Using an objective computer task (QbTest) to aid the identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE): a feasibility randomised controlled trial

Objectives QbTest has been shown to improve time to decision/diagnosis for young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim was to assess the feasibility of QbTest for young people in prison.Design Single-centre feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT), with 1:1 alloca...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Charlotte Lucy Hall, Bryony Beresford, Prathiba Chitsabesan, Charlotte Lennox, Lesley-Anne Carter, Susan Young, Abdullah Kraam, Lloyd Wilkinson-Cunningham, Mindy Reeves, Vaseem Mohammed, Sally Trowse
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2022-12-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e064951.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849722421944254464
author Charlotte Lucy Hall
Bryony Beresford
Prathiba Chitsabesan
Charlotte Lennox
Lesley-Anne Carter
Susan Young
Abdullah Kraam
Lloyd Wilkinson-Cunningham
Mindy Reeves
Vaseem Mohammed
Sally Trowse
author_facet Charlotte Lucy Hall
Bryony Beresford
Prathiba Chitsabesan
Charlotte Lennox
Lesley-Anne Carter
Susan Young
Abdullah Kraam
Lloyd Wilkinson-Cunningham
Mindy Reeves
Vaseem Mohammed
Sally Trowse
author_sort Charlotte Lucy Hall
collection DOAJ
description Objectives QbTest has been shown to improve time to decision/diagnosis for young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim was to assess the feasibility of QbTest for young people in prison.Design Single-centre feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT), with 1:1 allocation. Concealed random allocation using an online pseudorandom list with random permuted blocks of varying sizes.Setting One Young Offenders Institution in England.Participants 355 young people aged 15–18 years displaying possible symptoms of ADHD were assessed for eligibility, 69 were eligible to take part and 60 were randomised.Intervention QbTest—a computer task measuring attention, activity and impulsivity.Main outcome measures Eligibility, recruitment and retention rates and acceptability of randomisation and trial participation.Results Of the 355 young people assessed for eligibility, 69 were eligible and 60 were randomised (n=30 QbTest plus usual care; n=30 usual care alone). The study achieved the specified recruitment target. Trial participation and randomisation were deemed acceptable by the majority of participants. 78% of young people were followed up at 3 months, but only 32% at 6 months, although this was also affected by COVID-19 restrictions. Secondary outcomes were mixed. Participants including clinical staff were mostly supportive of the study and QbTest; however, some young people found QbTest hard and there were issues with implementation of the ADHD care pathway. There were no serious adverse events secondary to the study or intervention and no one was withdrawn from the study due to an adverse event.Conclusions With adaptations, a fully powered RCT may be achievable to evaluate the effectiveness of QbTest in the assessment of ADHD in the Children and Young People Secure Estate, with time to decision (days) as the primary outcome measure. However, further programme developmental work is required to address some of the challenges highlighted prior to a larger trial.Trial registration number ISRCTN17402196.
format Article
id doaj-art-efe3577474974eb1b15ab9dff0a2cffc
institution DOAJ
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2022-12-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-efe3577474974eb1b15ab9dff0a2cffc2025-08-20T03:11:21ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-12-01121210.1136/bmjopen-2022-064951Using an objective computer task (QbTest) to aid the identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE): a feasibility randomised controlled trialCharlotte Lucy Hall0Bryony Beresford1Prathiba Chitsabesan2Charlotte Lennox3Lesley-Anne Carter4Susan Young5Abdullah Kraam6Lloyd Wilkinson-Cunningham7Mindy Reeves8Vaseem Mohammed9Sally Trowse105 NIHR MindTech MedTech Co-operative, Academic Unit of Mental Health & Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK2 Social Policy Research Unit, School for Business and Society, University of York, York, UKChildren and Young People`s Research Unit, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, Ashton-under-Lyne, UK1 Division of Psychology and Mental Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK3 Centre for Biostatistics, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UKPhysiotherapy, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Newport, UK6 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Doncaster, UK8 Research and Development, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Leeds, UK9 Medical School, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UKMedical School, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UKChild and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, Ashton-under-Lyne, UKObjectives QbTest has been shown to improve time to decision/diagnosis for young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim was to assess the feasibility of QbTest for young people in prison.Design Single-centre feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT), with 1:1 allocation. Concealed random allocation using an online pseudorandom list with random permuted blocks of varying sizes.Setting One Young Offenders Institution in England.Participants 355 young people aged 15–18 years displaying possible symptoms of ADHD were assessed for eligibility, 69 were eligible to take part and 60 were randomised.Intervention QbTest—a computer task measuring attention, activity and impulsivity.Main outcome measures Eligibility, recruitment and retention rates and acceptability of randomisation and trial participation.Results Of the 355 young people assessed for eligibility, 69 were eligible and 60 were randomised (n=30 QbTest plus usual care; n=30 usual care alone). The study achieved the specified recruitment target. Trial participation and randomisation were deemed acceptable by the majority of participants. 78% of young people were followed up at 3 months, but only 32% at 6 months, although this was also affected by COVID-19 restrictions. Secondary outcomes were mixed. Participants including clinical staff were mostly supportive of the study and QbTest; however, some young people found QbTest hard and there were issues with implementation of the ADHD care pathway. There were no serious adverse events secondary to the study or intervention and no one was withdrawn from the study due to an adverse event.Conclusions With adaptations, a fully powered RCT may be achievable to evaluate the effectiveness of QbTest in the assessment of ADHD in the Children and Young People Secure Estate, with time to decision (days) as the primary outcome measure. However, further programme developmental work is required to address some of the challenges highlighted prior to a larger trial.Trial registration number ISRCTN17402196.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e064951.full
spellingShingle Charlotte Lucy Hall
Bryony Beresford
Prathiba Chitsabesan
Charlotte Lennox
Lesley-Anne Carter
Susan Young
Abdullah Kraam
Lloyd Wilkinson-Cunningham
Mindy Reeves
Vaseem Mohammed
Sally Trowse
Using an objective computer task (QbTest) to aid the identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE): a feasibility randomised controlled trial
BMJ Open
title Using an objective computer task (QbTest) to aid the identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE): a feasibility randomised controlled trial
title_full Using an objective computer task (QbTest) to aid the identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE): a feasibility randomised controlled trial
title_fullStr Using an objective computer task (QbTest) to aid the identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE): a feasibility randomised controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed Using an objective computer task (QbTest) to aid the identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE): a feasibility randomised controlled trial
title_short Using an objective computer task (QbTest) to aid the identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Children and Young People Secure Estate (CYPSE): a feasibility randomised controlled trial
title_sort using an objective computer task qbtest to aid the identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder adhd in the children and young people secure estate cypse a feasibility randomised controlled trial
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e064951.full
work_keys_str_mv AT charlottelucyhall usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial
AT bryonyberesford usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial
AT prathibachitsabesan usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial
AT charlottelennox usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial
AT lesleyannecarter usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial
AT susanyoung usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial
AT abdullahkraam usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial
AT lloydwilkinsoncunningham usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial
AT mindyreeves usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial
AT vaseemmohammed usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial
AT sallytrowse usinganobjectivecomputertaskqbtesttoaidtheidentificationofattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderadhdinthechildrenandyoungpeoplesecureestatecypseafeasibilityrandomisedcontrolledtrial