Group psychological intervention for Multiple Sclerosis: A Longitudinal IPA study of change

Fragkiadaki, Eva; Nizza2, Isabella E.; Starr2, Rachel; Smith2, Jonathan A.; Rice3, Claire; Cotterill, Nikki

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the current presentation is to delineate the conceptualisation of trajectories of change for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who participated in an 8-week group psychological intervention. The focus will be on the research design and the significance of including the voices of people with MS in psychotherapy efficacy studies.
Methods: The research design utilised techniques of Longitudinal Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (LIPA). The processes of data collection and data analysis will be discussed, as well as the methodological implications of applying this methodology in psychotherapy research studies.
Results: The findings reveal the idiosyncratic trajectories of change for five women with MS. Through inductive and rigorous processes of analysis, distinctive differences were observed between participants with visible and invisible disabilities. We were also able to conceptualise what the participants found important when they reflected on their experience and management of MS as affected by the intervention. Trajectories of change focused on identity, disability, compassion, acceptance and self-concept.
Discussion: The implications for practice and research will be discussed in this presentation. Participants did not mention depression, anxiety or quality of life in their accounts, which are factors most often explored in quantitative designs and randomised controlled trials that investigate the efficacy of interventions. LIPA appears to be a suitable methodology when deeper insights and understandings of the effects of interventions are sought.

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: Society for Psychotherapy Research, 56th International Annual Meeting
• Start Date: Jun 24, 2025
• End Date: Jun 28, 2025
• Acceptance Date: Jun 27, 2025
• Deposit Date: Jun 30, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 1, 2025
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/14606465