Key Research Interests: Neurodevelopmental disorders; Developmental psychology; Forensic mental health; Psychological therapies with people who have neurodevelopmental disorders; Clinical trials with special populations

Recent Grants

Youth Endowment Fund, 2022 to 2025 - A randomised controlled trial of brief solution focused Therapy with 10-17-year-olds presenting at policy custody: the Solutions Trial. £828414. Chief Investigators: Dr Sam Flynn and Professor Peter Langdon

National Institute for Health Research- Health Technology Assessment, 2021 to 2025. Guided self-help for depression in adults with autism spectrum disorders (ADEPT-2). £1,675,292. Chief Investigator: Dr Ailsa Russell. Co-applicant: Professor Peter Langdon.

National Institute for Health Research - Health Technology Assessment, 2021 to 2025. A randomised control trial of group cognitive behavioural therapy for men with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and harmful sexual behaviour. £1,545,849. Chief Investigator: Professor Glynis Murphy. Co-applicant: Professor Peter Langdon.

National Institute for Health Research - Health Technology Assessment. Behavioural interventions to treat anxiety in adults with autism with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities (BEAMS-ID). Chief Investigator: Professor Peter Langdon. £197341.71.

National Institute for Health Research - Health Technology Assessment, 2020 to 2022
Specific phobias in children with learning disabilities (SPIRIT): An adaptation and feasibility study. Chief Investigator: Professor Kylie Gray. Co-applicant: Professor Peter Langdon. £199992.90

National Institute for Health Research - Health Services and Delivery Research. Mapping and evaluating services for children with learning disabilities and behaviours that challenge (MELD). Chief Investigator: Professor Richard Hastings. Co-Applicant: Professor Peter Langdon £1,245,271.00

Youth Endowment Fund, 2019 to 2022 - REducing the risk of criminal exploitation using multi-SystEmic Therapy (RESET Study). Chief Investigator: Professor Peter Langdon. £299728.00

National Institute for Health Research - Health Technology Assessment, 2019 to 2021- A multicentre double-blind placebo-controlled randomised trial of SerTRaline for AnxieTy in adults with Autism (STRATA) Chief Investigator: Dr Dheeraj Rai. Co-Applicant: Professor Peter Langdon. £1,669,262.68 (+ AUD $557,029.40 by NHMRC Australia to Leonard H, Starkstein S & Glasson E for Perth centre)

National Institute for Health Research - Health Technology Assessment, 2019-2022 - Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in adults with intellectual disabilities (Trauma-AID). Chief Investigator: Professor Paul Willner. Co-Applicant and Deputy Chief Investigator: Professor Peter Langdon. £1,258,097.68.

National Institute for Health Research - Research for Patient Benefit, 2019-2022 - Making positive moves: What support do people with Learning Disabilities need to remain living in the community after moving under the Transforming Care Programme. A qualitative longitudinal study. Chief Investigator: Dr Louisa Roades. Co-Applicant: Professor Peter Langdon. £350,000

Nuffield Foundation - 2018 to 2021- Development of an assent-based process for the inclusion of adults with impairments of capacity and/or communication in ethically sound research. Chief Investigator: Dr Karen Bunning. Co-Applicant: Professor Peter Langdon. £378,204

National Institute for Health Research - Health Service and Delivery Research, 2017 to 2020 - Clinical and cost effectiveness of intensive support teams for adults with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour. Chief Investigator: Professor Angela Hassiotis. Co-applicant: Professor Peter Langdon. £763,483.97

Royal College of Psychiatrists and Health Education England 2016 - A systematic review of initiatives to reduce or close inpatient services for people with intellectual disabilities. £15,000

National Institute for Health Research - Research for Patient Benefit, 2015-2018. People with autism detained within hospitals: defining the population, understanding aetiology, and improving care pathways. Chief Investigator: Professor Peter Langdon. £350,000.00

Peter completed his undergraduate degree in psychology at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He was awarded a Lord Rothermere Fellowship and qualified as a clinical psychologist in 2000 from the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London. He completed his PhD at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent as an NIHR Research Fellow. He then completed an NIHR funded postdoctoral fellowship. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and was awarded the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD) Distinguished Achievement Award for Research in 2022.

He has worked within secure mental healthcare services for offenders with intellectual and developmental disabilities for twenty years. His research interests fall broadly within the area of developmental psychology and include the adaptation and evaluation of psychological therapies for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He is a non-medical approved clinician as defined with the Mental Health Act. He is registered as both a clinical and forensic psychologist, and is Honorary Associate Director of Research for Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust. He currently has a joint appointment together with Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust where he is a responsible clinician working within forensic mental health services. Peter has supervised numerous clinical psychology trainees and PhD students and would welcome approaches from potential students and trainees.

Peter has completed a variety of funded research projects involving people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. These include a randomised control trial of group cognitive behavioural therapy for people with Asperger Syndrome and high functioning autism who also have problems with anxiety (PAsSA Trial), and more recently, and together with colleagues, an HTA funded randomised control trial of EMDR for people with intellectual disabilities (Trauma-AID), and an HTA funded randomised control trial of sertraline for the treatment of anxiety disorders in autistic adults (STRATA), as well as an NIHR funded study examining hospital care pathways for adults with autism detained in hospital (mATCH Study).

Peter is the co-convenor of RADiANT (ReseArch in DevelopmentAl NeuropsychiaTry) together with Dr Regi Alexander, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust. RADiANT is a consortium of NHS service providers which works in collaboration with academics in a number of universities. It seeks advice from service users, patients, families, charities, community leaders and a range of statutory bodies and organisations. RADiANT focuses on mental health and behavioural issues associated with five developmental conditions- Intellectual Disability (ID), Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Epilepsy (EPI) and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). It is hosted by Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT).