Mental Health Profiles of children with congenital visual impairment
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An investigation of mental health, social-emotional and behavioural profiles in children with congenital ophthalmological disorders and visual impairment.
IRAS ID
222711
Contact name
Naomi Dale
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 28 days
Research summary
Children with long term paediatric disorders are at high risk of mental health difficulties. An informed understanding of the impact of specific paediatric disorders on mental health is needed to plan appropriate support and intervention. International research suggests that children with congenital visual impairment (VI) are at high risk of a range of psychosocial difficulties. This study aims to investigate mental health, social-emotional and behavioural profiles in children with congenital VI, using validated parent-report questionnaire measures. Most existing studies investigate very young children or adolescents with VI. This study will recruit children in middle childhood (8 to 11 years). Congenital VI can be caused by conditions which impair the eye or conditions which impair the brain. Importantly, this study will exclude participants who have a VI caused by a condition which impairs the brain or if they have a known learning disability. There is already robust evidence to suggest that children with learning disabilities (including children who also have VI) are at high risk for mental health difficulties. We are therefore interested in the ‘higher functioning’ group of children with mild to profound VI. It is expected that findings will indicate higher levels of mental health difficulties in this population, in comparison to findings in the typically sighted population. This would support the need for increased psychosocial service involvement with children who have congenital VI and their families. An understanding of the patterns of mental health difficulties associated with this group may be helpful in tailoring appropriate screening methods and for informing intervention planning. The study will also investigate which biopsychosocial factors (e.g. severity of VI and family functioning) are associated with mental health outcomes in this group. This may help to identify children who are most at risk of difficulties and who may benefit from early intervention.
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0481
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion