Youth Metacognitive Therapy (YoMeta)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Youth Metacognitive Therapy (YoMeta): A Single Blind Parallel Randomised Feasibility Trial
IRAS ID
296079
Contact name
Adrian Wells
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Background: One in eight children and young people (CYP) suffer mental health problems needing support or treatment and 5% have more than one such problem. The effects can be major, affecting CYP emotionally and functionally, impacting progress at school, relationships with others and increasing long term risk of mental health problems. The UK Government and the NHS have highlighted the need to improve mental health in CYP.
The most common treatment is cognitive behavioural therapy; however this can be time consuming, needs to be delivered over many weeks, must focus on the most upsetting problem first and is not very effective. One way to overcome this is to evaluate a group therapy that can treat multiple mental health problems at once. This new treatment is called Metacognitive Therapy (MCT).
Aim: The aim of the study is to see if participating in a randomized trial of Group MCT is a feasible and acceptable treatment for CYP suffering with anxiety, stress, depression, or a combination in comparison to usual care. This allows us to test key questions about recruitment and drop-out rates, test the protocol, and gain information about MCT including training and supervision needs of clinicians and the experience of patients receiving it.
Design and Methods: We plan to recruit 100 participants (which allows for drop-outs) to obtain an overall minimum sample of 80 participants with anxiety, stress, depression or a combination. They will be randomised to one of two groups; group MCT or treatment as usual. Group MCT will be delivered across 8 sessions lasting 90 minutes. All participants will complete questionnaires at baseline, 16 week follow up (post treatment), 28 week follow up and 40 week follow up. A qualitative study will explore participants’ experience of group MCT and
therapist views of MCT and being trained in MCT.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/NW/0329
Date of REC Opinion
23 Nov 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion