Exploration of how children self-construe following a trauma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploration of how children and young people self-construe following a traumatic experience
IRAS ID
124301
Contact name
Amy L E D'Sa
Contact email
Research summary
This study aims to investigate how children and young people think about (construe) themselves following a traumatic experience. Gaining a greater understanding of a child or young person’s self-concept is extremely important as literature indicates low self-worth is indicative of depression, adult mental health difficulties and issues developing and maintaining relationships. Correspondingly, research has shown that positive self-concepts are important in develop skills that allow children/young people to manage pressures in later life.
When a child or young person experiences a trauma event(s) this has a significant impact on their emotional and physical integrity as well as their sense of safety. NICE guidance indicates that children and young people who meet the criteria for a trauma presentation should have access to child mental health services. Nevertheless, services are not necessarily set up to specifically consider the impact of trauma on developing self-concepts. Therefore investigating the self-concepts of children/young people who access mental health services could inform clinicians’ awareness, in turn positively impacting on ways of engaging and working with children/young people.
This study aims to recruit 12 children/young people between 8-16 years old to take part in a developmentally appropriate semi-structured interview informed by Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) principles. All children/young people and their parents will be provided with information on the study and given an expression of interest form by their lead clinician. The clinician will only give this information to children/young people if they feel they meet the inclusion criteria for the study and both the child/young person and parent need to give initial consent to take part in the research. Recruitment will take place across 6 clinical sites including child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and child psychology services across East Lancashire (including Lancashire Care Foundation Trust and East Lancashire Hospital Trust sites).
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/NW/0420
Date of REC Opinion
17 Jun 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion