Exploring change processes in Functional Neurological Disorder
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring change processes for individuals with Functional Neurological Disorder participating in a Psychological Therapies Service treatment pathway
IRAS ID
260286
Contact name
Jocelyn Arbuthnott
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) describes the experiences of neurological symptoms, such as limb weakness, seizures and visual disturbances, which whilst not feigned, are inconsistent with known disease pathologies (van der Hoeven et al., 2015). A referral to psychological therapies is often preceded by a range of medical investigations to rule out biological causality, which can make the transition from medical to psychological therapies difficult (Kozlowska, 2013). Within the Clinical Health Psychology Service at Pinderfields Hospital, individuals with FND are referred to the service and initially offered an assessment with a clinical psychologist, which can last up to four sessions. Suitable referrals, typically those whose needs would not be best met in a mental health service, are offered a newly established Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group specifically geared for people with FND.
This study will explore the change processes for individuals who attend part or the whole of the FND treatment pathway within the Clinical Health Psychology Service at Pinderfields Hospital utilising a mixed methods design. Consent will be sought to collect routine clinical measures for individuals who attended the assessment only phase (phase one), as well as for individuals who move on the attend the ACT group (phase two). Individuals referred to the ACT group will have the opportunity to opt-in to a single case study design component of this study. Participants will be asked to complete additional daily measures and/ or a change interview whilst completing the ACT group; alongside completing multiple routine clinical measures administered at different time points. The daily measures and change interview, specific to this research, will enable the exploration of change processes for these individuals, including; whether change occurs, what this change looks like and what the likely active ‘therapeutic ingredients’ are within the pathway that cause these changes.REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 2
REC reference
19/ES/0053
Date of REC Opinion
30 May 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion