56 Researching emotive topics – practical tips for combining the creative and scientific worlds

Developing research about emotive or traumatic subjects can be daunting for professionals. There are often challenges associated with engaging patients/families in the correct manner, using appropriate language, and ensuring a sensitive approach to the participants’ needs. Yet, engaging in these topics is essential when targeting issues important to patients and families. Key to this approach is detailed planning whilst simultaneously accessing appropriate charities/patient groups who will better understand the needs of these participants. Through fostering this engagement many advantages are observed, including increased participation, greater engagement with data collection, and the possible development of a long-standing relationship which can result in ongoing engagement with projects through steering group participation, for example. This approach can also allow both creative and scientific data to be derived through close collaboration with a variety of professionals. We ran two focus groups at the Institute of Child Health, enabling the development of both a creative and a scientific project surrounding loss following a miscarriage. This work was designed and facilitated by a radiographer, an artist, and a psychologist with engagement from The Miscarriage Association. Through detailed planning we were able to design, recruit and provide information for the development of both independent, yet affiliated, projects. This presentation focusses on the process we completed to fulfil the requirements of both projects, whilst importantly ensuring that participation in the focus groups was sensitive to the parents’ needs through the language used and the design of the session. Practical guidance will be given from the researchers’ personal experience to assist in the design of other suitable projects about emotive subjects.