MEANINGFUL THERAPEUTIC WORK WITH CPTSD SURVIVORS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What constitutes meaningful therapeutic work with survivors of complex trauma?
IRAS ID
345288
Contact name
Sarah Coleman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Essex
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 29 days
Research summary
Recent research on psychological therapies for complex trauma survivors mainly concentrates on interventions that address specific symptoms linked to the clinical presentation of complex trauma, such as anxiety or PTSD symptoms. Although this method has its strengths, survivor voice research highlights that it overlooks the intricate and evolving nature of healing and recovery in this population. This mixed-methods study aims to bridge this gap by examining the therapeutic care experiences of both survivors of complex trauma and trauma therapists within a specialized trauma service.
The research will unfold in two phases: The initial phase will involve a quantitative analysis of secondary data routinely gathered by the service, including demographics, attrition rates, and standardized outcome measures. We aim to use descriptive statistics and clinically significant change to provide insights into the quantifiable outcomes within the service. The second phase will focus on capturing the experiences of survivors and therapists who have direct experience with therapeutic care and recovery in this clinical setting. To achieve this, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) will be employed to delve into their experiences through a semi-structured interview format, collaboratively designed with Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). Interviews will be held at the Tavistock Trauma Service, with staff participants having the option to have an online interview faciliated via Microsoft Teams. The study is expected to last around 12 months after initial data collection,
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NW/0190
Date of REC Opinion
1 Jul 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion