SWUC Plymouth 2018 Talk abstracts A qualitative study of the - - PDF document

SWUC Plymouth 2018 Talk abstracts

A qualitative study of the perception of the concept of the ‘friend zone’ amongst millennials Chris Grundy

University of the West of England Objectives/purpose This qualitative study hopes to obtain insight into the experience of the 'friend zone' and how it is viewed in society now that it has gained an increasingly recognisable moniker. Design Young adult participants (age range: 21-35) are asked to undertake a story completion task involving a story where one of two people has been ‘friend-zoned’. The obtained stories are subjected to thematic analysis in order to delineate themes implicated in these relationships. Background Whilst there have been some studies on the phenomenon of one person wanting more from a relationship than the other, there appear to be none specifically looking into the concept of the ‘friend zone’. This qualitative study obtains insight into this experience and how it is viewed in society now that it has gained an increasingly recognisable moniker. Methods 40 young adult participants (age range: 21-35) are asked to undertake a story completion task via social media involving a story where one of two people has been ‘friend-zoned’. The

• btained stories are subjected to thematic analysis in order to delineate themes implicated in

these relationships. Methodological issues pertaining to story completion and its suitability for the research question at hand are also discussed. Ethical considerations were made and implemented in line with the British Psychological Society’s Code of Ethics and Conduct. Results The project is currently collecting data. Conclusions The project is currently collecting data. Project Supervisor Miltos Hadjiosif Keywords friend zone, cross-sex friendship

Acquired Brain injury and the experience of impaired insight. David Bennett

Plymouth University Objectives/purpose This main objective of this study is to gain an understanding of the phenomenological experience of individuals with a high level of cognitive functioning and intelligence but an impaired level of insight. Design The study was done through semi-structured interview with participants. Data was analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Background Diagnostic, medical, and rehabilitative advancement has increased the prognosis of independence in survivors of ABI. However, does a high level of cognitive functioning and intelligence mask an impaired insight into an individual’s impairment and how does this relate to an individual’s capacity. Methods Participants (n=4) were all service users of Headway Somerset who had a diagnosed acquired brain injury. Participants were selected by case workers within Headway Somerset due to their high cognitive functioning. All participants and their case workers completed the BADS-DEX insight questionnaire to determine a quantified impairment of insight. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Results The data has undergone preliminary analysis and several themes have emerged across participants; a physical – neurological hierarchy, a past/future tension, an anomic present, and a poverty of information. Conclusions The data is currently in the analysis process but early indications are that there are commonalities in the experience of the individuals, all of whom have insight impairments. All have a neurological physiological basis for impairment but additional factors such as the sharing of clinical information and a sense of powerlessness, among other factors, play a role in post ABI insight impairment. Project Supervisor Dr Alyson Norman Keywords ABI, insight, impairment, IPA

An investigation into the effects of cannabis on anxiety and appetite hormones in individuals with problematic eating behaviour Leah Fawaz, Mariella Henderson, Aiko Chang and Ewa Placher

University of Exeter Objectives/purpose The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of smoking cannabis on appetite hormones, body perceptions, and anxiety measures. Design The study aims to recruit 80 frequent cannabis smokers in a mixed-measures design. Background Cannabis has been found to increase appetite and reduce chronic stress, depression and

• nausea. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rates compared to any other psychiatric
• disorder. Effective treatments for eating disorders are limited. Whilst some anecdotal

evidence exists, the use of cannabis in the treatment of eating disorders has not been fully explored. Methods Each participant’s appetite hormones will be measured prior and post smoking cannabis, via saliva testing. Several questionnaires, both subjective and objective measures, will be used to assess problematic eating behaviour (PEB), body perception and anxiety scores, along with a dot-probe test to identify attentional biases towards food. Results It is predicted that cannabis will both reduce anxiety and increase appetite. Specifically, leptin and ghrelin levels should increase after smoking. It is also expected that individuals with high PEB scores would exhibit avoidance behaviour towards food-related stimuli before smoking, but this would reduce after smoking cannabis. Conclusions This work may potentially have implications for the future development of pharmacotherapies for eating disorders. Project Supervisor Professor Celia Morgan Keywords problematic eating behaviour, cannabis, leptin, ghrelin

Anxiety in paediatric Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: a prevalence study and evaluation of screening tools. Rebecca Read

University of Bath Objectives/purpose This study aims to identify the prevalence of anxiety disorders in adolescents with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), and evaluate the accuracy of clinical anxiety screening tools. Design Diagnostic interviews are being conducted using a cross-sectional epidemiological design. Background Research has demonstrated that children and adolescents with CFS/ME are at risk of suffering comorbid anxiety disorders, which could interfere with treatment and recovery. However, mental health screening in this population has largely relied on questionnaires, which do not determine whether participants fulfil diagnostic criteria for psychiatric disorder, and may be confounded by overlapping symptoms of CFS/ME and anxiety. Methods 89 12- to-18-year-olds have been recruited from a specialist paediatric CFS/ME service, with recruitment ongoing. Participants are being interviewed using the Kiddie Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS), a semi-structured psychiatric interview of established validity and reliability. Participants’ K-SADS outcomes were compared to their responses on the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS), an anxiety screening questionnaire used in paediatric CFS/ME services. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to assess for sensitivity and specificity of the SCAS. Results A preliminary analysis found that approximately 35% of participants met criteria for a DSM-5 defined anxiety disorder, with social anxiety, phobic, and generalised anxiety disorders being the most prevalent. The accuracy of the SCAS in detecting different types of anxiety ranged from poor to good, overall having fair accuracy in detecting any anxiety. Conclusions A large proportion of young people with CFS/ME also experience comorbid anxiety disorders, suggesting that specialist services should be equipped to manage psychological

• problems. Current clinical screening tools are only fairly accurate at detecting overall anxiety,

implying that more sophisticated measures are required. Project Supervisor Dr Richard Joiner and Dr Maria Loades Keywords CFS/ME, anxiety, prevalence, epidemiology

Are mixed-race couples spontaneously perceived as less ‘natural’ than same- race couples ? Kanekwa Nzimba

University of Bristol Objectives/purpose To investigate how mixed-race romantic couples are evaluated by observers of different racial backgrounds. Design The experiment had a 2 (primes: same-race vs. mixed-race) x 2 (target images: natural vs. artificial) x 2 (participant race: Black vs. White) mixed factorial design. Background Recently, psychologists have become concerned with how we evaluate social interactions involving multiple strangers; a phenomenon known as people-watching. It has been suggested that in dyadic interactions (those involving two people), third-party observers

• ften use the dyad's racial composition to evaluate them. For instance, some studies have

reported that images of interracial couples are spontaneously evaluated negatively. Until now however, research on racial prejudice at a dyadic level has largely been based in

• America. Thus, it remains unclear whether such studies are generalisable to Europe-based

countries with different migration and racial patterns. Methods A sequential priming task was used to investigate whether black and white participants at a British University have implicit biased attitudes towards mixed-race couples. Participants were primed with either same-race (e.g. a white couple) or mixed-race couples (e.g a black man dating a white woman) before they were asked to categorise natural or man-made artefacts. Results It was predicted that on average, same race couples would elicit quicker categorisation times for images displaying natural entities than mixed-race couples. Conclusions The findings promise to help us better understand how positive mixed-race interactions are evaluated by observers of different racial backgrounds. Project Supervisor

• Dr. Susanne Quadflieg

Keywords interracial couples, racial prejudice, sequential priming

Are there benefits of having an imaginary friend on emotional understanding and social behavior in children? Marlen Frei and Cerowyn Browne

University of Bristol Objectives/purpose This study intended to establish whether the presence of an imaginary companion and the type of relationship affect emotional understanding and social abilities of children between 5 and 7 years. Design Background Recent investigations into this fairly young area of research have revealed conflicting

• findings. On the one hand, children with imaginary companions have been found to
• utperform their peers in executive functions and social skills (Gimenez-Dasi et

al., 2016). On the other hand they also seem to be perceived as lonelier (Harter & Chao, 2002). Thus, the present study investigated whether the quality of the relationship that a child forms with an imaginary companion might be the key moderator of the child's development of these cognitive and social kills. Furthermore, we explored a not yet established link between children having imaginary companions and their understanding of their own emotions. Methods 60 children and their primary caregivers were assessed at a Science museum in Bristol. The primary caregiver completed a questionnaire about whether the child had an imaginary friend or personified object, the quality of the child's relationship with the imaginary companion, an empathy measure, a social competence and peer acceptance measure (Gleason et al.,2000; Dadds et al., 2007; CPPRG, 1995; Harter & Pike, 1984). The child was introduced to the concept of imaginary companions and asked whether he or she had such a pretend friend. Subsequently, the child was assessed on empathy and emotional self- awareness (Sezov,2002; Rieffe et al.,2008). Results We hypothesise that children with imaginary companions show increased awareness of their

• wn emotions, greater empathy towards others' emotions and therefore engage in more

positive social behavior leading to greater peer acceptance. Conclusions This study is hoping to highlight the importance of imagination in childrens' development by providing further support for the giftedness hypothesis that children with imaginary companions show increased creativity, executive functions and social skills. Project Supervisor Philip Collard Keywords Imaginary friends, social skills, empathy, children

Can implementation intentions be used to increase creativity? Molly Burd

University of Bath Objectives/purpose To explore whether implementation intentions are more effective than goal intentions in increasing creativity. Design A one-factorial design with between subject groups was used to explore whether different slogans at the top of a sheet would effect individuals divergent thinking test scores. Participants were split into three groups, a control group that had no slogan on their sheet, a group with a goal intention slogan and a group with an implementation intention slogan. Background Implementation Intentions work by linking anticipated future situations with goal-directed

• responses. Whilst a lot of research has shown their success in changing simple health

related behaviour, evidence of their effectiveness on more complex behaviours is limited. This study explored whether an implementation intention could increase participant’s creativity when tasked with completing a divergent thinking test. Methods 164 participants were recruited through opportunity sampling at Manchester University. They were asked to complete a divergent thinking test and instructed to think as creatively as they

• could. A fluency score counted up the total number of responses participants had

constructed whilst the Consensual Assessment Technique used three independent raters to measure the creative quality. Results One-way ANOVAs were used to calculate whether there was a statistically significant difference between the different conditions. The results revealed that whilst there was no difference between groups for the quantity of responses, there was a difference in the

• quality. Turkey-Kramer post hoc analysis revealed that the increase from the control group to

the implementation intention group was statistically significant (p = .003). Conclusions The results showed that whilst the implementation intentions were not able to increase the quantity of creative responses, they were able to effect the quality. The implications of these findings were discussed with relation to increasing creativity in both schools and

• rganisations.

Project Supervisor Bas Verplanken Keywords implementation intentions, creativity, goal intentions

Deaf young people’s improvement in biopsychosocial functioning following admission to a deaf inpatient unit Chieh-Lin (Linda) Lee

University of Bath Objectives/purpose To investigate how deaf young people with severe emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties improve in biopsychosocial functioning following admission to Corner House, the

• nly deaf psychiatric inpatient unit in the world.

Design

• Design. A mixed quantitative and qualitative design was chosen. The quantitative analyses

consisted of a between-subject design when comparing deaf participants to hearing counterparts and a within-subject design when evaluating the intervention’s effectiveness. The qualitative analyses on the goals participants set provided details on aspects of functioning that were accountable for differences discovered in the quantitative analyses. Background

• Background. The prevalence of mental health problems is much higher in deaf children than

hearing children. The multifactorial model of disability argues that mental health problems in deaf children need to be understood by both medical and social consequences of deafness. Based on this model, Corner House adopts a unique therapeutic community approach. Methods

• Methods. Ninety-three deaf young people who were admitted to Corner House between

March 2008 to March 2017 were selected as participants. Four questionnaires completed by clinicians, parents and patients were used to measure biopsychosocial functioning. Results

• Results. Although deaf young people’s functioning was mostly lower than their hearing

counterparts across time points, they improved significantly following admission to Corner

• House. The qualitative analysis discovered particular aspects of this improvement, such as

management of aggressive and antisocial behaviours, family relationship and independence. Conclusions

• Conclusions. This study suggested that Corner House’s intervention is effective for

improving deaf young people’s biopsychosocial functioning and provided support for the need of such inpatient units. Therefore, although the generalisability of these findings is currently limited, research on similar units that would hopefully open in future could

• vercome this limitation. The study also supported the multifactorial model of disability in

understanding deaf young people’s vulnerability to psychopathology. Project Supervisor Dr Karin Petrini Keywords Deafness, psychiatric inpatient unit, developmental psychopathology, biopsychosocial functioning, therapeutic community

Do Certain Personality Traits Increase the Risk of Misophonia Stefanie Glanville

Plymouth University Objectives/purpose This study aimed to show that misophonic symptoms can be viewed as a distributed trait, rather than a discrete psychiatric disorder. Design A mixed within-participants design Background Misophonia is a chronic disorder, in which the individual responds to certain trigger sounds (such as slurping, or tapping) with an extreme stress response. It is frequently co-morbid with OCD, anxiety and depression all of which are associated with higher levels of

• perfectionism. We predicted that supposedly misophonic sounds will be rated as irritating

irrespective of scores on a misophonia questionnaire. However, those with the highest misophonia scores will present stronger irritation ratings and score highly on a measure of perfectionism. Methods 75 undergraduate students listened to three categories of sounds (pleasant, unpleasant and misophonic) each presented three times (total 75 sounds) in a randomised order. They rated each sound on a scale from 1= not at all irritating to 7= extremely irritating. They also completed questionnaire measures of perfectionism, depression and anxiety. Heart rate was monitored to determine physiological stress related responses to the differing types of sound. Results A basic preliminary analysis suggests that all participants found the misophonic sounds irritating as predicted. Further analysis is ongoing. Conclusions The finding that misophonia is generally distributed in the population and linked to specific personality traits defies the conventional idea that it arises due to anomalies in sound

• perception. Misophonia can lead to social isolation and poor mental health due to inability to

cope with everyday aural stimuli. Interventions to address personality factors linked to misophonia may be developed to support better coping. Project Supervisor Dr Alison Bacon Keywords Misophonia, general distribution, individual differences

Exploring stigma around depression as portrayed in the media Brioney May Russ

Bath Spa University Objectives/purpose To explore stigma around depression as portrayed in the media Design The top five UK online newspapers were identified via the National Readership Survey (NRS), this was because they publish research indicating which are the most popular newspapers and those are: The Daily Mail, The Sun, Daily Mirror, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph. This was for the purpose of ensuring that a wide population reads these and therefore gives a representation of popular notion. A systematic literature review was conducted to draw upon themes and is a sturdy method to critically review data. Background Media play a key factor on how the general public perceives mental health disorders. Online newspapers in particular are becoming one of the most frequent of source of information for the newer generations and therefore they might shape their attitudes and perception of mental disorders. Despite this, there is little information available on how online newspapers portray mental disorders and in particular depression (which is one of the most common and devastating mental disorders in the UK) . The current study is set in this context and it aims to assess the most read UK online newspapers representation of depression. Methods The top five UK online newspapers were identified via the National Readership Survey (NRS) and those are: The Daily Mail, The Sun, Daily Mirror, The Guardian and The Daily

• Telegraph. A systematic literature review was conducted. Inclusion criteria for the article

were results under depression. A database was created with 150 articles. Following this initial stage, the study were first analyzed for each newspaper (vertical analysis) and then compared between newspapers (vertical analysis). Results Pending Conclusions Results pending. The findings from this research might raise awareness on the role that

• nline newspapers have on individuals' perception of depression.

Project Supervisor Agata Vitale Keywords Depression, Media, Stigma,

Exploring the differences in Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) at transplant assessment between children who get listed for transplant and children who don’t. Jenni Harries

University of Bath Objectives/purpose To compare Quality of Life (QOL) outcomes between children who were or were not listed for heart and/or lung transplantation following assessment. Explore whether clinical factors can explain any differences. Design Case note review with a between-subjects design. Thematic analysis was conducted to qualitatively analyse the discharge summaries of patients. Background QOL is one important factor in deciding whether to list a child for transplant. This has been relatively ignored in the literature but anecdotally is taken into consideration by clinical teams. Methods Patients and parents were asked to complete the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) when they attended the transplant assessment at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). Forty-eight English-speaking paediatric patients, and one caregiver of each child, were included. The discharge summary of each child was analysed post-assessment. Results There were no statistically significant differences between the mean PedsQL scores on any

• f the subscales between the groups for both child and parent reports. However, there were

clinically meaningful differences such that children in the not listed (vs. listed) group had higher mean scores for all subscales. The analysis of discharge summaries resulted in 5 main themes for not listing a child: QOL is too good, too well medically, requires increased medical therapy or further medical investigation prior to transplant, psychosocial reasons, high-risk transplant. Three patients in the ‘QOL is too good’ group had parent and child PedsQL scores below the mean of the population group. Conclusions The results indicate that clinicians’ objective valuations of QOL at transplant assessment are not always consistent with self-report scores of patients and caregivers; therefore, the transplant team at GOSH need to consider whether they are meeting the needs of their patients with the current assessment process and criteria. A key limitation of the study was the small and unequal sample size. Project Supervisor Professor Mitchell Callan Keywords Transplant, Quality of Life, PedsQL

From First Year to Second Year: A Qualitative Analysos Deborah Kim

Bath Spa University Objectives/purpose To see if first-year students experience any changes from first to second year. Design An Interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted. Background Torenbeek, Jansen and Hofman (2011), indicated how first-year students have difficulty adjusting into the university, as most of them are far away from home for the first time, the academic work is different, and they learn to be more independent. Similarly, Milsom (2015) mentioned that there are differences as an individual transition into university each year. In addition, Milsom (2015) noted that second-years are known to be the middle child and think differently, compared to first-year. Methods Six second-year students were recruited, interviewed for an hour, and were asked eleven questions about the differences they experienced. The interview took place in Stanton Building at Bath Spa Unversity. These participants were told that the interview will be

• recorded. They were given a debrief at the end of the interview.

Results Overall, it was discovered that these students do think differently, as they feel more confident, are more organised, and have more knowledge with the database system compared to first-year. Furthermore, participants also mentioned that the work-load is more intense, which allowed them to think differently. As a result, subjects advised the current first-year students not to take first-year for granted, and to prepare themselves for second- year. Conclusions Students do realise that there are differences as they progress onto the next academic year. From first to second-year, there is more work; however, students do feel more confident and

• rganised compared to first-year.

Project Supervisor

• Dr. Marie Thomas

Keywords Good

How imagining the future can make you less impulsive Jake Campling

Plymouth University Objectives/purpose To replicate the findings that episodic future thought (imagining future events) reduces delay discounting (a measure of impulsivity). Design The current experiment is an attempted to replicate the finding that episodic future thought reduces delay discounting. An independent measures design was used. Participants took part in either an episodic future thought (EFT) task or a control task. Episodic future thought refers to imagining positive future events that are either already panned or likely to happen. The control task consisted of an episodic recent thought activity, which involved participants imagining recent positive events from the last 24 hours. Impulsivity was tested using a delay discounting task that was based on the Monetary Choice Questionnaire. This design closely follows that of Daniel, Stanton & Epstien (2015). However, the current study differs in two ways from the majority of EFT literature. 1. No ad libitum eating test was used, 2. this experiment utilised the Monitory Choice Questionnaire, as this is a far quicker method for determining the rate at which an individual discounts future rewards. This experiment is the first of two experiments that are investigating mental imagery and

• impulsivity. A second experiment is currently underway to determine whether the therapeutic

intervention; Functional Imagery training (FIT), orientates participants towards the future in the same way EFT does. FIT uses vivid mental imagery to aid in behaviour change and strengthen people's motivation. This second experiment will utilise participants who wish to eat healthier and will test how well EFT and FIT reduce delay discounting and help participants stick to long term dieting goals. Background The UK currently has a fundamentally unhealthy population. In 2015, 58% of women and 68% of men were overweight or obese (Office for National Statistics, 2017). We need new approaches to help people stick to diets, even when they are faced with temptations and

• cravings. When faced with cravings and tempting foods people make a choice between their

long term goal to be healthier and the short term goal to enjoy eating (Stroebe, van Koningsbruggen, Papies, & Aarts, 2013). When people are faced with a choice between an immediate reward or a delayed reward, the perceived value of the delayed reward is reduced / discounted whilst the value of the immediate reward remains the same. Large rewards (such as improved heath and life expectancy) can become less valuable than immediately available smaller rewards (such as a tempting snack). The greater the temporal distance to the reward the greater discounting the reward faces. This is referred to as delay discounting (DD) and is commonly used as a method for determining how impulsive an individual is. High levels of delay discounting have also been shown to be prospectively linked to obesity (Seeyave et al., 2009) and the effectiveness of obesity treatments in overweight children (Best et al., 2012). DD can be reduced through episodic future thinking (EFT), in which participants are asked to vividly imagine likely or planned autobiographical events (Daniel, Said, Stanton, & Epstein, 2015; Daniel, Stanton, & Epstein, 2013a, 2013b). It is suggested that imagining future events orientated participants towards the future (Boyer, 2008). The current experiment aims to replicate these findings.

Recent qualitative feedback, from a successful RCT of FIT for weight loss, found that participants reported feeling more orientated towards the future. Therefore, it is predicted that FIT will reduce DD and assist in dieting. A second experiment, following the current replication, will test this prediction. Methods 62 undergraduates signed up through the Plymouth University participation point system. After being given a brief and giving their fully informed consent, participants took part in either a episodic future thought (EFT) task or an episodic recent thought (ERT) task. In the EFT task participants imagined and described five positive future events that were likely to

• ccur in one week, two weeks, one month, three months and six months. Only vividly

imagined events were included in the rest of the experiment. The ERT only differed in one respect; the events imagined by participants in the ERT condition were positive events that had occurred in the 24 hours. Next, participants completed a delay discounting task. This task consisted of 27 hypothetical monetary choices . E.g. would you prefer to receive £21 today or £25 in 7 days? Throughout this task, participants were prompted to imagine one of their events before answering a small set of the questions. Finally, participants were then given a debrief. The experiment took roughly 25 minutes. Results Results are currently being analysed. (Full results of the current replication will be ready for the conference). The analysis that has been conducted so far supports the prediction that episodic future thought reduces delay discounting compared to a control of episodic recent thought. Conclusions This study further supports the conclusion that episodic future thought reduces delay

• discounting. Whilst most research into delay discounting uses participants who are obese,

smokers or drug addicts, this study shows that EFT can reduce impulsivity in a normal student population. Importantly, this study shows that the 27 question item Monetary Choice Questionnaire (MCQ) can measure changes in delay discounting. This finding suggests that the very time consuming adjusting amount or adjusting delay procedures can be replaced by the far quicker 27 item MCQ. Therefore, future research into delay discounting will be easier and faster. The current study used monetary choices to measure general impulsivity, but it did not look at how discounting of food or other items is effected. However, research suggests that food is discounted in a similar pattern to money (McClure, Ericson, Laibson, Loewenstein, & Cohen, 2007). Research that has reduced monetary delay discounting has also shown to have an impact in food consumption, suggesting that effect of general EFT is not content specific (Daniel, Stanton & Epstien, 2015). The success of this replication paves the way for a second experiment in which FIT is compared to EFT. This second experiment will give insights into the mechanisms behind the reductions in impulsiveness that result from EFT. We will be able to look into the role that motivation, planning for the future and orientation towards the future play in impulsive decisions. Project Supervisor

Jackie Andrade and Jon May Keywords Mental imagery, impulsivity, decision making

I'm not exceptional': How unspecified kidney donors project their identity Miranda Heath

Plymouth University Objectives/purpose To identify the discursive practices unspecified kidney donors (UKDs) use to construct their donation and identity as donors Design Participants took part in a modified narrative interview exploring their life story and the role their donation played within it. Narrative interviewing was chosen following the theoretical position that identity is constructed in the telling of stories. Background Unspecified (or altruistic) kidney donation has been permitted in the UK since 2006, but so far little research has been conducted into the discursive practices UKDs use to characterise their donation and their identity as donors. Methods A purposive sample of 8 UKDs were recruited through university contacts and advertising on social media. The resulting data were analysed using discourse analysis (DA) to identify how UKDs construct their donation and identity, and narrative analysis (NA) to describe and interpret the content of their accounts. Results UKDs commonly drew upon a rational discourse to construct their decision to donate. This characterised them as unexceptional and rational actors. Other common discourses included altruism, compulsion and curiosity. A fifth discourse was discovered that has not been identified in the literature: empowerment. This is explored in greater detail by combining insights from DA and NA. Conclusions This study sheds light on how UKDs project their identity through discourses surrounding their decision to donate. It also illustrates the value of moving between discursive and narrative analytical practises to fully explore a novel discourse. Project Supervisor Tim Auburn Keywords unspecified kidney donation, discourse analysis, narrative psychology

Investigating the impact of publicly accessible graphic images. Bianka Alexandra Kolevska

Plymouth University Objectives/purpose Does relative recency of traumatic image have a bearing on explicit or implicit memory? Design Two sets of stimuli were tested for their traumatic impact using a modified trauma-eliciting experimental paradigm using a between-subject design. Background Traumatogenic events are on the rise and so are media reports of them. Access to these is almost immediate and the level of detail is faithfully graphic. What does this do to the everyday human watching the news or surfing the internet? Recent studies in aggression reported that higher exposure to aggressive behaviour in one’s surroundings or on TV may lead to general hypersensitisation or desensitisation of reactions to and initiation of aggressive behaviour. Could such global trends be applied to the perception of trauma as well? Methods One condition included presentation of pictures of best known conflicts of the 20th century. The second condition included pictures of 21st century conflicts. In each condition neutral

• bjects (e.g. banana) were presented intermittently for a brief moment. Priming rates for the

neutral objects were tested by a recognition memory task. This study expects differences in priming and recognition rates between the two experimental groups to follow a global pattern, i.e. higher rates for the historical stimuli suggest desensitisation and rates higher for the present stimuli suggest hypersensitisation in experiencing trauma. Participation was voluntary and participants (n=34) were aware of the nature of the study. Results Preliminary findings show no statistically significant differences between the priming or recognition rates of the two groups. This implies that the relative recency of the traumatic images has no bearing on explicit or implicit memory. Conclusions This study contributes to trauma research as it shows that reacting to traumatic experience cannot be approached as a global phenomenon and should therefore be investigated with individual differences such as resilience, trait anxiety or processing biases in mind. The effectiveness of the modified experimental paradigm will be assessed by additional testing using neutral stimuli. Project Supervisor Dr.Christopher Berry Keywords Trauma, media eposure, memory, hypersensitisation,desensitisation

Is activity related to depression in forced migrants receiving Behavioural Activation therapy? Lynette Meredith

University of Bath Objectives/purpose To examine whether activity is negatively related to depression in forced migrants receiving Behavioural Activation (BA) therapy Design This study implemented a longitudinal two-phase (pre-test, post-test) correlational within- subjects design. Participants activity and depression were measured at two time points, at the first (T1; pre-test) and last (T2; post-test) BA session. Background Despite forced migrants being at an elevated risk for developing Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression, they are heavily under-represented in research. Treatment guidelines recommend that depression should be addressed before treating PTSD. One treatment for depression is BA, which aims to re-engage patients in positively reinforcing activities that are being avoided. The present study set out to examine whether activity is negatively related to depression, as the theory underlying BA predicts, in forced migrants with PTSD and depression. Methods 16 forced migrants with PTSD and depression received 5 to 15 BA sessions at a London NHS service. Therapists holding no clinical training qualifications administered BA and measured activity and depression. Results Two separate repeated measures ANOVAs found statistically significant differences in activity and depression between T1 and T2. Mean scores increased in activity and decreased in depression between T1 and T2. No participants made a clinically significant change in depression. A hierarchical multiple regression found that activity at T2 did not account for, or predict any variance in depression at T2. Conclusions The findings show activity increases and depression decreases between pre and post BA. However, activity does not appear to account for or predict variance in depression post BA. Results must be interpreted in consideration of the limitations to using a correlational design. Future research should utilize a control group to determine the causal effect of BA on activity and depression. Project Supervisor

• Dr. Laura Smith

Keywords Behavioural Activation, depression, activity, forced migrants, Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder

Learning faces through variability in subclinical autism Emma Collis

Bath Spa University Objectives/purpose To investigate the relationship between the face variability effect and subclinical autism scores. Design The study used a correlational mixed method design which consisted of a face matching experiment and a questionnaire. A face matching task was chosen as various studies have shown that it is an excellent indicator of face familiarity and therefore of how effectively a participant has learnt each face. Background Evidence shows that those with higher autistic trait scores perform worse on face recognition

• tests. This suggests face recognition is related to the degree of autistic traits, which may be

due to differences in facial learning. Investigating the face variability effect in subclinical autism may help us better understand if and how facial learning differs in autism. Methods The study was conducted on 131 university students (101 female, 28 male, 2 other) from UK universities using volunteer and opportunity sampling. Participants completed the Autism Quotient (AQ) 10. Participants learned 10 identities from 10 images for each identity, seeing each image for 5 seconds with 0.5 seconds between each image. The images for half of the identities were presented in the high variability condition and half in the low variability condition. Participants then identified whether they thought pairs of novel images were of the same person (match) or different people (mismatch) for learned and unlearned identities in a face matching task. A one way ANOVA was conducted on match and mismatch trials separately to examine the face variability effect. A simple regression was conducted to assess the relationship between AQ scores and the face variability effect. Results Anticipated that higher recognition accuracy will be found in the high variability condition than in the low variability condition and in both than the unlearned control condition. Anticipated that AQ scores will be negatively correlated with face recognition accuracy. Conclusions Results pending. Project Supervisor Dr Scott Jones Keywords subclinical autism, face variability effect

Long term support following mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI): Understanding the gaps in service provision. Hannah Forrest

Plymouth University Objectives/purpose The current level of support offered to patients following a mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), as well as other factors such as general health, was investigated to determine whether there were gaps in service provision. Design Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Background A growing body of research is showing that mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can have serious consequences. Methods Interviews and a questionnaire were used. The questionnaire was made up of questionnaires on topics such as severity of the brain injury and experiences in hospital. In the interview category there were 4 participants (2 Males, 2 Females) who had experienced an mTBI. In the questionnaire category, 80 participants (11 Males, 69 Females; Age range: 18-59; Mean Age: 24; Control group: 34, mTBI group: 46) took part. Data collection is

• ngoing.

Results Preliminary results in the interview category and the questionnaire category showed themes including lack of knowledge in both patients and health professionals and a lack of support. In the questionnaire category the preliminary results show that 17% of participants in the mTBI category developed a mental health condition following the brain injury. Participants in the mTBI category also reported moderate to severe side effects of the brain injury including headaches (36% of participants) and fatigue (30% of participants). 64% of participants in the mTBI category were not offered a follow up appointment after going to hospital. Some participants mentioned that they would have liked a follow up appointment. Conclusions These preliminary results imply that there are gaps in the service provision for people who have experienced an mTBI, especially in the months that follow an mTBI. Project Supervisor Dr Alyson Norman Keywords mild traumatic brain injury, concussion, service provision, support

Neuropsychological outcome of DBS for Anorexia Nervosa - a case series Matilda Danby

University of Bath Objectives/purpose To develop an understanding of the neuropsychological effects of Deep Brain Stimulation targeting the Nucleus Accumbens for treating anorexia Design The study utilizes a pre-test/post-test repeated measures case series design. Patients were given a neuropsychological assessment one year prior to, and year following DBS. Within patient comparisons were made to evaluate any changes in performance. Background A clinical trial taking place at the John Radcliffe Hospital OUH NHS is using Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery, targeting the Nucleus Accumbens, to treat severe anorexia. At present there is no information on whether DBS for anorexia influences neuropsychological functioning, leaving important questions regarding its safety and suitability. This study was conducted in conjunction with the clinical trial and examined the neurocognitive sequel of this novel treatment. Methods Four patients (3 female, 1 male) with severe anorexia were recruited to take part in the DBS clinical trial. They were made aware that as part of this they were required to attend a pre-

• perative and post-operative neuropsychological assessment. Performances were

measured on a range of neuropsychological tests examining general intellect, verbal and visual reasoning, working memory, reward processing, visuospatial abilities and mood. Reliable change index scores were calculated to examine whether any changes between pre-operative and post-operative test performance were statistically significant. Results Complete results are still pending. Of the two patients who have had their post-operative assessments, no significant declines in any cognitive function were found. For both patients, significant improvements in mood were reported both quantitatively and qualitatively. One patient showed significant improvements in reward processing. Conclusions DBS for anorexia does not appear to be associated with any significant declines in cognitive functioning and may be beneficial in significantly improving feelings of depression and anxiety, as well as reward processing. Future neuromodulation studies should continue to examine the effects on neuropsychological functioning. Project Supervisor Dr Janet Bultitude/ Dr Simon Prangnell Keywords Anorexia, DBS, Deep Brain Stimulation, Neuropsychology

Never go to sleep on an argument: Do word emotional attributes require sleep to hijack attention? Maddy Millar and Annie Simpson

University of Exeter Objectives/purpose To examine whether word-emotional attributes require 12 hours sleep in order to hijack attention Design We are training participants to associate novel words (e.g. "drott") with either alarming or neutral pictures in two sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening, with half of participants having 12-hour sleep and the other having 12-hour wake. Background Never go to sleep on an argument; credible advice or an old wives' tale? Based on research from Dumay et al. (2018), which found that word-emotional attributes require between 6 hours and seven days to be operational, this research seeks to examine whether word- emotional attributes require 12 hours sleep in order to hijack attention, implicating sleep as a catalyst. Methods Participants complete a pause detection task and an emotional Stroop to test the capacity of the novel words to grab attention and a recognition task to test whether emotion boosts word form learning. Results We predict sleep should promote consolidation of word emotional attributes, resulting in attentional capture the next morning, with no concurrent effect in the wake group. Given that emotional context has little effect on binding non-integral information, we predict, in contrast, that word form learning should be equally good in the alarming and neutral condition, but with better memory after sleep than after wake. Conclusions Overall, our study should emphasize the role of sleep in turning mere word-like objects into fully functional lexical representations, now capable of grabbing attention, with the possibility that language plasticity plays a role in the maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorders. Reference: Dumay, N., Sharma, D., Kellen, N., & Abdelrahim, S. (2018). Setting the alarm: Word emotional attributes require consolidation to be operational. Emotion. Advance online

• publication. Doi: 10.1037/emo0000382 (in full open access)

Project Supervisor Nicolas Dumay Keywords emotional stoop, procedural memory, sleep, memory consolidation, emotion.

Not answering the question in political interviews: A conversation analysis Emily Peck

Plymouth University Objectives/purpose This study analyses one aspect of political interviews where the apparent progress of the interview is disrupted by the interviewer claiming that the interviewee has not answered the question. Design A qualitative methodology was used which was based principally on conversation analysis. Conversation analysis is a detailed analysis of the social organisation of talk-in interaction, of which the aim is to identify systematic discursive practices oriented to by the participants. Background Political interviews are one arena where publicly elected politicians are held accountable for their actions and policies. Previous research has shown that the presentation of a politician

• r public figure during an interview, can influence the opinion of the public, and voters. This

study builds on previous research on the general organisation of news interviews and focuses on a deviation of the norm where politicians appear not to answer a question. Methods This project used documentary data selected from prime-time political interview programmes aired on the radio. The World at One and The Today programme were recorded systematically at their broadcasting times every day for three weeks. Using the recordings, a corpus was collected by selecting passages of the interview recording where there was an explicit orientation to not answering the question. The corpus was then transcribed according to Jeffersonian conventions and analysed according to the principles of conversation analysis. Results Findings suggest that there is a distinct sequential organisation for questions and answers, being that some questions orient a “type” of answer, and variations to this model answer are subject to an explanation. An absence of an explanation was deemed “incorrect” and appeared as not answering the question. Conclusions Style of question can affect and encourage a type of answer, which infers that an interviewer can be held as responsible as the politician themselves on perception of not answering the question. Project Supervisor Tim Auburn Keywords political interview, conversation analysis, questions, answers

Studying the effects of fluid intelligence training on spatial navigational performance Jessica Macintyre-Holt

Plymouth University Objectives/purpose Since research suggests that spatial abilities are strongly related to fluid intelligence (Gf), the aim of the current research was to test if training an individual’s Gf would indirectly improve their spatial performance. Design A dual n-back task was used to train Gf. A pilot study confirmed prior research, and suggested the task to be effective at improving Gf when performed at a challenging level. In a between-subjects design, one group (training) was exposed to the challenging version of the task (dual 2-back), whereas another group (no-training) received a simpler version (dual 1-back). Immersive virtual reality (VR) was used to assess spatial navigation, the activity itself being based on the Morris water maze. Background Much research has focused on the cognitive and neural components that underlie spatial navigation, and how people's navigational abilities differ. There have been very few attempts to strategically improve people's performance. The current research attempts to make progress in this neglected area. Methods Student participants from the University of Plymouth performed two sessions using the dual n-back task, their accuracy and average reaction time for each trial was recorded. Gf was measured before and after sessions using the Ravens standard progressive matrices. After completing the first phase, participants took part in the VR activity where their accuracy and efficiency of allocentric place learning was assessed. Results It was anticipated that participants in the training condition would show greater improvement in their Ravens scores, and more accurate replacing of the item in the place learning task, compared to those who completed the dual 1-back task. Conclusions If supported, this research suggests improving an individual’s fluid intelligence can also improve their spatial navigational ability. As this study included a small sample and used

• nly 2 training sessions, more research is required to understand the extent of this

relationship. Project Supervisor

• Dr. Alastair D. Smith

Keywords Spatial cognition, Navigation, Fluid intelligence, Virtual reality

The Effect of Behaviour Intervention on Participants Short and Long Term Social Competencies. Isobel Sophie Cone

Plymouth University Objectives/purpose The primary objective of this paper is to ascertain whether behaviour interventions in school have an effect on both short and long term social competencies. Design Study one used primary school children, four of which attended a Nurture Group and five who accessed no learning or behaviour interventions. Teachers of the nine children used the Social Competency Inventory (SCI) to score the participant’s behaviour at the beginning of the twelve week study and at the end to measure any change in behaviour. The children then completed their own adapted SCI to identify if they believed that their behaviour had

• changed. The second study was a questionnaire adapted from the SCI sent out online to

those over eighteen to identify the long term effect of having a behavioural intervention within school. Background No previous study has looked specifically at short and long term effects of a Nurture group intervention. Methods Participants in the Nurture Group condition were pre-selected by the school using a Boxall

• profile. Participants in the control condition where gender matched to the nurture group

condition and randomly selected using a random number generator. All participants were selected upon approving parental permission. One hundred and two participants in study two self-selected to take part. Results No results from study one were found to be significant. Results from study two were split by gender and showed a significant difference in pro-social orientation scores for men between groups (Mi = 4.29 , SD = .81; Mc = 3.68 , SD = .34; t(19) = -2.49 , p < .05). No other significant results were reported from study two. Conclusions Conclusions drawn from this study show that behaviour interventions do have a significant effect on long term social competencies, this effect is shown to be exaggerated in men. Project Supervisor Slyvia Terbeck Keywords Nurture Group, Social Competency, Prosociality, Social Initiative

The Influence of Childhood Trauma on Treatment Response and Relapse Following Treatment for Anxiety and Depression in an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Service Alicia Peel

University of Bath Objectives/purpose The aim of the current study is to explore the impact of reported childhood trauma on depression severity, treatment response and relapse in an IAPT service. Design Data from the BioPoRT study were linked with time-of-treatment data from IAPT, enabling the trajectory of depressive symptoms to be explored at pre-treatment, post-treatment and follow-up. Background Anxiety and depression are among the most prevalent of all mental health disorders, contributing significantly to patient suffering and the increasing economic burden of mental health in England. The IAPT initiative offers a broad range of evidence-based psychological treatments for mild-moderate anxiety and mood disorders. However, substantial variation remains in response to these treatments, with approximately half of patients not meeting standard definitions of recovery at post-treatment and a significant number of recovered patients relapsing within a year. Childhood trauma is associated with important differences in the development and treatment of depression, but this association is yet to be explored in primary care samples and is generally limited to female participants. Methods 176 participants were dichotomised into low and high trauma groups based on Childhood Trauma Questionnaire scores. A three-factor mixed ANOVA was used to explore the interaction of trauma group and symptom measures across these time points. Results Results indicated that the high trauma group had more severe depression, were less likely to reach recovery at post-treatment and displayed worsening of symptoms at follow-up. Conclusions These findings suggest that screening for childhood trauma may help to identify patients who will benefit from more intense or longer-term treatments. Future research in this area should consider the impact of different intensity treatments, and has the potential to enhance clinical

• utcomes in IAPT services for those who have experienced childhood trauma.

Project Supervisor Dr Graeme Fairchild Keywords anxiety, depression, IAPT, treatment response, relapse

The relative contributions of sex and birth order to vocabulary acquisition in young children Aghogho Omonigho

University of Bath Objectives/purpose This study assessed the contribution that a child’s sex and birth order make to their vocabulary development when they are 36 months and 51 months. Design Secondary longitudinal data were analysed. Background Both a child’s sex and birth order have been shown to impact vocabulary development. Girls tend to have an advantage over boys. First born children appear to have an advantage over later born children. However, evidence typically considers sex and birth order in isolation. By considering these factors in the same study, their relative contributions can be seen. Methods 853 children completed the Reynell Developmental Language Scales III (RDLS III) assessment when they were 36 months and the British Ability Scales II (BAS II) assessment when they were 51 months. Two sequential multiple regression models were used to assess the relative contributions of child sex and household birth order on vocabulary. The first model had RDLS III expressive score at 36 months as the outcome variable. The second model had BAS II naming vocabulary score at 51 months as the outcome variable. The difference in contribution that household birth order made at 36 months and 51 months was compared using the effect sizes from each model. Results At 36 months only sex was a significant predictor with girls performing better than boys. At 51 months only household birth order was a significant predictor with first born children performing better than later born children. Household birth order did not make a significantly different contribution at 51 months than at 36 months. Conclusions Girls have an early vocabulary advantage, but boys catch up. By 51 months, the child’s birth

• rder is the significant factor causing differences in vocabulary ability, though the

contribution that household birth order makes remains consistent through development. These results could guide the development of interventions to raise vocabulary ability. Project Supervisor Dr Richard Joiner Keywords vocabulary, sex, birth order

The Role of Executive Function in the Conceptual Construction of Number. Jenny Fielder

University of Bath Objectives/purpose This paper investigates whether executive functions (EFs) have a role in the cardinal principle (CP) induction, a milestone in young children’s conceptual construction of number. Design An individual differences design was used, taking place in two separate sessions. Background EFs facilitate conceptual construction in a variety of domains, such as theory of mind, physics and vitalist biology. The role of EF in the conceptual construction of number, however, has not yet been investigated. The cardinal principle (CP) is the understanding that the last number said when counting a set is the quantity of that set, and is an important milestone in the conceptual construction of exact number. Methods 48 participants, aged 36-48 months, were recruited from local families interested in taking part in studies, following letters sent by the Harvard University Laboratory for Developmental

• Studies. The first session included number tasks, such as “Give-N” to establish participants’

CP understanding. The second session included EF tasks measuring working memory (forwards and backwards word span), inhibition (dimensional change card sort) and set- shifting (verbal fluency task), alongside fluid and crystallised IQ measures. Results A hierarchical logistic regression shows that IQ measures do not significantly predict children’s CP understanding when controlling for age. EF measures, overall, significantly predict CP status even when controlling for age and IQ, with working memory as a unique significant predictor. Conclusions This suggests that EF, rather than IQ, facilitates the conceptual construction of number. Previous research demonstrates the importance of children understanding the CP before starting school for their future mathematical learning. Since EFs can be trained and enhanced, this shows promise for potential educational interventions. Project Supervisor Nathalia Gjersoe Keywords Executive function, conceptual construction, number

The unequal-variance signal-detection model of recognition memory: A test of the encoding variability hypothesis. Rory Spanton

Plymouth University Objectives/purpose To provide a test of the encoding variability (EV) hypothesis of old item variance in recognition memory. Design Two conditions were presented in a within subjects design. In each condition, a study phase was followed by an interval task and a test phase. In one condition, items were presented at study for a fixed duration; in the other, items were presented for varying durations sampled from a normal distribution. This manipulation was designed to increase variability in memory strength in a way that satisfies the normality assumptions of the EV hypothesis. Background The unequal-variance signal detection (UVSD) model, a successful model of recognition memory, assumes that the variance of the old item memory-strength distribution is greater than that of the new item strength distribution. We aim to provide a test of the EV hypothesis, a psychological explanation for this assumption. Methods Participants were 40 undergraduate students (six males) from Plymouth University. They completed the experiment on a computer in exchange for course credits. Results Results indicated no significant difference between measures of old item variance derived from data in each condition. There was also no significant difference in old item variance when the UVSD model was fitted to each individual participant’s data. Goodness of fit tests comparing the UVSD model with competing models were also inconclusive. Conclusions This result shows that there is still no evidence for the EV hypothesis, and that new methods that do not manipulate study duration must be formed in order to test this hypothesis further. Project Supervisor Christopher Berry Keywords recognition memory, signal detection theory, encoding variability, old item variance

To what extent will inhibitory control training effectively reduce cigarette craving in young adults? Alistair Gilbert and Phillippa Crofts

University of Exeter Objectives/purpose To investigate a potential new tool to aid smoking cessation in young adults. Design A 2x2 single-blind mixed methods design will be used. We will test the effect of training (inhibitory control or control) at two time points, pre- and post-training. Participants shall be randomly assigned to their training condition. We have opportunity for many post-hoc analyses on the various factors that seem to indicate the effectiveness of the training, such as number of cigarettes smoked daily, age, gender, and current motivation to quit smoking. Background In the UK, it is estimated that around one in six men (17.7%), and one in seven women (14.1%), smoke (Office for National Statistics, 2016). Whilst this is a decrease from previous years, 67% of current smokers still report wanting to give up, and 75% have tried quitting before (Smoking-related Behaviour and Attitudes, 2009). This implies that the current smoking cessation efforts of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) are of limited efficacy at helping those already addicted. As such, research must investigate potential new tools to aid smoking cessation. Adolescents are being examined as factors across an interacting bio-psycho-social spectrum leave them particularly vulnerable to the addictive, dopaminergic effects of nicotine. Methods A minimum of thirty participants (aged 18-25) will be used for each training condition. Participants shall be taken as an opportunity sample. We shall use the Questionnaire of Smoking Urges to measure craving, with additional questions regarding self-efficacy, motivation, current support, and average daily cigarette consumption. Results We predict that ICT training will reduce craving for cigarettes more than control training. No results have been drawn yet. Conclusions If our results support this prediction, it would suggest that further investigation of ICT as an aid to smoking cessation should be undertaken. Project Supervisor Natalia Lawrence Keywords smoking, cessation, inhibitory control training, adolescents, health

Using Instagram to Prime Healthy Eating Behaviour Eleanor Overton and Lana Shaw

University of Bristol Objectives/purpose This research investigates whether liking a photo on social media can prime subsequent food choices Design N/A Background Social media platforms are increasingly being used by junk food businesses to influence individuals into consuming their foods, and this can have an adverse effect on individual health. Methods In particular, by approaching 100 subjects that are queuing for lunch, this research investigates whether those who engage in liking three images depicting healthy foods on Instagram, will subsequently consume healthy snack and lunch options due to priming effects. Results The findings are expected to show that subjects who engage in liking healthy food images

• n Instagram, just before they purchase food, will choose a healthier snack option compared

to subjects who do not receive the healthy Instagram prime. In addition, we expect that subjects who engage in liking healthy food images on Instagram just before they purchase food, will purchase a healthier lunch compared to subjects who are in the control condition. Conclusions Given its rates of use by young adults, an Instagram based intervention could be used to target eating behaviours of a critical but often neglected age group. Project Supervisor Natalia Lawrence Keywords social media, healthy eating, intervention, priming

Using the Tree of Life Model with Maltreated Children Amy Gillions

University of Bath Objectives/purpose This study aimed to examine the effects of using The Tree of Life model with maltreated children. Design The Tree of Life model was delivered as a one-day group workshop according to manual guidelines and offered as an intervention in a national and specialist outpatient service for maltreated children. Background The Tree of Life model is a therapeutic tool encompassing narrative approaches. Despite being designed for children with traumatic life histories, its use with maltreated children in the U.K. has never been formally evaluated. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature. Methods Any patient receiving treatment was invited to attend the workshop. Two identical workshops were run to maximise the number of available participants and 9 children attended in total. The children’s parents/carers were interviewed after two weeks as they were thought to be in a suitable position to observe resulting effects following the workshop. Interview recordings were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Three main themes were identified: (1) sharing and using resources, (2) normalisation of feelings and experiences, and (3) gaining skills to facilitate change. Conclusions The Tree of Life workshop had many positive outcomes for maltreated children, especially the ways in which they used and shared what they had made and learned to facilitate improvements in self-concept and to normalise traumatic life experiences. This study provides delivery guidance and areas for consideration when using the Tree of Life model with maltreated children. Limitations include the lack of feedback from children and limited sample which both arose due to practicality issues. It cannot be assumed whether effects of the workshop were maintained after two weeks as there were no follow-ups. Generally, findings demonstrate that the Tree of Life model can be an effective intervention for maltreated children and can help to address areas of therapeutic need. Project Supervisor Dr Paul Bain - University of Bath Keywords Tree of Life, maltreated children, narrative therapy