Barriers to psychological support following early miscarriage. Perspectives of the UK-based IAPT perinatal champion.
Saved in:
| Title: | Barriers to psychological support following early miscarriage. Perspectives of the UK-based IAPT perinatal champion. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Carthew, Jinny (AUTHOR), Gannon, Kenneth (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Reproductive & Infant Psychology. Jun2026, Vol. 44 Issue 3, p769-785. 17p. |
| Subjects: | Miscarriage, Health services accessibility, Work, National health services, Psychotherapists, Psychotherapy, Patient compliance, Qualitative research, Database management, Occupational roles, Mental health services, Perinatal care, Interviewing, Questionnaires, Primary health care, Psychotherapist attitudes, Anxiety, Psychological well-being, Descriptive statistics, Thematic analysis, Attitudes of medical personnel, Attitudes toward abortion, Research methodology, Patient-professional relations, Quality of life, Research, Mental health personnel, Social support, Cognitive therapy, Comparative studies, Data analysis software, Psychosocial factors, Experiential learning, Social stigma |
| Geographic Terms: | United Kingdom |
| Abstract: | Background: Early miscarriage has been linked to a wide variety of subsequent psychological difficulties. Despite this, challenges in accessing appropriate psychological support following early miscarriage are emphasised throughout the literature. Few studies have explored barriers to accessing support following early miscarriage from the perspective of healthcare professionals providing support, and none of these have focused solely on National Health Service (NHS) primary mental healthcare settings. Aim: This study therefore sought to address the gap in the literature through a qualitative exploration of the perspectives of perinatal champions working within Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. These are practitioners specifically allocated to the role of providing specialist perinatal support within the UK primary healthcare system and therefore deemed to be in a position most likely to be providing support for people following early miscarriage. The aim of this study was to elicit a fuller, critical understanding of the potential barriers to accessing psychological support following early miscarriage within a UK context, with the hope of eliciting suggestions for how to improve it. Method: 12 participants took part in semi-structured interviews exploring their experiences of providing psychological support for people following early miscarriage. Results: Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts yielded four key barrier themes: unclear guidance, service-centred care, journey to role, and societal stigma. Conclusion: This study has implications in terms of informing service structure, roles, and training within IAPT to improve pathways to support, following early miscarriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Reproductive & Infant Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | Background: Early miscarriage has been linked to a wide variety of subsequent psychological difficulties. Despite this, challenges in accessing appropriate psychological support following early miscarriage are emphasised throughout the literature. Few studies have explored barriers to accessing support following early miscarriage from the perspective of healthcare professionals providing support, and none of these have focused solely on National Health Service (NHS) primary mental healthcare settings. Aim: This study therefore sought to address the gap in the literature through a qualitative exploration of the perspectives of perinatal champions working within Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. These are practitioners specifically allocated to the role of providing specialist perinatal support within the UK primary healthcare system and therefore deemed to be in a position most likely to be providing support for people following early miscarriage. The aim of this study was to elicit a fuller, critical understanding of the potential barriers to accessing psychological support following early miscarriage within a UK context, with the hope of eliciting suggestions for how to improve it. Method: 12 participants took part in semi-structured interviews exploring their experiences of providing psychological support for people following early miscarriage. Results: Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts yielded four key barrier themes: unclear guidance, service-centred care, journey to role, and societal stigma. Conclusion: This study has implications in terms of informing service structure, roles, and training within IAPT to improve pathways to support, following early miscarriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 02646838 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/02646838.2024.2433155 |
