TY - JOUR
T1 - Study protocol for the Multimodal Approach to Preventing Suicide in Schools (MAPSS) project
T2 - A regionally based feasibility trial of an integrated response to suicide risk among UK secondary school pupils
AU - Ashworth, Emma
AU - McCarthy, Molly
AU - Wynne, Sio
AU - Robinson, Jo
AU - McKay, Samuel
AU - Lane, Steven
AU - Richardson, Gerry
AU - Boardman, Neil
AU - Henderson, Kate
AU - Crosbie, Vivienne
AU - Humphrey, Neil
AU - York, Sian
AU - Michail, Maria
AU - Hart, Damian
AU - Clacy, David
AU - Jalota, Mani
AU - Saini, Pooja
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright: © 2024 Ashworth et al.
PY - 2024/7/26
Y1 - 2024/7/26
N2 - Background Suicide is the leading cause of death of children and young people under 35 in the UK, and suicide rates are rising in this age group. Schools are considered an appropriate and logical setting for youth suicide prevention activities, with universal, selective, and indicated approaches all demonstrating efficacy. Given that international best practice recommends suicide prevention programmes combine these approaches, and that to date this has not been done in school settings in the UK, this study aims to evaluate the feasibility of delivering a suicide prevention programme incorporating universal, selective, and indicated components in UK schools. Methods This study is a feasibility cluster-randomised controlled trial (RCT) of an adapted version of the Multimodal Approach to Preventing Suicide in Schools (MAPSS) programme. The programme, initially developed in Australia, involves delivering universal psychoeducation to all pupils, screening them for suicide risk, and delivering Internet-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Reframe IT-UK) to those students identified as being at high-risk for suicide. The programme will be trialled in six secondary schools in Northwest England and will target Year 10 students (14- and 15-year-olds). The primary aims are to assess: 1) the acceptability and safety of delivering MAPSS in a school setting in the UK; 2) the social validity of the MAPSS programme; and 3) the feasibility of delivering a large-scale, appropriately powered, cluster-RCT and economic evaluation of this intervention in the future. Secondary aims are to assess changes over time in mental health and wellbeing outcomes. Discussion This study is the first to evaluate a suicide prevention programme comprising universal, selective, and indicated components in UK schools. If the programme is found to be feasible, it could be more widely tested in schools and may ultimately lead to reduced rates of suicide and suicidal behaviour in young people.
AB - Background Suicide is the leading cause of death of children and young people under 35 in the UK, and suicide rates are rising in this age group. Schools are considered an appropriate and logical setting for youth suicide prevention activities, with universal, selective, and indicated approaches all demonstrating efficacy. Given that international best practice recommends suicide prevention programmes combine these approaches, and that to date this has not been done in school settings in the UK, this study aims to evaluate the feasibility of delivering a suicide prevention programme incorporating universal, selective, and indicated components in UK schools. Methods This study is a feasibility cluster-randomised controlled trial (RCT) of an adapted version of the Multimodal Approach to Preventing Suicide in Schools (MAPSS) programme. The programme, initially developed in Australia, involves delivering universal psychoeducation to all pupils, screening them for suicide risk, and delivering Internet-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Reframe IT-UK) to those students identified as being at high-risk for suicide. The programme will be trialled in six secondary schools in Northwest England and will target Year 10 students (14- and 15-year-olds). The primary aims are to assess: 1) the acceptability and safety of delivering MAPSS in a school setting in the UK; 2) the social validity of the MAPSS programme; and 3) the feasibility of delivering a large-scale, appropriately powered, cluster-RCT and economic evaluation of this intervention in the future. Secondary aims are to assess changes over time in mental health and wellbeing outcomes. Discussion This study is the first to evaluate a suicide prevention programme comprising universal, selective, and indicated components in UK schools. If the programme is found to be feasible, it could be more widely tested in schools and may ultimately lead to reduced rates of suicide and suicidal behaviour in young people.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85199772552&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0302873
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0302873
M3 - Article
C2 - 39058694
AN - SCOPUS:85199772552
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 19
JO - PLOS ONE
JF - PLOS ONE
IS - 7
M1 - e0302873
ER -