Study for the Employment Retention of Veterans

NCT ID: NCT03085953

Last Updated: 2019-07-23

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 511 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2013-04-30
• Study Completion Date: 2019-02-07

Brief Summary

The Study for Employment Retention of Veterans (SERVe) is a randomized controlled trial, available exclusively to Oregon employers of veterans. It is designed to develop and scientifically evaluate Veteran-supportive supervisor training (VSST) that may enhance retention of veterans, with the goal of improving workplace culture and general well-being to our service members. The intervention, applied to workplace supervisors, will be measured by experience of veterans, assessing workplace experiences, health, well-being, as well as employees' spouse/partners' family experiences, health and well-being, and workplace outcomes.

Detailed Description

The overall goal of the Study for Employment Retention of Veterans (SERVe) study is to improve health and well-being of current and former service members employed in participating Oregon organizations. The SERVe Study seeks to do this by training supervisors to support veteran employees by focusing on a reduction in work-life stress while increasing supportive supervisor behavior.

The SERVe Study proposes that supervisor supportiveness can influence workplace experience, health, and well-being of service members, as well as of their families.

The investigators of the SERVe Study expect positive results for study participants, including reduced stress and increased social support, reduction in negative workplace experiences, and improvement in family well-being outcomes. Longer term, these effects are expected to create a more supportive work environment, which has positive effects on safety, health, well-being, family, and organizational outcomes.

Veteran participants are measured at baseline, three months, and nine months. Veteran spouses are invited to participate as well. Married and cohabitating veterans and their partners are invited to participate in the Daily Family Study (DFS), a 32-day daily diary survey after baseline and at six months.

Conditions

Well-Being; Health Behavior; Workplace Outcomes

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Experimental: Supervisor Intervention

Supervisors in the intervention group will go through the Veteran Supervisor Supportiveness Training.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Veteran Supportive Supervisor Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The family supportive supervisor behavior (FSSB) training intervention developed by Hammer and colleagues (2011) will be used as the basis for the development of the VSST intervention in the present study. In addition, we will draw on critical elements of training provided by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), information about potential mental and physical health effects of being in combat, and information to help reduce the stigma associated with returning veterans; in other words, "de-clinicalizing" their symptoms. Furthermore, this intervention study falls under the more general rubric of soldier resilience, but more specifically addresses both veteran and family resilience upon return from combat. The details of the training content will be researched and developed during the funded project period.

Waitlist Control Group

Supervisors will receive intervention following all measurement points, to serve as a waitlist control comparison group

Group Type: OTHER

Waitlist Control

Intervention Type: OTHER

Control group will receive training following all measurements points to serve as a comparison group

Interventions

Veteran Supportive Supervisor Training

The family supportive supervisor behavior (FSSB) training intervention developed by Hammer and colleagues (2011) will be used as the basis for the development of the VSST intervention in the present study. In addition, we will draw on critical elements of training provided by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), information about potential mental and physical health effects of being in combat, and information to help reduce the stigma associated with returning veterans; in other words, "de-clinicalizing" their symptoms. Furthermore, this intervention study falls under the more general rubric of soldier resilience, but more specifically addresses both veteran and family resilience upon return from combat. The details of the training content will be researched and developed during the funded project period.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Waitlist Control

Control group will receive training following all measurements points to serve as a comparison group

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Must have served in the United States Armed Forces since September, 2001
• Must work at least 20 hours per week at a participating organization

Exclusion Criteria

-

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Portland State University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

United States Department of Defense

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Oregon Health and Science University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Leslie Hammer

Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Leslie Hammer, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Oregon Health and Science University

Locations

Oregon Health & Science University

Portland, Oregon, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

W81XWH-13-2-0020

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id