Understanding the lived experience of people who have had or continue to have ECT as they participate in daily life.

Abstract

Background

There is limited knowledge about long term impacts of ECT on individuals, especially from a lived experience perspective. The aim of this thesis was to explore the long-term impacts of ECT on people’s daily lives and the strategies they employ to minimise or manage them.

Methods

Study 1: A qualitative meta-synthesis was conducted. Results sections of eligible papers were analysed thematically.

Study 2: A constructivist grounded theory was conducted involving two phases; interviews followed by focus groups. In both phases, an iterative process of data collection and analysis occurred. Data were analysed using constant comparative analysis.

Findings

Study 1 - Meta synthesis

The results sections of all 16 included publications were analysed thematically, resulting in identification of 11 long-term impacts, four social influences, and five strategies employed to navigate these long-term impacts.

Study 2 - Constructivist grounded theory

Twenty-three people participated in semi-structured interviews and 26 people participated in focus groups. Data were coded into four overarching categories: (1) My ECT experience; (2) Long-term impacts; (3) My strategies and (4) barriers to developing strategies.

Conclusions

This thesis has highlighted the need for people with a lived experience of ECT to be given support and resources to live well post ECT. The ECT experience is much more than the “ZAP” in the clinic. People DO experience direct long-term impacts both positive and negative, including cognitive/memory AND emotional/psychological impacts. These direct long-term impacts have a flow on impact on people’s lives. People’s journey of developing strategies is typically a lonely and unsupported one, and there is an untapped potential for peer support roles within the ECT context.