Patient Violence In Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: Investigating Family Based Factors
Start date: 1st February 2019
Award: 1 fully-funded 3 year IoPPN Department of Psychology PhD studentship
Project:
Patient violence in severe mental health conditions such as schizophrenia spectrum disorders often attracts substantial attention in mainstream media. Considerable efforts have gone into improving our understanding of key risk factors for perpetrating violence, which include patient age, gender, and substance misuse.The pattern of evidence suggests that family members are the most common target of patient violence. Interestingly, our understanding of family factors related to the perpetration and the impact of patient violence in severe mental health problems is limited. Previous work from our group has explored carer reports of patient violence in early and long-term psychosis populations but little is known about family appraisals of patient violence and its implications for family functioning. Similarly, data is scarce on how we can best intervene with families where patient initiated violence is an ongoing risk.
In schizophrenia spectrum disorders, the proposed project seeks to extend our understanding of family factors (including risk factors) associated with patient violence and the impact on family relationships. We hope the findings will be used to develop a typology of patient violence in caregiving relationships and inform a modified novel family-based intervention. The project will focus on the following objectives:
- To examine reports and patterns of domestic violence in national data
- To undertake a systematic review of family-based violence
- To qualitatively explore carer and patient experiences of family violence
- To examine outcomes of a brief psychological intervention focusing on family based violence.
The project is a supervision collaboration between the Department of Psychology and Department of Forensics and Neurodevelopmental Sciences.
Further reading:
- Onwumere J. Zhou Z, Kuipers E (2018). Informal caregiving in psychosis: reviewing the impact of patient-initiated violence. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1530. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01530
- Smith, L., Onwumere, J., Craig, TK, Kuipers, E (2018). Caregiver correlates of patient-initiated violence in early psychosis. Psychiatric Research doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.09.011
- Onwumere J, Parkyn G, Learmonth S, Kuipers, E (2018). The last taboo: the experience of violence in first episode psychosis caregiving relationships. Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research Practice. DOI:10.1111/papt.12173
- Onwumere, J., Grice S., Garety P., Bebbington, P., Dunn, G., Freeman, D., Fowler, D & Kuipers, E. (2014). Caregiver reports of patient-initiated violence in psychosis. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 59, (7), 376-384
Deadline: 16th November 2018 (23.59 GMT)
Supervisors:
Dr Juliana Onwumere (https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/juliana.1.onwumere.html)
Dr Joel Harvey (https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/joel.harvey.html)
Dr Deirdre MacManus (https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/deirdre.1.macmanus.html)
Entry requirements: Applicants should have a Bachelors degree with a minimum 2:1 honours (or overseas equivalent) in a subject relevant to the project. Applicants should have (or expect to obtain) a research based Masters degree at merit or distinction level.
Award types and eligibility: A fully-funded award for three years that covers stipend and Home/EU tuition fees. The studentship is not available to Overseas applicants.
How to apply:
Applicants must complete and submit an online admissions application, via the admissions portal by midnight (23:59 GMT), Friday 16th November 2018.
On the ‘Choosing a programme’ page, please select ‘Research degrees’ and enter the keyword 'Psychology Academic Research MPhil/PhD (Full-time)'.
In your application, you will be asked to include:
Academic Transcripts – where applicable, academic transcripts must be submitted with the online admissions application
- Details of your qualifications (you will need to attach copies)
- Details of previous employment
- A personal statement describing your interests and why you wish to apply for this project. Please include this as an attachment rather than using the text box.
- Academic References – all admissions applications require two supporting references. If the applicant is relying on his/her referees to submit references directly to the College after he/she has submitted his/her admissions application, then the applicant must ensure that their chosen referees are made aware of the funding deadline.
In the Funding section, please tick box 5 and include the following reference: JO-IoPPN-PV-10-2018
Please note there is no need to complete the Research Proposal section in your application as the project has already been set.
You are welcome to email supervisors (Juliana.1.onwumere@kcl.ac.uk; Joel.Harvey@kcl.ac.uk) for more information regarding the project and studentship.
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Postgraduate Research Administrative Assistant.
References must be received by the deadline for the applicant to be eligible. Only shortlisted apllicants will be contacted.
Interviews: Week commencing 3rd December 2018
Futher information:
About the IoPPN ( http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/about/index.aspx)
Studying at the IoPPN ( http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/study/index.aspx)
Research degrees at the IoPPN (http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/study/prospective-students/programmes-of-study/pgr/welcome.aspx)
KCL Researcher Development Programme http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/school/RDP/training-and-development/Researcher-Development-Programme-2014-15.pdf)