L-DART FitSz (v1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Light-Dark and Activity Rhythm Therapy for sleep: Feasibility and acceptability in Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (L-DART FitSz)
IRAS ID
268874
Contact name
Sophie M Faulkner
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN11998005
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 26 days
Research summary
We have been doing research looking at existing evidence, and surveying the views of relevant experts, on how to improve sleep wake patterns in people with schizophrenia and related disorders. From this work we have designed a therapy, with the help and involvement of people with relevant lived experience along the way. In this study we will test whether we can deliver the therapy as planned, we will find out how acceptable people find it, and how much they are able to stick to it.
We will recruit 15-20 people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, schizotypal disorder), who also have problems with falling asleep, staying asleep, sleep timing, or sleep quality. An occupational therapist will see each participant for 6-9 sessions plus 3-6 phone calls to give Light-Dark and Activity Rhythm Therapy (L-DART). L-DART focuses on light exposure patterns across the day, the type of activities people are doing and when, and when people go to bed and get up. It includes education about sleep and the body clock, homework activities, using wearable technology to track and alter light exposure and activity timing, and making changes to the home environment.
We will measure things we hope to possibly improve through the intervention, like: sleep, daytime functioning, wellbeing, and mental health symptoms; but our main purpose in this study is to see how acceptable and practical the sleep therapy is to deliver and test. A big part of this will be based on individual interviews with participants after they have received the intervention.
We will publish the results in a scientific journal, and in more accessible forms, including sending participants summaries of the research findings. The results should enable us to apply for further funding to test the intervention on a larger scale.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NW/0059
Date of REC Opinion
24 Feb 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion