Threat appraisal following acquired brain injury: The role of self-discrepancy

Researcher: Liam Gilligan (Trainee Clinical Psychologist)

Supervised by: Dr Margo Ononaiye, Dr Fergus Gracey and Dr Dave Peck

Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of East Anglia

My name is Liam Gilligan; I am a trainee Clinical Psychologist doing a research study as part of my training at the University of East Anglia. You are being invited to take part in this research. Before you take part in this research, it is important that you understand why this is being done and what it will involve.

Please take some time to read it carefully, and feel free to ask if anything is not clear or you wish to discuss it further.

Purpose of the study:

People who have had a brain injury can experience a range of difficulties which can change how they choose to do things on a day-to-day basis. Some of these might be related to the amount of attention that they pay to things which they think are threatening to them, such as people judging them negatively. This research wants to find out more about attention in people who have had a brain injury, and how this is affected by certain things, such as what that person thinks of themselves.

Who is chosen for this study?

We are inviting people to take part in this research because who have experienced a brain injury in the past.

Do I have to take part?

No, it is up to you whether you wish to take part in the study. If you decide not to take part, it will not affect any of your care or activities, and you can choose to stop during the study at any time.

What will happen if I choose to take part?

If you agree to take part, a time will be arranged a time for me to visit, when I can answer any questions that you have. You will have to complete a consent form and fill in some details about yourself (such as your age). Then you will have to complete some questionnaires that look at your mood and some questions about how you see yourself now and before your brain injury. You will also have to complete a task on a laptop that should take about 20 minutes, and a sorting task that should take about 15 minutes. In total it should take between 60 and 90 minutes.

Will my results be confidential?

Yes – everything that is collected from these measures will be kept strictly confidential, so no-one else will see them, and all your questionnaires will have a number to use instead of your name to ensure this.

If at any time the researcher becomes concerned that you might be at risk of harming yourself or other people, then they will need to break this confidentiality and talk to someone involved in your care (either a health worker at your service or your GP) to inform them of this. I will try to discuss this with you first if it happens.

What will happen to the results of the study?

Once I have completed all the assessments, I will write a report about the research for the University which will be published in an academic journal. Your name and personal details will not be in the report.

Who is funding and organising this research?

This research is being funded and organised by the University of East Anglia as part of my doctoral research project.

Further information and contact details:

If you wish to discuss the project further or talk to the researcher about volunteering for the study, please feel free to contact the researcher (Liam Gilligan) at [email protected]

If you have any problems or have any complaints about the study then please contact Dr Margo Ononaiye, at [email protected]

If you wish to discuss this project with someone independent from the project or have any concerns or complaints, than please contact David Lynch at Headway Cambridgeshire, at [email protected]

Thank you for reading this information sheet and considering taking part in the research. Please feel free to discuss this with anyone else that you wish to (your family, friends and health staff).

Download Consent Form For This Study

Download Information Sheet and Consent Form For This Study