Family Narratives of Lives Where both Parent and Child have PPS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Family Narratives of Lives Where both Parent and Child have been diagnosed with persistent physical symptom (PPS) conditions.
IRAS ID
264193
Contact name
Kimberley Friedner
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Hertfordshire
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 30 days
Research summary
The proposed project is interested in how families, where both parent and child have been diagnosed with persistent physical symptoms (PPS) conditions, navigate their relationships and roles within a family unit as well as understanding how family members create their identities in the context of family ill health and stigmatised illness.
'PPS conditions', is a term which encompasses a cluster of symptoms which are persistent, chronic and do not fit with other organic diagnoses. It is also often an umbrella term for conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, persistent pain and non-epileptic seizures. PPS is not a diagnostic term according to the DSM-5. This cluster of symptoms is currently classified as Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD) and was previously known as Medically Unexplained symptoms (MUS). Anecdotally, PPS appears to be the preferred term for these conditions.
The project tasks will involve interviewing a family unit comprising two parents and at least two children to encapsulate the experiences of the unwell parent, the healthy parent, the unwell child and the healthy sibling. After the family interview is conducted, each family member will be interviewed individually to give opportunity for them to add additional or alternative perspectives. This will help me address any differences between collective versus individual narratives. This information may help us to understand how families with PPS make sense of their own identities within their family system and navigate and negotiate role relationships amongst them. This could inform new ways of thinking about alternative ways of treatment in the future.
REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/1697
Date of REC Opinion
14 Dec 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion