Kings College looking for research volunteers

Do you have a relative with schizophrenia or a related disorder?

The Institute of Psychiatry at Kings College London are looking for first-degree relatives (parents and siblings, 18-55yrs) of patients who have or have had a diagnosis of schizophrenia or a related illness to participate as research volunteers in this study entitled: Decision making, context and Psychosis (DECOP).

The purpose of this study is to learn more about risk and resilience mechanisms in schizophrenia.

The study involves 2 sessions; during the first (1h) you will complete several questionnaires and we will give you an electronic diary device which you then complete in your daily life during the following week. During the second session (2h) you will also complete questionnaires and two easy decision making computer tasks.

We reimburse you with £40 for your participation and your travel expenses will be paid.

For more information, you can email Decop@kcl.ac.uk or call us on 07923537688 or 0207 848 0543.

The study has been approved by the London-Harrow Research Ethics Committee.

Research Highlights Impact of Benefits Assessments

Research jointly undertaken by Mind in Croydon and the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London has now been published. The study, entitled “Only Making Things Worse, A Qualitative Study of Wrongly Removing Disability Benefits from People with Mental Illness”  highlights how going through the Work Capability Assessment process has a negative effect on peoples’ mental health. In depth interviews showed the negative impacts of the processes included: 

a) the practical implications of the reduction of income (debt, poverty, hunger etc)

b) the stress involved in coping with the “never-ending” bureaucracy around benefits assessment, appeals and the interrogating and intimidating nature of the medical assessment or appeals process,

c) a sense of anger, frustration and demoralisation and the implication that people are dishonest and claim benefits which they are not entitled to.

Further research still to be published, shows that Work Capability Assessments, (WCA) have a negative effect on the mental health of people with mental health problems as measured by scales for well-being, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Although these processes make peoples’ mental health worse, people do not access more mental health services so long as they have access to a specialist mental health welfare benefits advice team. This is further evidence that funding specialist welfare benefits services, such as the one run by Mind in Croydon, can reduce peoples’ use of statutory mental health services, including in-patient services.

You can read the full research here

Kings College looking for research volunteers

Do you have a relative with schizophrenia or a related disorder?

The Institute of Psychiatry at Kings College London are looking for first-degree relatives (parents and siblings, 18-55yrs) of patients who have or have had a diagnosis of schizophrenia or a related illness to participate as research volunteers in this study entitled: Decision making, context and Psychosis (DECOP).

The purpose of this study is to learn more about risk and resilience mechanisms in schizophrenia.

The study involves 2 sessions; during the first (1h) you will complete several questionnaires and we will give you an electronic diary device which you then complete in your daily life during the following week. During the second session (2h) you will also complete questionnaires and two easy decision making computer tasks.

We reimburse you with £40 for your participation and your travel expenses will be paid.

For more information, you can email Decop@kcl.ac.uk or call us on 07923537688 or 0207 848 0543.

The study has been approved by the London-Harrow Research Ethics Committee.