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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2020 Sep 8;15(9):e0238286.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238286. eCollection 2020.

A pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial of two behaviour change interventions compared to usual care to reduce substance misuse in looked after children and care leavers aged 12-20 years: The SOLID study

Hayley Alderson  1 , Eileen Kaner  1 , Elaine McColl  1 , Denise Howel  1 , Tony Fouweather  1 , Ruth McGovern  1 , Alex Copello  2 , Heather Brown  1 , Paul McArdle  3 , Deborah Smart  1 , Rebecca Brown  1 , Raghu Lingam  4
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

A pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial of two behaviour change interventions compared to usual care to reduce substance misuse in looked after children and care leavers aged 12-20 years: The SOLID study

Hayley Alderson et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Young people in state care, often due to abuse or neglect, have a four-fold increased risk of drug and alcohol use compared to their peers.

Aim: The SOLID study aimed to investigate the feasibility of a definitive randomised controlled trial, comparing two behaviour change interventions to reduce risky substance use (illicit drugs and alcohol), and improve mental health, in young people in care.

Methods: We recruited young people in care aged 12-20 years, self-reporting substance use within the previous 12 months and residing in 1 of 6 participating local authority sites in the North East of England. Participants were randomised to either i. Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), ii. Social Behaviour and Network Therapy (SBNT) or iii. Control (usual care). All interventions were delivered by trained drug and alcohol workers. Follow-up data were collected 12 months post recruitment. Feasibility for trial progression was compared to pre-specified stop: go criteria (recruitment of 60% of eligible participants, 80% of participants attending 60% of offered sessions and retention of 70% of participants at 12 month follow up).

Results: Of 1450 eligible participants, 860 (59%) were screened for drug and alcohol use by social workers, 211 (24.5%) met inclusion criteria for the trial and 112 young people (7.7%) consented and were randomised. Sixty of these 112 participants (54%) completed 12-month follow-up questionnaires. Only 15 out of the 76 (20%) participants allocated to an intervention arm attended any of the offered MET or SBNT sessions.

Conclusion: By reference to pre-specified stop: go criteria it is not feasible to conduct a definitive trial for SOLID in its current format. Despite co-designing procedures with staff and young people in care, the screening, referral and treatment pathway did not work here. Future work may require dedicated clinically embedded research resource to evaluate effectiveness of new interventions in services.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Consort diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Department for Education. Children looked after in England, year ending 31 March 2019. London: Department for Education; 2019.
    1. Australian Insititute of Family Studies. Children in Care. https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/children-care2018 [
    1. Statista. Number of children entered foster care in the United States from 2007–2017. https://www.statista.com/statistics/255364/number-of-children-entering-f... [
    1. Department for Education. Outcomes for chilldren looked after by local authorities in England, 31 March 2017. 2017.
    1. Simkiss D. Looked after children and young people. In: Davis DS, editor. Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer 2012, Our Children Deserve Better: Prevention Pays2012.

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