Research can play a part to remove stigma, raise awareness, improve services for mums with perinatal OCD and understand more fully the impact of having this disorder on the mum and possibly the wider family.
If you have any ideas about research that you feel could help improve our understanding and access to services please email us on info@maternalocd.org
Please see our Latest Research section for an up to date list of research and see below opportunities and how to get involved:
Experiences of people with OCD who have undergone therapy from unqualified ‘coaches’.
Message from: David Veale David.Veale@kcl.ac.uk
We are recruiting for a study on the experiences of people with OCD who have undergone therapy from unqualified ‘coaches’. We are seeking to interview people about their experiences and the effects of receiving treatment from unqualified and unlicensed individuals who claim to be experts by experience or ‘coaches’. Such coaches are unregulated, can be costly and many have a large following on social media. We think it is important to understand what constitutes the treatment and the effects so that those suffering from OCD can make informed decisions about treatment with such coaches. Any report will be entirely anonymous.
Inclusion criteria for the study:
- You have experienced sessions with an unqualified or unlicensed mental health ‘coach’ for the treatment of OCD.
- You are over the age of 18.
- You are fluent in English
What participants will be asked to do:
If you choose to take part in this study, you will be invited to an interview with a member of our research team, either online (on Microsoft Teams or Zoom) or on the phone. Interviews will last up to 1 hour. A member of our will ask questions about your experience with the ‘coach’.
For anyone interested in participating and who would like to find out more about the study, please email me. Please note that enquiring about participating and registering an interest does not commit you in any way. This study will close in April 2023.
Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ
Kings College London – Ethical Clearance Reference Number: LRS/DP-21/22-28535
Do You Have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)?
The Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research, are interested to learn more from you about how your difficult interpersonal memories impact on your emotions in the present.
They are looking for volunteers aged 18 years and over. Although the study is not specific to the perinatal period, people who have been affected in the perinatal period and beyond are free to participate.
Participating in the research will take approximately 1 hour, and will involve a short telephone discussion, an experimental task via video, and completion of some questionnaires.
For more information, please contact Sam French, a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at the University of Oxford, working with Professor Paul Salkovskis and Dr Victoria Bream.
Canterbury Christ Church University Research
Are you a new mum with OCD?
Have you experienced unwanted intrusive thoughts about harm coming to your baby?
Canterbury Christ Church University are recruiting people to participate in their research investigating what helps and hinders new mums with OCD in disclosing unwanted, intrusive thoughts about harm coming to their infant to their health visitor.
It is common for new mothers to experience these thoughts but limited research has been carried out to understand this experience in new mums with OCD. They are interested in speaking to mums who have been able to talk to their health visitor about these thoughts and to mums who have felt unable to do this.
They hope that the outcome of this research will help to inform guidance for healthcare professionals to better support new mums in the future.
If you think you might be interested in taking part, or if you have questions please contact Aimee McGinn (Trainee Clinical Psychologist) by email: am1321@canterbury.ac.uk
Department of Psychology. City, University of London Research
Would you consider being interviewed online for a study in perinatal anxiety?
Participation criteria includes being a first time mum to a child up to age 1, experience of perinatal anxiety, not pregnant and aged between 20 – 50.
For more information about this study, you can read more about it here:
https://perinatalanxietyandme.com/
As a participant in this study, you would be asked to: be interviewed once, online, to share your experiences of perinatal anxiety. If interviewed, in appreciation for your time, you will receive a Gift Voucher for £15.
Email: michelle.miller.2@city.ac.uk
Bournemouth University: Postnatal OCD and the potential impact on infant bonding
We are supporting research from Bournemouth University focusing on women with a history of postnatal OCD and the perceived impact of bonding. If you meet the criteria, please do consider taking part.
You need to:
Be over 18 years old
Be diagnosed, or have displayed symptoms of Postnatal OCD (obsessive thoughts or compulsions);
Do/did these experiences occur when your child was under 2 years old?
Click here for further details.
University of Bath study: Maternal attitudes and belief
To take part in the research please click below for the link direct to the site and for more information see the poster details:
https://bathpsychology.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9EL0EYGWS44CBgN
GLAD Summary
GLAD Summary Depression and anxiety (including OCD, BDD, and other related disorders) are common but complex disorders whose research needs very large sample sizes. The Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression (GLAD) study launches this September and aims to recruit >40,000 individuals.
Anyone age 16 years or older who has experienced one or more of these disorders during their lives can join this recontactable database to facilitate future research. Participants will also join a national Mental Health BioResource and contribute to the largest ever single study of anxiety and depression.
All enrolment takes place online at our website, www.gladstudy.org.uk. An online animation explains the consent process with more detailed information in text format. Once participants have provided consent and completed an online questionnaire, they will be sent a saliva DNA sample kit to enable genetic studies.
For further details please contact: gladstudy@kcl.ac.uk
Understanding what makes CBT for OCD successful and what factors are involved in relapse
Josie Millar and Paul Salkovskis are Clinical Psychologists and OCD researchers at the University of Bath. They are conducting a study in which they are seeking to talk to people who have OCD, who have previously had CBT that was helpful, however after this therapy finished they had a relapse in their OCD symptoms.
This information is important to find out as it will help us to understand what factors are involved and to think about how treatment could be delivered differently to prevent relapse in the future.
If you think you might be interested in taking part, or if you have questions please contact Josie Millar by email: jfam20@bath.ac.uk or by phone on 01225 38 5598 or click on the link below. Thank you.
Are you a mum with OCD?
Is your child under 18 months?
We want to investigate unique factors that have been suggested by mothers to potentially influence the development of perinatal OCD. Through this research, we hope to raise greater awareness and understanding of perinatal OCD so that those at risk can be identified earlier and be supported more successfully.
My name is Beth and I am a Research Assistant for this unique online study looking at the potential predictors of perinatal OCD. This research is being supported by Nottingham Trent University.
You are eligible to participate in this research if:
• You are a mother
• You have a child under 18 months old
• You have perinatal OCD, extremely anxious thoughts regarding your child OR little/no anxious thinking
If you would like to find out more and take part in this 30-45 minute study, please click the link: https://ntupsychology.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eUONZq1sTx0Un5z
If you take part, you can be entered into a prize draw to win a Debenhams voucher. There are 2 x £50 and 4 x £15 vouchers up for grabs!
If you have any further questions and would like to contact the research team, please contact me on:
Email: bethany.huntington2013@my.ntu.ac.uk
Are you the partner of a mum with OCD?
Is your child under 3 years?
We want to learn more about your experiences in order to better support mums and dads in this situation.
My name is Joe and I am the Lead Researcher for this unique study looking at fathers’ perspectives of perinatal OCD. The research is being supported by the Universities of Coventry and Warwick.
You may be eligible to participate in the research study if:
• You are a father
• You have a child under 3 years old
• Your partner (the mother) has a diagnosis of OCD
If you would like to find out more about the research study and could be available for an informal 45 minute interview in London, Coventry or through Skype (England and Wales only) at a time convenient for you, please contact me on:
Email: poolej9@uni.coventry.ac.uk
Joe Poole Trainee Clinical Psychologist