Specific phobias in children with learning disabilities (SPIRIT)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Specific phobias in children with learning disabilities (SPIRIT): An adaptation and feasibility study
IRAS ID
295630
Contact name
Magdalena Apanasionok
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Background: A large number of children with learning disabilities have significant fears or phobias. These can, for example, include a severe fear of dogs or other animals, visiting the dentist, or having an injection. There is good evidence that talking psychological therapies are an effective treatment for fears, but many of these treatments have not been tested for use with people who have learning disabilities.
Aims: We will work with young people with learning disabilities, carers and family members, and therapists to adapt an existing treatment for dog phobia in adolescents with severe learning disability. We will also complete a feasibility study to try out our treatment and get feedback from participants and their families. We will also collect information about what treatment people are currently receiving, and test out some measures.
Method: In the first phase, we will change an existing treatment together with young people with learning disabilities, parents, carers and therapists. We will use action research methods to both change our treatment and examine several possible outcome measures for use in the feasibility study. We will describe the treatments and supports (Treatment as Usual; TAU) that young people are receiving by completing a UK survey of parents who have a child who has learning disability and a phobia, along with interviews with health professionals who work with children with learning disabilities. In the second phase, we will complete a study of our treatment with up to 20 participants who will receive the treatment plus TAU. We will interview parents and therapists about their experiences of taking part in the study. This will allow us to understand the acceptability and experience of receiving the treatment.
Patient and Public Involvement: We want young people with learning disabilities, carers, and family members, involved in our study. They will be part of the project steering group that is in charge of the study. The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities will also help with this study. They will help us prepare our paperwork, find people to be in the study, and tell people about the study and what we find out.
Dissemination: We will write articles which are published in a journal, which will be read by professionals. The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities will also help us to tell people about the study by writing about it in their newsletter and talking about it in a podcast. will include publishing newsletter articles and a podcast. They will also talk about what the study found out with young people, parents, carers, and professionals through social media and their website. We will also put information about our study on our website. Together with the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, young people, and parents we will have a seminar to talk about the study. We will also talk about the study at conferences.REC name
West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/WM/0072
Date of REC Opinion
26 Apr 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion