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Adult-caregiver Supported Positive Psychology Intervention to Increase Resilience: Work Package 2

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Mental Health
Registration Number
NCT06691711
Lead Sponsor
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Brief Summary

The goal of this feasibility study was to investigate a new intervention designed to help parents/carers of children aged 8-12 who have experienced adversities to build their child's resilience to mental health difficulties using a 'positive psychology' approach. The research questions concerned the acceptability, feasibility and safety of the intervention.

Detailed Description

Background: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic or stressful events before age 18 that have been linked to poor mental health across the life course. Resilience is the ability of an individual to maintain or return to a thriving state following adversity. As resilience is not a static trait, intervening to increase the resilience of children exposed to ACEs has the potential to decrease the risk of later mental health difficulties. Positive psychology interventions (i.e. interventions that aim to increase factors that have been identified as important to individual and community flourishing) have been shown to be effective in increasing resilience. However, there was not yet a positive psychology intervention designed to meet the needs of young people exposed to ACEs and their caregivers (parents/carers).

Objectives: To investigate the acceptability, feasibility and safety of a co-produced caregiver-delivered positive psychology intervention to enhance the resilience to mental health difficulties of children who have experienced ACEs.

Methods: The project was guided by a Stakeholder Research Team (SRT) comprising both adults and young people with relevant expertise-by-experience. The study was divided into two work packages. In work package 1, the researchers completed a component analysis of existing positive psychology interventions, and a qualitative study to understand the needs and preferences of young people, parents/carers and professionals. They then conducted a series of intervention development workshops to co-produce the intervention with the SRT, informed by the findings of the component analysis and qualitative study. In work package 2, the researchers carried out a waitlist-controlled feasibility study involving 12 families with a child aged 8-12 years who had experienced ACEs. Families were randomised to receive the intervention either immediately or after a 10-week waiting period and mixed methods data collected to enable us to assess the acceptability, feasibility and safety of the intervention.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
24
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Intervention feasibility / fidelity of delivery20 weeks

ASPIRE intervention adherence checklist

Potential risks of the intervention20 weeks

Modified Edinburgh Adverse Effects of Psychological Therapy Scale

Intervention acceptability20 weeks

Qualitative acceptability of the intervention from the perspective of children, caregivers and professionals, assessed via interviews and focus groups

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Me and My Feeling QuestionnairePost intervention (10 weeks) & 20 week follow-up for immediate arm only

16-item measure of mental health difficulties with emotional and behavioural difficulties subscale (child completed)

The Student Resilience SurveyPost intervention (10 weeks) & 20 week follow-up for immediate arm only

47-item measure measuring children's perceptions of their internal and external resilience (child completed)

Students' Life Satisfaction ScalePost intervention (10 weeks) & 20 week follow-up for immediate arm only

7-item measure of global life satisfaction (child completed)

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (parent-report version)Post intervention (10 weeks) & 20 week follow-up for immediate arm only

25-item measure of caregiver perception of their child's emotional and behavioural difficulties (parent/carer completed)

Me as a ParentPost intervention (10 weeks) & 20 week follow-up for immediate arm only

16-item measure of parental self-regulation, including their self-efficacy, personal agency, self-management and self-sufficiency as a parent (parent/carer completed)

Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing ScalePost intervention (10 weeks) & 20 week follow-up for immediate arm only

7-item measure of the parent or carer's mental wellbeing (parent/carer completed)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

🇬🇧

Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom

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