Summary:
This one day workshop will introduce participants to the latest research in statistical methodology to evaluate markers in trials of complex interventions in mental health. Broadly speaking, this research aims to answer four questions about complex interventions/treatments:

1. Does it work? Is there a beneficial effect of the treatment compared with some other treatment or treatment as usual?

2. How does it work? What are the underlying mechanisms or targets of the treatment?

3. Who does it work for? Are there subgroups of people who benefit most? Could the treatment be targeted to particular subgroups of the population?

4. What factors make it work better?

A summary of this research has recently been published in:

Dunn G, Emsley R, Liu H, Landau S, Green J, White I, Pickles A. Evaluation and validation of social and psychological markers in randomised trials of complex interventions in mental health: a methodological research programme (2015). Health Technology Assessment, volume 19, number 93.

The report can be freely downloaded here: http://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hta/volume-19/issue-93

Programme:

10:15 – 10:45 Registration and coffee

10:45 – 11:00 Introduction and overview to HTA report

11:00 – 11:50 “Does the treatment work?”
Dr Ian White, MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge

11:50 – 12:40 “How does the treatment work?”
Dr Richard Emsley, Centre for Biostatistics, The University of Manchester

12:40 – 13:30 Lunch and refreshments

13:30 – 14:00 Incorporating methodology in a clinical research programme
Professor Jonathan Green, Centre for Developmental Science, The University of Manchester

14:00 – 14:50 “What factors make the treatment work better?”
Professor Graham Dunn, Centre for Biostatistics, The University of Manchester

14:50 – 15:30 Refreshments

15:30 – 16:20 “Who does the treatment work for?”
Professor Sabine Landau, King's College London

16:20 – 16:30 Closing remarks

Funding:

The workshop is supported by:

MRC North West Hub for Trials Methodology Research

MRC MRP COMPLEX grant (PI: Sabine Landau, MR/K006185/1)

Trials@Manchester network