Studies now recruiting
The following studies are now recruiting.
OSMOSIS
This study is recruiting people who are over 18 and provide unpaid caring support for a loved one with psychosis (defined as experiencing hallucinations and/or delusions). The person with psychosis needs to be living in East Sussex and the carer needs to have sought out, tried to seek out, or received support for yourself as a carer e.g. support from community organisations, social services, advocacy or advice services, respite or short-break services, or wellbeing and social activities (not from your GP).
Participants will complete a demographic survey and have an interview with a member of the research team lasting about 90 minutes. Interviews can be held online via Microsoft Teams, over the phone, or in person at a local community space, depending on your preference. The interviewer will ask you questions about your experiences of accessing support and services, including barriers and facilitators encountered.
Find out more at SPFT Research Studies.
Email the research team: spft.research@nhs.net.
EI Mission
This study aims to advance precision medicine through research into risk stratification, tailored prevention and early interventions; improve our understanding of the longitudinal course and treatment of early psychosis; and create a Research Register for Targeted Recall for Future Observational and Interventional Research Studies.
Taking part involves providing a blood sample and answering a set of questionnaires with a researcher. Shortly after this first assessment, participants will be invited to complete a second set of questionnaires on their mobile phone. Participants will then be asked to re-complete these questionnaires on their mobile phone every 6 months for a period of up to 3 years.
Eligible individuals must be aged 16-65 and be under the care of an Early Intervention in Psychosis team, and have experienced their first episode of psychosis in the last 3 years. Individuals who have been identified as having an At Risk Mental State, also known as being Clinically High Risk for Psychosis, in the last 3 years and are under the care of an Early Intervention team can also take part.
Find out more at The Early Intervention Mission.
Email the research team: spft.research@nhs.net.
The CONNECT Digital Study: Predicting psychosis relapse using digital devices
The CONNECT study aims to address the question: Can wearables and smartphones help service users manage their mental health?
To answer this question, The University of Manchester has developed a remote digital data collection system via a smartphone app which they are testing to see if it can predict an individual’s chance of psychosis relapse.
Find out more at https://www.connectdigitalstudy.com/ or SPFT Research Studies.
Email the research team: spft.connectdigitalstudy@nhs.net.
SlowMo2: Testing a therapy for people with paranoia
The SloMo2 study will explore how well SloMo therapy works when used in everyday NHS mental health services. SloMo is a digitally supported talking therapy designed to help people who have worries about harm from others. It works by helping people slow down fast thinking habits that can contribute to worries, to find ways of feeling safer and living well. Previous research has shown that people find SloMo helpful, easy to use and enjoyable.
This study will assess how SloMo can be delivered by NHS therapists and whether it improves outcomes for service users. The target is to deliver SloMo therapy to 150 service user participants (50 per NHS Trust site), recruited over an 18-month period.
We will measure SloMo’s impact on service user’s mental health, how well it fits into routine care and its value for money. If successful, SloMo could be made more widely available across the NHS.
Find out more at https://www.slomotherapy.co.uk/ or SPFT Research Studies.
Email the research team: spft.slomotherapy@nhs.net.
The Sleeping Better study
Aiming to find out whether the Sleeping Better therapy works, half of the people who take part will have the sleep therapy and half will not. Whether a person has the therapy is decided randomly decided by a computer. The sleep therapy is provided in around eight sessions over 12 weeks. The research team then see how people have got on with and without the therapy. Everyone will meet a research assistant to conduct the assessments to find out if things have changed. These assessments will be at the beginning and then after 12 and 24 weeks.
Find out more at https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN71800376 or SPFT Research Studies.
Email the research team: spft.sleepingbetter@nhs.net.
PIPP2: Prevelance of Pathogenic Antibodies in Psychosis
This study aims to see how many people with psychosis may have a specific problem with their immune system. We can find out that by testing your blood sample for specific antibodies.
Find out more at NIHR : Be part of research or SPFT Research Studies.
Email the research team: spft.askaboutresearch@nhs.net.
Role of ADHD in Autistic individuals with First Episode Psychosis
We are exploring how ADHD may influence the experience of psychosis in people who are both autistic and have ADHD. Many people live with both conditions, but we still don’t fully understand how ADHD might shape the way psychosis presents, progresses, or is supported.
By comparing experiences across a broad group – including people who are not autistic or ADHD – we aim to better understand these patterns.
Find out more at SPFT Research Studies.
Email the researcher: nik.nikolic@nhs.net.
The Improving Social Recovery in Psychosis (ISRIP) trial
The Improving Social Recovery in Psychosis (ISRIP) trial is a large multisite study funded by a National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment grant. The study addresses severe social disability in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Schizophrenia spectrum disorders are the mental health problems most frequently associated with poor social outcomes and the personal and economic costs are large, particularly for those from minoritised groups. Current psychosocial interventions have limited impact, particularly for those most affected.
The ISRIP study will test whether a psychological intervention called Social Recovery Therapy (SRT), delivered alongside usual care, improves time spent in structured activity compared to usual care alone. Secondary outcomes include symptoms, mood, hopefulness and quality of life. We will also explore the cost-effectiveness of the intervention and conduct a and long-term follow-up to see whether any benefits are maintained. The trial also includes a mixed-methods process evaluation to understand implementation, cultural adaptations and experiences of underserved groups.
We will recruit 350 adults with non-affective psychosis who have significant social disability. SRT will be delivered by trained psychological practitioners in community mental health services, trained and supported by expert supervisors. Participants will be assessed at baseline, 9 and 15-months, with a longer-term follow-up at 24 months. This research will provide high-quality evidence on SRT’s effectiveness and inform NHS implementation.
More information about the project can be found at Improving Social Recovery in Psychosis (ISRIP): a definitive randomised controlled trial and process evaluation of Social Recovery Therapy compared to treatment as usual for people with psychosis and severe social disability – NIHR Funding and Awards
Email the research team: spft.askaboutresearch@nhs.net.