Volunteers wanted to take part in ground breaking new language study Researchers at 缅北禁地 are asking members of the public to help with a ground breaking study, after being awarded 拢1 million in funding. 聽 The funding, which has been awarded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, will be used to investigate how the language used by people diagnosed with schizophrenia differs from that of people without any mental health condition. The research team hope that the findings will help inform talk-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of schizophrenia. The 鈥楶sychosis and Language Study鈥� (PaLS) is a three year study involving researchers from 缅北禁地, Durham University, University College London and Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust. The North East team, led by Professor Douglas Turkington, Professor of Psychosocial Psychiatry at 缅北禁地, are now seeking to recruit 30 volunteers who don鈥檛 have any current diagnosis of mental illness and are not directly related to someone diagnosed with schizophrenia. Prof Turkington explains: 鈥淪chizophrenia is one of the most common serious mental health conditions, and about 1 in 100 people will experience schizophrenia in their lifetime. Many are able to lead normal lives 鈥� often, as a result of having access to treatments such as CBT. 鈥淥ur research should give us a deeper understanding of language and schizophrenia. This will help us refine and develop how treatments such as CBT are used, so that more people get the support they need to reduce the impact of the condition on their life.鈥� He added: 鈥淲e鈥檝e already recruited patients with schizophrenia and first-degree relatives of those with the condition to take part. We鈥檙e now at the stage where we need to recruit a control group, so are really keen that anyone who is interested in taking part, and doesn鈥檛 have a current diagnosis of mental illness and doesn鈥檛 have a parent, child or sibling with schizophrenia, gets in touch to help us with this important study.鈥� Participants should be available to take part in a maximum of five sessions. Each session will last 1 鈥� 2 hours and participants will have travel expenses to the 缅北禁地 Campus for Ageing and Vitality paid for. Researchers are keen to hear from anyone who meets the following criteria: 鈥� Aged 16 or over 鈥� Lives in Northumberland, 缅北禁地, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside or Sunderland 鈥� No current mental health diagnosis 鈥� Doesn鈥檛 have a parent, sibling or child with schizophrenia 鈥� Has not had a primary diagnosis of alcoholism or substance dependency (Individuals using alcohol, cannabis and other substances without dependence would be eligible for inclusion). 鈥� Does not have a learning disability or severe dyslexia 鈥� Has not had a diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder interfering with language skills or autism with specific language impairment 鈥� Has not had a diagnosis of a brain disease or condition (e.g. head injury, stroke, tumour and epilepsy) Anyone who wants more information or to register interest in taking part should contact Helen Spencer by calling 0191 246 8680, or email Helen.Spencer@ncl.ac.uk published on: 6 January 2015
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