School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work

Trauma-informed Care for Victims and Survivors of Conflict-related Sexual Violence in Northern Ireland.

Four CAST PhD studentships at the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work (SSESW)

The School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work (SSESW) is delighted to advertise four PhD studentship opportunities commencing in October 2023. All four projects are funded by the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland (DfE) via the co-operative studentship awards in science and technology (CAST) scheme. Applicants can apply for more than one project but separate applications are required for each project.

The studentships offer tuition fees and an annual stipend TBC (the 22/23 rate was £17,668) to support living costs for a maximum of 3 years. For further details about eligibility criteria (including academic, citizenship and residency criteria) please click on the DfE Research Eligibility Guidance Notes: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/co-operative-awards-science-and-technology. While successful candidates are expected to undertake full time working hours on the project, there may be scope to further supplement their income through teaching or research activities should opportunities arise.

Project 3 [Reference: CAST23SMcC]

Trauma-informed Care for Victims and Survivors of Conflict-related Sexual Violence in Northern Ireland.

Contact Dr Siobhan McAlister: s.mcalister@qub.ac.uk

Project summary

It is well understood that much violence during armed conflict remains hidden, particularly that deemed of a more ‘private nature’. While sexual violence is considered a war crime, the nature and impacts of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) during the N. Ireland conflict are not well understood. Considered trivial in comparison to civilian or military targets, and with a lack of trust in the State apparatus, crimes of a domestic and sexual nature were under-reported. Further barriers included a lack of physical evidence and medical expertise, shame and stigma commonly associated with sexual crimes and the influence of religion in disclosing sexual violence. Many victims and survivors remain hidden, and narrow conceptions of CRSV continue to invisibilise experiences in the N. Ireland context. As delayed trauma and unvoiced experiences begin to surface ‘post-conflict’, this study seeks to explore experiences of CRSV in N. Ireland with a view to informing how a reparations process may consider damages, and therapeutic services can support victims and survivors.

Research aims

To examine the nature, extent and explanations for conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Northern Ireland
To identify barriers and facilitators to accessing support for CRSV in N. Ireland
To inform the development of a regional trauma service response to CRSV
To consider the implications for the reparation and compensation process

Proposed methods

It is anticipated that the study will entail an analysis of existing data on conflict-related sexual violence in Northern Ireland, alongside the collection of primary data from victims/survivors and those working with and for them. It will also require a scoping of current services, supports and reparations responses in relation to CRSV.

Supervisory team

Dr Siobhan McAlister, School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast.

Prof. Ciaran Mulholland, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast

Dr Claire McCartan, IMPACT Research Centre, Northern Health and Social Care Trust

Towards Better Sexual Health. Revisiting Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles among Young People in Northern Ireland 20 Years on.

Four CAST PhD studentships at the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work (SSESW)

Project 4 [Reference: CAST23DS]

Towards Better Sexual Health. Revisiting Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles among Young People in Northern Ireland 20 Years on.

Contact Prof Dirk Schubotz: d.schubotz@qub.ac.uk

Project Summary

´Towards Better Sexual Health', the first ever large-scale study of sexual attitudes and lifestyles of young people in Northern Ireland, was conducted from 2000-2002. To this day, it remains the go-to-study for sexual health/sexuality in Northern Ireland. However, the policy and societal framework has completely changed since the study was undertaken, and existing data is now out-of-date. For example, same-sex relationships were illegal then, they no longer are. Gender-recognition legislation has come into place. Relationships and sexuality education is now compulsory, it wasn’t then. Abortion is now legalised, as is over-the counter emergency contraception – it wasn’t 20 years ago. Most importantly, we have seen the arrival of social media, much of which is used by young people to learn and communicate about sex and relationships, but we have no systematic large-scale information yet on how young people in NI utilise these sources. This study addresses this current knowledge gap.

Research Aims

To capture and analyse large-scale survey data on young people’s sexual attitudes and lifestyles in NI and to assess how young people’s attitudes and experiences have changed in the last 20 years;
To work with a group of young people recruited via Common Youth, the project’s partner organisation, to co-produce the survey, and analyse the data in order to inform clinical practice at Common Youth;
To develop a framework for developing sexual competency that can inform educational practice at Common Youth and beyond.

Proposed methods

This study will use a collaborative, participatory approach to large-scale survey research. The collaborative approach means that additional qualitative group discussion data is likely to be collected and analysed.

Supervisory team

The primary supervisor will be Prof Dirk Schubotz, School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast. The study will be co-supervised by the Education Project Worker at Common Youth.

Children and Young People’s Participation in Child Protection Social Work Decision-making in Northern Ireland.

Four CAST PhD studentships at the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work (SSESW)

Project 2 [Reference: CAST23PMcC]

Children and Young People’s Participation in Child Protection Social Work Decision-making in Northern Ireland.

Contact Dr Paul McCafferty: p.mccafferty@qub.ac.uk

Project summary

Embedded in Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and in domestic law in the UK (Children Act, 1989,2004; The Children (Northern Ireland) Order) 2005) is a child’s right to participate in decisions that directly affect them. However, research by the McCafferty (2017, 2021) has shown that children in contact with child-welfare and protection services are often not involved in decisions that affect their daily lives.

One part of the social work legal, organizational, and professional participatory topography within the child welfare system that has been identified in the literature as a possible causal factor in diminishing the voice of the child is professional social worker’s attitude, understanding and commitment to enacting the legal requirement to involve children in decisions that affect them (Henriksen, 2022). To date however, no research has been undertaken in Northern Ireland to understand professional child welfare social worker’s attitude, understanding and commitment to enacting their legal obligation to involve children in decisions about their care.

The aim of this research is to bridge the gap by exploring social worker’s attitudes, understanding and commitment to enacting their legal obligation to involve children in decisions about their care and protection in Northern Ireland from a child’s point of view.

This will be achieved using research methodology that is co-created with the children and young people from VOYPIC and will use a mixed methods design – questionnaire and focus groups – to explore the phenomenon under investigation.

Objectives include:

Complete a systematic review on children’s participation in child welfare.
To gather the views of children and young people about their lived experience of participating in child welfare decisions.
To develop two good practice guides in successful participation practices in child welfare decision-making for children and young people and social work practitioners.

Supervisory Team

Dr Paul McCafferty Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast

Dr Paul Best Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast

Implementing Trauma Informed Care within Services for People with Psychosis.

Four CAST PhD studentships at the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work (SSESW)

Project 1 [Reference: CAST23GD]

Implementing Trauma Informed Care within Services for People with Psychosis.

Contact: Prof Gavin Davidson g.davidson@qub.ac.uk

Project summary

Early Intervention Services (EIS) facilitate prompt access to high-quality care following first episode psychosis and have demonstrated improved outcomes (Adamson et al., 2018). However, trauma and adversity have been found to predict poorer outcomes in those accessing EIS (Schäfer & Fisher, 2011). Services integrating Trauma Informed Care (TIC) are those where all members of an organisation understand the impact of trauma, aim to promote recovery and limit the potential for re-traumatisation. A review of TIC demonstrated benefits for service users in reduced posttraumatic stress and general mental health symptoms, enhanced coping skills and greater treatment retention (Sweeney et al., 2016).

Research Aims

To determine the extent that Early Intervention Services (EIS) worldwide have adopted the principles of trauma-informed care
To explore the barriers and drivers of implementing trauma-informed care within psychosis services
To evaluate training in trauma-informed care to EIS throughout Ireland

A recent Delphi study reached a consensus (of experts including experts by experience) on the principles of TIC in EIS (Mitchell et al., 2021). This project will build on that work to evaluate how EIS implement trauma informed practice and explore the experience of those implementing TIC in psychosis services. It will also pilot training in TIC in EIS in throughout the island of Ireland.

The project will be conducted in collaboration with the Northern Trust, including an external supervisor who manages an EIS and a Mental Health Research Centre. It will also be linked to the PSI-STAR project, a network of psychosis-focused PhD projects within the Island of Ireland. This PhD project will be an important component of further developing this network and its impact on policy, services and outcomes.

Supervisory Team

Professor Gavin Davidson, Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast

Professor Ciaran Mulholland, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast

Professor Ciaran Shannon, Northern Health and Social Care Trust

HEA studentship: Title: ‘Roads less travelled’: a comparative exploration of young people’s journeys into and out of the formal justice system in Ireland

Supervisors: Prof Shadd Maruna, Dr Colm Walsh

Context: Over the last decade, the youth justice landscape has changed considerably across the island of Ireland. In the North of Ireland, the numbers of young people in custody have dropped considerably, and for those who are incarcerated, they experience a ‘children-first’ and trauma-informed regime. In ROI, a children’s rights framework has become embedded into routine practice. However, it is not clear if, and in what ways, these changes to the custodial culture contribute towards the lived experience of justice involvement or young people’s desistance from crime.

This PhD will explore the journeys that young people take into the custodial system in Ireland, during their time in custody and their integration back into the community, and examine if and in what ways these journeys facilitate or impede desistance from crime. Through this PHD, the candidate will:

Examine the changing landscape of youth justice across the island of Ireland in the context of these advances;
Identify research gaps in the study of young people’s desistance in Ireland, and provide guidance on ways to address research gaps;
Develop an innovative, qualitative research design, e.g., utilising elements of participatory action research, to capture the lived experience of reintegration among those involved in the youth justice system;
Critically assess advances in youth justice from the lived perspective of young people;
Document the lived experience of justice-involved youth prior to sentencing, during custody, and following their return to community;
Develop novel methods of communicating research insights to diverse groups of stakeholders

This research builds on an existing collaborative relationship between the University of Limerick and Queens University in the School of Social Science, Education and Social Work. The project aligns with current research priorities regarding the development and evaluation of complex CJS interventions, trauma informed justice, violence prevention, improving systems for the control of crime, and promoting social justice for victims and offenders.

This research is of international significance. This work will have direct policy and practice impact not only on the Northern Ireland YJS, but also in relation to international developments in youth justice, violence prevention, crime reduction and community safety.

HEA studentship: Public health approaches to the prevention of higher-harm youth violence: A social network analysis

Title: The utility, feasibility and acceptability of social network analysis in the prevention of higher-harm youth violence: a replication of the Twin Sight model in Northern Ireland

Supervisors: Dr Colm Walsh (SSESW), Leandro Garcia (Centre for Public Health) and David Scott (SSESW)

Context: Higher-harm youth violence can contribute to wide ranging and long-lasting harms. It has recently received significant policy attention. Public health prevention requires that policy makers and practitioners who is most at risk and the factors that mitigate those risks. Research evidence demonstrates that prevalence and impact of violence in Northern Ireland is clustered in small groups, with only a small number of individuals responsible for the majority of the most serious violent incidences. The Twin Sight model leverage advances in social network analysis to facilitate an understanding of these clusters and thus has the potential of informing a public health violence prevention response.

This PhD will examine the utility, feasibility and acceptability of social network analysis in the prevention of youth violence within the NI context. Through this PHD, the candidate will:

define the concept of higher-harm youth violence;
undertake a combined impact and process evaluation of Twin Sight;
determine and describe the implementation and operational challenges associated with implementing social network analysis within this context;
document novel methods of communicating research insights to diverse target groups (policy makers, practitioners and children and young people)
provide guidance on ways to address research gaps

The studentship: The successful student will be based in Queens University SSESW, but will work closely with the research team at University of Limerick. In addition to their academic supervisors, they will work closely with the subject lead for Criminology and project CI (Prof Maruna-QUB) as well as alongside policy and practice colleagues

Given the importance of this project, we are seeking an outstanding applicant who can not only demonstrate relevant knowledge and skills, but also a strong passion and commitment to work in the area of community safety and violence reduction.

Lambrinudi PhD Scholarship – Final round Call Theme: Immersive and digital technologies to support either (1) therapeutic practice OR (2) professional training and education

Context

The Immersive Technologies and Digital Mental Health Network is a trans-disciplinary partnership of academics, practitioners and technology companies focusing on therapeutic and pedagogical advances in mental health and social care through digital means. The aim of this themed call is to attract an enthusiastic and talented individual to join our doctoral research programme on a three year scholarship.

Project Outline

Immersive and digital technologies (e.g. Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, Apps etc.) have shown the potential to enhance therapeutic practice as well as professional education and training. We are seeking a suitably motivated individual to extend the work of our existing network by focusing on one of these areas. Applicants are invited to submit an 800-1000 word proposal outlining their ideas for a PhD project using the following structure–

(1) Research Problem

(2) Role of technology to address the problem

(3) Potential Research Design

(4) Previous and current experience as relevant to doctoral level study

Proposals will be scored in line with applicant’s previous experience and qualifications. An award may be made on the basis of the proposal only however, if a number of suitable proposals are received then the panel may invite applicants for interview.

Virtual Reality based exercise programmes for improving Quality of Life for people with Parkinson’s Disease

PhD Supervisor: Dr Paul Best

Secondary PhD Supervisor: Prof Joanne Reid, Professor of Cancer and Palliative Care, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast

Assistant PhD Supervisor: Dr Tracey McConnell, Marie Curie Senior Research Fellow, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast

Queen’s has an excellent track-record of collaborating with private industry, public sector organisations, and the third sector to successfully deliver impactful, user-informed research. To support the development of these collaborations, the University will again commit to a number of studentships (funded via Department for the Economy and EPSRC) commencing in October 2021 for projects across the Institution that will significantly involve working with a non-academic partner.

As a non-curable condition, patients with Parkinson’s rely heavily on healthcare services to support them to live as full a life as possible. Access to regular and specialist physiotherapy is particularly important for those with Parkinson’s as it can help someone to live independently for longer as well as managing functional decline. However, access to these services can be difficult with some providers reporting a two-year waiting list. Covid-19 restrictions have further exacerbated this issue and the expected influx of post-lockdown referrals will do little to change this worrying trend. A new and transformative approach to service delivery is required, one that enables those with Parkinson’s to access specialist physiotherapy services while reducing the burden on already struggling services.

Virtual Reality (VR) technology is being used more and more in healthcare as an approach to treatment (phobias, dental anxiety, trauma etc.) or as a tool for training (surgical skills, undertaking CPR). The underlying principle is that Virtual Environments provide a sense of immersion and presence that make the user feel they are transported to a new environment. Therefore, responses to stimuli in the virtual world are similar to responses in real life. These advancements have opened up massive opportunities in relation to service development whereby situations and scenarios that are too costly or unique to replicate in the ‘real world’ are easily accessible in the virtual world. VR programmes that harness the knowledge of healthcare experts can enable the user to receive specialist advice and support every day and from the comfort of their own home.

Project Outline

This project is a collaboration between QUB, Marie Curie and a technology company called ProPeer Solutions. The current project will see chartered physiotherapy staff from Marie Curie and ProPeer develop a series of VR-based exercises that replicate those received within face-to-face services. This involves a person with Parkinson’s putting on a VR headset and being guided through a series of tasks designed to strengthen muscles, mobilise joints and improve balance.

Some preliminary work has already been completed and delivered to a small group of patients and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The current project seeks to extend this work by providing more patients with Parkinson’s an opportunity to try out these specialist VR exercises from home as part of a 6-week programme. The objectives will be to assess whether the VR exercises help manage functional decline, prevent falls as well as the impact on their mental well-being (stress and anxiety). We would also like to investigate what users thought about the VR experience and how they would like to see it improved. We wish to establish how many patients will sign up to receive the service (recruitment) and whether they complete the 6-week programme (retention). If successful, we wish to scale up the programme and offer it to more patients including those receiving services from other organisations. The overall goal is to provide a low cost, VR-based solution that will have a transformative impact on those with Parkinson’s.

Migration and Community-based Language Education: A comparative analysis of community and volunteer-led initiatives for the social integration and language education of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers

PhD Supervisor: Dr Aisling O’Boyle

Background

Queen’s has an excellent track-record of collaborating with private industry, public sector organisations, and the third sector to successfully deliver impactful, user-informed research. To support the development of these collaborations, the University will commit again commit a number of studentships (funded via Department for the Economy and EPSRC) commencing in October 2021 for projects across the Institution that will significantly involve working with a non-academic partner.

Context

There are 79.7 million forcibly displaced people worldwide (UNHCR, 2020). Individuals and families fleeing conflict and persecution are often characterised by their vulnerabilities and need for support (Sheikh and Anderson, 2018). Language learning in contexts of migration include formal, non-formal and informal approaches. In the UK, statutory measures can afford access to formal classes but are often unable to consider factors such as long-term consequences of torture and post-traumatic stress common in refugee populations which affects a person’s ability to engage with formal learning (Salvo and Williams, 2017). In response, voluntary sectors provide informal approaches (Simpson, 2015). With reference to Northern Ireland, the community sector has long provided non-formal and informal language classes to meet socially embedded communicative needs (McNulty, 2019). However, as demand for programmes increases there remains a void in research on the impact of non-formal language education. There is an absence of research on learner outcomes, programme evaluation, management of volunteers and the notion of altruism embedded in these social contexts, which could provide answers to: How do initiatives emerge through community groups as compassionate responses to unfulfilled human needs? What impacts on the sustainability of volunteer-led initiatives? In a pandemic, how does a community fulfil the “intrinsic nature of our species’ heritage” (Rabben, 2016) to offer sanctuary? Answers to these questions require a partnership model of inquiry and international scope.

Project Outline

This project is a collaboration between QUB and the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre (BURC). The Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre (BURC) set up in September 1984 provides support, education/ training and facilities to the unemployed and other groups suffering from social and economic disadvantage. Its purpose is to promote equality, through supporting the participation and inclusion of all individuals, groups and communities. The core values of the organisation are to deliver sustainable activities and services, through a flexible creative approach based on partnership, networking, accountability and leadership.

This studentship will examine and evidence the impact of community and volunteer-led social integration and language education initiatives for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, in order to develop future programmes of work in BURC. Working in collaboration with the partner organization with guidance and mentorship of experienced academic staff the studentship has three objectives: to undertake an international systematic review of the approaches to the evidenced-based evaluation of community volunteer-led language education initiatives for migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers; to evidence the phenomenon of volunteer-led language education through comparative case study of the partner organization (BURC) in NI and three comparable organizations in national and contexts, and to conduct empirical research with key internal stakeholders (e.g. learners, volunteers, volunteer managers, and governance leaders) and external stakeholders (e.g. statutory bodies; NGO; policy advisors; community leaders) at macro, meso, and micro levels of analysis.

Assessing the feasibility and viability of Restorative Justice interventions for serious sexual offending.

CAST (Co-operative Awards in Science and Technology) PhD Studentship in association with the Department of Justice (NI) and the Crime and Social Justice Research Group, QUB.

Supervisors: Dr Andrew Percy (SSESW) and Dr Michelle Butler (SSESW).

Context: Restorative Justice, where victims meet offenders in a face-to-face setting, has been shown to be effective in reducing reoffending and improving victim satisfaction. Northern Ireland is a world leading proponent of restorative justice services for young offenders and their victims. To date, Restorative Justice (RJ) has tended to be targeted at low level offences, such as criminal damage and minor assaults. However, evidence is emerging that RJ is also effective with more serious offences, particularly where the experiences of victims within the Criminal Justice System (CJS) are less than optimal and where current approaches may result in poor reoffending outcomes, such as the case with serious sexual offences.

The Gillen Review into Law and Procedures in Sexual Offences (published in 2019), recommended that the Department of Justice consider the development of RJ services for serious sexual offences. Specifically, Recommendation 243 requested a victim led RJ scheme within the CJS dealing with serious sexual offences where the offender has admitted their guilt, the victim has requested RJ and the perpetrator has agreed to be involved. In addition, Recommendation 244 requested a victim-led voluntary self-referral RJ service to resolve certain serious sexual offences where the victim may not wish to participate in the formal CJS.

This PhD will examine the feasibility and viability of addressing these two recommendations. The research will assess the extent to which RJ may provide better outcomes for victims, offenders and society in relation to serious sexual offending. The PhD will:

undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of RJ interventions for sexual offending,
assess the views and opinions of victims, offenders and CJS practitioners regarding the provision of Restorative Justice services for serious sexual offences,
determine and describe the implementation and operational challenges associated with enacting these recommendations,
document current provision for victims and perpetrators of serious sexual offences, specifically in relation to locating the proposed schemes within existing services, and
provide guidance on ways forward to address the two recommendations.

This research builds on an existing collaborative relationship between Department of Justice and the Crime and Social Justice Research Group in the School of Social Science, Education and Social Work. The project aligns with current research priorities regarding the development and evaluation of complex CJS interventions, improving systems for the control of crime, and promoting social justice for victims and offenders, and draws on the group’s expertise in RJ, desistance, and implementation and evaluation research.

This research is of international significance. This work will have direct policy and practice impact not only on the Northern Ireland CJS, but also in relation to international developments in adult RJ and interventions for victims of serious sexual offending.

Interdisciplinary Immersive Education Project

Context

Professional practice often takes place in complex environments that require sophisticated approaches. However, the extent to which professional training has kept up with the ever-changing demands of practice is unclear. New technologies and approaches to simulation may help educators introduce a sense of realism within teaching that is difficult to replicate in a classroom setting – this in turn may help equip the workforce to learn how to manage more complex workplace scenarios and environment.

Project Outline

This studentship will explore the concept of Interdisciplinary Immersive Education with a view to developing a new approach to professional education within QUB, that uses the latest digital technologies. Led by SSESW staff, this project will seek to include colleagues from other professional courses at QUB such as, midwifery/nursing, law and teacher training to develop and test the benefits of immersive technology when teaching complex and advanced interdisciplinary skills (e.g. challenging aggressive behaviour, engaging with the law (court based skills), assessing the home environment and making safe-guarding judgements etc.).

DfE PhD Studentship associated with ‘The future and status of Northern Ireland after Brexit’ project

Project Title: Borders within and around the United Kingdom after Brexit

It was predictable that some of the most direct effects of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU would be manifest at the UK’s borders with the European Union. What was less expected was that Brexit would lead to changes to the UK’s internal borders. As the transition period comes to an end, the UK faces new challenges in terms of how to maintain frictionless movement of goods, people and services across its internal and external borders. These challenges arise in legal, economic and political terms, as well as socio-cultural ones.

The most obvious changes to the UK’s internal borders will be between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as a result of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland in the Withdrawal Agreement. More broadly, new frictions on cross-border movement within the UK could arise as a result of differential policies among the nations and regions of the UK. A future referendum on Scottish independence will also draw attention to potential border-related policies and change.

The measures proposed (and indeed, the measures not taken) now to address the new conditions for the management of the UK’s borders, internal and external, will have major long-term consequences. This studentship is to fund doctoral research on this subject at a critical juncture.

Adult Safeguarding in Northern Ireland: a study of the relationship between social deprivation and adult protection referrals in Northern Ireland

There is a growing realization in many societies that certain adults who are vulnerable have been subject to abuse, harm or exploitation. Abuse of vulnerable people is an increasing problem given the demographics of an ageing society and the promotion of care in the community. Over the last 15 years, increased public and political awareness has developed alongside policy and professional intervention to increase our understanding of the abuse and protection of adults whose personal characteristics or life circumstances may put them at risk of harm. Northern Ireland is unique across the UK, as it does not yet have any adult protection legislation, although an Adult Safeguarding Bill is pending.

Research into adult protection locally, nationally and internationally, is limited in range and volume; where it exists, the research tends to consider issues at an individual micro level. There are major gaps in knowledge and understanding of adult protection particularly around developing a systemic model of abuse, considering wider structural issues such as poverty, unemployment and service provision.

Developing and testing a low cost immersive 360 video platform for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Supervisors: Dr Paul Best, Dr John D’Arcy and Dr Yang Hua

Northern Ireland has one of the highest levels of PTSD in Europe (Ferry et al. 2015). It is estimated that as much as 20.7% of the population aged 50+ meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. This has contributed to a public health crisis in the most deprived areas with record levels of antidepressant prescribing, growing alcohol and substance misuse and lower life expectancy.

Current treatments for PTSD, while largely successful, routinely include some form of exposure to the feared event (imaginal or in-vivo). As such, drop out remains high (78% in some cases) and many of those who would benefit most, fail to complete treatment. Immersive technology, such as Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET), has shown clinical utility in regards to ET, by increasing its acceptability and enhancing traditional (imaginal based) exposure exercises (Botella et al., 1998; Aiken and Berry, 2015; Freeman et al. 2017). It has been particularly useful in the treatment of PTSD - a disorder characterised by persistent “avoidance of reminders of the trauma” (Rizzo et al. 2006). However, despite the strong evidence regarding VRET, we are yet to see the widespread adoption of VRET and other immersive technologies within clinical settings. This appears due to the high production values (cost) associated with VRET and a dearth of available data regarding its acceptability and feasibility within clinical (real-world) settings. Moreover, PTSD treatment (by nature) is idiosyncratic and as such, individuals exposed to the same event will often have different interpretations and appraisals that contributed to the development of their condition (Grey, 2009).

Immersive 360 video is a low-cost alternative to VR, yet one that has shown the same potential to achieve ‘spatial presence’ (i.e. the extent to which the immersive environment feels real) (Bailey and Bailenson, 2017). Therefore, the use of immersive 360 video may enable the generation of tailored images, to assist and enhance traditional imaginal based exposure exercises on a case by case basis. If this lower-cost alternative can be shown to be acceptable to clinicians as well as enhance current PTSD treatment, this may lead to greater adoption within clinical settings. As such, this project will use an experimental research design to explore the feasibility and benefit of trauma-focused therapy enhanced with immersive 360 video technology to treat PTSD.

Queen's University Belfast

School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work

Project Outline

Queen's University Belfast