First you will be presented with the "Information Sheet for Participants", then if you consent to taking part, you will be presented with the 20-min online survey.

At the end of the survey, you will be asked if you would like to be entered into a prize draw as “thank you” for your time. Prizes will range from £100-£25.

Any questions or queries please contact [email protected].
 

Information Sheet For Participants

RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL, EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY

Research Team Contact Details:
Eleanor Bennett, Trainee Clinical Psychologist, [email protected]
Dr Janet Feigenbaum, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Psychologist, [email protected] 
Dr Jill Domoney, Clinical Psychologist and Postdoctoral Researcher

 Study approved by UCL Research Ethics Committee. Approval ID Number: 22885/001.


 

Title: Engagement and Experiences of Perinatal Mental Health Support in Mothers with and without features of personality disorder 

We would like to invite you to take part in a research project being conducted at UCL. Before you decided whether you would like to take part, it is important to understand why the research is being done and what participation will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully. If you would like to ask the researchers any questions regarding taking part, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email ([email protected]). Thank you very much for reading this and considering taking part.

Why is this study being conducted?

This study aims to explore and understand how mothers* experience Perinatal Mental Health Services. The “perinatal” period spans from the moment a person becomes pregnant to 1 year after giving birth. It is well documented that this can be a challenging time for many mothers*, with research noting between 20-30% of mothers experience poor mental health. However little attention in research has focused on how mothers experience NHS Perinatal Mental Health Services and the support they offer.
*Please note we are using the term “mothers” as it is the most widely recognised English terminology to describe people who have been pregnant and given birth. However, we understand that this is a gendered term, and do not wish to exclude those who do not identify with this term from this project. We are interested in capturing all views of those who are currently or have recently been pregnant and have received perinatal mental health support.

Who can take part?

1. People who are currently pregnant and were referred to an NHS service for mental health support during their pregnancy
2. People who have given birth in the past three years and were referred to an NHS service for mental health support during their pregnancy or during first year after giving birth.

We are interested in hearing people’s experiences and thoughts about NHS mental health services during pregnancy and/or the first year after giving birth. You do not need to have attended any mental health appointment to take part in this study, but you do need to have been referred to a mental health service during your pregnancy and/or first year after giving birth.
 

If you would like to take part please click here.


Who cannot take part?


Unfortunately due to ethical constraints, we must ask you to not participate if you are:

 1. Under the age of 18
 2. Have not been referred to an NHS mental health service during pregnancy and/or first year of giving birth
 3. Received perinatal mental health support outside of the UK

Do I have to take part?

Your choice to take part in this study is completely voluntary. You are free to stop the questionnaires at any time, without having to give a reason for doing so. However, as the survey is anonymous, it will not be possible to withdraw data that you have already provided/submitted. This is because we would have no way of identifying your answers, as it is anonymous.

What will happen to me if I take part?

If you agree to participate you will be asked to complete an online survey. This should take you around 20 minutes to complete. You can complete this on any device linked to the internet. You will be asked questions about your demographics (non-identifiable information about you e.g. your age) and then be asked some questions about your mental health during pregnancy/perinatal period, your experience of pregnancy, and your experience of Perinatal Mental Health Services. You will not be asked to provide your name, or any other identifiable information and all your data will remain anonymous and confidential.

What will happen to the results of the research study?

The results of the study will contribute to part of a dissertation thesis and be sent to an academic journal for publication. Your involvement in this study will not be identifiable. All data collected will be written up as group averages e.g. “50% of mothers experienced X”. This research aims to inform and improve NHS Perinatal Mental Health Services in the UK. Once this study is completed, results will posted on https://zcjtebe.wixsite.com/supportingmums. To keep updated with this project and its results, you can follow the @Supporting_mums

What are the possible risks of taking part?

Thinking about your own mental health difficulties can understandably evoke challenging emotions and distress. Although the research is not designed to cause distress, it is still possible that your participation may be distressing or challenging. If you find answering any of the questions particularly difficult, you can withdraw from completing the questionnaires at any time without providing a reason. Please also note that at the bottom of this information sheet there are a list of support services you can contact.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

The results of the study will help improve our understanding of the experience of Perinatal Mental Health Services and it is hoped that this work will inform service development to improve Perinatal Mental Health Services, to better support mothers. There will also be an optional prize draw for participants who complete the questionnaire. There will be 5 winners, with the following prizes available: 1 x £100 voucher, 2 x £50 vouchers, and 2 x £25 vouchers. After completing the questionnaire, you will be directed to a page where it will ask you if you want to be considered for a prize draw (this is your choice). If you select yes, you will be asked to provide your email address - this will only be used to contact you if you win the prize. Your email address will be stored completely separately from your data and will be deleted once the prize draw winners are contacted.

What if something goes wrong?

If you wish to express concerns or complain about any aspect of this research trial, in the first instance please contact the Principle Investigator, Dr Janet Feigenbaum on [email protected]. Please note that if you feel like your complaint has not been handled with satisfaction, you can contact the Chair of the UCL Research Ethics Committee – [email protected]

Will my taking part in this project be kept confidential?

We follow strict ethical and legal practices and all information about you will be handled in confidence. All the information that we collect about you during the course of the research will be kept strictly confidential. You will not be able to be identified in any ensuing reports or publications. Your anonymised data will be kept by the researchers until the research project has been completed. The maximum time this will be for is 5 years.

Data Protection Privacy Notice

The controller for this project will be University College London (UCL). The UCL Data Protection Officer provides oversight of UCL activities involving the processing of personal data, and can be contacted at [email protected]. This ‘local’ privacy notice sets out the information that applies to this particular study. Further information on how UCL uses participant information can be found in our ‘general’ privacy notice: here. The information that is required to be provided to participants under data protection legislation (GDPR and DPA 2018) is provided across both the ‘local’ and ‘general’ privacy notices. If you are concerned about how your personal data is being processed, or if you would like to contact us about your rights, please contact UCL in the first instance at [email protected].  All information will be stored in line with guidance and legislation from GDPR and DPA 2018.

Thank you very much for reading this information sheet and for considering taking part in this research study.

What next?

By clicking  the arrow to ‘continue’, you are confirming that you have understood the information provided above and consent to proceed with the research project. Consent for the research project will be assumed from completion of the survey. If you have decided you do not wish to participate please close this page.

 You may find the following resources/services helpful in relation to obtaining information and support:
 
• The Samaritans: 116 123. A free 24/7 helpline for anybody experiencing distress.
• Phone Apps: You can access mental health and wellbeing apps such as Headspace, Unmind, Sleepio, Daylight and Liberate for free. If you struggle with thoughts about self-harm and suicide, the Staying Alive app is a pocket suicide prevention resource for the UK, packed full of useful information and tools to help you stay safe in crisis. You can use it if you are having thoughts of suicide or if you are concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide. It contains a safety plan for you to complete to help you stay safe and share with others so that they know best how to help you in times of crisis.
• Togetherall: Togetherall is a safe, online community where people support each other anonymously to improve mental health and wellbeing. Found here: https://togetherall.com/en-gb/
• Self injury support: a safe, UK-wide multi-channel support service for women & girls affected by self-injury, trauma and abuse. Found here: https://www.selfinjurysupport.org.uk/  
• Your General Practitioner (GP) can signpost you to additional services if you experience emotional distress.
• Emergency 999 - call an ambulance if you are at risk and need immediate help with your mental health crisis.
• NHS 111 Service - call if you need non-emergency help fast but it is not a life-threatening emergency.
• NHS Urgent Mental Health Helplines (England only) - Many local areas in England have Urgent Mental Health Helplines that you can contact 24/7 when in crisis. To find out if your area has an Urgent Mental Health Helpline and to get the contact details click on: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline