Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Healthcare professionals sought to share experiences of supporting mental health of new mums
Lauren McSorley, who is studying for a PhD in Psychology within the Leeds School of Social Sciences at Leeds Beckett, is exploring the benefits and challenges of supporting women in an online capacity – as well as the potential improvements that could be introduced.
Lauren explained: “I am looking to talk to healthcare professionals who offer online support to new mothers regarding their mental health and wellbeing. This could be through online forums, social media groups, support networks or charities.
“The research will help to provide an understanding of how online wellbeing support for new mothers can potentially be improved or adapted in order to best support women with their postnatal mental health concerns. The findings will be important for both healthcare professionals and parenting website and forum providers.”
Participants are invited to join a virtual focus group, using MS Teams, with a small group of between four and seven healthcare professionals. Each group will last approximately one hour. Alternatively, one-to-one virtual sessions can be set up. Participants need to be UK residents aged 18+.
To take part, please complete the online registration form.
Participants will receive a £20 Love2Shop voucher as a thank you for sharing their experiences. All responses will be treated confidentially and anonymously.
Lauren’s current research forms part of a series of studies which she hopes will be used to inform and shape recommendations for healthcare professionals to best support the mental health of new mothers.
In 2021, Lauren conducted a survey to explore how and why mums use online forums, and remote methods of support, to care for their postnatal mental health and wellbeing and to support their experience of becoming a mother.