Conference of University Rectors in Ireland : University Collaboration Psychology/Psychiatry

Psychology/Psychiatry

Universities Involved Trinity College Dublin
Queen's University Belfast

Department(s) Psychiatry

Project Title / Description
Irish Mental Health Services

Begun in 1998, contact being made by the editor of an international journal which sought information on mental health services throughout the developed world. A detailed paper is due for publication and a shorter paper is in preparation. The outcome will be a research study to explore and perhaps explain major differences in certain rates of hospitalisation between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Contacts Prof. Marcus Webb, TCD Prof. Roy McClelland
Tel 04890 335790
r.j.mcclelland@queensbelfast.uk

Business Involvement Data has been obtained from both Departments of Health.

Development Potential Yes as above. Also major changes are occurring in both jurisdictions, providing opportunities to monitor these and perhaps to influence future policy decisions beneficially.

Universities Involved	Trinity College Dublin Queen's University Belfast
Department(s)	Psychiatry
Project Title / Description	Mental Health Services in Ireland Begun in 1998. Outcome: First paper published January 2000. Further Work: Second Paper in Preparation.
Research Study	The Objectives were: a description of mental health services b comparison of services North and South c recommendations based on analysis
Contacts	Professor M Webb Tel + 353 1 677 5423/679 8865 mwebb@tcd.ie	Professor R McClelland Tel 04890 335790/324543
Development Potential	To explore differing readmission rates.

Universities Involved	Trinity College Dublin Queen's University Belfast
Department(s)	Clinical Speech and Language Studies
Project Title / Description	The Pathways Project Project started January 1997. Data collection completed December 1998. Project Reports completed March 1999. Writing up expected to be completed December 2000. Project not open to new collaborators. The main objective of the project is to investigate Pathways, Opportunities and Influences for two cohorts of young people in Belfast and Dublin. Pathways = the routes followed by Group A to their present positions in society; the circumstances of Group B. Opportunities = educational, training, employment and general experience opportunities availed of by the 25 yearolds and open to the 17 yearolds. Influences = family relationships, community involvement, sociopolitical attitudes, personality factors such as selfesteem. Associations between the findings and the outcomes of the studies at age 12 will be explored. The outcomes of their education and training experiences and the opinions of the subjects on these matters will be particularly relevant for policy making. Also to date 13 conference papers plus three reports to the funders plus a paper on policy implications.
Resources	Research Assistants/Associates: one R.A. half time over two years in Belfast plus one fulltime for two months; one R.A. halftime in Dublin for two years plus full time for four months; 20% approximately of Project Director's time. Two computers and printers one for Belfast and Dublin with software for wordprocessing and statistical analysis. Office space in Belfast and Dublin. Telephone, email, fax facilities; stationery; travel expenses for visiting subjects in their homes or in places of their choice. The project was funded as follows: Grant of about £35,000 stg from Central Community Relations Council, Belfast 1997. Grant of £19,000 from Dept of Education and Science, Dublin 1997. Grants of £3,000 and £2,000 from Provost's Development Fund in 1996 and 1998.
Contacts	Dr Jean Whyte j.white@mail.tcd.ie	Dr Vilinda Ross, QUB	Dr Beverley Cairns Center for Developmental Science University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Development Potential	Additional resources would be required to track down more of the original 1982 participants. It would definitely be worthwhile but requires a team of at least two researchers working together for a year. Cost would be in the region of £50,000.

Universities Involved	University College Cork University Of Ulster, Magee
Department(s)	Counselling and Health Studies Unit, Department of Applied Psychology
Project Title / Description	A study of forgiveness, religion and spirituality amongst Catholics and Protestants in the North of Ireland and the Republic. The project is due to start in September 2000 and will last for one year. Contact was initiated by Eleanor O'Leary who discussed the project with Christopher Lewis at the University of Ulster at Magee, Derry. Her choice took into consideration her own work with older adults and Dr Lewis's expertise in the area of religion. Subsequently they structured the specific details of the study. The main objective is to investigate a neglected area of scientific research, namely forgiveness, religion and spirituality in an older adult population within the island of Ireland. More specifically the study will consider these areas by comparing the two main Christian traditions (Catholicism and Protestantism). It will also study possible differences due to location. The scientific preparations have almost concluded with respect to methodology, samples and data analysis. Although the two main collaborators are in place, a research assistant is needed for both locations.
Contacts	Dr Eleanor O'Leary, UCC Tel + 353 21 902612 e.oleary@ucc.ie	Dr Christopher Lewis, UU, Magee Tel 04890 7137 5320 CA.Lewis@ulst.ac.uk
Development Potential	Yes. There are several potential collaborative projects from this piece of research. One example would be that the findings from the present project would identify attitudes concerning forgiveness. These would indicate the nature and type of psychological interventions which could be used to enhance the process of healing and reconciliation.