What are the experiences of psychosis for LGBQ+ individuals?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What are the experiences of psychosis for LGBQ+ individuals?
IRAS ID
278467
Contact name
Emily Magowan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Hull
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 28 days
Research summary
Literature has mostly explored LGB general mental health. Research on relationships and experiencing psychosis has thus far been focused on heterosexuals. This study will explore the perceptions of individuals identifying as LGBQ+ and having ‘psychotic symptoms’. Six to nine participants will be invited to share their experiences and perceptions of both in a semi-structured interview. The research will be advertised by staff in two local mental health NHS Trusts.
The study will be qualitatively based to analyse the rich and diverse experiences of participants, which cannot be accomplished by closed quantitative questions. The interview will include open-ended questions in the style of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Pietiewitcz & Smith, 2014). IPA was chosen to explore the lived experiences of this marginalised group, rather than finding a ‘truth’. Additionally, the questions designed for the interview are open to what the participant defines their experiences as: “How would you identify yourself?”, instead of assuming there is one definition of what it means to identify as LGBQ+ or with a diagnosis of psychosis. Therefore, IPA is most appropriate because it explores: “Thoughts, memories, associations, fantasies and individual interpretations” (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). The phenomenology includes “understanding the participant’s world… third-person, psychologically informed description…as ‘close’ to the participant’s view as is possible.” (Smith, 1996; taken from Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014) and the epistemological interpretivist position invites “critical and conceptual commentary upon the participants’ personal ‘sense-making’ activities… in the wider social, cultural context.” (Smith, 1996).
The interpretations will aim to improve our understanding of this population, which may stimulate research that improves services. The research questions are: "What are the experiences of psychosis for LGBQ+ individuals?" and "How to they make sense of their experiences?"
REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/1203
Date of REC Opinion
20 Jan 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion