Information about the research

12.09.2021 version 1.2

Working with shame in OCD

Hello. My name is Benny and I am a trainee clinical psychologist at Canterbury Christ Church University. I would like to invite you to take part in a research study. Before you decide whether to take part, it is important that you understand why the research is being done and what it would involve for you.

What is the purpose of the study?

Many people who have a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have difficulties with shame.

Research has suggested that some people experiencing obsessions or compulsions where shame is the main emotion benefit from interventions which target shame more than the traditional treatments, which target feelings of anxiety or disgust. There are lots of different ideas about how this might work. This study is about talking to clients and therapists about their experiences, to develop a theory about how treatment works (or does not work) for shame-related OCD.

Why have I been invited?

I wish to learn from people who have experience of cognitive-behavioural therapies for and with people who experience shame in OCD. You have been invited because you have experience of therapy like CBT, ACT, or CFT, aiming to help alleviate obsessive and/or compulsive experiences which are driven by feelings of shame. I am interested in the experiences of people who offer and receive such therapy.

Do I have to take part?

It is up to you to decide whether to join the study. If you agree to take part, I will then ask you to sign a consent form. A minimum of 48 hours after you receive the information sheet should elapse before you sign the consent form. This is done to ensure you have time to think about whether you would like to take part. You are free to withdraw up to 7 days after the interview at any time, without giving a reason, and this will not affect your care.

What will happen to me if I take part?

You will be invited to a confidential online video interview using Zoom. The interview will take up to 60 minutes.

I will ask you about your personal experiences of receiving and/or delivering cognitive-behavioural interventions for shame-based OCD.

I will also ask for any ideas you have about how you think cognitive-behavioural interventions for shame-based OCD work (or don't work).

I will audio-record this interview and type it up (transcribe it) pseudonymously (using a different name to protect your privacy). I will use the things you have said to help me understand how this type of therapy works in practice, and what specific actions on the part of the therapist can help to lead to meaningful change for the client. Anonymous quotations from your interview may be used to explain these things through publications in academic journals or at academic conferences.

With your permission, I would also like to contact you again towards the end of my research (in 2022), to check if my theory “rings true” for you, or if there are places where I have misunderstood things.

Expenses and payments

There is no payment for taking part. However, if you are not participating as part of a professional role, I can reimburse you £10 for lost wages.

What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?

Taking part in this study is unlikely to cause you any disadvantages. However, shame is a powerful emotion, and it is possible that discussing this with a stranger in an interview could be difficult or even distressing. It is not my intent to cause distress, and my research study has been reviewed by a university ethics panel to ensure that it is unlikely to be harmful to participate. You will be offered breaks during the interview, and you do not have to answer any question that you do not want to. We can stop the interview at any time. You are welcome to withdraw from the research up to 7 days after the interview takes place.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

The research may not benefit you directly, however you may find it interesting to talk about your experiences. Information you provide will contribute to our understanding of shame-based OCD and may help improve the treatment of people with a diagnosis of OCD.

What will happen if I don’t want to carry on with the study?

You can decide at any point that you no longer wish to continue with the study. If you notify me using the details below within 7 days of your contribution I will be able remove your data altogether; otherwise it will not be possible for your data to be removed from the analysis, so your anonymous contributions will form part of the “grounded theory”, but I will not contact you again if that is your preference.

What if there is a problem?

If any part of this study feels wrong or is distressing to you, please let me know so that I can do things differently.

Any complaint about the way you have been dealt with during the study or any possible harm you might suffer will be taken seriously and addressed by the research team.

If you have a concern about any aspect of this study, please contact me using the details below and I will do my best to address your concerns. If you remain dissatisfied and wish to complain formally, you can do this by contacting Dr Fergal Jones, Clinical Psychology Programme Research Director, Salomons Institute: fergal.jones@canterbury.ac.uk

Will information from or about me from taking part in the study be kept confidential?

All information which is collected from or about you during the course of the research will be kept strictly confidential, stored electronically on an encrypted and password-protected hard drive. You have the right to ask to see this data and correct any errors. The only time when I would be obliged to pass on information from you to a third party would be if, as a result of something you told me, I were to become concerned about your safety or the safety of someone else. I will endeavour to speak to you about this first.

All data collected will be retained for 10 years as required by the Medical Research Council. Regulatory organisations may wish to look at your research data to check the accuracy of the research study. In this instance, the people who analyse the information will not be able to identify you and will not be able to find out your name or contact details. Only I will have access to data which includes your identity.

Your data will be analysed under a pseudonym (made-up name) so that you cannot be identified from the “grounded theory” or any publications that may follow from it. Your information will not be shared with anyone else apart from the researchers carrying out this study.

What will happen to the results of the research study?

Results from this research study may be shared in academic journals or at academic conferences. I will send you a summary of the findings.

Who is funding the research?

I am a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at the Salomons Institute of Applied Psychology, Canterbury Christ Church University. This project is supervised by Tamara Leeuwerik (tl227@canterbury.ac.uk) and Clara Strauss (c.y.strauss@sussex.ac.uk).

Who has reviewed the study?

All research at Canterbury Christ Church University is looked at by an independent group of people, called a Research Ethics Committee, to protect your interests. This study has been reviewed and approved by The Salomons Ethics Panel, Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology, Canterbury Christ Church University.

Further information and contact details

If you would like to speak to me and find out more about the study or have questions about it answered, please email me at bl207@canterbury.ac.uk. Alternatively you can leave a message for me on a 24-hour voicemail phone line at 01227 927070. Please say that the message is for me Benny Lewis and leave a contact number so that I can get back to you.