Implementation and evaluation of clinical supervision for support workers in a paediatric palliative care setting.

Support workers represent a large proportion of the NHS workforce and yet their supervisory needs are often overlooked. This study focused specifically on a cohort of support workers in a community paediatric palliative care setting. Peer supervision was implemented for this group, initially face to face and then virtually.

Obesity and internalized weight stigma: a formulation model for an emerging psychological problem.

Background: Obese individuals frequently experience weight stigma and this is associated with psychological distress and difficulties. The process of external devaluation can lead to negative self-perception and evaluation and some obese individuals develop "internalized weight stigma". The prevalence of weight stigma is well established but there is a lack of information about the interplay between external and internal weight stigma.

Public beliefs about and attitudes towards bipolar disorder: testing theory based models of stigma.

Background: Given the vast literature into public beliefs and attitudes towards schizophrenia and depression, there is paucity of research on attitudes towards bipolar disorder despite its similar prevalence to schizophrenia. This study explored public beliefs and attitudes towards bipolar disorder and examined the relationship between these different components of stigma.

Method: Using an online questionnaire distributed via email, social networking sites and public institutions, 753 members of the UK population were presented with a vignette depicting someone who met DSM-IV criteria for bipolar disorder.

Renaming schizophrenia to reduce stigma: comparison with the case of bipolar disorder.

Renaming disorders to change public beliefs and attitudes remains controversial. This study compared the potentially destigmatising effects of renaming schizophrenia with the effects of renaming bipolar disorder by comparing the label 'schizophrenia' to 'integration disorder', and 'bipolar disorder' to 'manic depression', in 1621 lay participants. 'Bipolar disorder' was associated with less fear and social distance than 'manic depression'.

Efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy versus anxiety management for body dysmorphic disorder: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: The evidence base for the efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for treating body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is weak.

Aims: To determine whether CBT is more effective than anxiety management (AM) in an outpatient setting.

Method: This was a single-blind stratified parallel-group randomised controlled trial.

Psychosexual outcome after labiaplasty: a prospective case-comparison study.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Our goal was to determine psychosexual outcome after labiaplasty in the long-term with specific measures of genital body image and sexual dysfunction.

Method: We conducted a prospective study with a matched-comparison group of women not wanting labiaplasty. Forty-nine women were compared against a group of 39 women matched for age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and marital status.

Bariatric psychology in the UK National Health Service: input across the patient pathway.

Background: Providers of bariatric surgery within the National Health Service (NHS) are required to provide psychological assessment and intervention, yet operational definitions regarding the purpose and scope of this input are lacking. This has led to significant variation in the provision of psychology, with some providing an assessment-only service and others providing a more comprehensive package of intervention throughout the patient pathway. The aims of this paper are to document the current psychology provision and service models of National Health Service (NHS) bariatric surgery services in the UK.

A comparison of risk factors for women seeking labiaplasty compared to those not seeking labiaplasty.

Little is known about the factors associated with the desire for labiaplasty. We compared 55 women seeking labiaplasty with 70 women in a comparison group who were not seeking labiaplasty. Measures administered included the Perception of Appearance and Competency Related Teasing Scale, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Disgust Scale Revised, and the Genital Appearance Satisfaction scale with open-ended questions about their genitalia.

Bipolar disorder and stigma: a systematic review of the literature.

Aim: The degree to which bipolar disorder is stigmatised by the public and the extent of internalised stigma for people with this disorder, their families, and carers has been a relatively neglected area of research. This review aimed to determine what is currently known about stigma and bipolar disorder.

Method: A systematic search of the literature was conducted to identify publications which investigated public attitudes and/or beliefs about bipolar disorder or explored internalised stigma in bipolar disorder.

The emetophobia questionnaire (EmetQ-13): psychometric validation of a measure of specific phobia of vomiting (emetophobia).

This study reports on the development and psychometric evaluation of a self-report assessment of the severity of symptoms of emetophobia. Using a sample of 95 individuals with emetophobia, and a matched sample of 90 control participants, a 13-items inventory was developed that showed a clear three-factor structure. The EmetQ-13 had good internal consistency (α=.

The Appearance Anxiety Inventory: validation of a process measure in the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder.

Background: At present there are no measures to identify the cognitive processes and behaviours that might mediate the outcome of treatment in people with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).

Aims: To develop and validate a process measure that can be used to assess the progress of patients throughout therapy and in research for BDD.

Method: The psychometric properties of the Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI) were explored in a clinical group of participants diagnosed with BDD (Study 1) and in a non-clinical community group with high appearance concerns (Study 2).

Validation of genital appearance satisfaction scale and the cosmetic procedure screening scale for women seeking labiaplasty.

Background: Existing outcome studies on women seeking labiaplasty have not used a validated scale that is specific for satisfaction with genital appearance. They have also not screened for the presence of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). There are therefore two primary aims of this study (1) to validate the Genital Appearance Satisfaction (GAS) scale in women seeking labiaplasty and (2) to modify and validate a version of the Cosmetic Procedures Screening questionnaire (COPS-L), which has previously been used to screen for BDD.

Autobiographical memories of vomiting in people with a specific phobia of vomiting (emetophobia).

Background: Vomiting is an almost universal phenomenon, but little is known about the aetiology of a specific phobia of vomiting (SPOV). The associations with vomiting during childhood and autobiographical memories may have relevance for our understanding of the development of SPOV and its treatment.

Method: Two groups: (a) a group with SPOV (n = 94) and (b) a control group (n = 90) completed a self-report questionnaire assessing their lifetime memories of both their own vomiting and others vomiting.

Abnormal eating behaviour in people with a specific phobia of vomiting (emetophobia).

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the eating behaviour in people with a specific phobia of vomiting (SPOV), and whether those identified as restricting their food had a greater degree of psychopathology and impairment than those who do not restrict their food.

Method: We recruited 94 participants with SPOV. They were divided into those who reported restricting their food (SPOV-R) (n = 32) because of fear of vomiting and those who did not restrict their food (SPOV-NR) (n = 62).