eprintid: 10067519
rev_number: 33
eprint_status: archive
userid: 608
dir: disk0/10/06/75/19
datestamp: 2019-02-12 13:54:00
lastmod: 2021-10-25 00:02:25
status_changed: 2019-07-05 08:20:14
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Priebe, S
creators_name: Chevalier, A
creators_name: Hamborg, T
creators_name: Golden, E
creators_name: King, M
creators_name: Pistrang, N
title: Effectiveness of a volunteer befriending programme for patients with schizophrenia – a randomised controlled trial
ispublished: inpress
divisions: UCL
divisions: B02
divisions: C07
divisions: D05
divisions: F66
divisions: D79
keywords: social isolation, volunteering, psychosis, social contacts
note: Copyright and usage © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2019. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
abstract: Background
Befriending by volunteers has the potential to reduce the frequent social isolation of patients with schizophrenia and thus improve health outcomes. However, trial-based evidence for its effectiveness is limited.

Aims
To conduct a randomised controlled trial of befriending for patients with schizophrenia or related disorders.

Method
Patients were randomised to a befriending programme for 1 year or to receive information about social activities only (trial registration: ISRCTN14021839). Outcomes were assessed masked to allocation at the end of the programme; at 12 months and at a 6-month follow-up. The primary outcome was daily time spent in activities (using the Time Use Survey (TUS)) with intention-to-treat analysis.

Results
A total of 124 patients were randomised (63 intervention, 61 active control) and 92 (74%) were followed up at 1 year. In the intervention group, 49 (78%) met a volunteer at least once and 31 (49%) had more than 12 meetings. At 1 year, mean TUS scores were more than three times higher in both groups with no significant difference between them (adjusted difference 8.9, 95% CI −40.7 to 58.5, P = 0.72). There were no significant differences in quality of life, symptoms or self-esteem. However, patients in the intervention group had significantly more social contacts than those in the control group at the end of the 12-month period. This difference held true at the follow-up 6 months later.

Conclusions
Although no difference was found on the primary outcome, the findings suggest that befriending may have a lasting effect on increasing social contacts. It may be used more widely to reduce the social isolation of patients with schizophrenia.

Declaration of interest
None.
date: 2019-03
date_type: published
publisher: Royal College of Psychiatrists
official_url: https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2019.42
oa_status: green
full_text_type: pub
language: eng
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_id: 1627496
doi: 10.1192/bjp.2019.42
lyricists_name: King, Michael
lyricists_name: Pistrang, Nancy
lyricists_id: MBKIN92
lyricists_id: NEPIS45
actors_name: Novi, Maya
actors_id: MNOVI52
actors_role: owner
full_text_status: public
publication: British Journal of Psychiatry
issn: 0007-1250
citation:        Priebe, S;    Chevalier, A;    Hamborg, T;    Golden, E;    King, M;    Pistrang, N;      (2019)    Effectiveness of a volunteer befriending programme for patients with schizophrenia – a randomised controlled trial.                   British Journal of Psychiatry        10.1192/bjp.2019.42 <https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2019.42>.    (In press).    Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10067519/1/King_controlled_trial.pdf