Social Connectedness Group Intervention in Depression

University of Nottingham29 enrolled

Overview

This study evaluates the feasibility of the Groups for Health (G4H) intervention for adults accessing support for depression in the UK. G4H targets improvements in adults' interpersonal functioning in order to reduce feelings of loneliness. The study will adapt the G4H intervention for delivery to adults seeking treatment for depression in the UK and estimate trial parameters (recruitment, retention, missing data and acceptability) of the adapted intervention, prior to a definitive trial. A mixed methods design of interviews and a single group, pre-post study will be employed.

Background: Loneliness is frequently reported amongst adults with depression. Interventions to reduce loneliness in different populations have shown mixed results. The Groups for Health (G4H) programme has been developed according to the social identity approach within social psychology and has demonstrated preliminary efficacy for reducing loneliness in a proof-of-concept study conducted with Australian student sample. The present study will examine whether G4H can be adapted to suit the needs of a clinical population in the context of UK secondary care services. Objective: Phase 1 - To adapt the G4H intervention for delivery to adults seeking treatment for depression in the UK. Phase 2: To estimate trial parameters (recruitment, retention, missing data and acceptability) of the adapted intervention, prior to a definitive trial; to optimise the adapted intervention for delivery to adults accessing treatment for depression in the UK; to optimise evaluation procedures (candidate outcome measures) Trial configuration: sequential exploratory mixed methods design. Phase 1: one-to-one interviews. Phase 2: Activity 1 (intervention), single group, pre-post study. Activity 2 (interviews): one-to-one interviews. Condition: Depression Interventions: group-based behavioural programme

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Depression

Interventions

Groups for HealthBEHAVIORAL

Group sessions, 5 modules x 1.5 hours (once per week). Modules focus on psychoeducation, mapping existing social networks, examining barriers to engagement in existing networks, goal setting and identifying new groups to join.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: Phase 1 Service user participants: * Aged 18-65 * Accessing treatment for depression * Loneliness: score 6 or above on the University of California Loneliness Scale (UCLA-3) (Hughes et al., 2004) * Able to speak/read English * Ability to give informed consent Staff participants: \- Clinical practitioner with at least 6 months experience of working with people with depression Phase 2 Activity 1: intervention * Aged 18-65 * Accessing treatment for depression * Loneliness: score 6 or above on the University of California Loneliness Scale (UCLA-3) (Hughes et al., 2004) * Able to speak/read English * Ability to give informed consent Activity 2: interviews \- Attended or agreed to attend Phase 2, Activity 1 Exclusion Criteria: * None

Locations (1)

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Feasibility of recruitment

The proportion of patients contacted for screening against those who are consented

Time frame: 3 months

Feasibility of enrollment

The proportion of patients consented against those enrolled

Time frame: 3 months

Feasibility of data collection

The overall proportion of survey measures completed by each participant at each of the 2 time points

Time frame: 8 weeks

Patient retention

The proportion of patients attending all five G4H sessions

Time frame: 8 weeks

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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