SCENE (Work Package 5)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A randomised controlled trial of a structured intervention for expanding social networks in psychosis
IRAS ID
257667
Contact name
Domenico Giacco
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
East London NHS Foundation Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN15815862
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 4 months, 1 days
Research summary
About 120,000 people with psychosis are being cared for in secondary services in the NHS at any point in time. Reviews show that people with psychosis have much smaller social networks compared to the general population, and compared to other groups with long-term health conditions. Social isolation in turn, is associated with worse outcomes including poor quality of life.
We are interested in testing an intervention to expand patients’ social networks and to see whether it improves their quality of life. The intervention involves receiving support from a mental health professional to try an activity of their choice and to meet new people. The clinicians (named ‘social contacts coaches’) will receive specific training and instructions on how to motivate and support patients. A similar intervention was found to be beneficial for patients in Italy and has been adapted to the UK context through a number of earlier studies including a survey, focus groups, a case series and a feasibility trial.
In the present study we will recruit 576 patients with psychosis who are socially isolated from community-based NHS services across England (both urban and rural). We will randomly allocate them either to receiving social contacts coaching or information about local options for activities only. We are primarily interested in whether the active support improves quality of life compared to receiving information, but we are also looking to see whether it increases time spent in social activities, improves social situation or mental health symptoms and reduces feelings of loneliness or use of health services.REC name
London - Hampstead Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0088
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jan 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion