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Published in: Trials 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Study protocol

Guided self-help interventions for mental health disorders in children with neurological conditions: study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial

Authors: Sophie Bennett, Isobel Heyman, Anna Coughtrey, Jess Simmonds, Sophia Varadkar, Terence Stephenson, Margaret DeJong, Roz Shafran

Published in: Trials | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Rates of mental health disorders are significantly greater in children with physical illnesses than in physically well children. Children with neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, are known to have particularly high rates of mental health disorders. Despite this, mental health problems in children with neurological conditions have remained under-recognised and under-treated in clinical settings. Evidence-based guided self-help interventions are efficacious in reducing symptoms of mental health disorders in children, but their efficacy in reducing symptoms of common mental health disorders in children with neurological conditions has not been investigated. We aim to pilot a guided self-help intervention for the treatment of mental health disorders in children with neurological conditions.

Methods/design

A pilot randomised controlled trial with 18 patients with neurological conditions and mental health disorders will be conducted. Participants attending specialist neurology clinics at a National UK Children’s Hospital will be randomised to receive guided self-help for common mental health disorders or to a 12-week waiting list control. Participants in the treatment group will receive 10 sessions of guided self-help delivered over the telephone. The waiting list control group will receive the intervention after a waiting period of 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure is reduction in symptoms of mental health disorders. Exclusion criteria are limited to those at significant risk of harm to self or others, the presence of primary mental health disorder other than anxiety, depression or disruptive behaviour (e.g. psychosis, eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder) or intellectual disability at a level meaning potential participants would be unable to access the intervention. The study has ethical approval from the Camden and Islington NHS Research Ethics Committee, registration number 14.LO.1353. Results will be disseminated to patients, the wider public, clinicians and researchers through publication in journals and presentation at conferences.

Discussion

This is the first study to investigate guided self-help interventions for mental health problems in children with neurological conditions, a group which is currently under-represented in mental health research. The intervention is modular and adapted from an empirically supported cognitive behavioural treatment. The generalisability and broad inclusion criteria are strengths but may also lead to some weaknesses.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN21184717. Registered on 25 September 2015.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
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Metadata
Title
Guided self-help interventions for mental health disorders in children with neurological conditions: study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial
Authors
Sophie Bennett
Isobel Heyman
Anna Coughtrey
Jess Simmonds
Sophia Varadkar
Terence Stephenson
Margaret DeJong
Roz Shafran
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Trials / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1745-6215
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-016-1663-z

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