Clinical trials

The aim of this exploratory study is to test the Strong Family (SF) programme in improving family functioning. Participants will be randomized to one of the two study arms 1)- Intervention group in which participants will receive 3 group sessions of SF programme (8-12 families per group) 2)- Control group (control group will be in the waiting list and receive SF training sessions once the study will be completed).

The aim of study is to: 1. To contextualize, adapt, customize and digitalize WHO's Mental Health Gap Action Programme Intervention Guide (e-mhGAP-IG); Substance Use Disorders Module (SUD module) V 2.0 for primary care settings (PCPs) in Pakistan. 2. To test the feasibility and acceotability of the e-mhGAP-IG (SUD module) training program in a feasibility cluster randomized controlled (cRCT) trial to enable mental health services in primary health care settings in Pakistan. The proposed study includes contextualization, adaptation, customization, and a feasibility cRCT of e-mhGAP-IG (SUD module) V 2.0 by constituting a combination of traditional and technological approaches of eHealth (mHealth, blended learning, and telemedicine) enabling mental health services in primary care settings to be well informed and accessible. This intervention will empower 300 Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) based in Primary Care Units (PCUs) from urban settlements and Basic Health Units (BHUs) from rural settlements in three major cities, Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Young people constitute nearly half of Pakistan's population and are highly vulnerable to risk factors for mental illness, including poverty, inequality, abuse, and violence. Estimates suggest that 19-34% of children and adolescents experience emotional or behavioural disorders, though this is likely underestimated. In recent years, research has focused on those at imminent risk of developing serious conditions such as first episode psychosis. The concept of an At-Risk Mental State (ARMS) has highlighted the urgent need for interventions that address current symptoms, improve functioning, and reduce transition to psychosis. Up to 80% of young people with ARMS have another diagnosable condition, and almost half show poor psychosocial outcomes even six years after initial help-seeking. Evidence demonstrates that early identification and treatment can delay or prevent psychosis, including severe and enduring illnesses like schizophrenia. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is among the most effective evidence-based approaches for this group. However, existing evidence comes largely from high-income countries, raising concerns about cultural applicability in low-resource settings. This study will culturally adapt and field test a manualised CBT intervention for young people at risk of first episode psychosis. To our knowledge, this is the first such study in a low-income country. Findings will inform scalable, culturally relevant interventions for Pakistan and similar contexts.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, and many survivors experience comorbid mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, which can significantly worsen health outcomes and increase mortality. This large-scale trial in Pakistan aims to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a three-stage adaptive intervention to manage depression among breast cancer survivors. Using a Sequential, Multiple Assignment, Randomised Trial (SMART) design, the study will recruit 26,372 participants aged 18 and above who have completed initial breast cancer treatment (surgery and/or chemotherapy or radiotherapy). Participants will be identified through primary care units, outpatient departments, oncology clinics in public hospitals, and charitable organisations across Pakistan. Depression will be screened using the Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ-9, with diagnosis confirmed by the Structured Clinical Interview Schedule of DSM (SCID). Those randomised to the intervention arm will receive adaptive interventions: starting with low-intensity guided self-help, followed by a high-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy-based programme called "Moving On After Breast Cancer Plus" (Moving on ABC Plus), and for non-responders, an additional pharmacological component will be introduced. Participants in both adaptive intervention and enhance usual care groups will be assessed at multiple time points-baseline, 6, 18, 30, and 48 weeks post-randomisation-using validated tools to measure depression (primary outcome), and anxiety, self-esteem, intrusive thoughts, health-related quality of life, satisfaction with services, and health resource use (secondary outcomes). The study will also include qualitative interviews and focus groups discussions with patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, and policymakers to identify barriers and facilitators to implementation and ensure the intervention is both contextually appropriate and scalable.

To test whether a culturally adapted multicomponent intervention for improving burns care and patient/family rehabilitation is effective in improving survival among burn victims in Pakistan and is cost-effective. The comparator will be usual care plus brief written self-help advice (enhanced usual care). The study is designed as a multicentre, pragmatic, parallel group, individually randomised trial. Participants in the intervention arm will receive 8 sessions delivered by the case managers (6 low-intensity sessions lasting 30-60 minutes in the hospital/community and 2 follow-up sessions lasting 30 minutes in the community). Assessments will be conducted at baseline, at 3 months, 6 months and at 12-months post-intervention.

To check the feasibility and acceptability of Culturally adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CaCBTp) and Culturally Adapted Manual Assisted Brief Psychological Intervention for Self-harm (CMAP), which we have provisionally called (CMAP Plus) for individuals experiencing Suicidal Ideation (SI) in First Episode Psychosis (FEP).

Primary Aims: To determine the clinical efficacy of Culturally adapted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CaCBT) and Culturally adapted Family Intervention (CulFI) compared to Treatment As Usual (TAU) on reducing overall symptoms of psychosis in patients with First Episode Psychosis (FEP) in Pakistan. Secondary Aims: 1. To determine the efficacy of CaCBT and CulFI compared to TAU on positive and negative symptoms of psychosis, general psychopathology, depressive symptoms, quality of life, general functioning, and insight in patients with FEP in Pakistan. 2. To determine the efficacy of CaCBT and CulFI compared to TAU on improving carer experience, carer wellbeing, carer illness attitudes and symptoms of depression and anxiety in family and carers of patients with FEP in Pakistan. 3. To determine the comparative effect of CaCBT and CulFI in improving patient and carer related outcomes in individuals with FEP in Pakistan. 4. To estimate the economic impact of delivering culturally appropriate psychosocial interventions in low-resource settings 5. To explore delivery and reach of each intervention, tolerability of intervention components, acceptability of interventions, understanding mechanism of change and developing an understanding of barriers and facilitators to future adoption using process evaluation. Study design and setting: This will be a multi-centre, assessor masked, individual, three-arm randomised controlled trial (RCT). Sample Size: The study aims to recruit a total of N=390 participants with FEP

Mental health problems are amongst the major contributors to disease burden globally. According to a recent study, 34% of young people worldwide (aged 10-19) suffer from depression and more than half of this population belongs to Southeast Asia such as Pakistan, India, and China. Existing evidence shows that the access to mental health services in LMICs is limited and even fewer child psychiatric services are available. One approach to overcome barriers such as limited availability of trained mental health professionals and risk of stigma may involve the use of simple, brief, scalable interventions based on basic psychological principles rather than treatment of psychopathology. This study adapts and evaluates two brief interventions called behavioral activation single session intervention (BA-SSI) and 4-session Mindset intervention (MI) for teenage depression and anxiety in Pakistan, where access to mental health care is constrained by societal stigma and a shortage of clinicians.

The study has both quantitative and qualitative components. The aim of study is to: 1. Culturally adapt and integrate the existing Motivational Interviewing with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(MICBT) and Mindfulness based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) for people with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in Pakistan 2. Test the feasibility and acceptability of the integrated intervention called CAMIAB ('CAMIAB' means success in Urdu) in a randomized control trial (RCT).

The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility and acceptability of culturally adapted CMAP for suicidal Ideation for women in postnatal period. Objectives 1. To adapt existing CMAP Intervention for suicidal ideation (CMAP-SI) in postnatal period. 2. To investigate whether CMAP-SI is feasible and acceptable among women presenting suicidal Ideations in postnatal period; and 3. To test whether there is an indication for the effects of the CMAP in reducing suicidal thoughts among women in postnatal period. 4. To explore participants experiences with CMAP-SI Intervention.