A randomised controlled trial of a faith-based culturally adapted intervention for depression in young Muslim women (IM-Adapted): a multi-site feasibility trial protocol.

Megan Smith; Andy Jones; Pashtana Zormati; Louca Mai Brady; Allan Clark; Atiya Kamal; Farzana Karawalli; Safiya Khan; Silvana E. Mengoni; Ghazala Mir; David Turner; Salman Waqar; David Wellsted; Daksha Trivedi

doi:10.1186/s40814-025-01691-9

A randomised controlled trial of a faith-based culturally adapted intervention for depression in young Muslim women (IM-Adapted): a multi-site feasibility trial protocol.

Megan Smith^*
, Andy Jones
, Pashtana Zormati
, Louca Mai Brady
, Allan Clark
, Atiya Kamal
, Farzana Karawalli
, Safiya Khan
, Silvana E. Mengoni
, Ghazala Mir
, David Turner
, Salman Waqar
, David Wellsted
, Daksha Trivedi

^*Corresponding author for this work

Birmingham City University

University of Hertfordshire
University of East Anglia
Inspirited Minds
University of Leeds
Imperial College London

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (SciVal)

Abstract

Background

Growing evidence suggests that mental health issues heavily impact Muslims, the largest, fastest growing minority religious group in the UK. High prevalence of anxiety and depression has been reported in young women aged 18 to 30 largely from Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslim communities in Britain. Evidence suggests that incorporating religious and culturally adapted interventions may improve their effectiveness for Muslim populations, but their feasibility for young women in UK contexts is uncertain. This study aims to test whether a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a faith-based intervention for young Muslim women living with depression is feasible.
Methods

This study is a two-arm cluster randomised controlled feasibility trial with embedded process evaluation. Participants will be young Muslim women aged 18 to 24 years experiencing mild to moderate low mood or depression in Birmingham and London. The intervention will be delivered by trained therapists, supported by mental health support workers, once a week for 6 weeks. The two arms will be the IM-Adapted faith-based intervention and the standard NHS psychoeducation support group control with a proposed sample size of 30 per arm. Outcomes are referral, recruitment and retention rates, session attendance, adherence and acceptability of intervention, data collection, and adverse events, measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months.
Discussion

The findings will provide early indication as to whether tailored mental health interventions may increase accessibility and effectiveness of support in underserved communities, addressing barriers linked to social and cultural factors. This will guide health services on the incorporation of cultural and religious adaptations in their programmes to better engage minority groups and improve mental health outcomes.
Trial registration

ISRCTN, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN17842222, registered 17th April 2024.

Original language	English
Article number	112
Journal	Pilot and Feasibility Studies
Volume	11
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-025-01691-9
Publication status	Published (VoR) - 22 Aug 2025

Funding

This study is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration East of England (NIHR ARC EoE) at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. This trial is being funded by the NIHR Public Health Research (PHR) Programme funding stream (Reference Number: NIHR156425). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. The funder, via peer review, provided guidance that shaped the study design. Public involvement in the study is co-led by a member of the research team and a public co-applicant with relevant lived experience. Participative approaches are embedded throughout the project, including in the development of the proposal. This included a workshop in November 2022, attended by six women with relevant lived experience and supported by funding from the NIHR Research Design Service. This identified the need for young people’s involvement to be inclusive and flexible and to address issues about stigma, cultural sensitivities, and religious guilt. Fifteen young Muslim women aged 16 to 30, with lived experience of using mental health services, were identified through the authors’ networks and invited to attend an online workshop in November 2023. Ten attended and contributed to the development of plans for inclusive involvement in the study.

Funders	Funder number
Public Health Research Programme	NIHR156425

Keywords

Cognitive behavioural therapy
Depression
Feasibility trial
Low mood
Muslim
Women
Young adult
Young people

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Cite this

Smith, M., Jones, A., Zormati, P., Brady, L. M., Clark, A., Kamal, A., Karawalli, F., Khan, S., Mengoni, S. E., Mir, G., Turner, D., Waqar, S., Wellsted, D., & Trivedi, D. (2025). A randomised controlled trial of a faith-based culturally adapted intervention for depression in young Muslim women (IM-Adapted): a multi-site feasibility trial protocol. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 11(1), Article 112. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-025-01691-9

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title = "A randomised controlled trial of a faith-based culturally adapted intervention for depression in young Muslim women (IM-Adapted): a multi-site feasibility trial protocol.",

abstract = "Background Growing evidence suggests that mental health issues heavily impact Muslims, the largest, fastest growing minority religious group in the UK. High prevalence of anxiety and depression has been reported in young women aged 18 to 30 largely from Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslim communities in Britain. Evidence suggests that incorporating religious and culturally adapted interventions may improve their effectiveness for Muslim populations, but their feasibility for young women in UK contexts is uncertain. This study aims to test whether a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a faith-based intervention for young Muslim women living with depression is feasible. Methods This study is a two-arm cluster randomised controlled feasibility trial with embedded process evaluation. Participants will be young Muslim women aged 18 to 24 years experiencing mild to moderate low mood or depression in Birmingham and London. The intervention will be delivered by trained therapists, supported by mental health support workers, once a week for 6 weeks. The two arms will be the IM-Adapted faith-based intervention and the standard NHS psychoeducation support group control with a proposed sample size of 30 per arm. Outcomes are referral, recruitment and retention rates, session attendance, adherence and acceptability of intervention, data collection, and adverse events, measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Discussion The findings will provide early indication as to whether tailored mental health interventions may increase accessibility and effectiveness of support in underserved communities, addressing barriers linked to social and cultural factors. This will guide health services on the incorporation of cultural and religious adaptations in their programmes to better engage minority groups and improve mental health outcomes. Trial registration ISRCTN, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN17842222, registered 17th April 2024.",

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Smith, M, Jones, A, Zormati, P, Brady, LM, Clark, A, Kamal, A, Karawalli, F, Khan, S, Mengoni, SE, Mir, G, Turner, D, Waqar, S, Wellsted, D & Trivedi, D 2025, 'A randomised controlled trial of a faith-based culturally adapted intervention for depression in young Muslim women (IM-Adapted): a multi-site feasibility trial protocol.', Pilot and Feasibility Studies, vol. 11, no. 1, 112. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-025-01691-9

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T1 - A randomised controlled trial of a faith-based culturally adapted intervention for depression in young Muslim women (IM-Adapted): a multi-site feasibility trial protocol.

AU - Smith, Megan

AU - Jones, Andy

AU - Zormati, Pashtana

AU - Brady, Louca Mai

AU - Clark, Allan

AU - Kamal, Atiya

AU - Karawalli, Farzana

AU - Khan, Safiya

AU - Mengoni, Silvana E.

AU - Mir, Ghazala

AU - Turner, David

AU - Waqar, Salman

AU - Wellsted, David

AU - Trivedi, Daksha

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.

PY - 2025/8/22

Y1 - 2025/8/22

N2 - Background Growing evidence suggests that mental health issues heavily impact Muslims, the largest, fastest growing minority religious group in the UK. High prevalence of anxiety and depression has been reported in young women aged 18 to 30 largely from Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslim communities in Britain. Evidence suggests that incorporating religious and culturally adapted interventions may improve their effectiveness for Muslim populations, but their feasibility for young women in UK contexts is uncertain. This study aims to test whether a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a faith-based intervention for young Muslim women living with depression is feasible. Methods This study is a two-arm cluster randomised controlled feasibility trial with embedded process evaluation. Participants will be young Muslim women aged 18 to 24 years experiencing mild to moderate low mood or depression in Birmingham and London. The intervention will be delivered by trained therapists, supported by mental health support workers, once a week for 6 weeks. The two arms will be the IM-Adapted faith-based intervention and the standard NHS psychoeducation support group control with a proposed sample size of 30 per arm. Outcomes are referral, recruitment and retention rates, session attendance, adherence and acceptability of intervention, data collection, and adverse events, measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Discussion The findings will provide early indication as to whether tailored mental health interventions may increase accessibility and effectiveness of support in underserved communities, addressing barriers linked to social and cultural factors. This will guide health services on the incorporation of cultural and religious adaptations in their programmes to better engage minority groups and improve mental health outcomes. Trial registration ISRCTN, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN17842222, registered 17th April 2024.

AB - Background Growing evidence suggests that mental health issues heavily impact Muslims, the largest, fastest growing minority religious group in the UK. High prevalence of anxiety and depression has been reported in young women aged 18 to 30 largely from Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslim communities in Britain. Evidence suggests that incorporating religious and culturally adapted interventions may improve their effectiveness for Muslim populations, but their feasibility for young women in UK contexts is uncertain. This study aims to test whether a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a faith-based intervention for young Muslim women living with depression is feasible. Methods This study is a two-arm cluster randomised controlled feasibility trial with embedded process evaluation. Participants will be young Muslim women aged 18 to 24 years experiencing mild to moderate low mood or depression in Birmingham and London. The intervention will be delivered by trained therapists, supported by mental health support workers, once a week for 6 weeks. The two arms will be the IM-Adapted faith-based intervention and the standard NHS psychoeducation support group control with a proposed sample size of 30 per arm. Outcomes are referral, recruitment and retention rates, session attendance, adherence and acceptability of intervention, data collection, and adverse events, measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Discussion The findings will provide early indication as to whether tailored mental health interventions may increase accessibility and effectiveness of support in underserved communities, addressing barriers linked to social and cultural factors. This will guide health services on the incorporation of cultural and religious adaptations in their programmes to better engage minority groups and improve mental health outcomes. Trial registration ISRCTN, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN17842222, registered 17th April 2024.

KW - Cognitive behavioural therapy

KW - Depression

KW - Feasibility trial

KW - Low mood

KW - Muslim

KW - Women

KW - Young adult

KW - Young people

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A randomised controlled trial of a faith-based culturally adapted intervention for depression in young Muslim women (IM-Adapted): a multi-site feasibility trial protocol.

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Keywords

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