Mindful movement for people experiencing psychosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Mindful movement for people experiencing psychosis in an inpatient mental health rehabilitation setting
IRAS ID
334361
Contact name
Casey McCrae
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 18 days
Research summary
Psychotic disorders can cause significant distress to those affected. People experiencing psychosis often require long term inpatient mental health rehabilitation (MHR) treatment.
There is growing research evidence supporting Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) for people experiencing psychosis. Unpleasant internal experiences, such as psychotic symptoms (e.g. auditory hallucinations) or worries about the future, can lead to unhelpful reactions, which can often be more distressing than the experience itself. Mindfulness is a method for reducing unhelpful reactions by focusing on aspects of the present moment, such as the breath and body sensations. This can be difficult for some people experiencing psychosis due to difficulties remaining seated or concentrated for any length of time. Adding movement to the mindfulness practice may help with these difficulties. This study aims to investigate the impact of a mindful movement intervention for people experiencing psychosis in a mental health rehabilitation setting. The three primary research questions are:
1. Is there an observable trend of change in participant’s distress levels over the course of the intervention?
2. Is there an observable trend of change in participant’s mindfulness abilities over the course of the intervention?
3. Do observed changes in mindfulness abilities across each session impact on observed changes in distress levels across each session?Participants will be individuals receiving MHR treatment at NHS Lothian Royal Edinburgh Hospital who meet the criteria for a psychotic disorder. They will complete 8 intervention sessions, with outcome measures being administered at baseline (1-week pre intervention), the final session, and at 2-week follow up. Outcome measures will assess levels of mindfulness and distress. Participants will also complete the outcome measures in reduced form each session to assess the process of outcome change across the intervention. The movement element of the mindfulness will take the form of mindful walking and basic Tai Chi movements.
REC name
South East Scotland REC 02
REC reference
24/SS/0055
Date of REC Opinion
13 Aug 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion