Preparing people with difficulties consistent with a personality disorder for employment
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN13122605 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN13122605 |
| Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) | 190743 |
| Protocol serial number | 30744, IRAS 190743 |
| Sponsor | North East London NHS Foundation Trust |
| Funder | National Institute for Health Research |
- Submission date
- 14/07/2016
- Registration date
- 10/08/2016
- Last edited
- 31/10/2019
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
In January 2013, 1.43 million people in the UK received incapacity benefit, many because of mental health difficulties. There is a complex relationship between employment and mental health; poor mental health predicts unemployment, whilst employment leads to improvements in mental wellbeing. Therefore, assisting people with mental health difficulties to get into employment is a priority for the NHS and social care organizations. Personality disorders (PDs) are mental health conditions which affect the way people manage feelings and relate to other people. They are often characterised by intense emotional responses and impulsive high-risk behaviours, meaning that people with a PD often have difficulties developing and sustaining relationships, a necessary skill for both wellbeing and employment. Dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) is a type of treatment designed to help people who have difficulties managing their emotions through changing thought patterns and behaviour. It is well recognised as an effective treatment for PD. The aim of this study is to test a new treatment programme based on the principles and techniques of DBT can help prepare people with difficulties relating to a PD to find employment. The programme targets areas of difficulty such as managing intense emotions, problematic interpersonal relationships, self-criticism and poor self-management through the development and evaluation.
Who can participate?
Unemployed adults with a personality disorder.
What does the study involve?
Suitable participants are invited to a 60-minute enrolment session where they complete a number of questionnaires about their wellbeing, mood and social functioning. If the participant is still willing to enrol after this session they will be offered a place in one of four DBT-SE groups. All participants who participate in the enrolment session are offered compensation for their time. The DBT-SE groups run for three hours per week (including two 10-minute breaks) for 16 weeks. In between each group participants are given tasks to practice to help consolidate (sum up) what they have learnt during each session. Participants are also asked to fill out a questionnaire and a diary card to help the study team to monitor their employment-related activity. Every four weeks participants are asked to complete additional questionnaires online which take around 30-40 minutes to complete. At the end of the study, participants are invited to take part in a 60-minute interview, to give feedback on their experience of being involved in the study. All participants who participate in the feedback session are offered compensation for their time.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There is a chance that participants will benefit from taking part by better learning to manage the challenging emotional aspects of looking and applying for work, interviewing, and starting work. Additionally, by learning the skills with a group of people who experience similar difficulties, participants will may benefit from feeling less alone in their own experiences and will have the opportunity to practice their interpersonal skills in a safe and supportive space. It is possible that during the study, participants might get upset if they have recently experienced difficulties in obtaining a job, have recently lost a job, or are having difficulties at work when they enrol. All of the staff working on this study are experienced in facilitating or co-facilitating standard adult DBT skills groups and are trained in how best to support participants if they become upset.
Where is the study run from?
1. Goodmayes Hospital (UK)
2. Larkswood Centre, Thorpe Coombe Hospital (UK)
3. Mind City, Hackney and Waltham Forest (UK)
4. Wood Lane Baptist Church (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
May 2016 to August 2016
Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (UK)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Anna Cattrell
anna.cattrell@nelft.nhs.uk
Contact information
Public
North East London NHS Foundation Trust
Goodmayes Hospital
Barley Lane
Ilford
IG3 8XJ
United Kingdom
 ORCID ID |
0000-0001-7384-9476 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +44 300 555 1201 Extension: 53466 |
| anna.cattrell@nelft.nhs.uk |
Scientific
North East London NHS Foundation Trust
Goodmayes Hospital
Barley Lane
Ilford
IG3 8XJ
United Kingdom
| ORCID ID |
0000-0001-5236-1375 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +44 300 555 1213 |
| janet.feigenbaum@nelft.nhs.uk |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Non-randomised; Interventional; Design type: Treatment, Education or Self-Management, Psychological & Behavioural |
| Secondary study design | Non randomised study |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | A feasibility study of dialectical behavioural therapy skills for employment (DBT-SE) for individuals with difficulties consistent with a personality disorder (PD) |
| Study objectives | The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of a 16 week Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills for Employment (DBT-SE) intervention to support individuals with difficulties consistent with a personality disorder in obtaining and retaining employment in preparation for a full randomised control trial. |
| Ethics approval(s) | London - Harrow Research Ethics Committee, 11/03/2016, ref: 16/LO/0227 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Specialty: Mental Health, Primary sub-specialty: Personality disorder; UKCRC code/ Disease: Mental Health/ Organic, including symptomatic, mental disorders |
| Intervention | DBT-SE Attendees: Participants will be screened over the telephone for suitability and if eligible, will be invited to attend a one-hour enrolment session where baseline clinical, psychometric and demographic information will be recorded. All participants will be offered a place in one of the four DBT-SE groups based at community and hospital locations across the North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT). The intervention will run for 16 weeks and each session will last for 3 hours including two 10-minute breaks. The groups will have staggered start dates, commencing as soon as 12 participants have been recruited. During the intervention weekly reports of the types of employment seeking activity and the use of DBT-SE skills will be collected from participants. Risk taking behaviour will be monitored weekly in line with standard clinical practice. Participants will also be asked to complete short clinical and psychometric questionnaires every four weeks (duration 30-40 minutes). Four weeks after the end of the intervention participants will be invited to take part in a semi-structured interview to give feedback on their experience of the intervention, psychometric and clinical measures and the referral process. DBT-SE Attendee Supporters: Supporters of people with a PD may play a key role in the success (e.g. supportive) or failure (e.g. critical) of their loved one during their search for employment, or during periods when they are unable to work. Furthermore, Supporters may report they experience a burden (financially and/or emotionally) that may reduce their own wellbeing when supporting their loved one through these periods. During the enrolment session, each DBT-SE participant will be asked whether they have a Supporter, and if so, if they think their Supporter would also like to take part in the study. DBT-SE Supporters that take part will be asked to complete a postal survey of demographic, wellbeing and support measures at baseline, i.e. before the DBT-SE participant enters the intervention and at the end as part of the feedback. |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Feasibility outcomes: |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
Patient-centred outcomes: |
| Completion date | 30/08/2016 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Upper age limit | 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 96 |
| Key inclusion criteria | DBT-SE Attendees: 1. Probable Personality disorder (PD) based on the Standardized Assessment of Personality – Abbreviated Scale (SAPAS) 2. Currently unemployed 3. Eligible for employment in the UK 4. Available for employment 5. Functional literacy 6. Aged 18-65 years DBT-SE Supporters: ≥18 years |
| Key exclusion criteria | DBT-SE Attendees: 1. In receipt of a pension 2. Current florid psychosis 3. Personality disorder (PD) due to head injury 4. Unable to communicate in English 5. Suicide attempt in past 3 months 6. Self-harm in the past month 7. Formal diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder 8. Substance use at a level that would affect functioning at work 9. Currently in receipt of standard or modified DBT |
| Date of first enrolment | 18/05/2016 |
| Date of final enrolment | 30/09/2016 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United Kingdom
- England
Study participating centres
Ilford
IG3 8XJ
United Kingdom
714 Forest Road
Walthamstow
E17 3HP
United Kingdom
London
E9 7SN
United Kingdom
Dagenham
RM9 5SL
United Kingdom
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Data sharing statement to be made available at a later date |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRA research summary | 28/06/2023 | No | No | ||
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
31/10/2019: The IRAS number has been added.
