Doctorate in Clinical Psychology: Main Research Portfolio

: 1) Patient and Public Involvement in NHS psychiatric inpatient settings: A scoping review2) Perspectives on trauma-informed care training for staff from people with lived experience3) “I’m able to see, like my place within the world a bit more”: A co-produced approach to exploring young people’s experiences of mental health participation groups.

Abstract

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in mental health demonstrates numerous benefits in research and service development, and has become increasingly regarded as a pivotal approach to developing high-quality mental healthcare. However, the literature base is still emerging, and challenges remain in effectively implementing meaningful PPI in practice, particularly when working with young people where issues of tokenism and power differentials are often fraught. Furthermore, current understanding of the effects of PPI on young involvee’s mental wellbeing is limited. This qualitative study aimed to explore young people’s experiences of mental health7participation groups and the impact of this on their own mental health and recovery journey. A co-production approach was used throughout the study, with a consultation group of young people contributing to each stage of the research process. 10 young people were interviewed and provided rich accounts of their experiences, which were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis(IPA). Three main themes with seven sub-themes were identified: personal transformation and discovery (empowerment and self-growth), paths to wellbeing(fulfilment, hope, and recovery), and a culture of inclusion and support (community and a safe space). Findings echo previous research illustrating psychological benefits of PPI and demonstrate how participation groups can support mental health recovery for young people. Themes align with key principles of the recovery model and suggest that meaningful participation can hold therapeutic value in young people’s recovery journey. Implications, limitations, and potential avenues for future research are discussed in relation to current literature. Keywords: patient and public involvement, young people, mental health, recovery, co-production

Date of Award	20 Sept 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Vuokko Wallace (Supervisor)