Compassion-Focused Therapy for Distressing Mood Swings: A Case Series
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An Investigation into the Safety, Acceptability and Feasibility of a Brief Compassion-Focused Intervention for People Who Experience Distressing Mood Swings: A Case Series.
IRAS ID
312253
Contact name
Amy Hardy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) claims we have three systems in our brains that help us to manage emotions; threat (which is about danger), drive (which is about reward) and soothing (which is about comfort). Mental wellbeing is dependent on a helpful balance between these three systems. If they are unbalanced, then we can experience problems in life. For example, if our threat system takes over, we feel more unsafe and scared.
Bipolar Affective Disorder (BPAD) has been linked to these three systems becoming unbalanced. CFT involves finding new ways of soothing to balance the threat and drive systems. Research has investigated the effects of CFT for some mental health conditions, but has not yet tested for BPAD.
We will deliver a short CFT for BPAD to find out how it will be received and whether it meets peoples' needs. We also want to check that there are no negative effects and that it can delivered in a short timeframe. The findings will help us find out if a larger research study should be conducted on CFT for BPAD.
This study will recruit adults with a BPAD diagnosis from the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust who are not already receiving CFT, have a good level of English and are able to take part safely.
Following informed consent, participants will have 6 meetings with the trial therapist, either face to face or on a video call, depending on their preference. This includes an initial meeting to find out about their difficulties, introduce the therapy and complete questionnaires. This will be followed by 4 therapy sessions and a final meeting 2 weeks after therapy has ended to repeat the questionnaires. Therapy sessions will be weekly and last for around 1 hour. The assessment and follow-up sessions may last up to 90 minutes.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/YH/0208
Date of REC Opinion
20 Sep 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion