Interpersonal art psychotherapy for the treatment of aggression
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Interpersonal art psychotherapy for the treatment of aggression in people with learning disabilities in secure care: a feasibility study and acceptability study
IRAS ID
191223
Contact name
Simon Hackett
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 0 days
Research summary
Art therapy is a psychological therapy that uses art making to help people who have difficulties communicating to work with a therapist on personal issues that are causing distress. An art therapy research study with men with mild learning disabilities who had committed criminal offences and were being treated in a hospital showed that their levels of aggression towards others reduced during and following art psychotherapy.
This research will assess the feasibility and acceptability of carrying out a full trial of art psychotherapy for treatment or aggression in three NHS sites in England. The result of this feasibility study will inform the design and management of a large scale randomised control trial to be conducted in the future.
To assess feasibility a delayed waiting list control will be used in the study due to consideration that it is unethical to withhold treatment from those who might benefit from it. Participants (n= 20) will be randomly allocated to ‘interpersonal art psychotherapy (IAP)' treatment (AP, n=10), or to 'treatment as usual’ followed by IAP (TAU+AP, n=10).
To assess acceptability of an 'attention condition' four participants will be recruited to a small crossover study receiving an 'art and craft' activity, 'mindful art therapy colouring-in', where they have the same level of attention given to them by an Art Therapist but without the active components of IAP. The participants will receive the 'art and craft' activity followed by a 'wash-out' period of 12 weeks followed by IAP.
We will recruit adults with learning disabilities or borderline learning disabilities who have capacity to give their consent to take part in a research study.
The results of this research will show if we can recruit participants, deliver the treatment with fidelity, use sound data collection procedures, and conduct a multi-site study in NHS settings in the future.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NE/0220
Date of REC Opinion
24 Aug 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion