Research Projects: Ongoing & Completed
1. Title: RCT of group CBT for men with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and harmful sexual behaviour (HaSB-IDD)
Investigators: Prof Glynis Murphy, Prof John Rose, Prof John Taylor, Mr Andy Inett, Dr Lee Shepstone, Mr David Turner, Dr Regi Alexander, Mrs Vivien Cooper and Prof Peter Langdon
Funder: National Institute for Health Research - Health Technology Assessment, Award: £1,544,377.06
Recruitment: Ongoing
Contact: regialexander@nhs.net
2. Title: A multicentre double-blind placebo-controlled randomised trial of SerTRaline for AnxieTy in adults with Autism (STRATA)
Investigators: Dr Dheeraj Rai, Prof Helen Leonard, Dr Ailsa Russell, Dr Joanna Thorn, Dr Nicola Mills, Dr Raja Mukherjee, Dr Regi Alexander, Dr Stephanie MacNeill, Mr Jack Welch, Professor David Baldwin, Prof David Kessler, Prof Nicola Wiles, Prof Peter Langdon, Prof Traolach Brugha
Funder: National Institute of Health Research HTA (NIHR 127337), Award: £1,669,262.68 (+ AUD $557,029.40 by NHMRC Australia to Leonard H, Starkstein S & Glasson E for Perth centre), 2019- 2023.
Recruitment: Ongoing
Contact: regialexander@nhs.net
3. Title: Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in adults with intellectual disabilities (Trauma-AID)
Investigators: Prof Paul Willner, Prof Philippa (Pippa) Anderson, Dr Bernadette Sewell, Dr Biza Stenfert Kroese, Dr Clair Clifford, Dr Derek Farrell, Dr Sara Willott, Mrs Vivien Cooper, Prof Alan Watkins, Prof Glynis Murphy, Prof Hayley Hutchings, Prof John Rose, Prof Jonathan Bisson, Prof Peter Langdon
Funder: National Institute of Health Research Health Technology Assessment Award: £1,319,412.48
Recruitment: Ongoing
Contact: Peter.Langdon@warwick.ac.uk
4. Title: Social informational processing and offenders with autism spectrum disorder.
Chief Investigator: Verity Chester
Co-Investigators: Prof Peter Langdon, Prof Karen Bunning, Prof Regi Alexander.
Funder: N/A
Recruitment: Ongoing
Contact: v.chester@nhs.net
5. Title: The Experience of Sepsis amongst People with Learning Disabilities
Chief Investigator: Anne Hunt
Co-Investigators: Dr Julia Jones, Dr Kate Young
Funder: N/A
Recruitment: Ongoing
Contact: v.chester@nhs.net
6. Title: Spectrum 10K Study
Investigators: Prof Simon Baron-Cohen, Prof David Rowitch, Dr Matthew Hurles, Prof Daniel Geschwind
Funder: National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)
Recruitment: Not yet started
7. Title: People with AuTism detained within hospitals: defining the population, understanding aetiology and improving Care patHways (The mATCH study).
Investigators: Prof Peter Langdon, Dr Regi Alexander, Prof Essi Viding, Prof Connor Duggan, Prof Lee Shepstone, Prof Sabyasachi Bhaumik, Dr John Devapriam, Dr Ekkehart Staufenberg, David Turner
Funder: National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme: PB-PG-0214-33040, Award: £350,000, 2015- 2018.
Recruitment: Completed
Publications from study so far:
a. Barnoux, M., Alexander, R., Bhaumik, S., Devapriam, J., Duggan, C., Shepstone, L., … Langdon, P. E. (2020). The face validity of an initial sub-typology of people with autism spectrum disorders detained in psychiatric hospitals. Autism.
b. Alexander, R., Langdon, P.E., Chester, V., Barnoux, M., Gunaratna, I. and Hoare, S. (2016), Heterogeneity within autism spectrum disorder in forensic mental health: the introduction of typologies, Advances in Autism
Contact: regialexander@nhs.net
8. Title: Brain in Hand
Chief Investigator: Dr Rohit Shankar
Co-Investigators:
Funder: Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) award
Recruitment: Completed
Publications related to the study so far:
a. Psychological and quality of life impact of Brain in Hand -A mixed methods study (Pre print, Sept 2022)
b. Quality of life impact of Brain in Hand: Results of an independent clinical study (study website, plain English summary)
Contact: regialexander@nhs.net
9. Title: The Prevalence of Social Communication PRoblems in Adult Psychiatric INpaTients (The SPRINT study)
Chief Investigator: Dr Sam Tromans
Co-Investigators: Prof Terry Brugha, Prof Regi Alexander
Funder: NIHR Senior Investigator award
Recruitment: Completed
Publications related to the study so far:
a. The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in adult psychiatric inpatients: a systematic review (2018)
b. Testing adults by questionnaire for social and communication disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, in an adult mental health service population (2020)
c. Brief Report: Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Survey of Randomized Controlled Trials (2018)
d. Study protocol: an investigation of the prevalence of autism among adults admitted to acute mental health wards: a cross-sectional pilot study
Contact: st386@leicester.ac.uk
Investigators: Prof Glynis Murphy, Prof John Rose, Prof John Taylor, Mr Andy Inett, Dr Lee Shepstone, Mr David Turner, Dr Regi Alexander, Mrs Vivien Cooper and Prof Peter Langdon
Funder: National Institute for Health Research - Health Technology Assessment, Award: £1,544,377.06
Recruitment: Ongoing
Contact: regialexander@nhs.net
2. Title: A multicentre double-blind placebo-controlled randomised trial of SerTRaline for AnxieTy in adults with Autism (STRATA)
Investigators: Dr Dheeraj Rai, Prof Helen Leonard, Dr Ailsa Russell, Dr Joanna Thorn, Dr Nicola Mills, Dr Raja Mukherjee, Dr Regi Alexander, Dr Stephanie MacNeill, Mr Jack Welch, Professor David Baldwin, Prof David Kessler, Prof Nicola Wiles, Prof Peter Langdon, Prof Traolach Brugha
Funder: National Institute of Health Research HTA (NIHR 127337), Award: £1,669,262.68 (+ AUD $557,029.40 by NHMRC Australia to Leonard H, Starkstein S & Glasson E for Perth centre), 2019- 2023.
Recruitment: Ongoing
Contact: regialexander@nhs.net
3. Title: Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in adults with intellectual disabilities (Trauma-AID)
Investigators: Prof Paul Willner, Prof Philippa (Pippa) Anderson, Dr Bernadette Sewell, Dr Biza Stenfert Kroese, Dr Clair Clifford, Dr Derek Farrell, Dr Sara Willott, Mrs Vivien Cooper, Prof Alan Watkins, Prof Glynis Murphy, Prof Hayley Hutchings, Prof John Rose, Prof Jonathan Bisson, Prof Peter Langdon
Funder: National Institute of Health Research Health Technology Assessment Award: £1,319,412.48
Recruitment: Ongoing
Contact: Peter.Langdon@warwick.ac.uk
4. Title: Social informational processing and offenders with autism spectrum disorder.
Chief Investigator: Verity Chester
Co-Investigators: Prof Peter Langdon, Prof Karen Bunning, Prof Regi Alexander.
Funder: N/A
Recruitment: Ongoing
Contact: v.chester@nhs.net
5. Title: The Experience of Sepsis amongst People with Learning Disabilities
Chief Investigator: Anne Hunt
Co-Investigators: Dr Julia Jones, Dr Kate Young
Funder: N/A
Recruitment: Ongoing
Contact: v.chester@nhs.net
6. Title: Spectrum 10K Study
Investigators: Prof Simon Baron-Cohen, Prof David Rowitch, Dr Matthew Hurles, Prof Daniel Geschwind
Funder: National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)
Recruitment: Not yet started
7. Title: People with AuTism detained within hospitals: defining the population, understanding aetiology and improving Care patHways (The mATCH study).
Investigators: Prof Peter Langdon, Dr Regi Alexander, Prof Essi Viding, Prof Connor Duggan, Prof Lee Shepstone, Prof Sabyasachi Bhaumik, Dr John Devapriam, Dr Ekkehart Staufenberg, David Turner
Funder: National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme: PB-PG-0214-33040, Award: £350,000, 2015- 2018.
Recruitment: Completed
Publications from study so far:
a. Barnoux, M., Alexander, R., Bhaumik, S., Devapriam, J., Duggan, C., Shepstone, L., … Langdon, P. E. (2020). The face validity of an initial sub-typology of people with autism spectrum disorders detained in psychiatric hospitals. Autism.
b. Alexander, R., Langdon, P.E., Chester, V., Barnoux, M., Gunaratna, I. and Hoare, S. (2016), Heterogeneity within autism spectrum disorder in forensic mental health: the introduction of typologies, Advances in Autism
Contact: regialexander@nhs.net
8. Title: Brain in Hand
Chief Investigator: Dr Rohit Shankar
Co-Investigators:
Funder: Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) award
Recruitment: Completed
Publications related to the study so far:
a. Psychological and quality of life impact of Brain in Hand -A mixed methods study (Pre print, Sept 2022)
b. Quality of life impact of Brain in Hand: Results of an independent clinical study (study website, plain English summary)
Contact: regialexander@nhs.net
9. Title: The Prevalence of Social Communication PRoblems in Adult Psychiatric INpaTients (The SPRINT study)
Chief Investigator: Dr Sam Tromans
Co-Investigators: Prof Terry Brugha, Prof Regi Alexander
Funder: NIHR Senior Investigator award
Recruitment: Completed
Publications related to the study so far:
a. The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in adult psychiatric inpatients: a systematic review (2018)
b. Testing adults by questionnaire for social and communication disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, in an adult mental health service population (2020)
c. Brief Report: Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Survey of Randomized Controlled Trials (2018)
d. Study protocol: an investigation of the prevalence of autism among adults admitted to acute mental health wards: a cross-sectional pilot study
Contact: st386@leicester.ac.uk
Benchmarking and Service Evaluation
The benchmarking and service evaluation projects on our portfolio aim to assess the standards of care offered to patients with neurodevelopmental disorders.
1. Patient and Carer Rated Outcome and Experience Measures in Intellectual Disability Services (Chester V et al): The NHS Five Year Forward View (NHS England, 2014) emphasises outcome measurement within the three domains of effectiveness, safety and patient experience, to include the perspective of patients and their family carers. However, the feasibility of administering commonly used outcome measures to patients with intellectual disabilities had not been explored. The project follows on from a quality improvement (QI) project which evaluated the clinical utility of currently available outcome and experience measures for patients with intellectual disabilities and their family / carers. This QI project identified several issues with currently available measures, such as their inaccessibility to those with intellectual disabilities, or including domains not relevant to those with intellectual disabilities or their family carers. The current project therefore evaluates a few adapted outcome and experience measures for this population and is the first step towards benchmarking the perceptions of patients and their family carers on outcomes and experience.
2. Treatment outcomes from assessment and treatment units for people with an intellectual disability and mental health difficulties: a longitudinal study (Amiola A et al): People admitted to assessment and treatment units are often highly heterogenous, with complex needs and personal histories of trauma. The aim of this work is to assess the effectiveness of inpatient treatment for this population.
3. A Survey of Experts by Experience, Health & Social care Professionals about the effectiveness of Care and Treatment Reviews (CTRs) (Purandare K, Amiola A, et al): Care and Treatment reviews are meetings held about adults with LD and or Autism
either at risk of admission to or currently detained in an inpatient psychiatric unit. The aim is to avoid admission where possible or to facilitate a discharge. The aim of this work is to assess the effectiveness of CTRs from the perspective of experts by experience and professionals drawn from multidisciplinary backgrounds.
4. Mental Health Review Tribunals, Virtual Hearings and Intellectual Disability
(Sawhney I, Amiola A et al): The Mental Health Tribunal is a panel which detained patients have a right to apply to, so they can be discharged from their section. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic many meetings including MHRTs are now being conducted virtually; this work aims to look at necessary reasonable adjustments that should be made to ensure that individuals with Learning Disabilities can participate appropriately in the tribunal.
5. Effectiveness of a Community Forensic Learning Disability Team (Flowerdew R et al): Service evaluation of the first 12 months of a new community forensic learning disability team.
6. Weight Management in Forensic Intellectual Disability- The CALMPOD-ID Experience (Amiola A et al): Obesity is a global emergency with rates increased even more in patients within in-patient mental health settings. A mindfulness technique called CALMPOD (Compassionate Approach to Living Mindfully for Prevention of Disease) has recently been reported to be effective for weight management within a Tier 3 obesity service in the UK. This project is an evaluation of the effectiveness of an adapted version of CALMPOD, the CALMPOD-ID programme, within a forensic in-patient unit for people with an intellectual disability (ID).
7. Pathways and outcomes of children and adolescents with ADHD referred to a CAMHS-LD team (Kiran, K., et al.)
8. Avoiding Inappropriate Admissions to Inpatient Care (Smith A et al) : An Evaluation of the Community based Enhanced Assessment and Treatment Service for People with Intellectual Disability, Autism, and Mental Health Problems
2. Treatment outcomes from assessment and treatment units for people with an intellectual disability and mental health difficulties: a longitudinal study (Amiola A et al): People admitted to assessment and treatment units are often highly heterogenous, with complex needs and personal histories of trauma. The aim of this work is to assess the effectiveness of inpatient treatment for this population.
3. A Survey of Experts by Experience, Health & Social care Professionals about the effectiveness of Care and Treatment Reviews (CTRs) (Purandare K, Amiola A, et al): Care and Treatment reviews are meetings held about adults with LD and or Autism
either at risk of admission to or currently detained in an inpatient psychiatric unit. The aim is to avoid admission where possible or to facilitate a discharge. The aim of this work is to assess the effectiveness of CTRs from the perspective of experts by experience and professionals drawn from multidisciplinary backgrounds.
4. Mental Health Review Tribunals, Virtual Hearings and Intellectual Disability
(Sawhney I, Amiola A et al): The Mental Health Tribunal is a panel which detained patients have a right to apply to, so they can be discharged from their section. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic many meetings including MHRTs are now being conducted virtually; this work aims to look at necessary reasonable adjustments that should be made to ensure that individuals with Learning Disabilities can participate appropriately in the tribunal.
5. Effectiveness of a Community Forensic Learning Disability Team (Flowerdew R et al): Service evaluation of the first 12 months of a new community forensic learning disability team.
6. Weight Management in Forensic Intellectual Disability- The CALMPOD-ID Experience (Amiola A et al): Obesity is a global emergency with rates increased even more in patients within in-patient mental health settings. A mindfulness technique called CALMPOD (Compassionate Approach to Living Mindfully for Prevention of Disease) has recently been reported to be effective for weight management within a Tier 3 obesity service in the UK. This project is an evaluation of the effectiveness of an adapted version of CALMPOD, the CALMPOD-ID programme, within a forensic in-patient unit for people with an intellectual disability (ID).
7. Pathways and outcomes of children and adolescents with ADHD referred to a CAMHS-LD team (Kiran, K., et al.)
8. Avoiding Inappropriate Admissions to Inpatient Care (Smith A et al) : An Evaluation of the Community based Enhanced Assessment and Treatment Service for People with Intellectual Disability, Autism, and Mental Health Problems