Impact of Gravitational Insecurity on Adult Emotional Well-being in Mental Health Settings

1. The impact of gravitational insecurity The impact of gravitational insecurity on the emotional well on the emotional well- -being and functioning of adults in mental health functioning of adults in mental health settings: An interpretative settings: An interpretative phenomenological analysis phenomenological analysis being and ECMH 2023 Rebecca Matson (University of Liverpool) Ethical approval: University of Liverpool ILCAMS-REC reference 11501.

2. What is gravitational insecurity? What is gravitational insecurity? ◎ A sensory processing disorder A sensory processing disorder characterised by extreme fear of characterised by extreme fear of movement movement ◎ Our relationship with gravity is “as Our relationship with gravity is “as important as our relationship with our important as our relationship with our mother” mother” (Fisher & Bundy, 1989; Ayres, 2005) 2

3. Background Background ◎ Experienced by 6 Experienced by 6- -18% of adults to some extent some extent (May-Benson et al, 2020) ◎ Impact on emotional stability & Impact on emotional stability & potential misdiagnosis potential misdiagnosis (Coelho & Balaban, 2015) ◎ Less is known about specific Less is known about specific experience of adults experience of adults (Potegal et al, 2022) 18% of adults to 3

4. Aims & Objectives Aims & Objectives ◎ How this difficulty presents within How this difficulty presents within the adult mental health population the adult mental health population ◎ Impact and significance of GI on Impact and significance of GI on emotional and mental well emotional and mental well- -being. ◎ Main barriers presented in relation Main barriers presented in relation to day to day activities. to day to day activities. being. 4

5. Methods Methods ◎ Semi Semi- -structured interviews structured interviews ◎ 6 occupational therapists 6 occupational therapists ◎ Mental health settings Mental health settings ◎ Recorded vis Recorded vis MSTeams ◎ Interpretative phenomenological Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) analysis (IPA) (Smith & Nizza, 2022) MSTeams 5

6. Group experiential themes Group experiential themes ◎ An often unseen difficulty An often unseen difficulty ◎ Describing the nature of the challenges Describing the nature of the challenges ◎ Alterations in relationships Alterations in relationships ◎ Considering the therapeutic approach Considering the therapeutic approach 6

7. “ “it could have been a bit of a, a lightbulb “it could have been a bit of a, a lightbulb moment in terms of actually this is moment in terms of actually this is what's, could have been going on for me, what's, could have been going on for me, it's not necessarily, you know, not what it's not necessarily, you know, not what maybe everyone else, saying it is” maybe everyone else, saying it is” (Alice*) An often unseen difficulty An often unseen difficulty *pseudonym 7

8. “ “she was like, standing there and she “she was like, standing there and she was like, I can't, I can't, do it, like my, was like, I can't, I can't, do it, like my, my feet, I, I can't move” my feet, I, I can't move” (Emma*) Describing the nature of the challenges Describing the nature of the challenges *pseudonym 8

9. “ “you don't trust your body to stay upright, I “you don't trust your body to stay upright, I think that's certainly an element of it but think that's certainly an element of it but it's, it, to me it seems much more than that, it's, it, to me it seems much more than that, it seems to be a wellbeing impact that stems it seems to be a wellbeing impact that stems out of lack of connection to the ground” out of lack of connection to the ground” (Olivia*) Alterations in relationships Alterations in relationships *pseudonym 9

10. “ “so you're building it you know gradually for “so you're building it you know gradually for them so that their, their, their vestibular them so that their, their, their vestibular system's able to, process that in a way, to and system's able to, process that in a way, to and interpret it that actually ok, I can deal with interpret it that actually ok, I can deal with this, this is ok, this is safe.” this, this is ok, this is safe.” (Chloe*) Considering the therapeutic approach Considering the therapeutic approach *pseudonym 10

11. Conclusions and future steps Conclusions and future steps ◎ GI leads to restricted lifestyles & GI leads to restricted lifestyles & progress progress ◎ There is a need to build understanding & There is a need to build understanding & awareness awareness ◎ Future studies will aim to investigate Future studies will aim to investigate service user perceptions service user perceptions 11

12. References References Ayres, A.J. (2005) Sensory Integration and the Child. 25th anniversary edition. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services. Coelho, C. M., & Balaban, C. D. (2015). Visuo-vestibular contributions to anxiety and fear. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 48, 148-159. Fisher, A.G. & Bundy, A.C. (1989) Vestibular stimulation in the treatment of postural and related disorders. In O.D. Payton, R.P. DiFabio, S.V. Paris, E.J. Protas & A.F. VanSant (Eds.) Manual of Physical Therapy Techniques (pp. 71-107). New York: Guilford Press. May-Benson, T. A., de Mello Gentil, J. L., & Teasdale, A. (2020). Characteristics and prevalence of gravitational insecurity in children with sensory processing dysfunction. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 101, 103640. doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103640 Potegal, M., May-Benson, T. A., Oxborough, S., Hall, A., & McKnight, S. (2022). Reduced Gain and Shortened Time Constant of Vestibular Velocity Storage as a Source of Balance and Movement Sensitivities in Gravitational Insecurity. Occupational Therapy International, https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5240907. Smith, J.A. & Nizza, I.E. (2022) Essentials of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Sage Publications. 12

13. Thanks! Any questions? Any questions? You can find me at @beckymatson84 & rebecca.matson@liverpool.ac.uk 13