Archived News 2008:
Research on obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviours
Do you experience strong, repetitive thoughts that distress you and have to carry out regular, set acts/behaviours/ thoughts that make you feel less distressed/anxious?
What is it that I’m doing?
Hi, I’m Jen Elvish and I’m training to be a clinical psychologist. As part of my research I’m looking at the strength of the beliefs that people have who experience strong, repetitive thoughts that distress them and then have to carry out regular, set acts, behaviours, or thoughts to reduce their anxiety or distress. There is some research to show that depending on a person’s strength of beliefs, some treatments for reducing/removing these thoughts/behaviours might be more effective than others. I am therefore trying to find out what sort of factors affect how strong someone’s beliefs about their distressing thoughts are, such as age at onset of symptoms, how severe symptoms are, and what sort of thoughts/behaviours occur.
Who can get involved?
In order to do this, I’m looking for people who have OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), or who experience intrusive, repetitive, distressing thoughts and so engage in some sort of behaviours or thoughts to counteract the distress that the initial thoughts caused you, but you haven’t necessarily been given a formal diagnosis by/or have ever been to see a psychiatrist/psychologist.
Both males and females, and anyone over the age of 18 and who lives in the UK can be involved.
How do I get involved?
Taking part in this research will involve completing five questionnaires – this can be done completely anonymously (you will not need to provide your name, or speak to or meet with me, and I won’t contact you). The questionnaires can be completed in one of two ways (whichever you prefer); you can either follow the link below at any time you choose and complete the questionnaires online (you don’t have to complete them all in one go), or you can contact me by e-mail, telephone or by post through my contact details below, and I will send you paper copies of the questionnaires that you can complete in your own time anonymously and then post back to me in the stamped addressed envelope that I will provide.
Why?
The aim of this research is to identify what factors might make someone with OCD or who experiences repetitive distressing thoughts and behaviours prone to having very strongly-held beliefs. This will help to improve our understanding of this area of OCD, and also health professionals in the future might be able to use this information to improve the effectiveness of treatments (psychological or medical) for different groups of people with OCD or people who experience repetitive distressing thoughts. This research has been granted full ethical approval by Lancaster University’s Institute for Health Research Ethics Committee.
If you would like further information about the study, please contact me at:
Jen Elvish
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
Whewell Building
Fylde Avenue
Lancaster University
Lancaster LA1 4YF
jenelvish_research@hotmail.co.uk
Thanks very much,
Jen Elvish
Trainee Clinical Psychologist
Please note: This study will be conducted up until April 2008, after this date questionnaires will no longer be available for people to complete.
Related Item:
Date: 17 March 2008