Mental well-being of survivors of coercive control.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding and supporting the mental wellbeing of survivors of coercive control.
IRAS ID
351404
Contact name
Sian Oram
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Coercive control is the most common form of domestic abuse. Survivors often experience serious and lasting mental health impacts, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, little research has explored what supports survivors’ long-term wellbeing, and many services focus only on crisis support.
This study aims to understand how survivors of coercive control define mental wellbeing, what helps them move towards it, and how services can better meet their needs. The findings will be used to develop a survivor-informed framework for wellbeing, which will guide future interventions and service improvements. People with lived experience of domestic abuse have helped design and will help deliver the study.
The study involves:
Interviews with around 30 adults in England who self-identify as having experienced coercive control. These will explore personal definitions of wellbeing and the factors and resources that have supported them over time. Interviews can be held online or in person and will last about 60–90 minutes.
Arts-based workshops with around 20 adults, using creative activities and group discussions to explore and map ideas about what supports wellbeing after abuse. Workshops will run for a day and include regular breaks.
Participation is voluntary. People can choose the format that feels most comfortable and will receive a thank-you payment. Safeguards will ensure participation is as safe and supportive as possible, including providing information about wellbeing resources.
Recruitment will take place through NHS mental health trusts, domestic abuse services, women’s centres, survivor-led organisations, and community networks.
The 18-month project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and sponsored by King’s College London.
REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/EE/0039
Date of REC Opinion
18 Mar 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion