title: MIDSHIPS: multicentre intervention designed for self-harm using interpersonal problem-solving: protocol for a randomised controlled feasibility study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Around 150,000 people each year attend hospitals in England due to self-harm, many of them more than once. Over 5,000 people die by suicide each year in the UK, a quarter of them having attended hospital in the previous year because of self-harm. Self-harm is a major identifiable risk factor for suicide. People receive variable care at hospital; many are not assessed for their psychological needs and little psychological therapy is offered. Despite its frequent occurrence, we have no clear research evidence about how to reduce the repetition of self-harm. Some people who have self-harmed show less active ways of solving problems, and brief problem-solving therapies are considered the most promising psychological treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a pragmatic, individually randomised, controlled, feasibility study comparing interpersonal problem-solving therapy plus treatment-as-usual with treatment-as-usual alone, for adults attending a general hospital following self-harm. A total of 60 participants will be randomised equally between the treatment arms, which will be balanced with respect to the type of most recent self-harm event, number of previous self-harm events, gender and age. Feasibility objectives are as follows: a) To establish and field test procedures for implementing the problem-solving intervention; b) To determine the feasibility and best method of participant recruitment and follow up; c) To assess therapeutic delivery; d) To assess the feasibility of obtaining the definitive trial's primary and secondary outcomes; e) To assess the perceived burden and acceptability of obtaining the trial's self-reported outcome data; f) To inform the sample size calculation for the definitive trial.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this feasibility study will be used to determine the appropriateness of proceeding to a definitive trial and will allow us to design an achievable trial of interpersonal problem-solving therapy for adults who self-harm.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Current Controlled Trials (ISRCTN54036115).
authors.affiliation: Clinical Trials Research Unit, Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. M.Collinson@leeds.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Collinson
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blenkiron
authors.forename: Kayleigh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hatcher
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: House
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pembroke
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Protheroe
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tubeuf
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farrin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004739:England; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011340:Problem Solving; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012107:Research Design; D018401:Sample Size; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome