TC Members' Evaluations of a Learning Disability Therapeutic Community

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Staff and Service Users’ Evaluations of therapeutic principles at a High Secure Learning Disability Therapeutic Community (LDTC): A Mixed Methods Study

  • IRAS ID

    179464

  • Contact name

    Georgina Capone

  • Contact email

    14498804@students.lincoln.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Lincoln University

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 9 months, 31 days

  • Research summary

    Study configuration

    A single-centre exploratory case study comprising of a mixed method sequential design using semi-structured interviews (phase one) and ranking or Q sort task (phase two).

    Setting
    Service users and staff members working within the forensic learning disability therapeutic community at Rampton high secure hospital will be met with face to face to complete interviews and a ranking or Q sort task on the therapeutic community site.

    Participants

    First stage of research: 12-15
    Second stage of research: As many individuals willing to take part (50 maximum).

    The number of service users and staff members involved in each study stage will remain dependent on the number of individuals who choose to engage during the time the study takes place. In the first phase, service users will first be invited to complete interviews due to their limited contribution to current theory on principles of therapeutic communities.

    Description of interventions

    In the first stage of research, all participants will complete semi-structured interviews focusing on existing therapeutic community principles. In the second stage of the research, participants who consent to engage will complete either a Q sort or ranking task depending on the number of statements generated from the interview data, post analyses. Prior to each research stage, staff will be asked to fill in a demographic data collection form. Consent will be gained from service users to access appropriate demographic information prior to engagement in either phase of research.

    Methods of analysis

    Data from interviews will be qualitatively analysed using template analysis and inductive thematic analysis. Data from the Q sort or rank-ordering task will be analysed using factor analysis. Descriptive statistics from demographic information collected will be reported and used to aid interpretation of both sets of data for each phase and contextualise findings of the study via description of participant characteristics. In-depth statistical analysis is not appropriate to the study objectives.

  • REC name

    East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    15/EM/0498

  • Date of REC Opinion

    21 Dec 2015

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion