What works for young people who access CAMHS? A case series study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What are the mechanisms for change for young people attending CAMHS for psychological therapy for anxiety or depression? A case series study.
IRAS ID
219306
Contact name
Helen Griffiths
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 29 days
Research summary
There are over 500 possible therapies for adolescents with mood disorders, yet the evidence base regarding what the key common mechanisms for change are between these therapies is sparce. Much of the research into what helps people to see positive changes in therapy has been carried out with an adult population, and little is known about how this may relate to adolescents. Also, much of the research into what causes change over the course of therapy has relied on measures of mental health symptoms. For patients, recovery and positive change is likely to be wider reaching than this, for example progress on their own personal goals for therapy. Goals based outcomes have been identified as a helpful tool for assessing therapeutic outcomes in adolescents, as they are more likely to tap into what is most important to a patient for them to work towards in therapy.
We aim to use a case series design to investigate what drives change for young people attending therapy for difficulties with mood and/or anxiety. We will measure change in terms of decreasing symptoms, but also in terms of personal goals set by participants.
We aim to recruit up to 40 people aged 12-18 years from NHS Lothian child and adolescent mental health services. They will receive treatment as usual by the service, but will be asked to complete a short selection of questionnaires every session with their therapist (including rating progress on their own personal goals). They will also be asked to fill in a longer selection of questionnaires when they consent to take part, at their first therapy session, and at the end of therapy. This will provide information about what drives change for adolescents attending for psychological therapy, and also what their goals are, and the extent to which they are able to meet these.REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 2
REC reference
17/ES/0127
Date of REC Opinion
3 Nov 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion