Introducing UNiCORN
Updated: Sep 27, 2020
The Uncertainty Distress Model (UDM) evolved from a group of clinicians and researchers in Newcastle that had been meeting to develop various projects relating to Intolerance of Uncertainty as a transdiagnostic process. In recent times the group had started to reflect on situations where people are facing actual uncertainty in their lives, such as a caring role or a changing health condition. Little did we know that these discussions would quickly become extremely relevant for all of us through the impact of Coronavirus Covid-19, and that we would all be facing significant and multiple uncertainties relating to our own health and wellbeing, and that of our friends and family.
Mark Freeston convened a small group to develop and refine the UDM and design the survey we are using to test it. As more academics and clinicians have joined the team we have formalised our group; UNcertainty in Coronavirus Research Network. We have no official funding though we are supported by resources from multiple organisations in the UK, Canada, Greece, Spain, and Italy.
We are driven by curiosity, enthusiasm and a desire to understand distress in the face of high uncertainty. We hope to advance the understanding, measurement and CBT treatment of Intolerance of Uncertainty and Uncertainty Distress.
We value producing research that has empirical integrity and is also relatable to clinical practice and our own experiences. Our group is collaborative, works together as an interdisciplinary team to acknowledge limitations of any individual, advance our different skills and abilities, and to combine our knowledge and experience in the pursuit of good scientific practice. We are scientist practitioners and are guided by the principles of open science.
We are excited about where we might end up. Follow formal project updates on ResearchGate and more informal news and ideas here in our blog. Watch this space to follow us into the unknown . . .
