ENHANCE: Enhancing parent-child interactions v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Enhancing the quality of interactions between parents with psychosis and their young children: A feasibility randomised controlled trial of video feedback
IRAS ID
345724
Contact name
Louise Johns
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 29 days
Research summary
Psychosis is a severe mental health problem characterised by unusual sensory experiences and distressing beliefs, difficulties with motivation, and mood problems. Many patients with psychosis are parents, and their symptoms can impact on their ability to tune into their child’s communication and respond sensitively. This impacts on the parent’s and child’s wellbeing and increases the risk of future child mental health problems.
There are no interventions supported by research to help this group of parents to interact with their children. We plan to evaluate an approach called “video feedback”. It involves the therapist and parent watching brief videotaped interactions between the parent and child, to help parents notice moments of positive interaction where they respond sensitively to their child’s communication. This approach helps parents to build on their strengths.
While we know that video feedback works with other parent groups, we do not know whether it helps parents with psychosis. Before carrying out a trial of video feedback, an initial study is needed to pilot the intervention with this patient group and determine if a larger trial is feasible.
Forty patients with psychosis who are parents to children up to 3 years-old will take part. Parents will be put into two groups (decided by chance): twenty will receive video feedback and twenty will continue with their usual treatment. The parents will complete assessments before and after the treatment period. A group of parents with psychosis is advising on the study.
We will record how many parents we recruit, how many complete the intervention, and how successful we are at collecting data. We will measure the impact of video feedback on parent-child interaction by rating video clips before and after. We will also measure parent wellbeing and child emotional adjustment. We will interview parents about their experience of the video feedback.REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
25/NS/0093
Date of REC Opinion
19 Aug 2025
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion