Psychological therapy for the prevention of suicide in prison: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Daniel Pratt; Tim Kirkpatrick; Yvonne Awenat; Caroline Hendricks; Amanda Perry; Leslie-Anne Carter; Rebecca Crook; Paula Duxbury; Charlotte Lennox; Sarah Knowles; Helen Brooks; Linda Davies; Gemma Shields; David Honeywell; Louis Appleby; Patricia Gooding; Dawn Edge; Richard Emsley; Jenny Shaw; Gillian Haddock

doi:10.1186/s12888-024-06320-y

Psychological therapy for the prevention of suicide in prison: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Daniel Pratt, Tim Kirkpatrick, Yvonne Awenat, Caroline Hendricks, Amanda Perry, Leslie-Anne Carter, Rebecca Crook, Paula Duxbury, Charlotte Lennox, Sarah Knowles, Helen Brooks, Linda Davies, Gemma Shields, David Honeywell, Louis Appleby, Patricia Gooding, Dawn Edge, Richard Emsley, Jenny Shaw, Gillian Haddock

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Suicide is the leading cause of preventable death in prisons. Deaths from suicide in prison are significantly, and persistently, elevated compared to those living in the community. Psychological therapies have been shown to be a potentially effective means of alleviating suicidal thoughts, plans and behaviours, but patients located in prison often have no access to evidence-based psychological interventions targeting suicide. The objectives of this programme of research are to investigate the clinical and cost effectiveness of a new psychological therapy programme delivered to male prisoners at risk of suicide.

METHODS: The PROSPECT trial is a two-armed single blind, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial and will recruit a target sample size of 360 male prisoners, identified as at-risk of suicide, across 4 prisons in the North of England. Participants will be randomised to receive a psychological talking therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Suicide Prevention, CBSP) plus treatment as usual, or treatment as usual alone. Co-primary outcomes (Suicide Ideation and Suicide Behaviours), as well as related secondary outcomes, will be assessed at baseline and at 6-months follow-up. An intention to treat analysis will be conducted with primary stratification based on prison site and lifetime history of suicide attempt (yes/no). A nested qualitative process evaluation will investigate the nature and context in which the intervention is delivered, with specific focus upon the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of the therapy within prisons.

DISCUSSION: The key outputs from this trial will be to determine whether a psychological therapy for suicidal prisoners is clinically and cost effective; and to generate a project implementation platform that identifies how best to implement the new intervention across the broader prison estate.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN (reference ISRCTN14056534 https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN14056534 ; 24th September 2021). Registration confirmed prior to participant recruitment commencing. Modifications to protocol are listed on the study website at ISRCTN.

Original language	English
Article number	927
Pages (from-to)	927
Journal	BMC Psychiatry
Volume	24
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06320-y
Publication status	Published - 18 Dec 2024

Keywords

Humans
Prisoners/psychology
Suicide Prevention
Male
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods
England
Suicidal Ideation
Single-Blind Method
Adult
Suicide, Attempted/psychology
Prisons
Pragmatic Clinical Trials as Topic
Psychosocial Intervention/methods

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1186/s12888-024-06320-y

Cite this

Pratt, D., Kirkpatrick, T., Awenat, Y., Hendricks, C., Perry, A., Carter, L.-A., Crook, R., Duxbury, P., Lennox, C., Knowles, S., Brooks, H., Davies, L., Shields, G., Honeywell, D., Appleby, L., Gooding, P., Edge, D., Emsley, R., Shaw, J., & Haddock, G. (2024). Psychological therapy for the prevention of suicide in prison: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry, 24(1), 927. Article 927. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06320-y

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title = "Psychological therapy for the prevention of suicide in prison: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Suicide is the leading cause of preventable death in prisons. Deaths from suicide in prison are significantly, and persistently, elevated compared to those living in the community. Psychological therapies have been shown to be a potentially effective means of alleviating suicidal thoughts, plans and behaviours, but patients located in prison often have no access to evidence-based psychological interventions targeting suicide. The objectives of this programme of research are to investigate the clinical and cost effectiveness of a new psychological therapy programme delivered to male prisoners at risk of suicide.METHODS: The PROSPECT trial is a two-armed single blind, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial and will recruit a target sample size of 360 male prisoners, identified as at-risk of suicide, across 4 prisons in the North of England. Participants will be randomised to receive a psychological talking therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Suicide Prevention, CBSP) plus treatment as usual, or treatment as usual alone. Co-primary outcomes (Suicide Ideation and Suicide Behaviours), as well as related secondary outcomes, will be assessed at baseline and at 6-months follow-up. An intention to treat analysis will be conducted with primary stratification based on prison site and lifetime history of suicide attempt (yes/no). A nested qualitative process evaluation will investigate the nature and context in which the intervention is delivered, with specific focus upon the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of the therapy within prisons.DISCUSSION: The key outputs from this trial will be to determine whether a psychological therapy for suicidal prisoners is clinically and cost effective; and to generate a project implementation platform that identifies how best to implement the new intervention across the broader prison estate.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN (reference ISRCTN14056534 https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN14056534 ; 24th September 2021). Registration confirmed prior to participant recruitment commencing. Modifications to protocol are listed on the study website at ISRCTN.",

keywords = "Humans, Prisoners/psychology, Suicide Prevention, Male, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods, England, Suicidal Ideation, Single-Blind Method, Adult, Suicide, Attempted/psychology, Prisons, Pragmatic Clinical Trials as Topic, Psychosocial Intervention/methods",

author = "Daniel Pratt and Tim Kirkpatrick and Yvonne Awenat and Caroline Hendricks and Amanda Perry and Leslie-Anne Carter and Rebecca Crook and Paula Duxbury and Charlotte Lennox and Sarah Knowles and Helen Brooks and Linda Davies and Gemma Shields and David Honeywell and Louis Appleby and Patricia Gooding and Dawn Edge and Richard Emsley and Jenny Shaw and Gillian Haddock",

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year = "2024",

month = dec,

day = "18",

doi = "10.1186/s12888-024-06320-y",

language = "English",

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Pratt, D, Kirkpatrick, T, Awenat, Y, Hendricks, C, Perry, A, Carter, L-A, Crook, R, Duxbury, P, Lennox, C, Knowles, S, Brooks, H, Davies, L, Shields, G, Honeywell, D, Appleby, L, Gooding, P, Edge, D, Emsley, R, Shaw, J & Haddock, G 2024, 'Psychological therapy for the prevention of suicide in prison: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial', BMC Psychiatry, vol. 24, no. 1, 927, pp. 927. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06320-y

TY - JOUR

T1 - Psychological therapy for the prevention of suicide in prison

T2 - study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

AU - Pratt, Daniel

AU - Kirkpatrick, Tim

AU - Awenat, Yvonne

AU - Hendricks, Caroline

AU - Perry, Amanda

AU - Carter, Leslie-Anne

AU - Crook, Rebecca

AU - Duxbury, Paula

AU - Lennox, Charlotte

AU - Knowles, Sarah

AU - Brooks, Helen

AU - Davies, Linda

AU - Shields, Gemma

AU - Honeywell, David

AU - Appleby, Louis

AU - Gooding, Patricia

AU - Edge, Dawn

AU - Emsley, Richard

AU - Shaw, Jenny

AU - Haddock, Gillian

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.

PY - 2024/12/18

Y1 - 2024/12/18

N2 - BACKGROUND: Suicide is the leading cause of preventable death in prisons. Deaths from suicide in prison are significantly, and persistently, elevated compared to those living in the community. Psychological therapies have been shown to be a potentially effective means of alleviating suicidal thoughts, plans and behaviours, but patients located in prison often have no access to evidence-based psychological interventions targeting suicide. The objectives of this programme of research are to investigate the clinical and cost effectiveness of a new psychological therapy programme delivered to male prisoners at risk of suicide.METHODS: The PROSPECT trial is a two-armed single blind, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial and will recruit a target sample size of 360 male prisoners, identified as at-risk of suicide, across 4 prisons in the North of England. Participants will be randomised to receive a psychological talking therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Suicide Prevention, CBSP) plus treatment as usual, or treatment as usual alone. Co-primary outcomes (Suicide Ideation and Suicide Behaviours), as well as related secondary outcomes, will be assessed at baseline and at 6-months follow-up. An intention to treat analysis will be conducted with primary stratification based on prison site and lifetime history of suicide attempt (yes/no). A nested qualitative process evaluation will investigate the nature and context in which the intervention is delivered, with specific focus upon the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of the therapy within prisons.DISCUSSION: The key outputs from this trial will be to determine whether a psychological therapy for suicidal prisoners is clinically and cost effective; and to generate a project implementation platform that identifies how best to implement the new intervention across the broader prison estate.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN (reference ISRCTN14056534 https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN14056534 ; 24th September 2021). Registration confirmed prior to participant recruitment commencing. Modifications to protocol are listed on the study website at ISRCTN.

AB - BACKGROUND: Suicide is the leading cause of preventable death in prisons. Deaths from suicide in prison are significantly, and persistently, elevated compared to those living in the community. Psychological therapies have been shown to be a potentially effective means of alleviating suicidal thoughts, plans and behaviours, but patients located in prison often have no access to evidence-based psychological interventions targeting suicide. The objectives of this programme of research are to investigate the clinical and cost effectiveness of a new psychological therapy programme delivered to male prisoners at risk of suicide.METHODS: The PROSPECT trial is a two-armed single blind, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial and will recruit a target sample size of 360 male prisoners, identified as at-risk of suicide, across 4 prisons in the North of England. Participants will be randomised to receive a psychological talking therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Suicide Prevention, CBSP) plus treatment as usual, or treatment as usual alone. Co-primary outcomes (Suicide Ideation and Suicide Behaviours), as well as related secondary outcomes, will be assessed at baseline and at 6-months follow-up. An intention to treat analysis will be conducted with primary stratification based on prison site and lifetime history of suicide attempt (yes/no). A nested qualitative process evaluation will investigate the nature and context in which the intervention is delivered, with specific focus upon the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of the therapy within prisons.DISCUSSION: The key outputs from this trial will be to determine whether a psychological therapy for suicidal prisoners is clinically and cost effective; and to generate a project implementation platform that identifies how best to implement the new intervention across the broader prison estate.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN (reference ISRCTN14056534 https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN14056534 ; 24th September 2021). Registration confirmed prior to participant recruitment commencing. Modifications to protocol are listed on the study website at ISRCTN.

KW - Humans

KW - Prisoners/psychology

KW - Suicide Prevention

KW - Male

KW - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/methods

KW - England

KW - Suicidal Ideation

KW - Single-Blind Method

KW - Adult

KW - Suicide, Attempted/psychology

KW - Prisons

KW - Pragmatic Clinical Trials as Topic

KW - Psychosocial Intervention/methods

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85212503949&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1186/s12888-024-06320-y

DO - 10.1186/s12888-024-06320-y

M3 - Article

C2 - 39695433

SN - 1471-244X

VL - 24

SP - 927

JO - BMC Psychiatry

JF - BMC Psychiatry

IS - 1

M1 - 927

ER -

Psychological therapy for the prevention of suicide in prison: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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