Start date: October 2019
Subject study: Feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of Resilience Intervention Training in undergraduate paramedics and emergency medical technicians.
Studies have found that paramedics and other emergency ambulance staff score higher than other professional groups on validated assessments of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This may be due to frequent exposure to traumatic events that have the potential to lead to mental health problems. The project aims to see if a programme of Resilience Intervention Training (RIT) can protect emergency service personnel from the development of mental health problems and symptoms of traumatic stress.
The first step in this programme will be to develop the Resilience Intervention Training based on extant intervention programmes and develop the materials for the intervention.
The intervention will then be delivered to half the students on the undergraduate paramedic programme and emergency medical technician training course, based at Swansea University. Qualitative and quantitative measures of opinions about the Resilience Intervention Training will be taken with a view to obtaining feedback from trainees and improving palatability and acceptability of the intervention.
The effectiveness of the Resilience Intervention Training will be evaluated via a “trauma-challenge” paradigm using both psychological and psychophysiological measures (e.g. heart rate variability). Responses to the challenge will be compared in students that have received the Resilience Intervention Training against those that did not.
Results from these studies will be used to design a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) and apply for funding to implement this RCT. If successful, the MSc candidate could potentially be upgraded to a PhD and could evaluate the implementation of the RCT.
The project will be supervised by Professor Nicola Gray (Swansea University) and will be overseen by a Research Development Group that consists of Nigel Rees (Head of Research & Innovation, Welsh Ambulance Service), Professor Paul Bennett (Swansea University), Neil Hore (Programme Manager for the Paramedic Science course, Swansea University) and Professor Robert Snowden (Cardiff University).
Scholarships are collaborative awards with external partners including SMEs and micro companies, as well as public and third sector organisations. The scholarship provides 1 year funding with a 3 month period to complete the thesis. The achievement of a postgraduate skills development award, PSDA, is compulsory for each KESS II scholar and is based on a 30 credit award.
Established in 1997, Cardiff University is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the small city of Cardiff (population range of 250,000-499,999 inhabitants), Wales. Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Privy Council, Cardiff University (CU) is a very large (uniRank enrollment range: 30,000-34,999 students) coeducational higher education institution. Cardiff University (CU) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor degrees, master degrees, doctorate degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment.