Seeking Safety Feasibility Trial
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Seeking Safety group intervention for complex post-traumatic stress disorder: a feasibility randomised controlled trial
IRAS ID
357616
Contact name
Martin Webber
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 1 months, 31 days
Research summary
Many people suffering from severe stress after a traumatic experience try to cope by using alcohol, drugs, or engaging in other risky behaviours which may affect their mental health. To be accepted onto a waiting list for treatment such as talking therapy, people need to have stopped mis-using alcohol and drugs. Due to their traumatic past some people feel unable to do this, leaving them unable to make progress towards recovery.
There is a lack of effective treatments for people with combined problems of complex trauma and substance use. However, a group programme - Seeking Safety - has been developed in the US, where it has been effective in tackling trauma and substance use. In the UK it has been piloted in the NHS with some promising outcomes, but more research is needed especially around the longer-term coping skills which Seeking Safety may provide.
This will be a small randomised controlled trial in one Mental Health NHS Trust to test the feasibility of a larger study. This study will recruit 56 diverse people with complex trauma and substance use, or other coping behaviours, from community mental health teams or psychology waiting lists. People will be randomly chosen to receive Seeking Safety or continue with normal care. Those receiving normal care will be offered Seeking Safety at the end of the study.
Participants in both groups will be interviewed at the beginning of the study, at the end of Seeking Safety groups (six months later); and six months following this. They will be asked about their mental health, substance use, quality of life and use of health and other services. The responses from both groups will be compared.
We will also interview staff and participants about their experiences of the study to learn what needs to change for a larger study.REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/SC/0121
Date of REC Opinion
6 May 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion