The Relationship Between Interoception and Psychological Outcomes: A Mind-Body Intervention in Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension
Phase: NA
Conditions: Interoception, Pulmonary Hypertension
Sponsor: Golden Jubilee National Hospital

Interoceptive Based Intervention in Pulmonary Hypertension: Participant information sheet (Version3 30/04/24). IRAS ID: 
337496 
 
Version 3                                          IRAS ID:  337496                                                                    30/04/2024 
Psychological Therapies Service  
Golden Jubilee National Hospital 
Agamemnon Street 
Clydebank 
G81 4DY 
07970 496554 
Gjnh.psychology@gjnh.scot.nhs.uk  
 
Participant Information Sheet 
 
Research Project Title 
The Relationship Between Interoception and Psychological Outcomes: A Mind-
Body Intervention in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension 
 
Researchers Involved  
Derick Moore (Lead Researcher and Trainee Clinical Psychologist), Dr Lynne 
Johnston (Research Supervisor and Consultant Clinical Psychologist), Dr Klaudia 
Suchorab (Field Supervisor and Principal Clinical Psychologist). 
 
My name is Derick Moore. I am doing a research study as part of my training 
course to become a Clinical Psychologist and you are being invited to take part 
in this study. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand why the 
research is being done and what it will involve if you decide to take part. If you 
decide not to take part, this will not impact the care you receive from the 
Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit (SPVU) in any way. Please take time to read 
the following information carefully and to decide whether or not you want to 
take part. You can also talk to others if you wish.  
If there is anything unclear or if you would like to know more about the study 
then please feel free to contact me using the details provided at the bottom of 
this form.  

Interoceptive Based Intervention in Pulmonary Hypertension: Participant information sheet (Version3 30/04/24). IRAS ID: 
337496 
 
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What is the purpose of the study?  
The word ‘interoception’ relates to how we sense the signals that come from 
inside our body, such as noticing our heart is beating faster or our breathing 
becoming quicker. People living with pulmonary hypertension often report 
having difficulties understanding the changes in their bodily sensations once 
their symptoms first start. Research suggests that the better we tune into our 
body’s needs, the better we can look after our emotional and physical well-
being. For example, with better interoception, we may be less worried about 
changes in our body or able to balance our activities better by for example, 
taking time to rest.  
 
We have developed an online group intervention, which we hope will improve 
people’s ability to tune into their bodies and make better sense of their 
physical sensations. As this is a new intervention, which has not been used by 
individuals with pulmonary hypertension, we are interested in evaluating how 
helpful it is. 
 
Why have I been chosen to take part?  
You have been invited to take part in the research as you have a diagnosis of 
pulmonary hypertension and are in the care of the SPVU.  
 
Do I have to take part? 
No. It is up to you whether you wish to take part. Your decision will not affect 
the care you receive within the SPVU. Participation in the study is voluntary 
and you have the right to withdraw at any time without needing to give a 
reason.  
 
What will I be asked to do?  
If you are interested in taking part in this study, you will complete a brief 
‘expression of interest’ form (via the link or QR code below), which asks your 

Interoceptive Based Intervention in Pulmonary Hypertension: Participant information sheet (Version3 30/04/24). IRAS ID: 
337496 
 
Version 3                                          IRAS ID:  337496                                                                    30/04/2024 
contact details and your consent for me to contact you for a brief initial 
telephone call at a time convenient to you.  
During the telephone call, I will take you through the study and answer any 
questions you may have. Consenting to this call does not commit you to taking 
part in the study. If you would like to participate, I will ask you to complete an 
online consent form. This will say that you understand what the study involves 
and agree to take part. After you have consented, a final screening stage will 
occur to make sure you meet the study’s inclusion criteria. I will discuss with 
you the outcome of screening and whether the study may be beneficial to you. 
Once you have consented to take part in the study and have met the inclusion 
criteria, you can decide to withdraw your participation at any point.  
As part of the study, you will also be asked to complete a demographic form 
and four questionnaires about how aware you are of your body sensations and 
how you respond to them, symptoms of anxiety and low mood as well as your 
health-related quality of life. These should take no more than 20 minutes to 
complete. I will also write to your GP to inform them of your interest in the 
study, and if any risk of harm to yourself is identified through the screening 
process.  
 
What will the intervention involve?  
As part of the study, you will be randomly allocated into either the intervention 
group, or the waitlists group.  
 
Intervention group 
If you are randomly allocated to the intervention group, you will be asked to 
attend an online group for eight consecutive weeks, lasting 90 minutes per 
session (including two breaks).  
Once the group has finished, you will be asked to complete the same 
questionnaires again as well as an extra one, asking your thoughts on the 
intervention. 
  
 

Interoceptive Based Intervention in Pulmonary Hypertension: Participant information sheet (Version3 30/04/24). IRAS ID: 
337496 
 
Version 3                                          IRAS ID:  337496                                                                    30/04/2024 
Waitlist group 
If you are randomly allocated to the waitlist group, you will complete the 
questionnaires at the same time the intervention group does (prior to them 
starting the treatment). You will then be contacted by me and asked to 
complete the same questionnaires again after the intervention group has 
completed the group. You will then be invited to start your intervention. This 
will include the same content as the first group and will also last for eight 
consecutive weeks. Once the intervention is complete, you will be asked to 
complete the questionnaires a final time, including the extra one which asks 
your thoughts on the intervention.  
 
This study will not impact other areas of your care and you should be able to 
keep your usual appointments.  
 
The intervention is a virtual group (via Microsoft Teams) running for one 
session every week for eight weeks. Each session lasts for 90 minutes and 
includes two breaks. Each group will have between 8-12 participants and we 
predict that we will run four groups in total. There will be two trained 
facilitators running each group, myself and a qualified Clinical Psychologist.   
The intervention aims to be a safe and supportive space where participants can 
share their experiences of living with pulmonary hypertension. We will also 
help you learn how to tune into your body more and better understand your 
bodily sensations. This may in turn improve your emotional well-being and 
health-related quality of life. You will be asked to practice various exercises in 
your day-to-day life and share your experiences with the group.   
If you consent to the study, it is expected that you attend all eight sessions. If 
you miss a session I will contact and update you on the missed session. As this 
is a brand-new intervention, it is important that researchers have as much data 
as possible to analyse the feasibility of the project. Missing sessions will impact 
the results of the study. If you miss three sessions, it is assumed that the 
intervention cannot be accurately analysed and therefore your results will be 
removed. 
 
 

Interoceptive Based Intervention in Pulmonary Hypertension: Participant information sheet (Version3 30/04/24). IRAS ID: 
337496 
 
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What are the potential disadvantages and risks of taking part?  
There are minimal risks involved in this study. Some people may find certain 
topics upsetting as we will ask you to reflect on your experiences of living with 
pulmonary hypertension. Sometimes, we might ask you to focus on your 
physical symptoms to help you connect more to your body, which you might 
also find difficult. 
If you wish to stop, you can do so at any point. If you find any topics or 
exercises upsetting, you can speak to myself or the other facilitator for 
additional support. You can also withdraw from the study at any point. 
 
 
What are the possible advantages and benefits to taking part? 
As this is a newly developed intervention, there is no guarantee you will benefit 
from the treatment. However, similar studies in other areas show that 
individuals who work on connecting more to their bodies have improved well-
being. Better well-being in turn improves people’s quality of life. 
Your feedback will help us improve the intervention for future users, 
contributing to the development of psychological therapies for patients with 
pulmonary hypertension. 
 
Will my participation in this study be kept confidential?  
Yes. All information will be kept strictly confidential. You will not be identified in 
any reports or publications. There are strict laws which safeguard your privacy 
at every stage of the study. Only researchers involved in this study will have 
access to your information.  
After you have consented to the study, you will be given a ‘participant number’ 
and all identifiable information will be removed. This means only the 
researchers will know who has completed the questionnaires. Your GP will be 
sent a brief letter informing them that you have expressed your interest in the 
study, but the letter will not include any details about answers you have 
provided. If you disclose any information to the researchers that indicate risk of 
harm to yourself or others, relevant professionals will be informed.   

Interoceptive Based Intervention in Pulmonary Hypertension: Participant information sheet (Version3 30/04/24). IRAS ID: 
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If for any reason you lose your ability to make decisions throughout the 
duration of the study, we will retain personal data and continue to use this in a 
confidential manner, with the purpose for which your consent was originally 
sought.  
 
What will happen to the results of the study? 
The results will be written up as part of my coursework and submitted to the 
University of Glasgow as part of my training in the Doctorate of Clinical 
Psychology. I will aim to publish the results of this study in an academic journal 
and present the results to relevant interested groups and conferences to 
deepen the clinicians’ understanding of how the mind and body connection 
could impact individuals with pulmonary hypertension. These results will be 
anonymised, meaning that no participants will be named, and all identifiable 
information will be removed.  
You will also be given a written summary of the results of the study if you wish. 
 
Who is organising and funding the study?  
This research is funded by the University of Glasgow. The study is sponsored by 
NHS Golden Jubilee.  
 
Who has reviewed the study? 
This study has been approved by the London – Westminster Research Ethics 
Committee and the University of Glasgow.  
The study has also been reviewed by those with personal experience of 
pulmonary hypertension.   
 
How to contact us 
If you have any questions about the study, then please contact the research 
team using the details below:  
Email: gjnh.psychology@gjnh.scot.nhs.uk  
Phone: 07970 496554 

Interoceptive Based Intervention in Pulmonary Hypertension: Participant information sheet (Version3 30/04/24). IRAS ID: 
337496 
 
Version 3                                          IRAS ID:  337496                                                                    30/04/2024 
Address: Psychological Therapies Service, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, 
Agamemnon Street, Clydebank, G81 4DY 
 
Who can I contact if I have a complaint?  
If you have any concerns about this study and/or you would like to make a 
formal complaint, please use any of the contact details below: 
• Dr John Sharp (Consultant Clinical Psychologist), Head of Psychology, 
Golden Jubilee National Hospital:  john.sharp@gjnh.scot.nhs.uk  
• Email: feedback@gjnh.scot.nhs.uk 
• Call our Clinical Governance Team on: 0141 951 5951 
• Write to: Patient Feedback Team, Clinical Governance Freepost, Golden 
Jubilee National Hospital, Agamemnon Streed, Clydebank, G81 4DY.  
Please scan the QR code or follow the link below to complete the short 
‘expression of interest’ form so I can contact you to discuss the study. If you 
have any difficulties using the QR code or link below, please contact 
derick.moore2@ggc.scot.nhs.uk  
 
 
 Expression of Interest Form Link 
          https://forms.office.com/e/LgtDjjQPZM  
 
 
 
 
 

Interoceptive Based Intervention in Pulmonary Hypertension: Participant information sheet (Version3 30/04/24). IRAS ID: 
337496 
 
Version 3                                          IRAS ID:  337496                                                                    30/04/2024 
Thank you for considering taking part in this research project.