Patient preferences for voice-hearing therapies (PREFER) V1 26.6.19
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Patient preferences regarding psychological therapies for distressing voice-hearing experiences.
IRAS ID
268517
Contact name
Clio Berry
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Sussex
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 30 days
Research summary
PREFER is a research study about the therapy preferences of patients who hear distressing voices. Different types of psychological (talking) therapies are available for people who hear distressing voices. These include individual and group therapies. Some therapies are delivered by experts. Some therapies are delivered by professionals who have had more brief training. We know that patients who have distressing and usual experiences like hearing voices can struggle to access and engage in psychological therapies. We want to find out more about what types of therapies patients who hear distressing voices most prefer.
We have created a questionnaire that asks patients to tell us about their preferences. We ask patients to rank aspects of therapy in order of their preferences, for example, options for where therapy should take place and what it should involve. We also invite patients to tell us more about their therapy preferences in their own words. We then ask patients to complete some additional questionnaires. These include their voice-hearing and mental health experiences and their thoughts about themselves and the future. We think these other things might be related to therapy preferences.
To participate in PREFER, patients need to be aged 16 years or older, have heard voices for at least six months, be under the care of NHS mental health services with a care co-ordinator or lead practitioner, and be able to read in English. It does not matter whether or not patients have any mental health diagnosis or whether they or have not had talking therapy previously. Patients will complete the questionnaires with a researcher either online or on paper. Completing the questionnaires should take about 45 minutes. PREFER is funded by an Economic and Social Research Council Impact Acceleration Award. PREFER is a multiple site study, open to many NHS mental health Trusts across England.
REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/1923
Date of REC Opinion
17 Dec 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion