Dr A K A B Baminiwatta
MBBS (Peradeniya)
Lecturer (Probationary)
Department of Psychiatry
Department of Psychiatry
Research Interests
- Undergraduate psychiatry education
- Mindfulness-based interventions
- Stigma
- Psychometrics
- Neuropsychological assessment
Awards and Fellowships
Academic Honours:
- Bobby Somasundaram Gold Medal for the most outstanding performance at the selection examination for MD Psychiatry, 2020.
- First Class with Distinctions in Medicine, Surgery and Psychiatry at the Final MBBS examination (2017) from Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya
- First Class with Distinctions in Pathology and Community Medicine at the 3rd MBBS examination (2015) from Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya
- First Class with Distinctions in Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, at the 2nd MBBS examination (2013) from Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya
- Professor Senaka Bibile Commemoration Prize for the Best Performance in Pharmacology, awarded by the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) of Sri Lanka in 2015
- University Prize for Academic Excellence, University of Peradeniya, 2017
- 4th place on the national merit list in the Biology stream at the GCE Advanced Level Examination, 2010
Research Awards:
- Vice Chancellor’s Award for the Outstanding Early Career Researcher in the Faculty of Medicine -1st Place, University of Kelaniya, 2021
- First Prize for the Best Oral Presentation (Education and Training category), Annual Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, 2016
- Trainee Researcher of the Year 2nd place - Poster Prize (Education and Training category), RCPsych International Congress 2021
- Fellowship awarded by the World Psychiatry Association for the 21st WPA World Congress of Psychiatry (one of 39 winners).
- Peter and Mable Cooray Gold Medal for the Best scientific presentation (as co-author) at the Annual Sessions of Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2021
- Best Oral Presentation at the Annual Sessions of Sri Lanka College of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, 2021
- First place in Poster Presentations at the Annual Sessions of Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2020
- Third Place in Oral Presentations at the Annual Sessions of Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2019
- Third Place in Oral Presentations at the Annual Academic Sessions of Kandy Society of Medicine, 2020.
Publications
Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals:
Publications in Conference Proceedings
- Baminiwatta, A., Solangaarachchi, I. Trends and Developments in Mindfulness Research over 55 Years: A Bibliometric Analysis of Publications Indexed in Web of Science. Mindfulness(2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01681-x
- Baminiwatta, A., De Silva, S., Hapangama, A., Basnayake, K., Abayaweera, C., Kulasinghe, D., Kaushalya, D. and Williams, S., 2021. Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of frontline and non-frontline healthcare workers in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Medical Journal, 66(1), pp.16–31. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cmj.v66i1.9351
- Tharaka Lagath Dassanayake, Chandana Hewawasam, Anuradha Baminiwatta & Dewasmika Indrapali Ariyasinghe (2021) Regression-based, demographically adjusted norms for Victoria Stroop Test, Digit Span, and Verbal Fluency for Sri Lankan adults, The Clinical Neuropsychologist, DOI: 1080/13854046.2021.1973109
- Baminiwatta A, Alahakoon H, Kasturi Mudali A. Gender Parity among Psychiatrists: The Trends and Current Status in Sri Lanka. Asian J Psychiatr. 2021 Jul 13; 63:102771. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102771.
- Baminiwatta A, Chandradasa M, Dias S, Ediriweera D. Revisiting the ATP 30: the Factor Structure of a Scale Measuring Medical Students' Attitudes Towards Psychiatry. Acad Psychiatry. 2021 Apr 9. doi: 10.1007/s40596-021-01446-7
- Baminiwatta, A., Herath, N.C. & Chandradasa, M. Cross-Sectional Study on the Association Between Social Media Use and Body Image Dissatisfaction Among Adolescents. Indian J Pediatr(2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-021-03662-3
- Arafat S M, Kar SK, Sharma P, Marahatta K, Baminiwatta A K. A comparative analysis of psychiatry curriculum at undergraduate level of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Indian J Psychiatry 2021;63:184-8
- Dassanayake, T.L., Baminiwatta, A. and Ariyasinghe, D.I., 2021. Demographically-adjusted normative data for Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) among Sri Lankan adults. Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry, 12(1), pp.18–24. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v12i1.8284
- Baminiwatta, A.K.A.B., Gunesekara, T., Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.A., Hapangama, A., Harshini, M.L., Bandara, T.R. and Perera, K.M.N., 2021. Validity and clinical utility of a Sinhalese version of the abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS). Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry, 12(1), pp.25–30. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v12i1.8281
- S M Yasir Arafat, Syeda Ayat-e-Zainab Ali, Vikas Menon, Fahad Hussain, Daniyal Shabbir Ansari, Anuradha Baminiwatta, Tamkeen Saleem, Rakesh Singh, Natarajan Varadharajan, Deepika Biyyala, Sujita Kumar Kar, Murad M Khan. Suicide methods in South Asia over two decades (2001–2020) International Journal of Social Psychiatry. May 2021. doi:1177/00207640211015700
- M. Yasir Arafat, Syeda Ayat-e-Zainab Ali, Tamkeen Saleem, Debanjan Banerjee, Rakesh Singh, Anuradha Baminiwatta, Sheikh Shoib. 2021. Academic psychiatry journals in South Asian countries: most from India, none from Afghanistan, Bhutan and the Maldives.S.M. Yasir Arafat Syeda Ayat-e-Zainab Ali Global Psychiatry. 10.52095/gp.2021.4395.1036 Tamkeen Saleem Debanjan Banerjee RAKESH SINGH Anuradha Baminiwatta Sheikh Shoib
- Baminiwatta A K A B, Peris M U. Alcohol dependence in the time of COVID-19: A possible silver lining. Indian J Soc Psychiatry 2021;37:119-20
- Baminiwatta, A.K.A.B., Gunathilake, R., Arambepola, S., Arambepola, M. Non-adherence to chelation therapy and associated psychosocial factors among transfusion-dependent thalassaemia patients in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2021; 50(1): 116-123
- Tharaka Lagath Dassanayake , Chandana Hewawasam , Anuradha Baminiwatta, Narendra Samarasekara & Dewasmika Indrapali Ariyasinghe (2020): Sex-, age- and education-adjusted norms for the WHO/UCLA version of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test for Sinhala-speaking Sri Lankan adults, The Clinical Neuropsychologist, DOI:10.1080/13854046.2020.1829069
- Baminiwatta, A. K. A. B., Bandara, W. A. V. S., Athurugiriya, A. A. I. D., Yangdon, T., Cader, G. R., Bokalamulla, L. A. B., … Dias, G. S. S. R. (2020). A nationwide survey of attitudes towards psychiatry among final-year medical students in Sri Lanka. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 102101. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102101
- Ginige, P., Baminiwatta, A., Jayawardana, H. Prevalence and predictors of emotional and behavioral problems among institutionalized children in Kandy District, Sri Lanka, Child Abuse & Neglect, Volume 103, 2020 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104435
- Ginige, P., Tennakoon, S., Perera, F. and Baminiwatta, A., Characteristics of children who have been sexually abused, incidents of abuse and perpetrators; a study from of a tertiary care clinic sample in central Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Medicine, 2018, 27(2), pp.22–30. http://doi.org/10.4038/sljm.v27i2.64
- Ginige, P, Wijesinghe K, Tennakoon S, Alahakoon H, Baminiwatta AKAB Autism presenting to two child mental health clinics at a tertiary care center in central Sri Lanka: A retrospective clinical record review Indian J Soc Psychiatry 2018 34, 172-7 http://doi.org/10.4103/ijsp.ijsp_103_17
Publications in Conference Proceedings
Oral Presentations
- Baminiwatta AKAB & Dias GSSR. Attitudes among Sri Lankan medical students towards psychiatry: a survey in nine medical schools. Annual Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, 2016
- Baminiwatta, A., Ginige, P., Jayawardana, H. Prevalence and correlates of emotional and behavioural problems among children living in child care institutions in Kandy District, Sri Lanka. Proceedings of the Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2019
- Baminiwatta A.K.A.B., Ariyasinghe D.I., Hewawasam C., Dassanayake T.L. Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT): Age-, Sex- And Education-Adjusted Normative Data for the Sri Lankan Population. Annual Academic Sessions of Kandy Society of Medicine, 2020.
- Baminiwatta A.K.A.B., Hapangama A., Harshini M.L., Bandara T.R., Perera K.M.N., Kuruppuarachchi K.A.L.A. Translation and validation of Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) into Sinhala. 133rd Sri Lanka Medical Association International Medical Congress 2020 July
- Baminiwatta AKAB, Arambepola WMM, Gunathilake UPUGRP, Arambepola SCA. Adequacy of Iron Chelation and Compliance with Medication among Transfusion-Dependent Thalassaemia Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital. Annual Academic Sessions of Kandy Society of Medicine, 2020
- Baminiwatta A., De Silva S.T., Hapangama A., Basnayake K., Abayaweera C.A., Kulasinghe D.S., Kaushalya D., Williams S.S. Psychological impact of COVID-19 on health care workers at a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka College of Internal Medicine Annual Academic Sessions, 2020.
- Baminiwatta A, Alahakoon H, Kasturi Mudali A. Gender Parity among Psychiatrists: The Trends and Current Status in Sri Lanka. 21st WPA World Congress of Psychiatry, 2021.
- Anuradha Baminiwatta, Thilini Nanayakkara, Anshu Fernando, Swarna Wijethunga. Screen addiction among children and adolescents and maternal self-efficacy in screen use management: An online survey among Sri Lankan mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic. 4th Biennial Academic Sessions of Sri Lanka College of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, 2021
- Baminiwatta, H. Alahakoon, N.C. Herath, K.M. Kodithuwakku, T. NanayakkaraPsychometric evaluation of a Sinhala translation of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and development of a short form. Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2021.
- U. Alwis, A. Baminiwatta, M.C. Chandradasa. Community Prevalence of Depression in Sri Lanka: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2021.
Poster presentations
- Baminiwatta, A., Chandradasa, M., Ediriweera, D., & Dias, S. (2021). Factor structure of medical students’ attitudes towards psychiatry: Findings from a nationally representative sample from Sri Lanka. Virtual Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2021; published in BJPsych Open,7(S1), S124-S125. doi:10.1192/bjo.2021.360 –Won 2nd place
- S M Yasir Arafat, Syeda Ayat-e-Zainab Ali, Vikas Menon, Fahad Hussain, Daniyal Shabbir Ansari, Anuradha Baminiwatta, Tamkeen Saleem, Rakesh Singh, Natarajan Varadharajan, Deepika Biyyala, Sujita Kumar Kar, Murad M Khan. Suicide methods in South Asia over two decades (2001–2020). 21st WPA World Congress of Psychiatry, 2021.
- M. Yasir Arafat, Syeda Ayat-e-Zainab Ali, Tamkeen Saleem, Debanjan Banerjee, Rakesh Singh, Anuradha Baminiwatta, Sheikh Shoib. Academic Journals in Psychiatry from South Asian countries. 21st WPA World Congress of Psychiatry, 2021.
- Baminiwatta A.K.A.B., Hapangama A., Harshini M.L., Bandara T.R., Perera K.M.N., Kuruppuarachchi K.A.L.A. Reliability and clinical utility of a Sinhalese version of the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), Proceedings of the Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2020
- Baminiwatta, H. Alahakoon, N.C. Herath, K.M. Kodithuwakku, T. Nanayakkara. The mediating role of compassion in the relationship between trait mindfulness and attitudes towards mentally ill patients: A study among nurses in four tertiary care centres in Sri Lanka. Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2021.
- Baminiwatta, A. Abeysinghe. Vitamin B12 deficiency presenting with psychosis, cognitive impairment and brain MRI changes responsive to vitamin B12 replacement: A case report. Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2021.
- Hapangama, A. Baminiwatta, A.I. De Zoysa, T. Ranasinghe, C. Akurana, H. Alahakoon, A. Kasturi Mudali, S. Jayasundara, M.L. Harshini, U.D.W. Gayani Uduwage. Audit on consultation-liaison psychiatry services in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2021.
- Baminiwatta, M. Dayabandara, J. De Silva, T. Gadambanathan, P. Ginige, I. Premarathne, I.H. Rajapaksha, A. Wickramasinghe, S. Sivayogan, C.A. Wijesinghe. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on final-year undergraduate psychiatry training in Sri Lanka: A nationwide survey among medical students . Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2021.
- Tharaka L. Dassanayake, Dewasmika I. Ariyasinghe, Anuradha Baminiwatta, Chandana Hewawasam, Velayutham Shangesh. Age-stratified percentile norms of the Raven Progressive Matrices for Sri Lankan adults. Annual Academic Sessions, Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2021.
- Ginige, P, Wijesinghe K, Tennakoon S, Alahakoon H, Baminiwatta Autism presenting to two child mental health clinics at a tertiary care center in central Sri Lanka: A retrospective clinical record review. Proceedings of Peradeniya University International Research Sessions, 2017
Ongoing Research
- A randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based online intervention to reduce stress and improve well-being among healthcare workers at a tertiary care hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic (intervention in progress)
- Epigenetics & Genetic Polymorphisms in Schizophrenia: A comparative study of ethnic Sinhalese and Keralites in India (data collection in progress)
- Burnout, Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Resilience among a Cohort of Service Providers in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka during the COVID Pandemic (data collection in progress)
- Prevalence and risk factors of depression, anxiety and stress among male partners of antenatal and postnatal mothers: A pilot study in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka (ethics approval obtained)
- Motivational interviewing for weight loss in the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – a randomised controlled trial (data collection in progress)
- A randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based online intervention to reduce stress and improve well-being among healthcare workers at a tertiary care hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic (intervention in progress)
- Epigenetics & Genetic Polymorphisms in Schizophrenia: A comparative study of ethnic Sinhalese and Keralites in India (data collection in progress)
- Burnout, Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Resilience among a Cohort of Service Providers in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka during the COVID Pandemic (data collection in progress)
- Prevalence and risk factors of depression, anxiety and stress among male partners of antenatal and postnatal mothers: A pilot study in Gampaha district, Sri Lanka (ethics approval obtained)
- Motivational interviewing for weight loss in the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – a randomised controlled trial (data collection in progress)
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