Self-delivered EPIC, v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of a Support Tool-kit for Children Referred for Neurodevelopmental Disorders
IRAS ID
314253
Contact name
Sinead Rhodes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Children with Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) or waiting assessment for an NDD can present difficulties in thinking skills that can impact their wellbeing and their long-term academic achievements. Our research has shown that the thinking differences these children show are linked to mathematics learning and literacy difficulties and their wellbeing can be affected. \n\n \n\nThe ‘EPIC’ programme (Edinburgh Psychoeducation Intervention for Children and Young People) has involved the development of public engagement materials. EPIC focuses on psychoeducation - where knowledge of the child’s strengths and difficulties is used to facilitate the child’s, parent’s and teacher’s understanding of their NDD difficulties and strategies to support. EPIC activities improve thinking, behaviour and literacy skills across an 8 week period of use. Psychoeducation is essential for positive developmental outcomes in NDD, however, currently psychoeducation is provided for children post-diagnosis. This means that children on lengthy waiting lists and those who do not receive a diagnosis following assessment are not routinely provided with strategies to support thinking, learning and wellbeing, despite many having clinically significant symptoms and difficulties. \n\n \n\nThe current study will co-develop a self-delivered support tool-kit over an 8-week period with parents and teachers. This will be a small scale feasibility study with 9 participants, where CAHMS will distribute information packs to parents of 3 children on the waiting list for them to contact the research team. It will involve short sessions with parents and teachers to determine how EPIC activities and strategies could be used from the point a child joins a NDD assessment waiting list. Sessions are based on helping the child to understand their thinking difficulties and practicing simple strategies (e.g. memory games) to help support their thinking and learning. We will collect basic quantitative and qualitative data to understand the facilitators and challenges to conduct a self-delivery version of EPIC.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/SW/0080
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jun 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion