74 Chapter 3 Procedure Recruitment and consent Patients will be recruited at all outpatient sites of Inforsa Forensic Mental Healthcare, a department of Arkin Mental Health Institute, a large mental healthcare institute in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Recruitment is planned for 2 years. Patients will be screened for eligibility by a clinician and researcher during treatment. Researchers will inform and stimulate clinicians to refer patients by participating in team meetings, spreading information flyers, reminding clinicians, spreading newsletters and monthly presentations. When eligibility is assumed, the clinician will introduce the study to the patient to check whether the patient is interested in participating. After a patient expresses interest, more extensive screening between the clinician and researcher will take place. Subsequently, the first recruitment appointment will be scheduled with eligible patients who agreed to be approached by a researcher. During the first appointment the patient will be screened for eligibility by a researcher. Furthermore, patients’ motivation for participation will be assessed. All eligible patients receive a written study information letter. The content of the study information letter will also be explained by a researcher. Depending on the preferences of the patient, the second appointment for the screening interview, informed consent and baseline assessment will be planned. The second appointment will take place at least a week after the first face-to-face appointment so enough time for consideration is provided. In addition, the researcher asks whether the patient agrees to be approached by a research assistant by phone, in order to check agreement with participation, to answer questions and to plan appointments for follow-up assessment. During the second appointment, informed consent will be signed by all patients. After informed consent, baseline assessment will take place in which all in- and exclusion criteria are checked again by a researcher. If necessary – to decrease the burden for participants – baseline assessment will be divided intomultiple appointments. The baseline assessment should preferably be completed within a month after informed consent. Randomization and procedure Independent research assistants and research associates – not familiar with the patient or responsible for mental healthcare – of the research department of Inforsa are involved in the recruitment procedure, randomization, data collection and data management of this study. Randomization will be performed at an individual level, stratified by forensic outpatient care site. We aim to carry out randomization after completion of (the first half
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