Course Start: 17^th October 2016
Supervisor: Dr Chris Papadopoulos
Second Supervisor: Professor Gurch Randhawa

Thesis title

The development and evaluation of a stigma support intervention for Autism carers: a feasibility study.

Abstract

Background: Autistic children and their families are frequently subjected to stigma. Parents and carers can face judgement; blame and disbelief from others which can leave families to feel isolated and unsupported. Stigma has a negative impact on the well-being of parents and carers, yet there are currently no intervention programs available that help parents of autistic children cope with stigma.

Aim: This study is funded by AUTISTICA UK and aims to develop and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention aiming to improve the well-being of parents/ carers of autistic children with a special focus on the stigma they may experience.

Methods: An 8-week support intervention, SOLACE (stigma of living as an autism carer), has been developed with help from other carers and is based on evidence from other support programs. To determine SOLACE’s impact, 24 parents and carers will be randomly allocated to either SOLACE or a control group and between and within measures will be compared at baseline, post intervention and at 6 week follow up.

During the sessions, parents and carers will meet face to face (3 sessions) and online (5 sessions) to share experiences and learn from each other ways to deal with some of the challenges that families may face. SOLACE will commence in October 2018, and we are currently recruiting parents and family carers to take part. More information can be found here: www.tinyurl.com/SOLACE2018

Conclusion: This study will substantially contribute to a large gap in the existing stigma and autism literature and will be the first of its kind to help family carers of autistic children cope with stigma and the negative impact of public and self- and stigma. This should have a positive impact on the family unit as a whole.

• For further details see www.tinyurl.com/SOLACE2018
• See also Research Poster PDF

Research Questions

• To what extent is a multi component ‘stigma support’ intervention for family caregivers of young children on the autism spectrum designed primarily to improve psychological wellbeing feasible, practical, acceptable, and potentially effective?

About Me

I am originally from the Netherlands and moved to England to study Psychology. I obtained a first class degree in Psychology from the University of Bedfordshire in 2005 and was awarded the British Psychological Undergraduate Award for my final year’s project that looked at personality and the effects of exercise on mood and cognition.

I then went on to work as a research assistant at the University of Oxford’s Child Psychiatry department looking at parental psychopathology and infant outcomes. I later worked for Imperial College London as a research psychologist on a randomised clinical controlled trial which followed children who were born very prematurely. I carried out behavioural assessments and evaluated the cognitive and neurodevelopmental assessments of the children which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I obtained my Masters in Health Psychology from Sheffield Hallam University in 2011 and my research project examined the effects of marital (dis)satisfaction on infant health outcomes. This project was awarded the Health Psychology Prize.

Contact Information

Email: annemarie.lodder@beds.ac.uk
Twitter: @ampel70