Problem-solving training: assessing the feasibility and acceptability of delivering and evaluating a problem-solving training model for front-line prison staff and prisoners who self-harm

Objectives Problem-solving skills training is adaptable, inexpensive and simple to deliver. However, its application with prisoners who self-harm is unknown. The study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a problem-solving training (PST) intervention for prison staff and prisoners who self-...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gerry Richardson, Allan House, Amanda Farrin, Alexandra Wright-Hughes, Joanne Greenhalgh, Amanda Perry, Mitchell Glenn Waterman, Ann Kathryn Hopton, Nat Wright
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2019-10-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e026095.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850060596024705024
author Gerry Richardson
Allan House
Amanda Farrin
Alexandra Wright-Hughes
Joanne Greenhalgh
Amanda Perry
Mitchell Glenn Waterman
Ann Kathryn Hopton
Nat Wright
author_facet Gerry Richardson
Allan House
Amanda Farrin
Alexandra Wright-Hughes
Joanne Greenhalgh
Amanda Perry
Mitchell Glenn Waterman
Ann Kathryn Hopton
Nat Wright
author_sort Gerry Richardson
collection DOAJ
description Objectives Problem-solving skills training is adaptable, inexpensive and simple to deliver. However, its application with prisoners who self-harm is unknown. The study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a problem-solving training (PST) intervention for prison staff and prisoners who self-harm, to inform the design of a large-scale study.Design and setting A mixed-methods design used routinely collected data, individual outcome measures, an economic protocol and qualitative interviews at four prisons in Yorkshire and Humber, UK.Participants (i) Front-line prison staff, (ii) male and female prisoners with an episode of self-harm in the previous 2 weeks.Intervention The intervention comprised a 1 hour staff training session and a 30 min prisoner session using adapted workbooks and case studies.Outcomes We assessed the study processes—coverage of training; recruitment and retention rates and adequacy of intervention delivery—and available data (completeness of outcome data, integrity of routinely collected data and access to the National Health Service (NHS) resource information). Prisoner outcomes assessed incidence of self-harm, quality of life and depression at baseline and at follow-up. Qualitative findings are presented elsewhere.Results Recruitment was higher than anticipated for staff n=280, but lower for prisoners, n=48. Retention was good with 43/48 (89%) prisoners completing the intervention, at follow-up we collected individual outcome data for 34/48 (71%) of prisoners. Access to routinely collected data was inconsistent. Prisoners were frequent users of NHS healthcare. The additional cost of training and intervention delivery was deemed minimal in comparison to ‘treatment as usual’. Outcome measures of self-harm, quality of life and depression were found to be acceptable.Conclusions The intervention proved feasible to adapt. Staff training was delivered but on the whole it was not deemed feasible for staff to deliver the intervention. A large-scale study is warranted, but modifications to the implementation of the intervention are required.
format Article
id doaj-art-154dc6d3a2784d4487e99d4901a1214d
institution DOAJ
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2019-10-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-154dc6d3a2784d4487e99d4901a1214d2025-08-20T02:50:30ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-10-0191010.1136/bmjopen-2018-026095Problem-solving training: assessing the feasibility and acceptability of delivering and evaluating a problem-solving training model for front-line prison staff and prisoners who self-harmGerry Richardson0Allan House1Amanda Farrin2Alexandra Wright-Hughes3Joanne Greenhalgh4Amanda Perry5Mitchell Glenn Waterman6Ann Kathryn Hopton7Nat Wright8Centre for Health Economics, University of York, York, UKLeeds Institute of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKLeeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU), University of Leeds, Leeds, UK4 Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK1 School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKSchool of Psychology and Counselling, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia2 Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK1 Health Sciences, Unviersity of York, York, UK7 Spectrum Community Health CIC, Wakefield, UKObjectives Problem-solving skills training is adaptable, inexpensive and simple to deliver. However, its application with prisoners who self-harm is unknown. The study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a problem-solving training (PST) intervention for prison staff and prisoners who self-harm, to inform the design of a large-scale study.Design and setting A mixed-methods design used routinely collected data, individual outcome measures, an economic protocol and qualitative interviews at four prisons in Yorkshire and Humber, UK.Participants (i) Front-line prison staff, (ii) male and female prisoners with an episode of self-harm in the previous 2 weeks.Intervention The intervention comprised a 1 hour staff training session and a 30 min prisoner session using adapted workbooks and case studies.Outcomes We assessed the study processes—coverage of training; recruitment and retention rates and adequacy of intervention delivery—and available data (completeness of outcome data, integrity of routinely collected data and access to the National Health Service (NHS) resource information). Prisoner outcomes assessed incidence of self-harm, quality of life and depression at baseline and at follow-up. Qualitative findings are presented elsewhere.Results Recruitment was higher than anticipated for staff n=280, but lower for prisoners, n=48. Retention was good with 43/48 (89%) prisoners completing the intervention, at follow-up we collected individual outcome data for 34/48 (71%) of prisoners. Access to routinely collected data was inconsistent. Prisoners were frequent users of NHS healthcare. The additional cost of training and intervention delivery was deemed minimal in comparison to ‘treatment as usual’. Outcome measures of self-harm, quality of life and depression were found to be acceptable.Conclusions The intervention proved feasible to adapt. Staff training was delivered but on the whole it was not deemed feasible for staff to deliver the intervention. A large-scale study is warranted, but modifications to the implementation of the intervention are required.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e026095.full
spellingShingle Gerry Richardson
Allan House
Amanda Farrin
Alexandra Wright-Hughes
Joanne Greenhalgh
Amanda Perry
Mitchell Glenn Waterman
Ann Kathryn Hopton
Nat Wright
Problem-solving training: assessing the feasibility and acceptability of delivering and evaluating a problem-solving training model for front-line prison staff and prisoners who self-harm
BMJ Open
title Problem-solving training: assessing the feasibility and acceptability of delivering and evaluating a problem-solving training model for front-line prison staff and prisoners who self-harm
title_full Problem-solving training: assessing the feasibility and acceptability of delivering and evaluating a problem-solving training model for front-line prison staff and prisoners who self-harm
title_fullStr Problem-solving training: assessing the feasibility and acceptability of delivering and evaluating a problem-solving training model for front-line prison staff and prisoners who self-harm
title_full_unstemmed Problem-solving training: assessing the feasibility and acceptability of delivering and evaluating a problem-solving training model for front-line prison staff and prisoners who self-harm
title_short Problem-solving training: assessing the feasibility and acceptability of delivering and evaluating a problem-solving training model for front-line prison staff and prisoners who self-harm
title_sort problem solving training assessing the feasibility and acceptability of delivering and evaluating a problem solving training model for front line prison staff and prisoners who self harm
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e026095.full
work_keys_str_mv AT gerryrichardson problemsolvingtrainingassessingthefeasibilityandacceptabilityofdeliveringandevaluatingaproblemsolvingtrainingmodelforfrontlineprisonstaffandprisonerswhoselfharm
AT allanhouse problemsolvingtrainingassessingthefeasibilityandacceptabilityofdeliveringandevaluatingaproblemsolvingtrainingmodelforfrontlineprisonstaffandprisonerswhoselfharm
AT amandafarrin problemsolvingtrainingassessingthefeasibilityandacceptabilityofdeliveringandevaluatingaproblemsolvingtrainingmodelforfrontlineprisonstaffandprisonerswhoselfharm
AT alexandrawrighthughes problemsolvingtrainingassessingthefeasibilityandacceptabilityofdeliveringandevaluatingaproblemsolvingtrainingmodelforfrontlineprisonstaffandprisonerswhoselfharm
AT joannegreenhalgh problemsolvingtrainingassessingthefeasibilityandacceptabilityofdeliveringandevaluatingaproblemsolvingtrainingmodelforfrontlineprisonstaffandprisonerswhoselfharm
AT amandaperry problemsolvingtrainingassessingthefeasibilityandacceptabilityofdeliveringandevaluatingaproblemsolvingtrainingmodelforfrontlineprisonstaffandprisonerswhoselfharm
AT mitchellglennwaterman problemsolvingtrainingassessingthefeasibilityandacceptabilityofdeliveringandevaluatingaproblemsolvingtrainingmodelforfrontlineprisonstaffandprisonerswhoselfharm
AT annkathrynhopton problemsolvingtrainingassessingthefeasibilityandacceptabilityofdeliveringandevaluatingaproblemsolvingtrainingmodelforfrontlineprisonstaffandprisonerswhoselfharm
AT natwright problemsolvingtrainingassessingthefeasibilityandacceptabilityofdeliveringandevaluatingaproblemsolvingtrainingmodelforfrontlineprisonstaffandprisonerswhoselfharm