Self-Criticism Feasibility Study

King's College London20 enrolled

Overview

This uncontrolled pilot seeks to develop a novel intervention based on Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), that reduces self-criticism and improves psychological wellbeing. The researchers aim to assess the the acceptability and feasibility of providing such an intervention within a primary mental health care service; and a preliminary indication of the the effectiveness of this intervention?

The intervention is based upon recent unpublished doctoral research that developed this novel treatment within students with high levels of self-criticism. This pilot study aims to adapt the intervention for an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service, a primary mental-health service in the UK. Self-criticism is a transdiagnostic process across common mental-health disorders and is therefore, a potential target for psychological intervention. Clients at IAPT are likely to present with high levels of self-criticism. This pilot study may help develop an alternative evidence-based intervention that can be routinely offered within IAPT services. The researchers aim to recruit 20 clients registered at Talking Therapies Southwark, experiencing a significant impact of self-criticism on their daily life, and requesting help for self-criticism. Clients that provide consent to participate in this study would receive 6 sessions of this intervention and a 2-month follow-up telephone session.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Self-Criticism

Interventions

Self-criticism interventionOTHER

Compassion Focused Therapy (Gilbert, 2010) adapted to focus specifically on reducing self-criticism. This intervention was originally developed for a student population (Rose, McIntyre \& Rimes, submitted) and is now being evaluated in a primary mental-health service.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Written informed consent 2. Registered with and opt into the Southwark IAPT service, Talking Therapies Southwark 3. Score at least 10 on the WSAS questionnaire regarding the impact of self-criticism on their daily life 4. Requesting help for their self-criticism. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Not being sufficiently proficient in English to fully participate in the sessions with English-speaking therapists or process the written study materials for any reason. 2. Being unable to attend six sessions of assessment/treatment. 3. Presenting with high levels of risk requiring monitoring and assistance beyond the weekly intervention focusing on self-criticism. 4. Current serious mental health problem such as bipolar disorder, anorexia nervosa or a moderate / severe substance use disorder. 5. Cognitive impairment or psychomotor retardation of a degree that would prevent completion of the study treatment protocol with the individual. This would be based on a clinical judgement by potential referrers or by the clinician undertaking the screening assessment. 6. Currently experiencing a degree of life stress (e.g. recent bereavement) that is judged by the assessor to be likely to seriously adversely affect their ability to benefit from the intervention 7. New pharmacological interventions for psychological distress - i.e. a change of medication or dosage in the last 4 weeks. 8. Current participation in another clinical (talking therapy or drug) trial or another psychological intervention.

Locations (1)

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SlaM) and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London (KCL)

London, United Kingdom

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Do clients find the intervention an acceptable treatment option

This will be assessed through anonymised written feedback

Time frame: 3.5 months (from start to end of therapy, including follow-up)

Is this intervention feasible to deliver within an IAPT service

This will be assessed through recruitment and retention rates

Time frame: 9 months - through recruitment until the end of therapy for the final participant.

Work and Social Adjustment Scale (W&SAS) adapted to reflect self-criticism

Measure of the impact of the presenting problem, in this case, self-criticism. Change is being assessed.

Time frame: Change from baseline will be measured again at each time-point: session 1,2,3,4,5, 6; and 2 months after session 6.

Self-Critical Rumination Scale (SCRS)

Measure of self-criticism. Change is being assessed.

Time frame: Change from baseline will be measured again at each time-point: session 1,2,3,4,5, 6; and 2 months after session 6.

Secondary Outcomes

Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

Depressive symptoms scale. Change is being assessed.

Time frame: Change from baseline will be measured again at each time-point: session 1,2,3,4,5, 6; and 2 months after session 6.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7)

Anxiety related symptoms scale. Change is being assessed.

Time frame: Change from baseline will be measured again at each time-point: session 1,2,3,4,5, 6; and 2 months after session 6.

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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