NCT06311084

IMAGINATOR 2.0: Co-design and Early Evaluation of a Novel Blended Digital Intervention Targeting Self-harm in Young People

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 29 (actual)
• Sponsor: Imperial College London · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 12 Years – 25 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aims to investigate acceptability and feasibility of a new version of the Imaginator intervention, Imaginator 2.0, targeting self-harm behaviour in young people aged 12-25 under mental health services in the UK. Following an initial proof-of-concept study of Imaginator (Di Simplicio et al., 2020), a new version of the app that supports consolidation and practice of the techniques learnt in therapy was co-designed, and the protocol was adapted to be extended to younger adolescents. Imaginator 2.0 uses 'functional imagery training', training in individuals to develop and use functional (that is, helpful) mental images to support an alternative behaviour instead of self-harm. Mental imagery is the process of picturing something in the mind, and mental images have strong emotional and motivational characteristics. Functional Imagery Training (FIT) within Imaginator helps young people imagine adaptive behaviours as an alternative to self-harm when dealing with distressing emotions.

Detailed description

An open single-arm study that investigates the IMAGINATOR intervention comprising of delivery of Functional Imagery Training (FIT) for self-harm supported by a new co-designed smartphone app for young people aged 12-25 who experience current repeated self-harming behaviour and have been referred to adult community mental health services (Mental Health Integrated Network Teams; MINT) or Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). For the purpose of this study, self-harm is defined as per NICE guidelines (NICE, 2012): "an act of self-poisoning or self-injury, irrespective of the apparent purpose of the act". The IMAGINATOR intervention has been tested with 16-25 year olds using a proof of concept trial (Di Simplicio et al., 2020) but as the current study proposes to also include younger participants (12-17 year olds) and a newly co-produced version of the IMAGINATOR app, an open single-arm trial is the optimal design to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the new IMAGINATOR intervention following further protocol/materials development and with a different population. The IMAGINATOR intervention provides three face-to-face sessions of FIT, followed by phone support sessions and smartphone app-based support, based on cognitive behavioural and motivational interviewing principles and in line with NICE guidelines for long-term management of self-harm behaviour. FIT is intended as a brief and focused transdiagnostic intervention that can be added to any other pharmacological or non-concurrent psychological therapy. To improve YP's access to and engagement with the intervention, FIT was combined with the new IMAGINATOR smartphone app. The study is based in the West London NHS Trust.

Conditions

• Self Injurious Behavior
• Adolescent Behavior Problem
• Child Behavior Problem
• Mental Health Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Imaginator 2.0	Blended psychological digital intervention, combining Functional Imagery Training, a psychological intervention based on CBT and motivational interviewing principles, and a smartphone app.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-11-25
• Primary completion: 2023-11-09
• Completion: 2024-01-23
• First posted: 2024-03-15
• Last updated: 2025-04-17
• Results posted: 2025-04-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom