EPEC-R Feasibility RCT

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Feasibility Randomised Control Trial of Empowering Parents Empowering Communities-Recovery: a specialised intervention for parents with complex emotional and interpersonal needs.

  • IRAS ID

    297116

  • Contact name

    Crispin Day

  • Contact email

    Crispin.1.day@kcl.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

  • ISRCTN Number

    ISRCTN10950727

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 0 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    Parent's who have complex emotional and interpersonal needs, including the diagnosis of personality disorders, report greater inconsistent parenting and higher child behavioral difficulties and psychopathology. Empowering Parents Empowering Communities-Recovery (EPEC-R) is a group-based parenting intervention for parents with complex emotional and interpersonal needs and who are concerned about their child's (aged 2-11) behaviour. It was developed based on EPEC-being a parent, a well-established parenting course. The current study is a feasibility Randomized Controlled trial comparing EPEC-R to the standard EPEC group. That is, the study aims to establish how possible (feasible) and acceptable the trial procedures and intervention are to parents. Seventy two parents who self identify as struggling with their emotions and relationships and who meet Standard Assessment of Personality- Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS) criteria for probable personality difficulty will be recruited. Recruitment will occur online, in the community or in community health and social care settings. Parents will be randomised to EPEC or EPEC-R groups. Both interventions will be carried out in the community by highly experienced and skilled parent group leaders who are trained in delivering EPEC or EPEC-R interventions.
    Feasibility outcomes (outcomes which indicate whether a large multi-centre trial is possible) will include recruitment, retention (how many participants remain in the trial) and intervention acceptability. A process evaluation, involving interviews with trial participants, will be carried out to assess experience of the trial and intervention. The primary clinical outcome is child behaviour problems, with secondary clinical outcomes being (i) Parent concerns about their child (ii) parenting behaviour (iii) parent satisfaction and self-efficacy (iv) parent wellbeing (v) parent reflective function). We will also collect information about group cohesion to understand group processes.

  • REC name

    London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    21/LO/0473

  • Date of REC Opinion

    30 Jul 2021

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion