RECHARGE: A Brief Psychological Intervention to Build Resilience in Healthcare Workers During COVID-19

NCT ID: NCT04531774

Last Updated: 2020-10-19

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

160 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-08-28

Study Completion Date

2021-06-01

Brief Summary

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The healthcare industry is inherently demanding, stressful, and, at times, emotionally draining. On a typical day, many workers must make rapid and critical decisions, manage numerous demands, team conflicts, and challenging situations with patients and their families. For some health care workers (HCW), the current pandemic - COVID-19 - has also exacerbated these challenges. Providing psychological support is key in alleviating stress among HCWs, yet the situation does not require therapy because HCWs do not principally suffer from a mental disorder. RECHARGE was specifically developed for HCWs and is an abbreviated online version of Problem Management Plus, an evidence-based intervention that helps to cope with stress in times of crisis. As a brief psychological intervention for adults affected by adversity emerging from stress exposure, RECHARGE teaches people three well-documented strategies to manage acute stress (a: managing stress, b: managing worry, c: meaningful activity). It includes psychoeducation, arousal reduction techniques, managing worries and problem-solving skills, behavioral activation, and enhancement of meaningful activities, which are all based on the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of RECHARGE to reduce stress in HCWs and enhance their work performance. Participants in this randomized controlled trial (RCT) study are randomly assigned to either RECHARGE or the active control group. To this end, stress including symptoms of burnout, worries, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and work performance will be measured at baseline, post-intervention, and at a 2 and 6 month follow up.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Stress Burnout Anxiety Depression Covid19

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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RECHARGE

4 1-hour sessions of RECHARGE are delivered online using Skype for Business within 2 weeks.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

RECHARGE

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

RECHARGE is an abbreviated and adapted version of Problem Management Plus (PM+), an evidence-based intervention that helps to cope with stress in times of crisis. Recharge is specifically developed for HCWs as a brief psychological intervention for adults affected by adversity emerging from stress exposure and teaches people three well-documented strategies to manage acute stress. The strategies are: a) managing stress, b) managing worry, c) meaningful activity. It includes psychoeducation, arousal reduction techniques, managing worries and problem-solving skills, behavioural activation, enhancement of meaningful activities, and relapse prevention, which are all based on the principles of cognitive-behavioural therapy.

RECHARGE is delivered online in a 1 to 1 setting between coach and participant. Trained peers (medical doctors, nurses, psychologists) act as coaches.

Online self-study of stress management strategies

Self study during 2 weeks.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Self Study

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

HCWs are referred to a few recommended webpages that outline well-validated, adaptive coping strategies for managing stress.

Interventions

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RECHARGE

RECHARGE is an abbreviated and adapted version of Problem Management Plus (PM+), an evidence-based intervention that helps to cope with stress in times of crisis. Recharge is specifically developed for HCWs as a brief psychological intervention for adults affected by adversity emerging from stress exposure and teaches people three well-documented strategies to manage acute stress. The strategies are: a) managing stress, b) managing worry, c) meaningful activity. It includes psychoeducation, arousal reduction techniques, managing worries and problem-solving skills, behavioural activation, enhancement of meaningful activities, and relapse prevention, which are all based on the principles of cognitive-behavioural therapy.

RECHARGE is delivered online in a 1 to 1 setting between coach and participant. Trained peers (medical doctors, nurses, psychologists) act as coaches.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Self Study

HCWs are referred to a few recommended webpages that outline well-validated, adaptive coping strategies for managing stress.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Anxiety and depression checklist (K10) score of 16 or higher
* Healthcare worker
* Sufficient German language comprehension
* Access to teleconferencing platform

Exclusion Criteria

* Currently participating in a similar study
* Currently in psychotherapeutic treatment / coaching
* Currently on sick leave for more than 2 weeks
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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The University of New South Wales

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Naser Morina

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Naser Morina

PD Dr. Naser Morina

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Naser Morina, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Zurich

Locations

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Klinik für Konsiliarpsychiatrie und Psychosomatik

Zurich, , Switzerland

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Switzerland

Central Contacts

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Naser Morina, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+41442555280

Sonja Weilenmann, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+41 44 255 52 52

Facility Contacts

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Naser Morina, PhD

Role: primary

+41 44 255 52 80

References

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Related Links

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Other Identifiers

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BASEC-Nr.2020-00796

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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