Systemic Consultations in ID Services: Experiences of Care Staff
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Systemic Consultations in Intellectual Disability Services: Experiences of Care Staff
IRAS ID
181287
Contact name
Clair Johnson
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
LMS/PG/NHS/00406, University of Hertfordshire Protocol Number
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 6 days
Research summary
Cooper et al. (2007) found a prevalence rate of 40.9% of Mental Health problems in people with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). There are also high reported rates of behaviour that challenges (e.g.16-41% in adults with ID) (British Psychological Society, 2011). Despite this, the evidence-base for psychological therapies within this population is sparse compared to that for people without IDs, especially Systemic Therapy (ST) approaches.
STs conceptualise problems as located between people, within relationships, rather than within individuals. Therefore, changes can occur within the system’s structure (e.g. within relationships) and may also occur an individual level (e.g. reduction in mental health symptoms) (Watzlawick, Weakland, & Fisch, 1974). STs have developed an evidence-base within a number of mental health conditions (see Stratton, 2011 and Carr, 2009 for reviews) and are recommended in NICE guidance for some conditions (e.g. schizophrenia; eating disorders) for people without IDs.
STs are increasingly being applied to working with PWIDs and their system. Research thus far has explored the experiences of STs with people with IDs (PWID) (Arkless, 2004; Anslow, 2015) and family members of PWIDs (Arkless, 2004; Lloyd and Dallos, 2008), and systemic therapists’ experiences (Pote, 2004; Pote 2006). This research aims to explore the experiences of care staff of PWIDs attending systemic consultations (which integrate STs) to understand these missing perspectives. Research questions include:
o How do care staff make sense of the ST process?
o What do care staff find helpful?
o What do care staff find unhelpful?This research will draw on methodological strengths of existing studies using qualitative approaches.
A maximum of 8-10 care staff members of PWIDs who have attended at least one systemic consultation will be interviewed about their experiences. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) will be used to analyse the data and recommendations will be made from this.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/YH/0425
Date of REC Opinion
9 Nov 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion