Social Prescribing and Relationship Cognitive Strategies (SPARCS)

Social Prescribing and Relationship Cognitive Strategies (SPARCS)

The study team is testing the acceptability and feasibility of two treatments for improving loneliness: Social Prescribing and Brief Cognitive Therapy.

For this pilot study, the study team have adapted these treatments for Collaborative Care and are studying whether these are practical and well-received by patients that might use them.

The study will take place at 2 University of Michigan sites.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Screen positive for either or both of the following during routine clinic screening:

  • Social isolation in the past 6 months, according to the screening question "How often do you feel isolated from others?"
  • Suicidal ideation in the past 12 months, according to the 9th item of the Patient Health Questionnaire (HQ-9) (per protocol)

• Loneliness, according to the 3-item version of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale (per protocol)

• Are currently receiving or are able to initiate Collaborative Care Management at to participant's study site

Exclusion Criteria:

• Currently receiving or have an active referral for specialty mental health or substance use disorder treatment outside of primary care
• Neurocognitively impaired according to chart diagnosis, self-report on the Eligibility Screening Survey, or inability to answer comprehension check questions during the Informed Consent process (per protocol)
• Unable to participate in the interventions and research assessments due to planned travel or limited phone access (e.g., does not own phone)
• Terminally ill or receiving of palliative care with less than 6 months life expectancy