CAMHS Effectiveness Study, Version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility, Acceptability, Safety, and Preliminary Effectiveness of an Ultra-Brief Crisis IPT-A Based Intervention (IPT-A-SCI) and Treatment as Usual (TAU) for Suicidal Children and Adolescents in UK CAMHS.
IRAS ID
329260
Contact name
Andy Siddaway
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Lanarkshire
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Suicide is a major public health concern and a leading cause of death in adolescents. Despite the need for immediate interventions for teens presenting with suicidal ideation and behaviour, there are few evidence-based, suicide-specific interventions for at-risk youth. A large evidence-base has established the use of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) for a range of mental health problems in different age groups, and a recent feasibility study conducted in Israel established the effectiveness of an IPT-based brief acute crisis intervention for suicidal adolescents (IPT-A-SCI). The present study explores the feasibility, acceptability, safety and preliminary effectiveness of IPT-A-SCI in an NHS setting.
Adolescents aged 12-18 presenting to hospital with suicidal behaviour will be allocated to receive either IPT-A-SCI or Treatment as Usual (TAU) in a child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in NHS Lanarkshire. Allocation to IPT-A-SCI will be based on clinician capacity to begin treatment within 1-2 weeks; when clinicians do not have capacity, participants will be allocated to TAU. IPT-A-SCI and TAU will consist of five weekly sessions plus a review session two weeks later. IPT-A-SCI involves safety planning to understand and manage risk; conceptualizing how interpersonal problems relate to suicide risk; developing and practicing interpersonal, emotional, and behavioural coping strategies; and relapse prevention. TAU involves safety planning to understand and manage risk; decider life skills involving components of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and relapse prevention. The clinical needs of participants will be reviewed at the end of interventions; participants will then be signposted to other services and discharged from CAMHS, discharged, or offered additional CAMHS interventions.
Measures of depressive symptoms, suicidality, interpersonal difficulties, emotional and behavioural functioning will be collected at Sessions 1 and 6. Measures of the therapeutic relationship and satisfaction with therapy will be collected at session 6. Qualitative feedback will be sought from clinicians.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 4
REC reference
24/WS/0019
Date of REC Opinion
5 Apr 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion