Research Library

Symptom improvement is often examined as an indicator of a good outcome of accessing mental health services. However, there is little evidence of whether symptom improvement is associated with other indicators of a good outcome, such as a mutual agreement to end treatment. The aim of this study was to examine whether young people accessing mental health services who meaningfully improved were more likely to mutually agree to end treatment. Authors: Edbrooke-Childs, J., Costa da Silva, L., Čuš, A., Liverpool, S., Pinheiro Mota, C., Pietrabissa, G., Bardsley, T., Sales, C. M. D., Ulberg, R., Jacob, J., & Ferreira, N. (2021).

Reviews around interventions to improve shared decision making (SDM) for child and youth mental health have produced inconclusive findings on what approaches increase participation. Importantly, the previous reviews did not explore the use of theory, as well as mechanisms of change (intervention functions) and active units of change (behaviour change techniques). The aim of this review was to explore these factors and ascertain how, if at all, these contribute to SDM. Authors: Hayes, D., Edbrooke-Childs, J., Town, R., Wolpert, M. & Midgley, N. (2021).

This study drew on naturalistic outcome data from 1641 adolescents with moderate or severe anxiety and/or depression symptoms who received routine specialist care across 60 mental health services in England. The study compared rates of meaningful improvement between the domains of internalizing symptoms, functioning, and progress towards self-defined goals. Consistent cross-domain improvement was observed in only 15.6% of cases. Authors: Krause, K. R., Edbrooke-Childs, J., Singleton, R., & Wolpert, W. (2021).

The recording of harm and adverse events in psychological trials is essential, yet the types of harm being captured in trials for talking treatments involving children and young people have not been systematically investigated. The aim of this review was to determine how often harm and adverse events are recorded in talking treatments for children and young people, as well as the metrics that are being collected. Authors: Hayes, D., Za'ba, N. (2021).

Approximately half of those who access child and adolescent mental health services do not show measurable improvement in symptoms. This study aimed to provide practice recommendations for managing treatment endings, particularly when outcomes have not improved. Authors: Bear, H. A., Dalzell, K., Edbrooke-Childs, J., Garland, L., & Wolpert, M. (2021).

Many young people with anxiety or depression drop out of treatment early, and/or leave treatment without showing measurably improved symptom levels. This study aimed to provide a qualitative account of illness perceptions among youth with anxiety and depression by applying the Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation, which was developed in physical health contexts. Authors: Bear, H. A., Krause, K.R., Edbrooke‐Childs, J., & Wolpert, M. (2021).

Research exploring what adolescents perceive to be the cause(s) of their emotional difficulties is lacking. Improving understanding of this issue within non-clinical adolescent groups may provide useful insight into how to develop strategies to support young people as they navigate emotional difficulties. Objectives: The aim of this research was to explore if meaningful categories of perceived cause(s) for emotional distress exist for non-clinical adolescent groups. Authors: O'Neill, A., Stapley, E., Stock, S., Merrick, H., & Humphrey, N. (2021).

Shared decision making (SDM) has been associated with positive outcomes at child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). However, implementing SDM is sometimes challenging. This study aimed to explore the frequency of parent/carer-reported experience of SDM and examine possible associations between SDM and clinician's perceptions of the (a) children's and young people's psychosocial difficulties, (b) additional complex problems, and (c) impact of the psychosocial difficulties. Authors: Liverpool, S., Hayes, D., & Edbrooke-Childs, J. (2021).

Interest in youth perspectives on what constitutes an important outcome in the treatment of depression has been growing, but limited attention has been given to heterogeneity in outcome priorities, and minority viewpoints. This study used Q-methodology to identify outcome priority profiles among youth with lived experience of service use for depression. Authors: Krause, K. R., Edbrooke‐Childs, J., Bear, H. A., Calderón, A. & Wolpert, M. (2021).