Shared decision making with young people in mental health care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Shared decision-making with young people in mental health care
IRAS ID
145177
Contact name
Priscilla Alderson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCL Joint Research Office
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 31 days
Research summary
This research is exploring shared decision-making (SDM) in young people’s mental health care.
In long term physical healthcare and adult mental health care, shared decision-making is increasingly being advocated as a key way of enabling people to be more involved in decisions about their care, treatment and support. The concept of SDM is very new in young people’s mental health care and there is very little research or published literature on SDM or any form of decision making in young people’s mental health care.
Young people report a lack of involvement in decision making about their mental health care. However, some of the key benefits of SDM include that it can increase adherence, improve quality of care and improve outcomes (Richardson, McCauley and Katon, 2009). In a small study, young people reported that involvement in decision-making improved their adherence to treatment, and increased their safety, autonomy and empowerment (Simmons, Hetrick and Jorm, 2011). There are also many challenges to SDM in practice including questions about young people’s competence to engage in healthcare decisions (Day, 2008) or the complicated decision-making relationship between the young person, parent and therapist (Paul, 2004). Whilst many professionals support the concept of SDM, they also have very real concerns about time and risk.
The research will explore:
• how do young people and practitioners understand and experience shared decision-making?
• what are the key factors and challenges that affect decision-making? How do relationships, structures, routines, interactions affect decision-making?
• what can be done to increase and support shared decision-making in young people’s mental health care?This qualitative research will employ an ethnographic research methodology and use a range of data collection methods, including interviews with <40 young people aged 13-17 and <20 staff in community and inpatient mental health services, and with <10 policymakers; observation in 2 community CAMHs and 2 inpatient CAMHs.
REC name
London - Stanmore Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0377
Date of REC Opinion
7 May 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion