Efficacy of humanistic counselling in schools for emotional wellbeing

ISRCTN	ISRCTN27026136
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN27026136
Protocol serial number	UEC0809/19
Sponsor	University of Strathclyde (UK)
Funder	Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Trust (UK)

Submission date: 22/12/2009
Registration date: 22/02/2010
Last edited: 12/07/2013

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Ms Katherine McArthur
Scientific

University of Strathclyde
76 Southbrae Drive
Glasgow
G13 1PP
United Kingdom

Phone	+44 (0)141 950 3143
Email	katherine.mcarthur@strath.ac.uk

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Study design	Single centre randomised controlled pilot study
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study type	Participant information sheet
Scientific title	Efficacy of humanistic counselling in schools for emotional wellbeing: a pilot randomised controlled trial
Study acronym	SCOOLS II
Study objectives	For young people (13 - 18 years old) experiencing psychological distress, weekly counselling will be more effective than waiting list conditions.
Ethics approval(s)	University of Strathclyde Ethics Committee approved on the 9th December 2009
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Emotional wellbeing
Intervention	Counselling: Young people will be offered weekly counselling for up to one school term. The nature of the counselling is therapeutic rather than advice- or career-orientated, and is based on the competences for humanistic psychological therapies developed at University College London through funding from Skills for Health. Counselling, defined in this way, puts particular emphasis on the development of a trusting relationship between the therapist and client, and tries to understand the client's 'world' from their point of view. Counsellors are BACP accredited practitioners or equivalent, working within a set of professional ethical guidelines for counselling and psychotherapy. They have experience of working in humanistic ways with young people. A selection of session recordings will be audited by the research team to monitor adherence to humanistic psychological therapy competences. Waiting list: Young people allocated to the control condition will not be offered any formal counselling intervention for the school term. However, they will be informed that they can access the school's full pastoral care provision at any point during the trial. At the endpoint assessment, participants in the waiting list condition will be offered the option of direct entry to counselling in the following school term. Follow-up assessments on both arms will be in the middle of the school term (approximately 5 - 6 weeks after baseline assessment) and at the end of the school term (approximately 10 - 12 weeks after baseline assessment).
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure(s)	Current information as of 23/03/2010: Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation for Young People (YP-CORE), measured at baseline, midpoint and endpoint. Initial information at time of registration: Emotional Symptom Score on SDQ (SDQ-ES), measured at baseline, midpoint and endpoint.
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	Amendments as of 23/03/2010: As of the above date, point 2 of the secondary outcomes measures has been changed to the following (all timepoints remain the same): 2. Emotional Symptom Score on SDQ (SDQ-ES) Initial information at time of registration: Measured at baseline, midpoint and endpoint: 1. Total Difficulties Score on SDQ (SDQ-TD) 2. Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation for Young People (YP-CORE) 3. Self-Esteem (SEQ) 4. Experience of Service Questionnaire (ESQ) 5. Self-rated change (goal-based outcomes) 6. Adapted Change Interview (for clients) 7. Adapted Change Interview (for waitlist)
Completion date	30/06/2010

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Child
Lower age limit	13 Years
Upper age limit	18 Years
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	10
Key inclusion criteria	1. Aged 13 to 18 years, either sex 2. Experiencing borderline or abnormally high levels of emotional distress, as indicated by a score of 5 or above on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Emotional Symptoms Subscale at assessment 3. Motivated to attend counselling, as indicated at assessment 4. Capable of consenting to participate in research, as indicated by a member of the pastoral care team 5. Greater than 85 per cent attendance at school, as indicated by a member of the pastoral care team
Key exclusion criteria	1. Risk of significant harm to self or other, as indicated by a member of the pastoral care team and the researcher at assessment 2. Involvement with other child and young people mental health agencies as indicated by a member of the pastoral care team and/or the young person at assessment 3. Planning/likely to move school during period of study, as indicated by a member of the pastoral care team and/or the young person at assessment
Date of first enrolment	11/01/2010
Date of final enrolment	30/06/2010

Locations

Countries of recruitment

United Kingdom
Scotland

Study participating centre

University of Strathclyde

Glasgow
G13 1PP
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	01/10/2013		Yes	No
Participant information sheet	Participant information sheet	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes