This thesis has been submitted towards the requirements of the Doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology and consists of three chapters.
The first chapter consists of a systematic literature review, which included 13 published research studies exploring digital forensic analysts’ experiences of working with online child sexual exploitation and abuse and child sexual exploitation materials. The review has a specific focus on understanding the psychological impact this work can have, and how analysts manage the complex demands of this job. Five themes were identified which reflected the emotional, cognitive, and behavioural changes recognised and experienced from working in this role.
The second chapter is an empirical research study which adopted an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, to explore digital analysts’ personal experiences of working in this role, how they feel it has impacted them, and how they manage this. Seven digital forensic analysts were interviewed. Three group experiential themes were identified which captured the complex challenges faced from working in this role, and its perceived impact on analysts’ wellbeing and relationships. The third, and concluding chapter, contains two press releases which provide an accessible and succinct overview of both the review and empirical research study
