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Feasibility randomized controlled trial of a one-day CBT workshop (‘DISCOVER’) for 15- to 18-year-olds with anxiety and/or depression in clinic settings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2019

Christina E. Loucas Open the ORCID record for Christina E. Loucas [Opens in a new window] ,
Irene Sclare ,
Daniel Stahl  and
Daniel Michelson
Christina E. Loucas*
Affiliation:
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London, PO Box 78, 4 Windsor Walk, London SE5 8AF, UK
Irene Sclare
Affiliation:
Child and Adolescent Mental Health, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Mapother House, Maudsley Hospital, 1st Floor, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AZ, UK
Daniel Stahl
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London, Box PO20, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
Daniel Michelson
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Pevensey Building, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QH, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background:

‘DISCOVER’ one-day cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) workshops have been developed to provide accessible, developmentally sensitive psychological support for older adolescents experiencing emotional difficulties. Previous school-based evaluations of the DISCOVER model have shown positive outcomes.

Aims:

The current study aimed to test the model for clinically referred adolescents, in real-world settings.

Method:

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) assessed feasibility, acceptability and preliminary outcomes of the DISCOVER intervention, in comparison with usual care, for 15- to 18-year-olds with emotional difficulties. Participants were recruited from outpatient clinic waiting lists in UK child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Research feasibility indicators included rates of recruitment, randomization, intervention participation (group workshops and individualized follow-up telephone calls), and data collection (at baseline and 8-week follow-up). Intervention acceptability was assessed using a structured service satisfaction questionnaire and semi-structured qualitative interviews with intervention participants. Preliminary clinical outcomes were explored using adolescent-reported validated measures of depression, anxiety and well-being.

Results:

n = 24 participants were randomized to intervention and usual care groups. Workshop attendance was good and high levels of treatment satisfaction were reported, although feasibility challenges emerged in recruitment and randomization. Trends were found towards potential improvements in anxiety and well-being for the intervention group, but the effect estimate for depression was imprecise; interpretability was also limited due to the small sample size.

Conclusions:

DISCOVER appears to be a feasible and acceptable intervention model for clinically referred 15- to 18-year-olds with emotional difficulties. A full-scale RCT is warranted to evaluate effectiveness; protocol modifications may be necessary to ensure feasible recruitment and randomization procedures.

Keywords

adolescentanxietyCBTdepressionRCT
Type
Main
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 48 , Issue 2 , March 2020 , pp. 142 - 159
Copyright
© British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2019 

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