Workshops

Summary

The Reproducible Open Coding Kit (the ROCK) is a standard to code plain text files, designed to be both human-and machine-readable. Such a dataset can be further processed with a variety of software packages. The ROCK standard is implemented in two piecesof open-source software: the interface for ROCK (iROCK) aiding manual coding and segmentation, and the R package {rock} for processing and analysing coded sources.

In this workshop, participants will learn to use iROCK to code transcripts, and the `rock`package to clean data, process deductive and inductive code trees, and inspect the coded fragments either overall or based on participant attributes. At this point, the coded data will be available in R, making it easy for the researcher to leverage the packages for natural language processing, sentiment analysis, and visualisation tools.

In addition, the data can be exported to a spreadsheet format file.Note that although the workshop offers some hands-on training in qualitative research, the focus of the workshop is on data processing, not on theory and background.

Summary

Core outcome sets (COS) are standardised sets of outcomes representing the minimum outcomes that should be collected and measured in specific health areas. Development and use of COS facilitates better conduct and reporting of trials, greater stakeholder engagement in research, and more cohesive and robust evidence syntheses that enhance knowledge and implementation of health interventions. This can lead to significant beneficial impacts on future health psychology research and the application of research finding in policy and practice. Despite increasing recognition of the importance of COS for the conduct, reporting, and improvement of health psychology research, they remain under-developed and utilised in health psychology.

The aims of this workshop are to educate participants about what COS are, why COS are useful in health psychology, provide training on how to develop a COS. The workshop will outline best practices in COS development and will facilitate discussion on uses and challenges of COS in health psychology.

1. Introduce participants to COS concepts
2. Introduce participants to uses and benefits of COS in health psychology
3. Describe and engage with methods for developing a COS

Summary

N-of-1 (or ‘single-case’) methods in health psychology involve the repeated measurement of psychological, health and behavioural variables in an individual over time to draw conclusions specific to that individual. Health psychology theories and health behaviour interventions are typically tested in studies that compare behaviour between different individuals. N-of-1 observational and experimental designs allow us to test whether these theories and interventions can explain variations in behaviour within an individual. N-of-1 methods are advocated by the UK Medical Research Council for testing theories and evaluating health interventions. N-of-1 methods are recognised for providing the highest level of evidence for making clinical decisions for individual patients since they generate conclusions about treatment effectiveness based on patients’ own empirical data.

Traditionally, analysis of N-of-1 data has relied on visual inspection, where a trained observer inspects graphed data to identify the relationship between variables through examination of data features such as trend, variability, immediacy of effect etc. More recently, statistical approaches to the analysis of N-of-1 data have been applied. The gold standard for evaluating N-of-1 data is to use both visual and statistical analysis. 

This workshop will introduce participants to the use of simple forms of visual analysis and dynamic regression modelling for analysing N-of-1 data. Dynamic regression modelling is an extension of multiple regression analysis, which will be familiar to most delegates. At the end of the workshop, delegates will have knowledge about the unique features of N-of-1 data. 

Over the last ten years at EHPS conferences we have presented the broad applications of our theory-based, evaluated, reproducible, transferable, upscaleable and cost-effective brief behaviour change intervention, “Healthy Conversation Skills”. This intervention is based on Social Cognitive Theory and aims to increase people’s self-efficacy through a person-centred and empowering approach, utilising behaviour change techniques and adult learning models. The intervention has been delivered internationally, in England by Health Education England to meet the Making Every Contact Count agenda, and is accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health. It has been applied in a range of settings, including public health, social and clinical care, and education.  Evaluations have shown that after training staff have adapted their practice to be less didactic and more empowering.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic we developed a virtual interactive version of the Healthy Conversation Skills training, “Supportive Conversations”, which has been delivered to over 600 staff in health and social care and third sector organisations in the UK.

The objectives are to provide delegates with an opportunity to reflect on behaviour change, gain practical skills and consider how this training could be applied within their own research, practice and interventions.