Impact of adolescent unit stay on young people.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How does staying in an adolescent unit impact on how adolescents view their future?
IRAS ID
119313
Contact name
Stephen Butler
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Research summary
Children’s and young people’s participation in research and service development is central to several government papers and initiatives. The proposed qualitative study will expand on current research, by exploring how the experience of stay at an adolescent inpatient unit impacts on how adolescents see themselves and their future.
Adolescence is a key transitional stage characterised by identity development. This can however be disrupted by significant and/or negative life events, including hospitalisation. Adolescent inpatient units offer extended assessments and treatment for patients experiencing complex mental health problems, provided by a multi-disciplinary team. Length of stay varies dependent on the level of need (e.g. 6 weeks-1 year). Research assessing adolescent inpatient care has mainly focused on clinician-ratings, with minimal research looking from a service-user perspective. The small number of studies exploring adolescents’ experience has found mixed results: some positive (e.g. emotional release), some negative (e.g. disconnection). Little is known about the longer-term consequences of hospitalisation into adulthood, particularly from a young person’s perspective.
The research will study young people’s perceptions of their stay in inpatient units and will take place at three adolescent units in London. A minimum of 12 participants will be recruited, with a target of 16-20. Inclusion criteria includes: current inpatients aged 13-18 years; length of admission exceeding three months; deemed well enough to participate by the clinical team. Exclusion criteria includes: presence of a significant learning disability, developmental disorder or active symptoms of psychosis.
A semi-structured interview will take place on site, and last approximately 1 hour. Interviews will be audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcriptions will be analysed using Grounded Theory, in order to generate an overarching theory that captures the research question. Additional descriptive data will also be collected (e.g. age). The study will be guided by well-established quality criteria for qualitative research (e.g. credibility checks).
REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/SC/0181
Date of REC Opinion
3 Jun 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion