RISE With Veteran Service Providers

NCT ID: NCT05490004

Last Updated: 2025-09-23

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

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

34 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-08-01

Study Completion Date

2024-03-13

Brief Summary

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Veterans and their families are more likely to experience forms of family violence like intimate-partner violence and child maltreatment. Evidence suggests that healthcare and social service providers (HSSPs) need more training to effectively and confidently recognize and respond to these situations. The Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action (VEGA) Educational Intervention is a novel education intervention aimed at improving provider's preparation for these clinical encounters. The goal of this project is to determine the acceptability and feasibility of a future randomized-controlled trial comparing two approaches (facilitator-led VEGA or self-directed VEGA) to administering the VEGA training to understand whether/how these approaches can support HSSPs continued care of veterans and their families. The investigators aim to generate initial estimates of the effectiveness of both approaches in improving HSSPs knowledge and skills to effectively recognize and respond to intimate-partner violence and related forms of family violence, including child maltreatment. As well, the investigators aim to contribute to the knowledge base regarding optimal educational approaches for HSSP education in family violence.

The investigators hypothesize that there will be significant increases in preparedness, knowledge and skills, and self-efficacy to recognize and respond to both CM and IPV in both the experimental and AC arms from Time 1 (baseline) to Time 2 (immediately after the intervention) and Time 1 (baseline) to Time 3 (3 month follow-up). These improvements will be slightly attenuated in the experimental arm. Qualitative data pertaining to perceived value and impact will corroborate the quantitative findings.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Domestic Violence Veterans Family Veterans Child Maltreatment

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

To determine the feasibility of evaluating the effectiveness of both of VEGA's educational approaches, as well as to generate preliminary estimates of effect for sampling and effect size calculations, a two-arm pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be used (Eldridge et al., 2016). Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to receive either self-directed (i.e., experimental) or facilitator-led (i.e., active control (AC)) VEGA.
Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors
The Research Assistant will be blinded to group allocation. The RA will be responsible for following-up with participants to make sure they've completed quantitative assessments (online survey) or, if participants choose to complete the surveys over the phone, the RA will complete them over the phone with the participant.

Study Groups

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Facilitator-Led VEGA

Facilitator-led VEGA uses a group-based approach where participants complete the Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action Project (VEGA) content as a virtual or face-to-face workshop (i.e., facilitator-led VEGA). In this study, all workshops will be virtual to prevent social gathering during COVID-19.

If a participant is randomized to this arm, the active control arm, they will be informed that they need to attend a facilitator-led VEGA session via virtual workshop format. The AC intervention will be facilitated via Zoom technology, by two trained facilitators with between 10 to 20 participants in each workshop (keeping the recommended 10:1 participant-to-facilitator ratio) and will last approximately 3 hours. The workshop approach is delivered by trained facilitators and is standardized via the use of a flexibly structured facilitator's guide. Facilitator-led VEGA will deliver material didactically with synchronous lecturing, use case-based role play, and include group-based polling.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action Project (VEGA) Education Intervention

Intervention Type OTHER

VEGA is a novel education intervention that has the potential to improve the preparation of healthcare and social service providers (HHSPs) to be able to effectively recognize and respond to intimate partner violence (IPV) and related forms of family violence, including child maltreatment (CM), in their clinical encounters. VEGA was developed based on systematic reviews and consultation with individuals belonging to 22 national healthcare and social service organizations, including the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. VEGA follows a competency-based framework and a participatory, encounter-based curriculum that includes four learning modules: (a) the epidemiology of IPV and CM; (b) strategies for safely recognizing and responding to (i) IPV and (ii) CM; and (c) principles for ensuring safe clinical encounters for IPV and CM discussions.

Self-Directed VEGA

Self-directed VEGA uses an approach where participants complete the Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action Project (VEGA) content online as a self-directed educational activity, at their own pace in a series of modules. Individuals will register to access the VEGA Education Resources site. Participants have the option of completing the self-directed VEGA arm in either English or French as the VEGA Educational Resources site offers the content in French and English.

If a participant is randomized to the experimental arm, they will be asked to complete the self-directed VEGA at their convenience, within one week of when they are informed they have been asked to complete the self-directed VEGA program. It will take approximately 3 hours for participants to complete all modules.

Participants will read didactic material, complete case-based animated simulations, and complete individual multiple-choice questions with response feedback.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action Project (VEGA) Education Intervention

Intervention Type OTHER

VEGA is a novel education intervention that has the potential to improve the preparation of healthcare and social service providers (HHSPs) to be able to effectively recognize and respond to intimate partner violence (IPV) and related forms of family violence, including child maltreatment (CM), in their clinical encounters. VEGA was developed based on systematic reviews and consultation with individuals belonging to 22 national healthcare and social service organizations, including the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. VEGA follows a competency-based framework and a participatory, encounter-based curriculum that includes four learning modules: (a) the epidemiology of IPV and CM; (b) strategies for safely recognizing and responding to (i) IPV and (ii) CM; and (c) principles for ensuring safe clinical encounters for IPV and CM discussions.

Interventions

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Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action Project (VEGA) Education Intervention

VEGA is a novel education intervention that has the potential to improve the preparation of healthcare and social service providers (HHSPs) to be able to effectively recognize and respond to intimate partner violence (IPV) and related forms of family violence, including child maltreatment (CM), in their clinical encounters. VEGA was developed based on systematic reviews and consultation with individuals belonging to 22 national healthcare and social service organizations, including the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. VEGA follows a competency-based framework and a participatory, encounter-based curriculum that includes four learning modules: (a) the epidemiology of IPV and CM; (b) strategies for safely recognizing and responding to (i) IPV and (ii) CM; and (c) principles for ensuring safe clinical encounters for IPV and CM discussions.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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VEGA Family Violence Education Resources

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Participant is a regulated healthcare or social service provider that is an active member in good standing with the associated regulatory college.
* Participant is fluent in written and spoken English.
* We are looking for participants who are currently working with or have previous experience working with military and/or RCMP veterans or their family members. Participants must meet one of the following criteria:

1. Participant works with military and/or RCMP veterans or family members of military and/or RCMP veterans in a direct service capacity at least one day per week OR
2. Participant has two years or more of experience working with military and/or RCMP veterans or family members of military and/or RCMP veterans in a direct service capacity OR
3. Participant has worked with 15 or more patients that were either military and/or RCMP veterans or family members of military and/or RCMP veterans in a direct service capacity.

Exclusion Criteria

* Participant has previously accessed VEGA intervention materials.
* Participant is currently enrolled in or plans to enroll in any other educational intervention focused on family violence within the study time period (approximately next 3 months).
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

100 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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McMaster University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Responsible Party

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Melissa Kimber, PhD, MSW, RSW

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Melissa Kimber, PhD, MSW, RSW

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

McMaster University

Locations

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McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Site Status

Countries

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Canada

References

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Related Links

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https://vegaproject.mcmaster.ca/

This is the VEGA Project website, where the public can access VEGA Family Violence Education Resources. More information can be found here about the development of VEGA.

Other Identifiers

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HiREB # 14243

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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