monnelly, K., Marshall, J., Thomas, S. … Hilari, K. (2021). ‘Emotion is of the essence. … Number one priority’: A nested qualitative study exploring psychosocial adjustment to stroke and aphasia. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 56(3), pp. 594–608. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12616.
- Behn, N., Marshall, J., Togher, L. and Cruice, M. (2021). Reporting on novel complex intervention development for adults with social communication impairments after acquired brain injury. Disability and Rehabilitation, 43(6), pp. 805–814. doi:10.1080/09638288.2019.1642964.
- Behn, N., Marshall, J., Togher, L. and Cruice, M. (2021). Participants’ perspectives of feasibility of a novel group treatment for people with cognitive communication difficulties following acquired brain injury. Disability and Rehabilitation, 43(2), pp. 171–180. doi:10.1080/09638288.2019.1618929.
- Behn, N., Francis, J., Togher, L., Hatch, E., Moss, B. and Hilari, K. (2021). Description and Effectiveness of Communication Partner Training in TBI: A Systematic Review. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 36(1), pp. 56–71. doi:10.1097/htr.0000000000000580.
- Behn, N., Francis, J.J., Power, E., Hatch, E. and Hilari, K. (2020). Communication partner training in traumatic brain injury: a UK survey of Speech and Language Therapists’ clinical practice. Brain Injury, 34(7), pp. 934–944. doi:10.1080/02699052.2020.1763465.
- Hilari, K., Behn, N., Marshall, J., Simpson, A., Thomas, S., Northcott, S. … Goldsmith, K. (2019). Adjustment with aphasia after stroke: study protocol for a pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial for SUpporting wellbeing through PEeR Befriending (SUPERB). Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 5(1). doi:10.1186/s40814-019-0397-6.
- Behn, N., Marshall, J., Togher, L. and Cruice, M. (2019). Setting and achieving individualized social communication goals for people with acquired brain injury (ABI) within a group treatment. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 54(5), pp. 828–840. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12488.
- Behn, N., Marshall, J., Togher, L. and Cruice, M. (2019). Feasibility and initial efficacy of project‐based treatment for people with ABI. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 54(3), pp. 465–478. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12452.
- Hilari, K., Behn, N., Marshall, J., Simpson, A., Northcott, S., Thomas, S. … McVicker, S. (2018). Blinding participants and assessors in a feasibility randomised controlled trial of peer-befriending for people with aphasia post-stroke. Aphasiology, 32(sup1), pp. 88–89. doi:10.1080/02687038.2018.1489121.
- Behn, N., Hilari, K., Marshall, J., Simpson, A., Northcott, S., Thomas, S. … McVicker, S. (2018). SUpporting well-being through PEeR-Befriending (SUPERB) trial: an exploration of fidelity in peer-befriending for people with aphasia. Aphasiology, 32(sup1), pp. 21–23. doi:10.1080/02687038.2018.1489120.
- Behn, N., Cruice, M., Marshall, J. and Togher, L. (2016). A feasibility study investigating the use of project-based treatment to improve communication skills and quality-of-life (QoL) in people with ABI. BRAIN INJURY, 30(5-6), pp. 550–550.
- Behn, N., Togher, L. and Power, E. (2015). Experiences from a communication training programme of paid carers in a residential rehabilitation centre for people with traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 29(13-14), pp. 1554–1560. doi:10.3109/02699052.2015.1077992.
- Behn, N., Togher, L., Power, E. and Heard, R. (2012). Evaluating communication training for paid carers of people with traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 26(13-14), pp. 1702–1715. doi:10.3109/02699052.2012.722258.
- Akhtar, R., Behn, N. and Morgan, S. Understanding Dysphagia Care in Pakistan: A Survey of Current Speech Language Therapy Practice. .
Contact details
Address
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
United Kingdom
About
Overview
Nicholas is a Speech and Language Therapist who specialises in cognitive-communication disorders after brain injury.
Nicholas graduated from The University of Sydney, Australia in 1999 with a BAppSc in Speech Pathology. He worked as a Speech and Language Therapist in Australia before moving to the UK in 2003. His clinical roles have involved working with people with neurological conditions particularly, brain injury. Some of his clinical roles included the Royal Hospital of Neuro-Disability, Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust and Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court.
Qualifications
- PhD, City, University of London, UK, Jan 2013 – Jan 2016
- MAppSc (Communication Science and Disorders), The University of Sydney, Australia, Jan 2007 – Jan 2012
- BAppSc (Speech Pathology), The University of Sydney, Australia, Jan 1996 – Jan 1999
Employment
- Senior Lecturer, City, University of London, Aug 2022 – present
- Lecturer, City, University of London, Oct 2019 – Jul 2022
- Trial Manager, City, University of London, Jun 2016 – May 2020
- Guest Lecturer, City, University of London, Jan 2013 – Sep 2019
- Speech and Language Therapist, Independent practice, 2011 – present
- Guest Lecturer, University of Essex, 2009 – 2021
- Speech and Language Therapist, Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, 2006 – 2010
- Locum Speech and Language Therapist, The Royal Hospital of Neuro-Disability London, Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge and Headley Court Defence Medical Rehabilitation Service Surrey, 2003 – 2005
- Speech and Language Therapist, Liverpool Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, 2001 – 2003
Memberships of committees
- Committee Member, National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Chronic Neurological Conditions Group, Feb 2022 – present
- Peer Review Group for Traumatic Brain Injury, World Health Organisation, Dec 2021 – Feb 2022
- Editorial Board Member, Disability and Rehabilitation Journal, Jan 2020 – present
- Social Media Editor, Editorial Board, Brain Impairment Journal, Jan 2019 – present
Memberships of professional organisations
- Registered Speech and Language Therapist, Health Professions Council, UK, 2015 – 2017
- Certified member, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
- Member, Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI)
- Member, World Federation of NeuroRehabilitation (WFNR)
- Member, WFNR Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Special Interest Group (NR-SIG-WFNR)
- UK Student ambassador, Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI)
- Research Affiliate, Centre of Clinical Research Excellence (CCRE) of Aphasia Rehabilitation, Australia
- Research Affiliate, Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) for Brain Recovery, Australia
Teaching
Educational Leadership
2019 - present: Joint Senior Tutor for Research for Research Degrees (MPhil/PhD) in Department of Language and Communication Science.
2020 - present; Module Lead for SLM205 Professional Studies (Postgraduate)
2021 - present; Module Lead for HCM007 Dysphagia and Disorders of Eating and Drinking (MSc in Advanced Studies)
Undergraduate Modules
SL3016 Research Project
SL3013 Acquired and Developmental Language Disorders
SL2012 Biomedical Science
SL2015 Dysphagia, Voice, Motor Speech Disorders, Dementia
SL2016 Professional Studies
Postgraduate Modules
SLM205 Professional Studies (Module Lead)
SLM203 Acquired and Developmental Language Disorders
SLM206 Research Project
SLM208 Research Project
SLM201 Evidence Based Practice and Data Analysis
SLM102 Biomedical Science
SLM105 Dysphagia, Voice, Motor Speech Disorders, Dementia
MSc Modules
HCM003 Cognitive Communication Impairments
HCM007 Dysphagia and Disorders of Eating and Drinking (Module Lead)
APM002 MSc Dissertation
Research
Research Overview
Nicholas' core research interests relate to communication problems following brain injury and approaches to their remediation.
Nicholas is interested in understanding the nature of communication problems following a brain injury, approaches to the remediation of these problems and how to measure positive changes in communicative ability. He is interested in complex interventions, fidelity, goal-setting, dating and sex after brain injury.
Research Areas
Acquired brain injury
Cognitive-communication disorders
Communication partner training
Project-based intervention
Quality of life
Dating, Sex and Sexuality
Collaborators
A/Prof Madeline Cruice
Prof Jane Marshall
Prof Leanne Togher
Dr Emma Power
Dr Rob Heard
Prof Katerina Hilari
Prof Jacinta Douglas
Dr Sarah Northcott
Grants
2022 Behn, N. City, University of London Pump Priming Scheme, £3,000.
2022 Northcott, S., Hilari, K., Devane, N., & Behn, N. Emotional and Language Recovery for People with Aphasia (ELA): Co-designing a novel integrated intervention, City, University of London Pump Priming Grant, £11,432.
2022 Hilari, K., Behn, N., Roper, A., & Northcott, S. City, University of London Participatory Research Funding, Face-to-face and telehealth equivalence of assessment in aphasia (FATE-A), £4,800
2018, Behn, N. City, University of London Pump Priming Scheme, Communication Partner Training in Traumatic Brain Injury, £4,379
2015-2016 Behn, N. School of Health Sciences PhD Progress Award City University London, London UK, £9,750.
2015 Behn, N. School of Health Sciences City University London travel grant, London UK, £1,000.
2015 Behn, N. Moving Ahead NH&MRC Centre for Research Excellence Small Seed Grant. Sydney, Australia. http://www.moving-ahead.com.au, £1,000.
2012-2015 Behn, N. PhD Scholarship for City University London from The Worshipful Company of Saddlers, London UK, £59,500.
2012 Behn, N. British Aphasiology Society Conference Grant, UK, £250.
2011 Behn, N. Postgraduate research funding grant for MAppSc Research. The University of Sydney, Australia, £900.
2009-2010 Behn, N. Faculty funding grants for MAppSc Research. The University of Sydney, Australia, £1,500.
2008 Behn, N. AAC Technology from the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK, £2,500.
2002-2003 Behn, N., & Moorhouse, K. AAC Technology for Liverpool Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit from the Motor Accidents Authority, NSW, Australia, £7,500.
Publications
Publications by category
Conference papers and proceedings (5)
- Flood, C., Behn, N., Marshall, J., Simpson, A., Northcott, S., Thomas, S. … James, K. (2020). A PILOT ECONOMIC EVALUATION FOR SUPPORTING WELLBEING THROUGH PEER-BEFRIENDING (SUPERB).
- Hilari, K., Behn, N., Marshall, J., Simpson, A., Northcott, S., Thomas, S. … Goldsmith, K. (2020). ADJUSTMENT WITH APHASIA AFTER STROKE: A PILOT FEASIBILITY RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL FOR SUPPORTING WELLBEING THROUGH PEER-BEFRIENDING (SUPERB).
- Behn, N., Francis, J., Togher, L., Hatch, E. and Hilari, K. (2019). A Systematic Review of Training for Communication Partners of People with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
- Behn, N., Hilari, K., Marshall, J., Simpson, A., Northcott, S., Thomas, S. … McVicker, S. (2019). SUpporting Wellbeing Through PEeR-Befriending (SUPERB) Trial: An Exploration of Fidelity in Peer-Befriending for People with Aphasia. doi:10.1080/02699052.2019.1608749
- Hilari, K., Behn, N., Marshall, J., Simpson, A., Thomas, S., Flood, C. … McVicker, S. (2019). Adjustment Post-Stroke and Aphasia: Protocol for the SUpporting Well-Being Through PEeR-Befriending (SUPERB Trial). doi:10.1080/02699052.2019.1608749
Journal articles (26)
Theses/dissertations (2)
- Behn, Communication and quality of life outcomes in people with acquired brain injury following project-based treatment. (PhD Thesis)
- Behn, Communication training of paid caregivers of people wit traumatic brain injury. (Master's Thesis)
Professional activities
Events/conferences (8)
- Behn, N., Cruice, M., Marshall, J., & Togher, L. (2015). Making use of goal attainment scaling (GAS) to improve communication skills following project-based treatment for people with acquired brain injury (ABI). Sydney, Australia (2015).
Description: The 5th International Neuropsychological Society/Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (INS/ASSBI) Pacific Rim Conference, Poster presentation. - Behn, N., Cruice, M., Marshall, J., & Togher, L. (2015). Improving the fidelity of behavioural treatments for people with brain injury: Describing the process for project-based treatment. Sydney, Australia. (2015).
Description: The 5th International Neuropsychological Society/Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (INS/ASSBI) Pacific Rim Conference, Poster presentation. - Behn, N. (2015). Improving communication skills and quality of life for people with ABI following project-based treatment. Sydney, Australia. (2015).
Description: Postdoctoral and Postgraduate Research Symposium, Oral presentation. - Behn, N. (2014). Use of video-taping and projects for building awareness. Manchester, UK (2014).
Description: Occupational Therapy Neurological Rehabilitation Day, Invited speaker. - Behn, N., Cruice, M., Marshall, J., & Togher, L. (2014). Treatment definition and fidelity of a flexible and individualised treatment for people with acquired brain injury (ABI). Limassol, Cyprus (2014).
Description: The 11th Conference of the Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Special Interest Group of the World Federation for NeuroRehabilitation (WFNR), Poster presentation. - Behn, N., Cruice, M., Marshall, J., & Togher, L. (2014). Subjective quality of life measurement in post-acute brain injury treatment studies: A review of the literature. Limassol, Cyprus (2014).
Description: The 11th Conference of the Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Special Interest Group of the World Federation for NeuroRehabilitation (WFNR), Datablitz presentation. - Behn, N. (2013). Use of video-taping and projects for building awareness. London, UK. (2013).
Description: Occupational Therapy Neurological Rehabilitation Day, Invited speaker - Behn, N. (2013). Outcomes in brain injury treatments: A focused literature review on quality of life. London, UK (2013).
Description: Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust’s Biennial International Conference, Invited speaker.