Supporting wellbeing through peer-befriending (SUPERB) for people with aphasia: A feasibility randomised controlled trial

To determine the feasibility and acceptability of peer-befriending, for people with aphasia.

Single-blind, parallel-group feasibility randomised controlled trial comparing usual care to usual care + peer-befriending.

People with aphasia post-stroke and low levels of distress, recruited from 5 NHS Hospitals and linked community services; their significant others; and 10 befrienders recruited from community.

Six 1-hour peer-befriending visits over three months.

Feasibility parameters included proportion eligible of those screened; proportion consented; missing data; consent and attrition rates. Acceptability was explored through qualitative interviews. Outcomes for participants and significant others were measured at baseline, 4- and 10-months; for peer-befrienders before training and after one/two cycles of befriending.

Of 738 patients identified, 75 were eligible of 89 fully screened (84%), 62 consented (83% of eligible) and 56 randomised. Attrition was 16%. Adherence was high (93% attended ⩾2 sessions, 81% all six). The difference at 10 months on the GHQ-12 was 1.23 points on average lower/better in the intervention arm (95% CI 0.17, −2.63). There was an 88% decrease in the odds of GHQ-12 caseness (95% CI 0.01, 1.01). Fourty-eight significant others and 10 peer-befrienders took part. Procedures and outcome measures were acceptable. Serious adverse events were few (n = 10, none for significant others and peer-befrienders) and unrelated.

SUPERB peer-befriending for people with aphasia post-stroke experiencing low levels of distress was feasible. There was preliminary evidence of benefit in terms of depression. Peer-befriending is a suitable intervention to explore further in a definitive trial.

Clinical trial registration-URL:http://www.clinicaltrials.gov Unique identifier: NCT02947776

Subject terms: Translational research, mental health, rehabilitation, quality and outcomes, stroke