Participate in Research

Student Minds Eating Disorder Audit

Approved by King's College London Research Ethics Committee Reference Number: HR-17/18-6660

We are undertaking new research to understand the support available for students who experience eating disorders whilst at university. In order to gain a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the services currently available, we need to speak to students with lived experience of eating difficulties. These can be current students, those who left university before graduating or those who have recently graduated (within the last three years).

How can students get involved?
We are looking to speak to those who self identify as having personal experience of eating difficulties (there does not need to be a formal diagnosis). Students can share their experiences in the ways they feel most comfortable. There are two ways students can contribute to this project:

Be interviewed by one of our researchers working on this project either face to face, or over the phone
Complete a short online survey

information_sheet_eating_disorders_audit.pdf
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Perceptions and experiences of counselling practitioners in Higher Education when supporting diverse students

University of Manchester review reference number 2020-8030-12932

My research is exploring the perceptions and experiences of counselling practitioners in Higher Education when providing support to students who are diverse. Diverse in this regard could mean students from ethnic minority communities, students with disabilities and mature students. However this is not an exhaustive list. This is with the intention to explore some suggestions that could perhaps, improve counselling practitioners relations with diverse students.

Contact Waqar Younis with any questions and to participate: waqar.younis@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

participant_information_sheet__1_.docx
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Men's Mental Health Film Project

I would like to invite you to star in a short documentary to help promote men’s well-being and reduce the stigma associated with men’s mental health. As funded by the National Institute of Health Research through King’s College London we are producing a documentary to be shown at a community event in London at Peckham Levels on the 1st of April 2020. This short documentary will also be circulated across social media platforms (e.g. twitter) to reach a broader audience of those who may find it inspiring. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Please get in touch if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information.

The aim of this film is about men’s mental health, to help encourage other men who may be struggling to look after themselves and seek support and reduce the stigma associated with asking for help. Often, men are told to ‘not have feelings’, ‘be invulnerable’ or ‘to cope on their own’ which can make it difficult to open up about life’s stressors or speak to others. This prevents them from taking care of themselves and can discourage them from getting support when they need it. This film will try to change this and inspire other men to look after their health whilst still being masculine. Therefore, we’d love to hear other males’ viewpoints on this and to help start a positive conversation around men’s mental health. We are hoping to film 4 men’s views so we can make a short 10-minute documentary that is appealing to a range of people.

We are happy to reimburse travel expenses to and from the film studio as long as travel receipts are provided. Additionally, as a way to say thank you for taking part in the film, £30 amazon e-vouchers will be provided.

Contact Ilyas Sagar-Ouriaghli with any questions and to participate: ilyas.sagar-ouriaghli@kcl.ac.uk

information_sheet_28.01.20.docx
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Survey on the determinants of public mental health to inform a conceptual framework

The Public Mental Health Programme (PMH) would like to invite you (or a member of your organisation) to complete an online survey to rank public mental health determinants based on their importance to improving mental health and promoting well-being.

The PMH programme is a NIHR-funded School of Public Health Research programme on better understanding the factors that influence mental health across the life course and how they can be addressed. For further information about the programme, please visit the SPHR website.

As part of the programme, we are working on developing a conceptual framework which highlights the important determinants of public mental health. Over the past year, we have conducted a state-of-the-art review, grey literature search, and held consultation events with members of the public, public health practitioners and policy makers, and academics to identify a list of possible determinants of public mental health. These determinants have been categorised into four domains:
* Individual determinants
* Family determinants
* Community determinants
* Structural determinants

We invite you to participate in the survey, which should take 5-10 minutes. All of the responses to the survey will be confidential and anonymised. Please feel free to forward this link to colleagues who may be interested in participating.

To take part visit https://opinio.ucl.ac.uk/s?s=65601. If you have any questions or concerns please email publicmentalhealth@ucl.ac.uk

Understanding student suicide

This study has been approved by the UCL Research Ethics Committee

Two postgraduate researchers at UCL have launched a national online survey to understand the factors associated with student suicide, and to learn about how student support services are utilised and can be improved.

We want to hear from all students, regardless of whether or not you have experienced suicidal thinking. For each survey completed, £2 will be donated to Papyrus, a youth suicide prevention charity.

For more information and to take part visit www.understandingstudentsuicide.wordpress.com

Measuring student mental health

MRA-18/19-10611, approved by the KCL Research Ethics Committee

SMaRteN are creating guidance on measuring student well-being in Higher Education. We are looking for some more voices to contribute to our consultation on measuring student mental health and well-being! If you are a student, or working in Higher Education in any capacity, we would love to hear from you.

To let us know your priorities about what captures student mental health and well-being, take part in our online consultation:
https://nupsych.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bHoGg9DUrfcP577

The relationship between peer-victimisation, perfectionism and mental health in UK university students
Collier_13/06/2019, approved by the York St John University Cross School Research Ethics Committee

"I am currently studying a MSc by Research, and for my research project I am looking for UK undergraduate students to fill in two 15 minute surveys. The research examines levels of perfectionism, peer-victimisation and mental health.

The first survey is linked below, and the second survey will need to be completed in 7-8 weeks. There is the opportunity to leave your email address for a reminder (optional).

All respondents are entered into a prize draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher.

All data is confidential, and you are free to withdraw your data at any time until 1st March 2020 by contacting myself with your chosen pseudonym. The study has full ethical approval from the York St John University Cross School Research Ethics Committee."

Take part here.

participant_information_sheet_.docx
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An Exploration of Attitude and Knowledge towards Dietary Habits in University Students during Depression and Low Mood
Approved by the Cardiff Metropolitan University Ethics Committee

This project was stimulated by previous research investigating the influence on diet and its impact on mental health. We want to find out students’ knowledge and attitudes towards dietary habits and how it influences their mood. We want to find this out in order to help develop future research on this topic and help provide alternatives for universities to consider when supporting students with the pastoral care of students through alternative support including nutrition.

The study is being organised by Francesca Vuolo a final year BSc (Hons) Nutrition student at Cardiff Metropolitan University If you want to find out more about the project, or if you need more information to help you make a decision about joining in, please contact the study supervisor Vicky Krawec on 02920 416883 or email VJKrawec@cardiffmet.ac.uk

Take part here.

Investigating factors that predict emotional distress and academic performance in undergraduate students
#1462, approved by the Aston University Life and Health Sciences Ethics Committee

Currently seeking undergraduate and MSc students from Aston University to take part in a study into factors that predict emotional distress and academic performance. Participants will be asked to take part in a series of exercises and questionnaires, and will be rewarded either with 18 SONA credits or a £10 Amazon voucher. Open the file below for more information about what will be asked of participants.

Researcher Samantha Jordan is conducting this research with the intention of ultimately trialing several interventions for new undergraduate students, designed to increase emotional resilience and improve academic performance.

Contact Samantha Jordan via s.jordan@aston.ac.uk to take part or find out more.

Aston uni study poster.pdf
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A psychological therapy for young people whose self-esteem has been affected by prejudice, discrimination or stigma
HR-18/19-8433, approved by the KCL Psychiatry, Nursing and Midwifery Research Ethics Subcommittees

This study, led by Katie Langford and Katrina McMullen at King's College London, aims to evaluate a psychological therapy for improving self-esteem and well-being in young people aged 16-24 who identify that prejudice, discrimination and/or stigma (e.g. in relation to their gender, race, religion, appearance, sexual orientation, class, weight, mental or physical health, disability, or other characteristic) has affected their self-esteem.

Participants are invited to take part in an interview/assessment to explore their experiences, plus 6 individual therapy sessions. We are collecting feedback from participants about what it is like to receive the therapy, and looking at outcomes through questionnaires at multiple time points.

To learn more about the study or to take part, click here.

Loneliness, mental wellbeing and citizenship in a student population
05/22/12/18/A, approved by the University of Strathclyde Ethics Committee

Recent research has suggested that students in higher education in the UK experience higher levels of mental distress and lower wellbeing. The present study will examine the impact of various psychological factors (low mood, stress, loneliness and citizenship) on mental wellbeing amongst students in the UK.

Participants much be over the age of 17 and studying in Higher Education in the UK. You will be invited to complete a series of questionnaires about the various psychological factors that may have an impact on your wellbeing. You will also be asked about your citizenship, as we are interested to know how this may impact on wellbeing. The session should take no longer than 15 minutes.

Click here to read the full information sheet or to take part, or email Andrew Robertson at andrew.j.robertson.2014@uni.strath.ac.uk for further details.

Mindfulness skills-based group therapies for university students with stress/anxiety
ETH1819-0489, approved by Department of Psychology Research Ethics Committee, City University London

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) group and a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) group for individuals with anxiety.

ACT and MBSR have been shown to be effective in helping a range of individuals with anxiety and we want to find out whether it will be useful in a university setting, so if you are a student at a London university and there is an aspect of your life that you would like to improve, we believe that a psychological intervention may be of benefit to you. We can offer you four 2-hour group sessions, which will take place once a week for a total of 4 weeks.

Participation will involve a brief pre-screening interview followed by, if eligible, weekly meetings to discuss your thoughts and feelings with the group facilitator. Questionnaires will also be completed each week (more details in the information sheet below, or contact the researchers).

If you are a university student who meets the outlined criteria and would like to know more or participate in the study, please contact Dr Jessica Jones Nielsen (Project Lead) or Giulia Falangola (Research Assistant) at the Counselling Psychology (CPsych) Research Clinic at City, University of London via email CPsychResearchClinic@city.ac.uk or phone +44 (0)20 7040 8755

participant_information_sheetACTstudy.pdf
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Care experienced students in Higher Education
REC1127, approved by the UCL Research Ethics Committee

Today, more and more young who have lived in foster care or residential care as a child are being encouraged and supported to continue with their education, but a recent study has shown that care-experienced young people at university are more likely leave before completing their course than other students. Researchers at University College London (UCL) have been commissioned by the Access and Widening Participation Team at UCL to carry out a study into how young people from a care background experience Higher Education. The aim of this study is to understand how care leavers experience higher education and how they can be better supported to complete their course.

We would like to speak to care leavers who are currently in their second or final year of a degree course and those who have previously attended university but did not complete their course. We would like to involve young people from a range of universities across London and the South East.

To find out more or sign up, visit https://studentsexperiencesinhighereducation.wordpress.com/; there is also an information available for download below.
Or contact Hanan Hauari (h.hauari@ucl.ac.uk) or Katie Hollingworth (katie.hollingworth@ucl.ac.uk) on the research team.

care_experienced_young_people_in_he_study_info.pdf
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The HYPE Project: Improving the Health of Young People
Ethically approved by the King's College London Research Ethics Committee (REC Reference Number: HR-17/18-7535); funded by the Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute for Health Research

The HYPE (Improving the Health of Young PeoplE) Project is an online recruitment, risk assessment, and resource platform for young people (aged 16 and over). The Project is aimed at improving the understanding of problems affecting young people’s health, increasing young peoples’ involvement in research and improving access to online and community, social and health-related resources. We hope to use the project to empower individuals within their neighbourhoods and communities by providing an environment to voice their opinions and contribute to a discussion on health inequalities - and work towards reducing these inequalities.

To take part, we need young people to complete a 30 minute (approximately) online survey.

The HYPE Project online platform also offers signposting to relevant charities and organisations, self-help materials and information about community activities and events. Access to all the resources is free regardless of whether the young person takes part in the research survey.

For more information about the project or to sign up, please go to https://hypekcl.com or you can contact us via email at hype@kcl.ac.uk.

You can follow us on Twitter: @hype_project and on Instagram: @hype_projectkcl

Investigating the relationship between mental health and sport
HR-18/19-8672, approved by KCL PNM Research Ethics Committee

The Department of Psychology at King's College London is seeking university students studying in the UK to participate in an online survey. The study will investigate the relationship between mental health and sport. Students who are or who are not involved in sport are both invited to participate. The survey can be completed online and takes approximately 20 minutes to fill in.

Participants can register for a prize draw to win Amazon vouchers, though all answers will be anonymous.

Follow this link to participate in the survey: https://kcliop.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5hfrRX4jHmdNCq9
For more information, please email the researcher, Dr James Findon: james.findon@kcl.ac.uk

Go to the Beat or NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) websites to find out more about National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

GLAD

What is the GLAD Study?
The Genetic Links to Anxiety and Depression (GLAD) Study launched this September and aims to recruit over 40,000 individuals. This is the world’s largest study of depression and anxiety and we hope to investigate the genetic, environmental and social risk factors for these disorders. Anyone aged 16 years or older who lives in England and has experienced anxiety or depression during their lifetime is encouraged to sign up. Participants will facilitate important future research by joining a recontactable database and the National Institute for Health Research Mental Health BioResource.

Why is it important?
Depression and anxiety are common but complex disorders and research into this requires a very large sample size. In the UK, more than a quarter of students report having a mental health problem, the most common of which are depression and anxiety. Psychological therapy, antidepressant and anti-anxiety drug treatments are more available than ever before, but only around half of those treated respond well. Through better understanding of mental health genetics, new and more effective treatment options can be developed, and healthcare professionals will be better equipped to predict which treatments work for specific types of patients. So far, over 40 genetic links for depression and anxiety have been identified and researchers know that 30-40% of depression and anxiety risk is genetic and 60-70% is environmental. However, current and previous mental health research has been limited by the access to volunteers with these disorders.

How can you help?
Taking part in the GLAD Study involves four simple steps. Firstly, you register online at www.gladstudy.org.uk and read the information sheet. Then you complete an online consent form, which is explained in more detail by an online animation. Following this you complete a 30-minute online eligibility questionnaire about your experiences of depression and/or anxiety to confirm you qualify to take part. Finally, if you meet the eligibility criteria you will be sent a saliva DNA kit in the post, along with a freepost envelope to send it back to us. You can get involved from the comfort of your own home!

For more information about the GLAD Study and how to take part, please go to www.gladstudy.org.uk or email gladstudy@kcl.ac.uk

Tracking student mental health across the term

LRS-17/18-5301, approved by the KCL Psychiatry, Nursing and Midwifery Research Ethics subcommittee. Students at any university in the UK can participate.

This study is recruiting students who have been feeling low recently to take part in the control group for a study to evaluate the efficacy of peer support for student mental health. As a control group, we are not asking you to do anything in particular to participate in this study - to participate you need to complete an online survey now and will be invited to complete a second online survey in a few months. The data you provide will, as part of a wider study, help us understand the efficacy of peer support for student mental health.

The questionnaire can be completed online and takes approximately 10 minutes to fill in. Participants can register for a prize draw to win Amazon vouchers. For more information please visit: www.tinyurl.com/StudentMH1

For more information, please email the researcher - Dr Nicola Byrom (Nicola.byrom@kcl.ac.uk); Department of Psychology, IoPPN, 2.09 Addison House, Guy's Campus, Kings College London, SE1 1UL

Understanding what matters to students: Dimensions of Quality of Life

LRS-17/18-7273, approved by the PNM Research Ethics Committee at KCL and Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Ethics Committee at Northumbria University. Students at KCL or Northumbria university can participate.

The World Health Organization defines Quality of Life as “an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns.” But what does Quality of Life mean to you?

We’d like to hear your thoughts and get your help developing a new measure to assess quality of life for students. We are running interviews (these may take up to 60 minutes) to discuss quality of life with students aged 18-25. Interviewees will be reimbursed for their time with a £10 Amazon shopping voucher. If you think you might be interested, find out more and sign up to take part here: https://tinyurl.com/QoLresearch

For more information, please email Dr Nicola Byrom (Nicola.byrom@kcl.ac.uk); Department of Psychology, IoPPN, 2.09 Addison House, Guy's Campus, Kings College London, SE1 1UL