Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health for Health Behaviors

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Jennifer Mascaro, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Emory University

Disqualifiers: Under 18 years old

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 7

Duration: 8 weeks

80 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores a new group-based program called the Compassion Centered Spiritual Health Team Intervention (CCSH-TI), designed to support healthcare workers in managing stress and burnout. The program emphasizes mindfulness and compassion techniques to enhance teamwork and emotional well-being among oncology staff. Participants will be divided into two groups: one will participate in the new program, while the other will continue with their usual resources. The trial seeks full-time oncology team members at the Winship Cancer Institute or those working in intensive care at Emory University St. Joseph Hospital. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative approaches in healthcare worker support.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this intervention is safe for participants?

Research has shown that Compassion Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH) programs are safe and manageable. Studies have found that CCSH can reduce depression symptoms, suggesting an improvement in mental well-being. These studies have reported no major side effects. Participants typically find the sessions helpful and positive, indicating they are well-received. Thus, joining a CCSH program is likely a safe option for those seeking to enhance resilience and compassion in a supportive group setting. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Compassion Centered Spiritual Health Team Intervention (CCSH-TI) because it offers a unique approach to improving health behaviors among healthcare workers by focusing on mindfulness and compassion. Unlike standard well-being resources, CCSH-TI is delivered through a series of structured sessions led by healthcare chaplains, designed specifically for inter-professional teams. This intervention emphasizes building resilience, enhancing compassion for oneself and others, and creating a sense of psychological safety, which are not typically the primary focus of existing treatment options. By targeting these areas, CCSH-TI aims to foster a supportive work environment and improve overall well-being, which is a fresh take on promoting health in healthcare settings.

What evidence suggests that the Compassion Centered Spiritual Health Team Intervention is effective for improving health behaviors?

Research has shown that the Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health Team Intervention (CCSH-TI), which participants in this trial may receive, can help reduce burnout and build resilience among healthcare workers. One study found that CCSH-TI encourages people to speak up and share their concerns more freely. Other findings suggest that CCSH-TI can also increase compassion for oneself and others. This approach uses mindfulness and compassion-based techniques, which have been shown to help people manage stress better. Overall, early evidence supports that CCSH-TI may improve well-being and reduce stress in healthcare teams with different roles. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Jennifer Mascaro, PhD

Principal Investigator

Emory University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for nurses, advanced practice providers, physicians, and staff at an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Participants will be part of mixed-role oncology teams with 8-12 members each.

Inclusion Criteria

Full-time employees working in oncology teams at Winship Cancer Institute

Employees working in intensive care at Emory University St. Joseph hospital

Exclusion Criteria

I am under 18 years old.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-3 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive the Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health Team Intervention (CCSH-TI) or Treatment as Usual (TAU) over 8 weeks, with sessions every other week

8 weeks

4 sessions (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, with assessments at three timepoints

12 weeks

3 assessments (in-person or virtual)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Compassion Centered Spiritual Health Team Intervention (CCSH-TI)

Trial Overview The study tests a group intervention called CCSH-TI against the usual treatment. Teams are randomly chosen to either join bi-weekly sessions focusing on mindfulness and compassion for 8 weeks or continue their standard routines without these sessions.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: CCSH-TI Group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

4-session intervention of 60- minutes each delivered every other week by healthcare chaplains to mixed-role inter-professional teams that includes mindfulness and compassion-based approaches to bolster resilience, compassion for self and others, and psychological safety.

Group II: TAU (treatment as usual) group Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants in this group will have access to all well-being resources and activities available to them as employees.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Emory University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,735

Recruited

2,605,000+

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Collaborator

Trials

886

Recruited

677,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The RHIBS Taxonomy is the first comprehensive classification system for religious components in health interventions, developed through a systematic review of 12,337 papers and consensus from 19 international experts, resulting in 82 defined components across 22 categories.

This taxonomy aims to enhance the clarity and consistency of religious health interventions, facilitating better replication, implementation, and evidence synthesis in healthcare research and practice.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The development of the Religious Health Interventions in Behavioural Science (RHIBS) Taxonomy: a scientific classification of religious practices in health. Patel, R., Jong, J., Worthington, EL., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04060901

Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health for Faculty and Staff The researchers of this study hope that offering CCSH Interventions for Teams to CRCs will increase their resilience, wellbeing and compassion toward self and ...

2. ccsh.emory.edu ccsh.emory.edu/_includes/documents/sections/research/feasibility-acceptability-and-prelim-effectiveness-of-ccsh.pdf

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effectiveness of a ... QUESTION ASKED: Is a compassion-centered, team- based intervention feasible, acceptable, and effective for reducing burnout and promoting resilience among.

3. trialx.com trialx.com/clinical-trials/listings/307928/ccsh-compassion-centered-spiritual-health-for-teams/?&geo_lat=33.857&geo_lng=-84.216&radius=10&place=Tucker&user_country=United%20States

CCSH (Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health) for Teams To overcome the barriers to achieving success in burnout prevention interventions, the investigators propose Compassion Centered Spiritual Health Team ...

4. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40029890/

A randomized controlled trial of a compassion-centered ... These data suggest that CCSH decreases patient depression among inpatients, in part due to CCSH-trained chaplains' use of more inclusive, ...

5. trial.medpath.com trial.medpath.com/clinical-trial/a06cbbfe628c9556/nct06722027-compassion-centered-spiritual-health-interventions

CCSH (Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health) for Teams | MedPath Includes subscales measuring psychological safety with leaders, peers, and within the team (19 items). Total possible score ranges from 1-19 with higher ...

6. journals.plos.org journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0313602

A randomized controlled trial of a compassion-centered ... Our findings indicate that CCSH is an effective model of spiritual care for reducing inpatient depression symptoms, and the data is suggestive ...