Spotlight on Researchers - Sandra-Eve Bamigbade

Posted on 23 July 2018

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Sandra-Eve Bamigbade is a PhD student at the University of Hertfordshire interested in exploring the mealtime experiences of young people (12-16 years old) with TS and their parents.

Name

Sandra-Eve Bamigbade

Position

PhD Student

Where are you doing your research? 

The University of Hertfordshire

What is the topic of your research?

Nothing makes me happier than sharing good food with great company! I believe that mealtimes can bring people together but recognise that this isn’t always the case. I seek to explore a range of mealtimes experiences and to understand what factors play a role in creating these experiences.

There has been very little research that has focused on mealtimes in families with young people with TS. This research project seeks to fill this gap by exploring mealtime experiences from the perspective of children and young people with TS and their parents.

How will this help people with TS?

Eating is one of the daily habits most likely to be negatively affected by sensory sensitivities (over or under responsiveness to certain smells, textures, tastes, sounds and temperatures). Research suggests that up to 80% of people with TS may have sensory sensitivities, although the way this impacts on their day-to-day lives is unknown. I want to understand more about how TS influences mealtimes.

Mealtimes have been linked to many positive outcomes such as improved academic performance, reduced risks of overweight/obesity and better psychological wellbeing. There have also been benefits to families such as an increased sense of belonging and connectedness which makes mealtimes an interesting area for research.  The more that is known about the day-to-day lives of individuals with TS and their families, the better informed practitioners will be to offer support.

What stage of the research are you at?

The research project has just started recruiting participants, so I am interested in hearing from anyone who would like to participate in the study. If you want more information, please contact me, Sandra-Eve by email: s.bamigbade@herts.ac.uk.

What will happen next in the study?

You will be invited to take part in a Skype interview with the researcher. This will take approximately 60 minutes and can be arranged at a time and date that suits you. If you live within the M25 or surrounding areas, you will have the option of requesting a face-to-face interview, should you prefer. After the interview, you will be asked to complete a short online questionnaire. The study is currently recruiting teenagers aged 12-16 with Tourettes and parents of children (any age) diagnosed with Tourettes or a tic disorder. Should both young people and their parents wish to participate, individual interviews will be arranged.

Why do you want to be a researcher?

I’ve always been curious and wanted to understand things; especially people’s experiences. I find it fascinating that we all have such different experiences but that there is also a common human experience that we have too. Being a researcher allows me the freedom to dig deeper and to follow my interests. This project is particularly exciting for me as I get to learn about an area of people’s lives that we don’t know much about. There’s so much to discover and a real possibility that the findings can contribute towards the development of interventions to help support families and increase their quality of life.

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