An intervention called “Distress Brief Intervention” (DBI) is being used by a range of health, police and other groups in Scotland. This is a way of helping people who are in emotional distress by trying to make their first contact with the health services or police as caring as possible. It then offers further support over the next two weeks. The DBI intervention is being independently evaluated by a team of researchers from the University of Stirling, led by Edward Duncan. The team is working in collaboration with Joanne McLean at ScotCen, a social research organisation, Chris White of the Mental Health Foundation and Helen Mason at Glasgow Caledonian University. The research team is working on behalf of the Scottish Government who would like to find out what the DBI intervention is doing well and how it can be improved.

You may have been invited to take part in this research in one of two ways. Please click ‘read more’ on the relevant box below to find out more: