How do service users experience stabilisation interventions?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How do service users experience stabilisation interventions? A UK-based qualitative study of helpful elements and perceived changes
IRAS ID
369182
Contact name
Phoebe Crutchley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Holloway, University of London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
0, 0
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 27 days
Research summary
Many people who have experienced trauma are offered a stabilisation group before further psychological therapy in NHS services. Stabilisation groups usually include learning about how trauma affects the mind and body, learning ways to cope with difficult emotions (such as grounding or breathing exercises), and finding ways to feel safer and more settled in daily life. These groups are widely used, but there is currently little UK research exploring experiences of those who have attended them.
The aim of this study is to better understand people’s experiences of group-based stabilisation programmes, what aspects they personally find helpful or unhelpful and how they feel these groups fit into their wider recovery.
The study will involve adults (aged 18 and over) who have previously taken part in a stabilisation group within an NHS service. Participants will be invited to take part in one individual interview lasting around 45–60 minutes, which will take place online using Microsoft Teams. During the interview, participants will be asked about what it was like to attend the group, which parts felt helpful or unhelpful, whether they noticed any changes in themselves or their daily life, and how they understand the role of stabilisation within their recovery. Participants will not be asked to describe details of traumatic events.
Around 10–12 people will take part. Interviews will be recorded with consent, written out, and anonymised so that individuals cannot be identified.
The findings will help NHS services understand what matters most to people who attend stabilisation groups and how these groups could be improved to ensure they are relevant, supportive, and genuinely beneficial.
This study forms part of a doctoral research project funded through an NHS clinical psychology training programme and will recruit through NHS community mental health services.
REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
26/WA/0123
Date of REC Opinion
20 May 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion