Bipolar disorder,Developmental disorders,Eating disorders,Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD),Personality disorders,Post traumatic stress disorder,Schizophrenia
MoreRESPECT
Calling for participants until
30 Jun 2026
Participant type
Adults
Rewards
£10 Voucher per follow up completed (up to 5)
Overview
We want to find out if three sessions of a sexual health promotion intervention is helpful at reducing unsafe sexual acts among people with a severe mental illness.
Summary
It is important for everyone to feel they have a fulfilling and safe sex life. This is no different for people with a severe mental illness and can be an important part of building a life after recovery.
Having good sexual health includes:
- Being free from sexually transmitted infections
- Being able to express your sexuality and sexual identity
- Feeling safe and respected in intimate relationships
- Being in control of choices you make and what you feel comfortable with
We think there are a number of areas that could help improve a person's sexual health, including:
- Access to contraception and family planning
- Understanding risky sexual behaviours and sexual health implications
- Keeping safe from sexual infections
- Having a fulfilling relationship free from abuse
Our study team wants to find out if sexual health information sessions with a specially trained health professional can improve sexual health, compared to usual care in people with a severe mental illness. These sessions would involve talking through sexual health issues, providing information about healthy sexual activities, and discussing where to get help and advice.
Information about the study can also be found on the study website.
16 + years old, sexually active or not, in a relationship or not. All genders and sexual orientations welcome.
People under DPT community services.
People diagnosed with a Severe Mental Illness, which should include at least one of the following: schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional/ psychotic illness, bipolar disorder, major depression, severe anxiety, PTSD, OCD, personality disorder or eating disorders.
Lacking capacity to give informed consent.
A co-existing learning disability of other significant cognitive impairment.
Those on the sex offenders register.
Meet the researcher
Maria Sanchez-ElenaMaria Sanchez-Elena is a Research Practitioner at Devon Partnership NHS Trust. She holds a degree and PhD in Psychology from the University of Almeria, Spain, with research focused on life satisfaction, personality styles and coping with long-term physical health conditions. Since joining the Trust in 2020, Maria has worked in the Mother and Baby Unit, First Response Service and now in Research and Development. She was an interventionist for the ASSURED study, exploring conversations around self-harm and suicide, and currently coordinates the moreRESPECT study, focusing on the sexual health of people with severe mental illness.
Collaborators
