Research Matters Forum - ‘Psychoanalytic psychotherapy with ADHD diagnosed children exposed to domestic violence'

At this forum, we'll hear from James Norris on his research - a mixed methods study that combined the typical quantitative outcome-focused foundations of health research with the case-study design of psychoanalytic investigation.

The research involved a year of psychoanalytic psychotherapy with three children with ADHD diagnoses and suggested that the therapy improved ADHD symptoms as well as supporting the notion of a new type of dissociative defence, which he has named ‘micro-dissociations’. These dissociative states are linked to failures the primitive aspects of psychoanalytic theory, but often misdiagnoses as the inattentive symptoms of ADHD.

James will be discussing the research process as well as the model of memory that it has produced.

The presentation will be delivered by James Norris and chaired by Dr Elena Della Rosa, Deputy Director of Scientific Research

James Norris:

James trained at the Birmingham Trust for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and since qualifying has working in a number of roles across the Midlands. He taught child development research on the pre-clinical training and recently completed his doctorate at the University of Essex with his thesis on ‘micro-dissociations’ and how these might complicate diagnostic processes for neurodevelopmental conditions. Prior to training as a psychotherapist, James worked in His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, where he was a caseworker for the Mental Health Review Tribunal and held various leadership roles across the First Tier Tribunal. James has recently returned to leadership, now within the NHS, where he is currently the Head of Specialist Mental Health and Neurodevelopmental Services for Children and Young People at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust..

Dr Elena Della Rosa:

Dr Elena Della Rosa - Elena trained at the Tavistock Centre, has worked in the NHS and has been teaching at the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies at the University of Essex. She is currently working in private practice. She has an interest in research and is a research supervisor on the clinical training at the Tavistock. She is Deputy Director of the Scientific Committee at the ACP.

ABOUT RESEARCH MATTERS FORUM: 

The aim of this bi-monthly forum is to bring together child psychotherapists who want to learn more about research, to enhance their knowledge, skills and to find other colleagues who may be interested in similar topics for potential collaboration.

The research carried out by members has been spurred by their clinical practice and interest in clinical issues. This discussion forum will enable dialogue on how to tackle clinical dilemmas and ethical practice in research.