Barriers to psychological support following early miscarriage. Perspectives of the UK-based IAPT perinatal champion

Article

Carthew, J. and Gannon, K. 2024. Barriers to psychological support following early miscarriage. Perspectives of the UK-based IAPT perinatal champion. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology . p. In press. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2024.2433155
AuthorsCarthew, J. and Gannon, K.
Abstract

Background
Early miscarriage has been linked to a wide variety of subsequent psychological difficulties. Despite this, challenges in accessing appropriate psychological support following early miscarriage are emphasised throughout the literature. Few studies have explored barriers to accessing support following early miscarriage from the perspective of healthcare professionals providing support, and none of these have focused solely on National Health Service (NHS) primary mental healthcare settings.

Aim
This study therefore sought to address the gap in the literature through a qualitative exploration of the perspectives of perinatal champions working within Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. These are practitioners specifically allocated to the role of providing specialist perinatal support within the UK primary healthcare system and therefore deemed to be in a position most likely to be providing support for people following early miscarriage. The aim of this study was to elicit a fuller, critical understanding of the potential barriers to accessing psychological support following early miscarriage within a UK context, with the hope of eliciting suggestions for how to improve it.

Method
12 participants took part in semi-structured interviews exploring their experiences of providing psychological support for people following early miscarriage.

Results
Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts yielded four key barrier themes: unclear guidance, service-centred care, journey to role, and societal stigma.

Conclusion
This study has implications in terms of informing service structure, roles, and training within IAPT to improve pathways to support, following early miscarriage.

JournalJournal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology
Journal citationp. In press
ISSN0264-6838
1469-672X
Year2024
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Accepted author manuscript
License
File Access Level
Anyone
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2024.2433155
Publication dates
Online23 Nov 2024
Publication process dates
Accepted18 Nov 2024
Deposited12 Feb 2025
Copyright holder© 2024 The Authors
Additional information

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology on 23/11/24, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2024.2433155.

Permalink -

https://repository.uel.ac.uk/item/8z02z

Log in to edit

File access - Request a copy

Restricted files

Accepted author manuscript

  • 4
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 4
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Barriers to Acccessing Pyschological Support Following Early Miscarriage. Perspectives of the IAPT Perinatal Champion.
Carthew, J. 2023. Barriers to Acccessing Pyschological Support Following Early Miscarriage. Perspectives of the IAPT Perinatal Champion. Prof Doc Thesis University of East London School of Psychology
Challenges faced by mental health interpreters in East London: An interpretative phenomenological analysis
Jidong, D. E., Tribe, R. and Gannon, K. 2020. Challenges faced by mental health interpreters in East London: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Counselling Psychology Review. 35 (2), pp. 40-51.
GP experience and understandings of providing follow‐up care in prostate cancer survivors in England
Margariti, C., Gannon, K. N., Walsh, J. J. and Green, J. S. A. 2020. GP experience and understandings of providing follow‐up care in prostate cancer survivors in England. Health and Social Care in the Community. 28 (5), pp. 1468-1478. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12969
How do new/recent mothers experience unwanted harm thoughts related to their newborn? A thematic analysis
Boyd, C. and Gannon, K. 2019. How do new/recent mothers experience unwanted harm thoughts related to their newborn? A thematic analysis. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. 39 (21), pp. 153-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2019.1657819
Experiences of UK African-Caribbean Prostate Cancer Survivors of Discharge to primary care
Margariti, Charikleia, Gannon, K., Thompson, Rose, Walsh, J. and Green, James 2019. Experiences of UK African-Caribbean Prostate Cancer Survivors of Discharge to primary care. Ethnicity and Health. 26 (8), pp. 1115-1129. https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2019.1606162
Early Improvement in Eating Attitudes during Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders: The Impact of Personality Disorder Cognitions
Park, Emma C., Waller, Glenn and Gannon, K. 2013. Early Improvement in Eating Attitudes during Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Eating Disorders: The Impact of Personality Disorder Cognitions. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy. 42 (02), pp. 224-237. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465812001117
Evidence-Based Practice - the Ethical Dimension
Gannon, K. 2015. Evidence-Based Practice - the Ethical Dimension. in: Tribe, Rachel and Morrissey, Jean (ed.) Handbook of Professional and Ethical Practice for Psychologists, Counsellors and Psychotherapists Routledge.
Adolescent and caregivers’ experiences of electronic adherence assessment in paediatric problematic severe asthma
Stewart, Amy C, Gannon, K., Beresford, Fran and Fleming, Louise 2018. Adolescent and caregivers’ experiences of electronic adherence assessment in paediatric problematic severe asthma. Journal of Child Health Care. 22 (2), pp. 238-250. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367493517753082
The experiences of high intensity therapists delivering cognitive behavioural therapy to people with intellectual disabilities
Marwood, Hayley, Chinn, Deborah, Gannon, K. and Scior, Katrina 2017. The experiences of high intensity therapists delivering cognitive behavioural therapy to people with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. 31 (1), pp. 76-86. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12328
Experiences of adolescent lung transplant recipients: A qualitative study
Anderson, S. M., Wray, J., Ralph, A., Spencer, H., Lunnon-Wood, T. and Gannon, K. 2017. Experiences of adolescent lung transplant recipients: A qualitative study. Pediatric Transplantation. 21 (3), p. e12878. https://doi.org/10.1111/petr.12878
How do nurses experience working with adolescents with a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’ or ‘emerging personality disorder'?
Reiss, R. and Gannon, K. 2015. How do nurses experience working with adolescents with a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’ or ‘emerging personality disorder'? Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 22 (4), pp. 244-250.
Belongings Beyond Borders: Reflections of Young Refugees on Their Relationships with Location
Muir, Jessica and Gannon, K. 2015. Belongings Beyond Borders: Reflections of Young Refugees on Their Relationships with Location. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.2260
“Should I really be here?” Exploring the relationship between Black men’s conceptions of wellbeing, subject positions and help-seeking behaviour
Myrie, Chanelle V. and Gannon, K. 2013. “Should I really be here?” Exploring the relationship between Black men’s conceptions of wellbeing, subject positions and help-seeking behaviour. Diversity and Equality in Health and Care. 10 (1), pp. 1-22.
Beyond evidence-based practice: rethinking the relationship between research, theory and practice
Harper, D., Gannon, K. and Robinson, M. 2013. Beyond evidence-based practice: rethinking the relationship between research, theory and practice. in: Bayne, Rowan and Jinks, Gordon (ed.) Applied psychology: research, training and practice, second edition London SAGE.
Re-constructing masculinity following radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer
Gannon, K., Guerro-Blanco, Monica, Patel, Anup and Abel, Paul 2010. Re-constructing masculinity following radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Aging Male. 13 (4), pp. 258-264.
The experiences of young people with epidermolysis bullosa simplex: a qualitative study
Williams, E. Felicity, Gannon, K. and Soon, Kristina 2011. The experiences of young people with epidermolysis bullosa simplex: a qualitative study. Journal of Health Psychology. 16 (5), pp. 701-710.