FOREST Program for Burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress

(FOREST Trial)

Overseen By Judith Moskowitz, PhD, MPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Northwestern University

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

100 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores a program called FOREST, which teaches positive emotion skills to help frontline violence prevention workers at UCAN manage stress and improve mental health. The goal is to reduce burnout and turnover by enhancing well-being and resilience. Participants will engage in skill sessions and online modules as part of their regular work activities. Those currently employed by UCAN, with internet access, and who can speak and read English might be a good fit.

As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to enhance personal well-being and resilience while contributing to valuable research.

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 the FOREST program is safe for participants?

Research has shown that the FOREST program is designed to boost mental health and coping skills for those working in violence prevention. While specific safety data from other studies is lacking, the program emphasizes teaching skills for positive emotions. Programs like this are generally safe, as they don't involve medication or medical procedures.

FOREST aims to reduce stress and burnout, common in demanding jobs. Previous research suggests these strategies can be helpful without causing harm. The trial is labeled "Not Applicable" in terms of phase, indicating minimal safety concerns. This is typically because the program doesn't involve new drugs or treatments with unknown side effects.

Overall, the FOREST program is expected to be well-tolerated by participants, as it focuses on building skills rather than using medical treatments. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

The FOREST program is unique because it combines skill-building sessions with online learning modules to address burnout and secondary traumatic stress, which are often managed through therapy or medication. This program's comprehensive approach of monthly skill sessions and ongoing online content aims to equip participants with practical tools to manage stress in real-time. Researchers are excited because this method emphasizes preventive care and continuous support, which could lead to more sustainable outcomes and improve overall well-being more effectively than traditional treatments.

What evidence suggests that the FOREST program is effective for reducing burnout and secondary traumatic stress?

Research shows that forest therapy programs like FOREST can help reduce stress, particularly mental stress. Studies have found that spending time in forests benefits the heart and immune system, improving overall health. Many people in high-stress jobs experience burnout and stress. Forest therapy aims to build resilience and reduce burnout. Participants often report feeling more satisfied and less stressed. In this trial, participants will engage in the FOREST program, which may help frontline workers manage stress and avoid burnout. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Judith Moskowitz, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Northwestern University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

The FOREST trial is for frontline violence prevention workers at READI Chicago who are over 18, speak and read English, and have internet access. There are no specific exclusion criteria, so all employees meeting the inclusion conditions can participate.

Inclusion Criteria

Currently employed by Heartland Alliance/READI Chicago

Has internet access

Speaks and reads English

Exclusion Criteria

Not applicable.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Skill Training

Participants receive training on positive emotion skills over nine months, with one to two skills taught each month during existing wellness meetings and online modules.

9 months

Monthly sessions (in-person and online)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in mental health and coping skills, with annual assessments and interviews to gather feedback on implementation and content.

12 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• FOREST

Trial Overview FOREST is a program teaching ten positive emotion skills over nine months to improve mental health and coping among participants. It's integrated into regular meetings, wellness activities, and online modules within READI's Learning Management System.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: FOREST + Assessments Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

UCAN staff will participate in Monthly Skill Sessions and complete FOREST content modules in the Learning Management System (LMS). Staff will also be invited to complete annual assessments for primary and secondary outcome measures, as well as annual interviews and focus groups to gather feedback on progress, implementation, and content.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Northwestern University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,674

Recruited

989,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Holistic Healing Arts Retreat significantly improved posttraumatic symptoms, depression, and perceived stress in women who experienced trauma, with effects lasting up to 7 months after the intervention.

The retreat also enhanced self-compassion and reduced experiential avoidance, indicating that it may address underlying emotional mechanisms common to various disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The holistic healing arts retreat: An intensive, experiential intervention for survivors of interpersonal trauma. Dutton, MA., Dahlgren, S., Martinez, M., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. mdpi.com mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/9/1851

The Impact of Forest Therapy Programs on Stress Reduction The results of this review indicated that forest therapy programs were effective at relieving stress, particularly on a psychological level.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7918603/

The Psychological and Physical Effects of Forests on ... The results of the eight moderate and low-rated reviews indicated that forest-based interventions are beneficial to the cardiovascular system, immune system, ...

3. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/350443383_The_Prevalence_of_Burnout_and_Secondary_Traumatic_Stress_in_Professionals_and_Volunteers_Working_With_Forcibly_Displaced_People_A_Systematic_Review_and_Two_Meta-Analyses

The Prevalence of Burnout and Secondary Traumatic ... This review highlights the high prevalence of high‐level burnout and moderate‐to‐severe STS reported by individuals working with FDP. The ...

4. researchgate.net researchgate.net/figure/Forest-plots-of-the-correlation-between-resilience-and-burnout-a-emotional-exhaustion_fig2_369690402

Forest plots of the correlation between resilience and ... Results The participants reported moderate level for compassion satisfaction (83.8%) and burnout (77.3%), and a low level for secondary traumatic stress (51.4%) ...

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9426719/

Seeing the forest for the trees: Predicting attendance in trials ... Faster PTSD symptom improvement is associated with greater attendance, but full-time employment is associated with fewer sessions attended. Age moderates the ...

6. trialx.com trialx.com/clinical-trials/listings/296456/fostering-optimal-regulation-of-emotion-for-prevention-of-secondary-trauma-forest/

Fostering Optimal Regulation of Emotion for Prevention ... FOREST is a positive emotion skills program designed to target mental health and coping needs for frontline violence prevention workers at UCAN.

7. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/2/513

Main Predictors of Burnout in Forestry Workers and Role ... The results suggest that forestry work may reduce the risk of burnout. However, excessive responsibilities and overtime can lead to exhaustion and reduced ...

8. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10911249/

Prevalence and associated factors of secondary traumatic ... In addition, compassion fatigue and burnout do not have the psychological health consequences of secondary traumatic stress (Kellogg, 2021).

9. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145213424003144

Predictors of burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and ... This study aimed to investigate the levels of burnout, secondary traumatic stress (STS), and compassion satisfaction among practitioners at Norwegian CACs.