Exploring individuals' experiences of SCM and STEPPS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring individuals’ experiences of Structured Clinical Management and Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis
IRAS ID
300737
Contact name
Gaytri Shah
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 6 days
Research summary
Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD) is a mental health diagnosis given to individuals who experience intense, fluctuating emotions that they struggle to regulate. Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (STEPPS) and Structured Clinical Management (SCM) have been recognized as effective interventions for reducing the core difficulties associated with EUPD. STEPPS is a manualized, specialized group program developed in 1995, aiming to reduce hospital admission and self-harm (Black & Blum, 2016). It comprises cognitive behavioural elements, skills training, and a systems component.
SCM was developed as a generalist approach to managing EUPD, which requires minimal additional training. It is a group-based intervention which also offers individual sessions all of which are based on the counselling model with case management, advocacy support and problem-oriented psychotherapeutic interventions (Mitchell et al., 2021).
Both STEPPS and SCM offer potential benefits to people using services, and evidence demonstrates their effectiveness within the National Health Service (NHS). However, studies have yet to compare these interventions directly. Moreover, all the current literature is quantitative. Qualitative methods can provide insight into people’s subjective experiences, suggesting whether an intervention is acceptable and engaging to service users, by exploring their experience of an intervention, embedded within the context it will be used and can help with intervention development (Yardley et al., 2015).
Currently, both interventions are being offered within Surrey and Borders Partnership (SABP). STEPPS is a long-established care pathway, whereas SCM has been running as a pilot since 2021. This proposed study aims to address the gaps in the literature by exploring the experiences of clients who have attended one of these interventions, through conducting semi-structured interviews. The verbatim gathered will be analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA: Smith et al., 2009) to understand how service users experience SCM and STEPPS.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/NW/0191
Date of REC Opinion
25 Jun 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion