Mentalization-Based Therpay With Older Adults

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM · Jul 14, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring whether a type of therapy called Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) can help people aged 60 and over who have trouble with relationships. MBT focuses on improving the ability to understand one’s own thoughts and feelings, as well as those of others. This skill, called mentalization, can change as we get older, especially because of life changes and how the brain works in later years. While MBT is already offered to older adults by some NHS services, there hasn’t been research to show if it really helps this age group. This study aims to find out if MBT can support older adults in building better relationships and feeling better about themselves.

People who might join the study are those aged 60 or older who have ongoing difficulties with relationships that affect multiple people in their lives and who have been referred to a specific MBT group. Participants need to be able to communicate in English and complete some questionnaires. Alongside the participants, people close to them and the therapists providing the therapy will also take part by sharing their experiences. The study involves interviews and gathering different types of information to see if MBT made a positive difference. This careful approach helps the researchers understand not just if MBT works, but how it might help older adults, and what challenges it can address. If you or someone you know fits these criteria and is interested, this study is currently recruiting participants.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• Participants - people who:
• • Have been referred into and assessed as suitable for a Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's Later Life MBT Group
• • Have persistent (i.e. 1 year+) and pervasive (i.e. multiple relationships) difficulties in relationships and so stand to benefit from the intervention
• • Those aged 60+
• • Have the ability to complete measures
• • Can communicate comfortably in spoken and written English
• Informants - people who:
• • Are identified by the participant
• • Are aged 18+
• • The participant considers themselves to have a close relationship with
• • Have the ability to complete appropriate measures
• • Can communicate comfortably in spoken and written English
• Clinicians - people who:
• • • Are involved in delivering/facilitating the MBT interventions with participants
• Exclusion Criteria:
• Participants - people who:
• • Are undertaking any other psychological intervention
• • Do not have the capacity to give informed consent; since capacity is dynamic, this will be assessed by clinicians and the independent outcome assessor on an ongoing basis according to their clinical judgement. If lack of capacity is identified during an interview, clinical judgement would be used around rescheduling and the information would be fed back to the individual's clinical team or escalated as necessary
• Informants - people who:
• • • Do not have the capacity to give informed consent; since capacity is dynamic, this will be assessed by the independent outcome assessor according to their clinical judgement. If lack of capacity was identified during an interview, clinical judgement would be used around rescheduling and the information would be escalated as necessary
• Clinicians - people who:
• • • n/a