PhD Studentship: Exploring Adult Well-Being After Childhood Traumatic Loss Through a Comprehensive Retrospective Study

About the research:

We are seeking a dedicated PhD candidate to undertake 3-part mixed-methods research to understand how traumatic loss in childhood affects individuals across their lifespan and to co-design an intervention to enhance well-being in adults who experienced such grief as children.

Traumatic loss during childhood, whether through the death of a loved one or other sudden distressing events, can severely disrupt a young person’s development. It often leads to challenges such as concentration difficulties, guilt, and sleep disruptions, which can persist into adulthood, manifesting as behavioural problems, academic struggles, and even physical health issues. Traditional coping strategies, including trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT), have limitations, particularly in addressing the diverse ways individuals cope with grief. Creative arts interventions offer promise but require further integration with established therapeutic approaches.

Given the ethical complexities of researching traumatic grief in children, this project will utilize a retrospective approach, focusing on adults who experienced traumatic grief in childhood. This approach will allow the research to explore the long-term consequences of childhood grief and identify effective coping mechanisms that can be translated into therapeutic interventions.

Research objectives: To understand how traumatic loss in childhood affects individuals across their lifespan and to co-design an intervention to enhance well-being in adults who experienced such grief as children. 

Key responsibilities will involve:

Conducting systematic reviews relating to research on childhood traumatic grief.

Designing and conduct research with adult participants to gain insights into their childhood grief experiences.

Recruiting participants for research

Analysing qualitative and quantitative data.

Working closely with participants and relevant stakeholders to co-design an intervention protocol, ensuring it meets the specific needs of the target population.

Contributing to high-impact journal publications and present findings at conferences.

Assisting in preparing grant proposals to secure funding for future research, building on the findings of this project.

About the role:

This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a vital area of research that addresses the long-term impacts of childhood traumatic grief. The successful candidate will gain valuable experience in qualitative and mixed methods research, participatory research, and intervention development, while also making a meaningful contribution to improving mental health outcomes for those affected by traumatic loss in childhood.

The doctoral project will enable the student to work closely with academics and practitioners who have a track record of related research in this area. The student will be part of an active community of PhD students based in the Institute for Lifecourse Development (ILD), a key anchor resource at the University of Greenwich. The Institute uses interdisciplinary expertise to promote the lifelong wellbeing of vulnerable and marginalised people in the community.

The PhD candidate will be supervised by Dr Oindrila Dutta, who has a background in psychology, and has conducted extensive research on trauma, grief, and mental health interventions. The supervisory team also involves, Dr Val Tadic, who is the Centre Lead for the ILD Centre for Vulnerable Children and Families and Professor Lesley Dibley, the Centre Lead for Chronic Illness and Aging within the ILD. All supervisors collectively have extensive experience in conducting mixed methods and qualitative research on sensitive topics and involving vulnerable populations. For additional information about the scholarship and to apply please go to:

https://www.gre.ac.uk/docs/rep/communications-and-recruitment/exploring-adult-well-bring-after-childhood-traumatic-loss-through-a-comprehensive-retrospective-study

Funding Comment

Bursary available: £21,237 (FT) + tuition fee contribution; details subject to annual review.

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