Endings and the end of treatment bell in paediatric cancer treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of children's perspectives.

Advancements in paediatric oncology have made quality of life after cancer increasingly clinically important. Little is currently known about children's experiences of treatment completion and its management. AIM: The current study explores children's experience of ending treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), and the meaning it is given, particularly how endings are signified and marked. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven children who had completed cancer treatment for ALL with good prognoses. Interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. RESULTS: Five superordinate themes were generated: 'the end is always there', 'the punctuation of endings', 'that which is remembered, that which is forgotten', 'the voiced and the unvoiced', and 'freedom from cancer.' CONCLUSION: Children highlighted the importance of punctuating and celebrating the end of their treatment, and the need for doing this in ways that helped them process the complexity of ending active treatment and provides space for their voices.

A mixed methods exploration of "Creativity in Mind", an online creativity-based intervention for low mood and anxiety.

BACKGROUND: Within the current context of a global pandemic, the value of the Internet has been greatly elevated for many people. This study is an investigation into a 30-day online intervention called Creativity in Mind (CIM). AIMS: To provide a preliminary indication of the relationship between participation in CIM and change in mood symptoms and wellbeing. METHODS: A co-produced mixed methods design was used to evaluate CIM. Data was obtained from 55 participants. Each day for 30 days participants received a predetermined creative challenge that they were encouraged to complete and share within the group. Measures of mood and wellbeing were collected at three time points, including a 3-month follow-up. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with 18 participants and analysed using framework analysis. RESULTS: Scores on mood and wellbeing measures showed an overall significant improvement following completion of the programme. However, only a small number of participants demonstrated clinically significant improvement (14%) or deterioration (5%). The qualitative data indicated that CIM was experienced positively, with some negative emotions arising from the volume of interactions and negative comparisons made between participants. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results demonstrate that the pattern of clinically significant change across individual participants was comparable to other psychological therapy.

Mental health problems among clinical psychologists: Stigma and its impact on disclosure and help-seeking.

OBJECTIVE(S): To assess the prevalence of personal experiences of mental health problems among clinical psychologists, external, perceived, and self-stigma among them, and stigma-related concerns relating to disclosure and help-seeking. METHOD: Responses were collected from 678 UK-based clinical psychologists through an anonymous web survey consisting of the Social Distance Scale, Stig-9, Military Stigma Scale, Secrecy Scale, Attitudes towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form, alongside personal experience and socio-demographic questions. RESULTS: Two-thirds of participants had experienced mental health problems themselves. Perceived mental health stigma was higher than external and self-stigma. Participants were more likely to have disclosed in their social than work circles. Concerns about negative consequences for self and career, and shame prevented some from disclosing and help-seeking. CONCLUSIONS: Personal experiences of mental health problems among clinical psychologists may be fairly common. Stigma, concerns about negative consequences of disclosure and shame as barriers to disclosure and help-seeking merit further consideration.

Mental health disclosure amongst clinical psychologists in training: Perfectionism and pragmatism.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the incidence of lived experience of mental health problems amongst UK-based trainee clinical psychologists and factors associated with anticipated disclosure for trainees both with and without lived experience. METHODS: A web-based survey comprising the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, an adapted version of the Perceived Devaluation and Discrimination Scale, and questions about lived experience and anticipated likelihood of disclosure. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 348 trainees across 19 UK training institutions. Sixty-seven percent reported lived experience of a mental health problem. For these trainees, there was no difference in anticipated likelihood of disclosing to different recipient types after controlling for maladaptive perfectionism. However, across all participants, anticipated disclosure was associated with maladaptive perfectionism, temporal proximity, anticipated stigma (past), and recipient type. Anticipated stigma (present) was not associated with anticipated disclosure. CONCLUSIONS: Results support an approach to communicating about mental health disclosure that incorporates responsibility, interdependency, and transparency. Suggestions for further research are discussed.