Ongoing Research

SHIFT study, University of Leeds

Self-Harm Intervention, Family Therapy (SHIFT) is a randomised controlled trial of family therapy vs. treatment as usual for young people seen after second or subsequent episodes of self-harm. The study is investigating whether a regime of family therapy is an effective intervention for young people who harm themselves. The trial aims to recruit 832 participants from centres in Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and London. Family therapy will be delivered by qualified family therapists using a modified version of the Leeds Family Therapy & Research Centre Systemic Family Therapy Manual (LFTRC Manual). The primary outcome is rate of repetition of self-harm leading to hospital attendance 18 months after randomisation. Secondary outcomes include rate of repetition at 12 months, cost-effectiveness, quality of life, and predictive / process measures.

SCORE project, University of Leeds, Maudlsey Hospital, Institute of Psychiatry, South London & Maudsley NHS Trust (SLAM)

SCORE is a self-report outcome measure designed to be sensitive to the kinds of changes in family functioning that systemic family and couples therapists see as indications of useful therapeutic change. It is intended to be serviceable in everyday practice; short, acceptable to clients and usable across the full range of our work: the full range of presenting problems, the clientele, and the formats of work: At least, individual, couple and family. It can be read in terms of second order change; structural change; change in the stories the family members have about their family; change in systemic processes within the family; in an orientation to solutions; improvements in relation to hopefulness, agency, hostility, risk, blaming, happiness and so on.

Family Domains project, Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust

This project is investigating the role of social domains in family life. Domains are distinct classes of interactions each with their own procedural rules for interpreting behaviours, managing emotions, and finding solutions. They include safety, attachment, discipline and shared activities. We propose that clarity of domains promotes understanding, emotion regulation and problem solving in families. Lack of clarity introduces doubt as to the rules of interaction, hence reducing understanding, and making emotion regulation and problem solving more difficult. Domain mismatching, the introduction of processes from two or more domains into the same sequence of interactions, may more radically undermine family relationships.

SAFE study, National Academy for Parenting Practitioners at the Institute of Psychiatry, Brighton & Hove Youth Offending Services (YOS), Targeted Youth Support Services, Anti-Social Behaviour Team and West Sussex YOS

The SAFE Study (Study of Adolescents’ Family Experiences) is the first randomised controlled trial of Functional Family Therapy (FFT) within the UK. There is considerable evidence for the effectiveness of FFT in reducing recidivism and out of home placements in the USA, but there have been no UK based evaluations of the intervention.  The randomised controlled trial will involve 100 families and allow for a comparison of outcomes between children and young people who receive a range of interventions aimed at reducing crime and antisocial behaviour (treatment as usual) and those who receive treatment as usual plus FFT.

Families Changing Families: An Evaluation of the Marlborough Multi-Family Model in an Education Context, Marlborough Family Service, Central and North West London NHS Trust

The Marlborough Education Centre uses 'multiple family' therapy to support children and the parents of children who experience significant emotional, behavioural and social problems at school. The current project aims to explore whether the perceived success of the approach is supported by observable changes in key variables identified by staff and service users. The effectiveness of the service will be gauged in terms of service users' responses on reliable and valid outcome measures, administered at regular intervals over the course of a year. The same data is being collected from a comparison group who do not have access to the service. Finally, more open ended data in the form of a service user feedback interview is being collected at the end of treatment.

UEL HOMESEARCH