Mentoring Program for Stress

Recruiting at 18 trial locations

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Washington

Disqualifiers: Non-women apprentices

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

230 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Women are highly underrepresented in the construction skilled trades. In addition to facing the industry's well-known physical risks, women are subjected to discrimination, harassment, and skills under-utilization. As a result, tradeswomen have increased risk for injury, stress-related health effects, and high attrition rates from apprenticeship programs, thus perpetuating their minority status. Mentoring is a well-established technique for learning technical and personal navigation skills in new or challenging social environments. The investigators propose development and dissemination of a mentorship program through local unions of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), and evaluating its success in reducing women's injury and work stress, while improving retention.

Research Team

Marissa G Baker, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Washington

Lily M Monsey, BA

Principal Investigator

University of Washington

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for female apprentice-level sheet metal workers who are members of the SMART Union. It's designed to support women in construction trades facing job stress and harassment. Journey-level SMART Union members can participate as mentors.

Inclusion Criteria

All mentors must be journey-level sheet metal workers that are members of the SMART (International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers) Union

I am a journey-level sheet metal worker and a member of the SMART Union.

I am a female apprentice-level sheet metal worker and a member of the SMART Union.

Exclusion Criteria

I identify as a woman.

My gender does not affect my eligibility as a mentor.

I understand that participants are not excluded based on sex, race, age, disability, or religion.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Mentorship Program

Participants receive mentorship from trained journey-level workers for two years

104 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for stress, retention, job satisfaction, social support, and work-related risks

4 years

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Mentoring program

Trial Overview The trial is testing a mentorship program aimed at reducing work-related injury, stress, and improving retention among tradeswomen by pairing them with experienced mentors from their field.

Participant Groups

Group I: Mentees Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This arm consists of apprentice-level, female-identifying construction workers who will receive active mentorship (the intervention) for two years from trained journey-level mentors.

Group II: Control Apprentices Active Control 1 Intervention

This arm consists of apprentice-level, female-identifying construction workers who will not receive mentorship.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Washington

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,858

Recruited

2,023,000+

The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR)

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

230+

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH/CDC)

Collaborator

Trials

44

Recruited

50,000+