Sleep and aggression: understanding and intervening
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the role of cognitions to support the relationship between sleep and aggression in a forensic psychiatric sample: Developing an educational intervention.
IRAS ID
211084
Contact name
Leah Greenwood
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Ashworth Hospital - Mersey Care NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 31 days
Research summary
This research will be a two part study funded by Mersey Care NHS Trust. Previous research highlights the role of cognitions for the maintenance of insomnia and self and other directed aggression independently. However, less is known when sleep and aggression co-exist. The current study will explore this with a forensic psychiatric population, as research suggests that this predominately aggressive population are found to have a high prevalence of sleep disturbances (Kamphuis et al., 2013). \nStudy 1a will interview patients with a history of self-harm and/or aggressive behaviour. Using a functional assessment, patients will be asked to explore a time when they have experienced sufficient and insufficient sleep. They will be asked how they felt prior to and following these periods and any cognitions, attributional biases or triggers will be noted. This will give an indication as to what cognitions are involved when sleep and aggression co-exist, building on the previously conducted literature review. \nStudy 1b will randomly assign participants to one of three conditions; mindfulness, sleep hygiene or treatment as usual (control). Research indicates that mindfulness techniques could be usual in targeting negative cognitions (Campbell et al., 2012) and has been used to improve sleep (Black et al., 2008). In contrast, sleep hygiene often targets the behavioural aspects to improve sleep disturbances. Participants assigned to the intervention conditions will attend two 45 minutes sessions and one 15 minute follow up session. They will learn the techniques respective to their assigned intervention and be asked to practice these outside of the planned sessions. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions, all participants will be asked to complete measures at four time points; pre-intervention, post intervention and two follow up points. Participants will also be asked to complete a sleep diary and their clinical files will be accessed to identify aggressive and deliberate self-harm incidents, their mental health diagnosis and medication.\n
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NW/0669
Date of REC Opinion
11 Oct 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion