Shared Reading as an Intervention for Self-harm Version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Reading as a Catalyst for Change: Shared Reading as an Intervention for Self-harm Version 1.0
IRAS ID
196469
Contact name
Rhiannon Corcoran
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 31 days
Research summary
Reading has been associated with beneficial mental health effects e.g. increased self-esteem and feelings of social inclusion. Positive effects of reading for pleasure have been found in relation to stress, depression, dementia symptomology and chronic pain (Billington, 2015; Billington, Carroll, Davis, Healey & Kinderman, 2013; Billington, Dowrick, Hamer, Robinson & Williams, 2010).
This research programme, funded by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, will investigate the effects of shared reading for individuals engaging in self-harm. This is in keeping with initiatives to improve care offered to this group of service users. Shared reading may offer benefits equal to or exceeding those of current interventions and decrease waiting time until intervention.
A case series approach and a quasi-experimental design will operate in parallel. For the case series approach, a shared reading group will be implemented at weekly intervals for 12 months within a secure setting, Ashworth Hospital. Ten participants from a male ward will be recruited for this study.
For the quasi-experimental study, four shared reading groups, two for a self-harm population and two for a general clinical population will be implemented weekly for 18 weeks (the period before commencement of therapy) within a community setting. Ten participants will be recruited for each group.
Participants will complete a questionnaire pack comprising quantitative measures before, during an interim period and at the end of each intervention. Sessions will be transcribed and subjected to qualitative analyses. Individual group member interviews will be used to discuss interaction, the value of literature explored and self-reflection.
In addition, 50 participants recruited from the Recovery College will complete the questionnaire pack twice; two times with 18 weeks in between. This group will act as a non-Shared Reading intervention control group.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NW/0114
Date of REC Opinion
28 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion