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Behavioural Activation and Severe Learning Disabilities

NCT06851741 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 50

Last updated 2025-02-28

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Research shows that people with severe learning disabilities get depressed at least as often as the wider population. Psychological therapies are recommended to treat depression, and some of these have been adapted for those people with learning disabilities who can talk about their problems. No research has properly tested a psychological therapy for people with severe learning disabilities and any mental health problem. The investigators recently completed a study that tested a psychological therapy (behavioural activation) for people with mild learning disabilities and depression. Behavioural activation improves people's mood by helping them to re-engage in activity that has meaning and purpose for them, rather than relying on talking or thinking skills. Because of this behavioural activation might be promising for people with severe learning disabilities and depression. Along with PAMIS, an organisation for families of people with more profound disabilities, the investigators have adapted the therapy for this group. The investigators now want to find out if it would be possible to carry out a research project about whether behavioural activation works for depressed adults with severe learning disabilities. This is called a feasibility study. The investigators would see if it is possible to recruit 50 adults with severe learning disabilities, and if they are willing to be randomly placed in a group who get behavioural activation or a group who get usual help from services. Other information about running a study would be collected, including about keeping in contact with participants and what measures are needed to find out if change is happening.

Conditions

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Behavioural Activation for depression (BeatIt2)

It is a structured, time limited, manualised psychological therapy, developed to treat those with learning disabilities and depressive symptoms. There is an initial training session for carers regarding their role in the treatment, then 12 sessions with the person with a learning disability and their carer, held weekly or fortnightly, spanning approximately 6 months. Activities are carried out with the individuals with learning disabilities at each session and elements of the intervention are delivered via carers. The three main phases are: i) assessment and socialisation into the intervention and establishing a relationship with the person with the disability, ii) working towards change, and iii) finishing therapy. The first phase includes assessment of the person's pattern of daily activity, barriers and facilitators to engaging in activity, and examining the link between activity and mood. Specific attention is given to the role of communication and how scaffolding can be provid

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-03-04
Primary Completion
2026-09-01
Completion
2026-11-01

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Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06851741 on ClinicalTrials.gov