"My seizures, My life".
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using Free Association Narrative interviews to understand Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder
IRAS ID
250449
Contact name
Jon Dickson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The aim of this study is to explore how life events, people's biographies and personal and family experiences might contribute to non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD) using the FANI interview method.
Non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD) can be a long-lasting and disabling condition. Non-epileptic attacks (also known as Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES), dissociative or conversion seizures)are events that look like epileptic seizures but are not associated with the abnormal electrical changes in the brain found in epilepsy. Most NEADs are thought to be an involuntary emotional response to internal or external triggers. The attacks can be a temporary loss of consciousness or loss of control of body movements.
We know that many people with NEAD have had stressful or challenging life experiences but we also know that many people do not report these sorts of experiences. For those both with and without stressful experiences, it can be difficult to understand what the connections might be between early life and adult events and the day-to-day experience of living with NEAD. This study sets out to deepen understanding about how a wide range of life experiences and events, personal, family and others and people's feelings about their own life stories might connect with NEAD. This project involves talking with people with a wide range of experiences; not just those who would describe their lives as stressful or difficult, in order for us to better understand the sort of life events and experiences that may relate to NEAD.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/YH/0169
Date of REC Opinion
21 Sep 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion