ObjectivesGrounding in the ethical and scientific principles common to all mental health research disciplines, together with skills in statistics and epidemiological and social research methodology. To provide a practical and theoretical knowledge base to guide the practice and interpretation of mental health services research and an understanding of the context in which it takes place. Aimed at mental health practitioners, GPs, entry level mental health academics, users and advocates interested in research and policy, research managers and commissioners, mental health service policy-makers and managers.
Academic titleMSc Mental Health Services Research
Course descriptionProgramme description
- Strongly focused on methodology, study design, outcome, cost and process measurement. We explore the interface between health services research, policy and the practice of social and clinical care in both UK and international contexts.
- Develop your specialist knowledge about the theory and conduct of mental health services research and apply this practically.
- Skills development in critical appraisal of existing research, hypothesis formulation, study design, ethics, data gathering, research management, data analysis and writing research reports.
Core modules cover bioethics, basic principles, epidemiology, statistics and mental health services research. In the second semester the modular programme focuses on advanced areas including mental health and social policy research, measurement in mental health research, economic evaluation, systematic review, qualitative research methods and advanced statistical methods.
Programme format and assessment
A combination of lectures, group tutorials and discussions, classroom and computer-based practicals, student presentations, and practical workshops. Assessments are by informal progress assessments, critical appraisal, regular 2,500- word assignments, a 10,000-word dissertation and a final exam.
Programme modules for MSc Mental Health Services Research
Mental Health Services Research: Theory to Practice (15 Credits) (Core Module)
The educational aims of this module are to provide students with an in depth knowledge and extended skills in mental health services research interventions, using the Medical Research Council Framework for Complex Health Interventions. By the end of the module the student will be able to: 1. Understand the theoretical framework for undertaking mental health services research 2. Formulate a research question 3. Use electronic databases to identify relevant evidence 4. Define a 'model' 5. Develop testable models of complex interventions 6. Identify methods of investigating health service interventions 7. Develop a protocol for an exploratory trial 8. Differentiate between an exploratory trial and a definitive randomised controlled trial RCT) 9. Develop a protocol for a definitive RCT 10. Describe the key components of an evidence-based approach to dissemination 11. Develop an evidence-based strategy for dissemination Assessment is by a 2,500-word essay, which accounts for 100% of the final grade for this module.
Research Dissertation - Mental Health Services Research (60 Credits) (Core Module)
This module aims to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their acquired knowledge and skills in mental health services research. At the end of the module students will have acquired an in depth understanding of a particular field within Mental Health Services Research and demonstrate an advanced knowledge of hypothesis generation and testing via one of the following methods: research protocol preparation, ethical issues, logistics, planned analysis and dissemination; literature review, secondary data analysis, discussion and dissemination; a formal systematic review. Students will also gain a critical awareness and appraisal of their own work, an ability to lucidly discuss bias, confounding and causality and a full appreciation of ethical issues raised. Assessment is by a 10,000-word dissertation, which accounts for 100% of the final grade for this module.
Research Methods, Ethics & Statistics in Mental Health (60 credits) (Core Module)
The educational aims of this module, which takes place in the first semester, are to provide an advanced understanding of methods and ethics in mental health research, an in depth practical knowledge of their application and of univariate statistical procedures. In addition the student will be able to critically appraise, disseminate and apply research findings. By the end of this module students will understand: concepts underlying research and its application in mental health; ethical principles to be considered in designing and conducting research; the theory and application in Psychiatry of the following research methods; cross-sectional surveys, Case control studies, Cohort studies, Ecological and time-series studies, Clinical trials; issues concerning sampling and measurement in mental health research and the logistics of carrying out a research study; the theoretical basis for statistical analysis and its application in research. Students will also be proficient in: univariate statistical analyses, and be able to interpret stratified analysis and linear regression; critical appraisal of research reports. Assessment is by two three-hour unseen written examinations, which each account for 50% of the final grade for this module. There is also a written assessment and critical appraisal at the end of the first term, which is mandatory but does not contribute to the final mark.
International Mental Health (15 Credits)
This module aims to: provide students with an in depth understanding of the clinical and public health significance of mental health in the international context; equip students with advanced skills in epidemiological, trial and policy research in cross cultural mental health. By the end of the module, students should be able to: 1. Describe what is meant by mental illness, and understand the broad classification of major mental disorders. Be aware of the limits to the existing evidence base on aetiology and treatment of mental disorder 2. Explain the public health significance of mental illness from an international perspective, drawing on the Global Burden of Disease and World Health Reports 3. Understand the application of epidemiological research methods to the study of international mental health 4. Critically evaluate the influence of cultural, socio-economic, gender and health system factors on mental illness and mental health service delivery 5. Describe how mental health issues are related to and can be integrated with established public health priorities, such as reproductive health, domestic violence and poverty alleviation. To understand at an advanced level 1. The historical evolution of psychiatry 2. Ethnography of mental illness 3. The influence of culture on mental illness 4. The influence of social sciences for International Mental Health 5. The interactions of social capital, population transition, conflict, public health and mental ill health. 6. The contribution of epidemiology and clinical trials for International Mental Health 7. The advantages and flaws of international diagnostic systems 8. Cross-cultural measurement Assessment is by a 2500-word essay, which accounts for 100% of the final grade for this module.
Qualitative Research Methods (15 credits)
The educational aims of this module are to provide students with an in depth understanding of qualitative research and skills needed to design, conduct and analyse qualitative research in the mental health field. The approach will be pragmatic, drawing on research studies conducted by the course tutors. By the end of the module the student will be able to understand and apply: 1. the complementary roles of qualitative and quantitative methods of enquiry 2. the strengths of the qualitative approach to understanding beliefs and behaviours from the subjects' perspective 3. the main qualitative methods of data collection applicable to mental health services research 4. how to apply these methods to developing and evaluating mental health services 5. methods of qualitative data analysis, including practical use of computer software 6. dissemination of findings 7. critical appraisal of qualitative research Assessment is by a 2500-word essay, which account for 100% of the final grade for this module.
Social Psychiatry (15 credits)
Social Psychiatry is concerned with the relationship between the social environment and the onset, course and treatment of mental illness. This module has two primary aims: to provide a detailed introduction to the theoretical, conceptual and methodological foundations of social psychiatry; and to provide an in-depth understanding of the key issues in conducting social research in relation to mental illness, focusing on study design, measurement and analysis. By the end of the module the student will have a critical understanding of: 1. The distinctive contribution, and limitations, of social psychiatry 2. How social psychiatry relates to biological and psychological research 3. How the social, biological and psychological have been integrated in theoretical models and research. 4. Core concepts in social research: inc. social class, social capital, culture, ethnicity, and gender. 5. The strengths and weaknesses of a range of study designs and methods in researching the relationship between the social environment and the onset and course of mental illness, in particular epidemiological designs such as cohort, case-control and ecological studies. 6. The need to distinguish different levels of analysis, including the individual, family and societal levels, and the inferences that can be drawn from them. 7. How aspects of the social environment, including social class, culture and stress, have been operationalised in research 8. The particular challenges of measuring aspects of the social environment reliably and validly Assessment is by a 2500-word essay, which accounts for 100% of the final grade for this module.
Statistical Methods in Psychiatric Epidemiology (15 Credits)
The educational aims of this module are to equip the student with an in depth understanding of, and ability to perform, complex statistical techniques (such as multivariate analyses, linear and logistic regression, Cox regression) and to develop an appreciation of the appropriate circumstances under which to apply these techniques. By the end of the module the student will understand: the conceptual basis for multivariate analysis in epidemiological research, in particular concepts relating to causal pathways, confounding, mediation and effect modification; and be able to apply the following procedures in the analysis of epidemiological date: linear regression, ANOVA and generalised linear modelling; logistic regression; Cox proportional hazards modelling; the uses and conceptual basis for multi-level modelling and the techniques and packages available. Assessment is by a 2500-word essay, which accounts for 50% of the final grade for this module.
Systematic Reviews in Mental Health (15 credits)
This module provides students with an advanced understanding and practical knowledge of systematic reviews, and the problems and limitations associated with this type of research method. The course will focus on systematic review procedures for intervention studies, particularly RCTs, although reviews of other types of study design will be discussed. By the end of the module the student will be able to: understand the reasons for doing a systematic review; formulate questions appropriate for systematic reviews; develop a protocol for a systematic review; design and undertake comprehensive searches for relevant studies; critically appraise studies for inclusion in a systematic review; understand the potential impact of strengths and weaknesses of studies in a systematic review; understand how data can be used in meta-analyses; understand the role and work of the Cochrane Collaboration; produce a publication standard protocol for a systematic review; prepare a full systematic review. Assessment is by a 2,500-word essay, which accounts for 100% of the final grade for this module.
Duration
One year FT, two years PT, September to September.