Workplace-Based Intervention for Depression

Overseen By Jessica L McCurley, PhD, MPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: San Diego State University

Disqualifiers: Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Alcohol use, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 4 months

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a workplace-based program for treating depression among low-wage hospital workers. The program includes work-focused therapy, coaching, assistance with social issues, and text message support to enhance mood and activity. Participants are divided into two groups: one receives the program immediately, while the other begins after four months. This trial suits hospital workers in low-wage positions who feel their depression impacts their work and can receive text messages. As an unphased trial, it provides a unique opportunity to access innovative support tailored to the work environment.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that this workplace-based depression intervention is safe?

Research has shown that workplace programs designed to address depression are generally safe. These programs often employ methods like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a well-established approach to improving mental health. CBT involves sessions with a therapist to alter thought and behavior patterns.

Studies have found that these programs can reduce stress and symptoms of depression. They aim to enhance the overall mental health environment at work, leading to positive outcomes for employees.

No specific safety issues have been reported for these programs, indicating they are well-tolerated by participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the workplace-based depression intervention because it integrates mental health care directly into the work environment, which is a unique approach compared to standard treatments like medication and traditional therapy sessions. This intervention focuses specifically on work-related issues by combining cognitive behavioral therapy with work coaching and social needs support, making it highly relevant for improving both mental health and job performance. Additionally, the use of text message support for mood and physical activity offers a modern, accessible way to maintain engagement and support outside of face-to-face sessions, potentially increasing the intervention's effectiveness and convenience for participants.

What evidence suggests that this workplace-based depression intervention could be effective for low-wage hospital service workers?

Research has shown that work-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (W-CBT) can improve mental health. In one review, 94% of studies reported positive mental health changes after this therapy. Another study found that group-based CBT effectively reduced stress and improved sleep compared to those who did not receive the therapy. Additionally, combining therapy for depression with support for physical activity reduced depression symptoms and enhanced overall well-being. In this trial, participants in the "Immediate Intervention" arm will receive a workplace-based depression program, which includes W-CBT and other support, immediately. Meanwhile, those in the "Waitlist Control" arm will receive the same intervention after a 4-month waitlist period. These findings suggest that such a program could effectively reduce depression-related issues for hospital service workers. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Jessica L McCurley, PhD MPH

Principal Investigator

San Diego State University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for low-wage hospital service workers who are fluent in English or Spanish, work at least 20 hours a week, and are over 18. They must have mild work impairment due to depression and own a cell phone that can receive texts. Only those with mild or greater depression symptoms will qualify.

Inclusion Criteria

Part-time or full-time employment (at least 20 hours per week)

Presence of impairment in work functioning, as measured by the Work Limitations Questionnaire; individuals who score ≥5% (indicating mild work productivity loss) will be eligible

Possession of a cell phone with ability to receive text-messages

Exclusion Criteria

Plan to leave Scripps employment in <6 months

Severe mental illness or substance use condition (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, active alcohol use disorder)

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive an 8-session telephone-delivered depression intervention, including work-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, work coaching, social needs screening and referral, and text message support for mood and physical activity

4 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment, including assessments of depression symptoms, physical activity, sleep quality, blood pressure, and BMI

4 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Workplace-based Depression Intervention

Trial Overview The study tests a workplace-based intervention for depression among hospital workers. It includes assessing work impairment, cognitive therapy focused on work issues, coaching, social needs screening/referrals, and text message support for mood and activity.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Immediate Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The intervention consists of assessment of depression and work impairment, work-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, work coaching, social needs screening and referral, and text message support for mood and physical activity.

Group II: Waitlist Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Delivered after a 4-month waitlist period, the intervention consists of assessment of depression and work impairment, work-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, work coaching, social needs screening and referral, and text message support for mood and physical activity.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

San Diego State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

182

Recruited

119,000+

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Collaborator

Trials

3,987

Recruited

47,860,000+

Citations

1. aspe.hhs.gov aspe.hhs.gov/reports/work-focused-interventions-depression-final-report-0

Work-Focused Interventions for Depression: Final Report The available work-based depression treatment programs are diverse and of unknown effectiveness. A national online survey of over 1,500 ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10676636/

Defining work-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (W-CBT ... Improvements in mental health following W-CBT were reported in 15 of the 16 (94%) studies. In the other study mental health data was not ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782925000569

Work-focused therapy in an internet-based CBT format The primary outcome was Return to work (RTW), measured as the self-reported percentage of current sick leave on a 0–100 scale with 5-point increments.

4. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06753123?aggFilters=status%3Anot%2Cphase%3A

Be Well at Work-Plus: A Depression and Physical Activity ... The primary preliminary clinical outcome is depression symptom severity, and secondary outcomes are physical activity, sleep quality, blood pressure, and BMI).

5. jnrbm.biomedcentral.com jnrbm.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12952-017-0078-z

Work-focused cognitive behavioral intervention for ... One study found group-based CBT more effective in reducing perceived stress, sleep complaints and cognitive failures than a wait list condition ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12144615/

US Workers' Self-Reported Mental Health Outcomes by ... Across sociodemographic groups, mean MUD were 3 to 5 times higher among workers who reported lifetime diagnosed depression (range, 6.1-11.7 days) ...

7. who.int who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work

Mental health at work Globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety at a cost of US$ 1 trillion per year in lost ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020748925000859

Effectiveness of an integrated platform-based intervention ... The primary outcome was improvement in the psychosocial safety climate after 6 months. The secondary outcomes included perceived stress, depressive symptoms, ...

9. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2830225

Workplace Injury and Mental Health Outcomes | Surgery One large sample study found 45% greater odds of depression in injured workers compared with noninjured workers. Other research found greater ...