Hello, I am a third year Natural Sciences student at Durham and have chosen to do my third year project in Psychology. The focus of my project is Irritable Bowel Syndrome. With the prevalence of IBS as high as it is, it is increasingly recognised that there is a need for more research into the disorder, especially into the first hand experiences of those who suffer from it.
These first hand perspectives are vital in providing an initial starting point for further research and treatment investigations. My study is designed to identify the different ways in which IBS sufferers perceive the consequences and long term implications of living with IBS, with the potential of collecting information which will help people come to terms with and manage their IBS symptoms in the longer term.
I will be using Q-methodology to collect the data. This is a simple procedure which involves the participant sorting a number of statements about IBS in terms of how much they agree with them - ranging from ‘most agree’ to ‘most disagree’. The materials for the study will be posted to participants for them to complete at home and then return to me. Participants’ responses will be correlated and analysed to identify factors which represent distinctive viewpoints about the aspects of IBS mentioned above.
Participants’ responses will be anonymous and treated with strict confidentiality. Once the data have been analysed and interpreted, participants will be provided with a summary of the findings which I hope they will find interesting. I also hope that in the process of taking part in this Q-study, participants will be able to reflect on their views of certain issues and take something away from it too.
If you would like to take part in this study please email me at k.m.hulme@durham.ac.uk