START (Systemic Therapy for At Risk Teens): a national randomised controlled trial to evaluate multisystemic therapy in the UK context

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Mental health problems and antisocial behaviour in adolescents; Mental and Behavioural Disorders; Conduct disorders

• Registration Number: ISRCTN77132214
• Lead Sponsor: niversity College London (UK)

Brief Summary

1. 2013 protocol in: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23962220 2. 2018 results in: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29307527 3. 2019 results in: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30768397 4. 2020 results in: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32353277 (added 01/05/2020)

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Start: 2009-03-09
• Study Completion: 2017-09-01
• Last Update Posted: 11 May 2020

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 684

Inclusion Criteria

Candidates (both males and females) will be referred if they meet 3 of the following features indicative of 'risk status':
1. Excluded or at significant risk of school exclusion
2. High levels of non attendance at school
3. An offending history or at significant risk of offending
4. Previous episodes on the Child Protection Register
5. Previous episodes of being looked after
6. Previous referral to Family Group Conference (FGC) to prevent young person from becoming looked after
7. History of siblings being looked after

Referrals considered suitable by the panel will be included in the trial if they meet the following general inclusion criteria:
1. Young person aged 11-17 years
2. Sufficient family involvement for MST to be applied, excluding adolescents already in local authority care or foster accommodation
3. No existing agency involvement (e.g., the family is already engaged with a therapist) which would interfere with MST
4. Meets ONE of the following set of criteria indicating suitability for MST:
4.1. Persistent (weekly) and enduring (6 months or longer) violent and aggressive interpersonal behaviour OR
4.2. A significant risk of harm to self or to others OR
4.3. At least one conviction and three warnings, reprimands or convictions in the last 18 months OR
4.4. Current diagnosis of externalising disorder and a record of unsuccessful outpatient treatment OR
4.5. Permanent school exclusion

Exclusion Criteria

1. History or current diagnosis of psychosis
2. Generalised learning problems (clinical diagnosis) as indicated by IQ below 65
3. Risk of injury or harm to a worker
4. Presenting issues for which MST has not been empirically validated

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified