Danielle Berglund

Employed as a PhD student at the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (NASP) at the department of Learning, Informatics, Management, and Ethics (LIME). 

Current Research: "Investigating the effects of artificial blue light and its role in railway suicide prevention" - a project funded by Trafikverket and Region Stockholm.

Limited research from Japan suggests that blue LED lights may reduce suicides at railway platforms, though findings on effectiveness vary. These results have generated considerable interest from researchers and stakeholders since physical barriers (means restriction) are proven to be effective but are often limited by cost and feasibility. In this context, blue LED lights have emerged as a potentially attractive alternative. Notably, this technology has already been adopted in several countries, despite ongoing uncertainty regarding its mechanisms and actual effectiveness.

This project aims to systematically investigate the potential psychological and behavioural effects of blue LED lighting on individuals. By exploring multiple hypotheses through controlled experiments, qualitative research, and real-world observations, we seek to clarify potential mechanisms at play and generate evidence to better inform implementation of this intervention.

The project consists of three sub-studies: 

Study 1: Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) to investigate the impact of artificial lighting on emotions, psychic health, and behaviours.

Study 2: Quasi-experimental study of blue light effects on commuter behaviour in the subway, examining platform presence, habituation, and contextual influences.

Study 3: Mixed-method study exploring individuals' experiences and behavioural associations with blue light exposure in the subway.

Educational background: Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Master of Medical Science, in Public Health Promotion and Prevention from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.