Actively Recruiting
Using Mentalization Based Therapy to Support Children and Adolescents Referred to Specialist Mental Health Services in the NHS for Aggressive and/or Violent Behaviour
Led by Anna Freud · Updated on 2026-05-08
632
Participants Needed
8
Research Sites
77 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
A
Anna Freud
Lead Sponsor
U
University of Hertfordshire
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
The MICA Study is a research project that has been designed to work out how helpful mentalisation based therapy is. This is a new type of support that helps young people make sense of their own behaviours and feelings, and those of others. It involves meeting regularly with a mental health practitioner and parents/carers can be involved in some meetings too. It is hoped that this new type of support will help young people stop acting aggressively/violently. This project will be delivered in Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (FCAMHS) in England. This service supports some of the most vulnerable young people in the country, who may also have involvement from other professionals including the Youth Justice System. The aim of the research is to make the support better for young people who use these services. This research involves doing a randomised controlled trial. This means half the young people will get the usual support from FCAMHS, and half will get the usual support plus the new support. The results will be used to compare mentalisation based therapy to the support FCAMHS usually provides. This will show the best way to support young people with their aggressive/violent behaviours. To start with, young people will answer a questionnaire. Following this, young people will receive either usual support or usual support plus MBT for six months. After this, young people will answer a questionnaire again. Some young people will be asked to take part in an optional interview to share their thoughts on this research. All young people aged 10-17 years who have been referred to a FCAMHS in England will be asked to take part, as long as they can speak and understand English. Some young people might not want to take part in this research and that will not change the support they receive.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Using Mentalization Based Therapy to Support Children and Adolescents Referred to Specialist Mental Health Services in the NHS for Aggressive and/or Violent Behaviour
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age 10-17 years at the time of referral
- Aggression and/or violence indicated at referral or assessment
- Participation does not interfere with statutory orders
- Child and parent/carer (for ages 10-15) can consent and engage with study materials
- Living in the community with no imminent plans to move to hospital, residential, or secure settings
- For participants from clinician's caseload: no prior direct contact with FCAMHS clinicians
- No indirect therapeutic support previously provided by FCAMHS
- Clinician may have engaged in consultation activities without child contact
You will not qualify if you...
- Age under 10 or 18 and older at time of referral
- No evidence of aggression or violence at referral or assessment
- FCAMHS only offering one-off consultation or assessment
- Child's English level insufficient to engage in intervention
- Child and/or parents/carers refuse to engage with FCAMHS
- No statutory service involved in supporting the child
- No statutory service will hold the child's case for at least six months
- Currently involved in another psychological intervention research study
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 8 locations
1
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Southampton, Calmore, United Kingdom, SO40 2RZ
Not Yet Recruiting
2
Yorkshire and Humber FCAMHS, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Wakefield, Ouchthorpe Lane, United Kingdom, WF1 3SP
Actively Recruiting
3
South Central Community Forensic CAMHS Team, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom, OX3 7JX
Actively Recruiting
4
South West (North) Community Forensic CAMHS Team, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom, OX3 7JX
Actively Recruiting
5
The North East and North Cumbria Community Forensic Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Newcastle upon Tyne, Upon Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom, NE3 3XT
Actively Recruiting
6
East of England Community FCAMHS Team, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Cambridge, United Kingdom, CB21 5EF
Not Yet Recruiting
7
North London Forensic CAMHS, North London NHS Foundation Trust
London, United Kingdom, NW3 5BA
Not Yet Recruiting
8
South West FCAMHS, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Taunton, United Kingdom, TA1 5DA
Actively Recruiting
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
SINGLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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