Community Outpatient Psychotherapy Engagement Service for Self-Harm (COPESS): a feasibility trial

Conference:

SAPC ASM 2022 - UCLan

Talk Code:

4E.7

Presenter:

Anna Hunt

Twitter:

@COPESSRCT

Co-authors:

., Taylor, P2., Mills, C3., Clements, C2., Mulholland, H4., Kullu, C3., Hann, M2., Duarte, R4., Mattocks, F5., Guthrie, E6., Gabbay, M4., & Saini, P1.

Author institutions:

1 Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom., 2 University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom., 3 Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom., 4 The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom., 5 Penny Lane Surgery, Liverpool, United Kingdom., 6 The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.

Problem

People who self-harm are at high risk for future suicide and often suffer considerable emotional distress. Self-harm is often repeated, with risk of repetition highest immediately after an act of self-harm. Readily accessible brief talking therapies show promise in helping people who self-harm, but further evaluation of these approaches is needed. Through both quantitative and qualitative methods this study is assessing the feasibility and acceptability of implementing COPESS in a Primary Care setting.

Approach

Design: A mixed method study including both quantitative and qualitative methods. Participants and setting: Sixty participants based in North West United Kingdom with a history of self-harm within the last six months, who are also currently depressed are being recruited to take part in a feasibility single-blind randomised controlled trial (RCT). Randomisation: Participants will be randomised 1:1 to receive COPESS plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. Recruitment will be via General Practitioners (GP) and self-referral.

Intervention: A brief talking therapy intervention for depression and self-harm has been designed for use in a community Primary Care setting. COPESS (Community Outpatient Psychological Engagement Service for Self-Harm) consists of four 50-min weekly sessions of face to face or remote psychological therapy. A further follow-up session is offered 4 weeks after the end of therapy.

Outcomes: Assessment of feasibility and acceptability of COPESS will be assessed. Participants will complete a batch of standardised questionnaires at follow-up assessments (see below) to be conducted at 4, 8 and 12 week’s post-randomisation

Findings

37/60 participants have been recruited with an 85% retention rate and 12 qualitative interviews have been conducted with participants in both arms of the trial. Qualitative interviews have identified potential strengths and/or challenges of implementing brief community-based interventions for people who self-harm.

Consequences

Preliminary results suggest that COPESS is a clinically and cost effective intervention for people who self-harm in the community.

Submitted by:

Anna Hunt

Funding acknowledgement:

This project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (Grant Reference Number NIHR200543). The funding body had no role in the design of the study or in writing this manuscript. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the National Institute for Health Research or of the Department of Health and Social Care.