Identifying Treatable Aspects of Chronic Embitterment - Version 4
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Identifying Treatable Aspects of Chronic Embitterment in NHS staff
IRAS ID
168714
Contact name
Jo Dunn
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Holloway University of London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
SENTW1501, WLMHT R&D reference
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 0 days
Research summary
It has been argued that Chronic Embitterment (CE) is a distinct and common psychiatric condition, causing distress and sickness absence from work. It is frequently noted in NHS staff presenting at occupational health. There is a lack of research on the psychological processes which underpin the presentation, and it is unclear why some people become embittered while others, facing the same circumstances, do not. The proposed study will examine selected psychological factors potentially relating to the presence of CE and its management.
While rumination has been named as a characteristic feature of CE, no empirical study has explored this association. Elsewhere, beliefs about rumination have been indicated to mediate rumination and it is hypothesised that this may also be the case in CE. High Sense of Coherence (SoC) has been repeatedly linked to resilience, while SoC deficits have been linked to stress. Its relationship to CE is unexplored.
An anonymous cross sectional survey in an NHS occupational health department will use questionnaire data to identify positive rumination beliefs, ruminative behaviours and levels of SoC as relevant variables in CE. Mediation analyses will then be used to explore these relationships, as both low SoC and excessive rumination have evidence based treatments.
REC name
London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0205
Date of REC Opinion
22 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion