Priming Attachment Security Within an IAPT Setting

The study is being conducted in an IAPT primary care service in North Yorkshire. The study will be recruiting 50 participants experiencing mild to moderate depression who are deemed suitable for 'behavioural activation' low intensity guided self‐help intervention. Following telephone screening for intervention, clinicians will ask clients if they wish to hear more about participating in a research study. If participants say yes, their contact details will be passed on to the researcher who will send them the study information sheet and consent form in the post. If the participant consents to taking part in the research, they will be randomised to receive either treatment as usual (low‐intensity guided self‐help utilising behavioural activation for depression) or treatment with security priming intervention (treatment as usual with an additional security priming task). They will have between 6‐8 sessions as routinely delivered within the service and will be asked to complete measures of depression, anxiety and impaired functioning on a sessional basis. The principal investigator at the study site will collect information regarding attendance to therapy, dropout rates, and 'stepping' clients up to higher‐intensity therapies as primary outcomes.