What constitutes PTG according to young people with paediatric trauma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study to investigate what constitutes posttraumatic growth (PTG) according to young people who have experienced paediatric trauma using Q-methodology
IRAS ID
242134
Contact name
Luna Centifanti
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n.a., n.a.
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
Title (framed as a research question):
What constitutes posttraumatic growth, according to young people who have experienced paediatric trauma?
How is it of relevance and importance to patients and public?
It is worth asking this question as researchers are seeking how best to define posttraumatic growth (PTG) in the paediatric population (Picoraro, Womer, Kazak and Feudtner, 2014).
Picoraro, Womer, Kazak and Feudtner (2014) conducted a meta-analysis of the current literature about PTG and found that children and young people who had experienced serious paediatric conditions described unique domains of PTG including a focus on one’s physical body. Picoraro, Womaer, Kazak and Feudtner (2004) suggest that future research with young people in the paediatric population should focus on clarifying in the areas of PTG that children and young people in the paediatric population experience.
This proposal aims to contribute to the research that aims to answer this question by investigating what constitutes PTG according to young people who have experienced paediatric trauma.
If we know what areas of PTG young people experience, therapists may be able to explore how best to facilitate PTG in young people who have experienced trauma.
Broadly what area (disease, therapy or service) is being studied?
For therapeutic studies what is the drug, device or procedure being tested`?Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is the concept that is being studied in this research. PTG can be defined as positive psychological change which develops as a means to charter our course through highly challenging or traumatic experiences (Tedeschi and Calhoun, 2004). Viewed as a way to survive, it enables us to reassemble a sense of self, others and the world, when trauma has shattered our previously held concepts. (Tedeschi and Calhoun, 2004).
According to Tedeschi, Calhoun and Cann (2004), there are five domains of growth that commonly develop through the process of PTG: spiritual growth, personal strength, deeper relationships, an appreciation of life and an awareness of new possibilities. However, research with people who have had different challenging experiences has found other domains of PTG.
Research which explores the experience of a construct, like PTG, with those who have been through it can offer a novel perspective and insights into a research topic (Glasby and Beresford, 2006). This can be useful when a construct is vague, like PTG (Bostock, Sheikh, & Barton, 2009) Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the domains of PTG that young people who have experienced paediatric trauma report.
This study mainly hopes to explore PTG with young people who have experienced burns primarily but in anticipation of challenges in recruiting sufficient participants who have experienced burns, the study will recruit more broadly young people who have experienced paediatric trauma.
The broad categories of paediatric trauma are defined by the Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) as injuries to the brain and skull, injuries to the spine, injuries to the chest, injuries to the limbs and pelvis. Data relating to these categories is collected from hospitals across the UK.Who would be eligible?
Inclusion criteria:
(i) Young People aged 12 or older who have experienced physical trauma at the age of seven or older.(ii) Physical trauma would be categorised in accordance with the TARN report, the first ever report of nationwide paediatric trauma: injuries to the brain and skull, injuries to the spine, injuries to the chest, injuries to the limbs and pelvis and other injuries (e.g. burns). This study would seek to recruit those who have experienced accidental trauma in these categories of trauma.
(iii) English speaking(iv) Receiving follow-up treatment in paediatric trauma
Exclusion criteria:
(i) Young People under 12 years of age(ii) Young people whose accidental injury occurred before seven years of age
(iii) Do not speak English
(iv) Time since trauma – participants will be recruited from those who are attending hospital for follow-up treatment only.
The type of sites where the study will be conducted:
The study will aim to recruit participants from the Burns Service at both Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in an attempt to recruit participants who have experienced one type or mechanism of trauma. Anticipating a challenge in recruiting a sufficient number of participants who have experienced a specific type of paediatric trauma, I will recruit participants who have experienced accidental paediatric trauma who are attending follow-up appointments for accidental paediatric trauma in the above categories of trauma at the hospitals, both Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital will be the lead NHS Trust for this study.
How long will the study last and what will the participants undergo?
The study will be run from the date on which we receive ethical and Trust approval to do so until March 2019. I will aim for data collection to be completed at the end of January 2019.
Participants will be invited to take part in the focus group to discuss the positive changes that they have experienced as a consequence of going through a paediatric trauma. The views of those in the focus group, on the positive changes in their lives as a result of their injury, will contribute to the knowledge base about the positive changes that they have experienced as a result of their injury. This information that will be used in the main study (called the q-sort). After the focus group, participants who do not want to take part in the main study (called the q-sort) will be invited to do the pilot study.
The pilot study will involve participants sorting statements about posttraumatic growth (any positive psychological changes as a result of their injury) indicating whether they agree or disagree that these statements represent their experience of PTG. Their own views as gathered in the focus group will be included among the set of statements about PTG.
This will indicate to the researcher whether they have succeeded in gathering a broadly representative range of opinions on PTG. Any additional opinions expressed will be included in the main study. Also, it is hoped that the pilot study will help to illustrate if any of the statements are confusing in their wording by seeing if the participants in the pilot group can understand them.
Participants who take part in the focus group can take part in the main part of the study (the q-sort: sorting statements about PTG according to whether or not you agree that the statement on PTG represents your views about your experience of PTG). Also, participants can join the study just to take part in the q-sort. After the q-sort is done by a participant, I will ask them about their views to ascertain that I understand their views.
When I have done a q-sort with a participant, I can begin to analyse their data. When I have done a q-sort with each participant and analysed the data I will ask the participants their views on this analysis to determine if I am correctly representing their views on what areas (also called domains) of posttraumatic growth they experienced. I will do so by telephone.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0505
Date of REC Opinion
3 Sep 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion