Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Mental Well-Being in Neurodivergent and Neurotypical Adults.
Please read the below information regarding research that you may wish to participate in:
Karol Morillo, a final-year BSc Dietetics student at London Metropolitan University, supervised by Dr Hilda Mulrooney, is conducting a research study that looks at whether gastrointestinal symptoms relate to emotional well-being differently in neurodivergent and neurotypical adults.
This study examines whether gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms – such as abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, or diarrhoea – predict mental well-being differently in neurodivergent adults compared to neurotypical adults.
You have been invited to participate in this research because you are aged 18 or over and can complete a questionnaire in English. The study welcomes participants from any country or background.
You are NOT eligible if you:
- Have had gastrointestinal surgery within the last three months.
- Have been diagnosed with a structural or inflammatory gastrointestinal condition (e.g. IBD, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or coeliac disease).
- Have been taking medication known to directly affect gut function/digestion, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (e.g., omeprazole, lansoprazole – used for acid reflux or heartburn), GLP-1/weight-loss, laxatives, antibiotics, etc., within the last three months
What will happen if I take part?
You will complete a single online survey on Microsoft Forms, estimated to take 10-15 minutes, open between June and October 2026. The survey includes:
- Demographic questions about yourself (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity, neurotype identity, and mental health status).
- Perceived stress levels over the past month.
- GI symptoms over the past week.
- Mental well-being over the past two weeks.
- A few open-ended questions about how gut health affects your mental well-being and daily life.
Participation is entirely voluntary. You may stop at any point before submitting by closing the browser, without consequence. Once submitted, withdrawal is not possible because the survey is fully anonymous, and responses cannot be linked back to you.
If you have any questions about any aspect of the research, you can contact:
Researcher: Karol Lizeth Morillo Ospina | Email: kam1380@my.londonmet.ac.uk and Supervisor: Dr Hilda Mulrooney | Email: h.mulrooney@londonmet.ac.uk
