What’s the project?
The Successful Treatment of Paranoia (STOP) study is an online app-based therapy tool designed to treat paranoia. The app is currently designed to treat people with clinical paranoia. The therapy offers users the opportunity to engage with written scenarios about daily events that could be interpreted in a paranoid way and then be invited to interpret them in a more helpful, less paranoid way.
Paranoia in the general population may affect up to 30% of people. In a recent STOP study, a randomized controlled trial experienced 15% of participants who signed up who did not have clinical paranoia. As part of the ongoing STOP study we wish to broaden our reach and impact to include the wider population of people suffering from paranoia in the community as well as the clinical group that we already target. We plan to rebrand and redesign the app to meet the needs of the wider group.
For more information, please visit the STOP study website: (link)
Find out more
The project is ongoing. There will be four online meetings during the next year, workshops, focus groups and co-design activities. There will be likely four online or written feedback tasks sent by email and carried out during the year. It is likely that the project will continue after the end of 2026.
We are looking for a UK based person with lived experience of paranoia, psychosis or schizophrenia. You may or may not have a mental health diagnosis.
It is desirable that you have some previous experience supporting public and patient involvement to join an ongoing study. Through a series of online meetings, workshops and online tasks you will help support and develop a smartphone app designed to treat paranoia.
- Has lived experience of paranoia or serious mental illness (psychosis or schizophrenia).
- Lives in the UK.
- Has an interest in apps and digital mental health technology.
- Some experience of supporting projects with Patient and Public Involvement.
- It is essential that you can attend online meetings using MS Teams. You will need a personal computer or smartphone, with a camera and microphone. You will also need headphones with a microphone, if not in a private space.
- Mental health problems and experiences affect everyone, but involvement in research does not always reflect this. Therefore, we actively seeking applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic groups. We would especially like to hear from those who have experienced difficult life experiences (for example: seldom-heard groups, low-income backgrounds) and those who identify with being neurodivergent).
Payment will be offered at £25 an hour. This will be offered for both online meetings, workshops, focus groups and email tasks.
If you are interested in applying, please download and complete the attached application form (using button below). Once complete please send to Alex Kenny [email protected], Senior Public Involvement in Research Officer at the McPin Foundation.
Alex can help you with your application if you have any accessibility needs. Please contact Alex at [email protected] if you have any questions.
The deadline is Friday 30th January 2026.
Please note that the McPin Foundation regularly promotes opportunities on behalf of other institutions; we are not responsible for the continuation or contents of further correspondence with any project partners where we are not listed as the project main point of contact.
