Resilience Training for Mental Health

Overseen By Daphne J Holt, MD, PhD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital

Disqualifiers: Psychiatric illness, Substance use, Psychotherapy, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 12

174 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

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 data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Resilience Training for Mental Health?

Research shows that resilience training, which includes mindfulness and cognitive behavioral techniques, has been effective in improving stress management, emotional control, and self-confidence in military personnel and healthcare professionals. These skills are crucial for maintaining mental health during stressful situations. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is resilience training safe for humans?

Resilience training, including digital and face-to-face programs, has been used in various settings like the military and medical training without reported safety concerns. It focuses on building coping skills and mental toughness, which are generally considered safe and beneficial for mental health. ^{4 5 6 7 8}

How is Resilience Training different from other treatments for mental health?

Resilience Training is unique because it focuses on building adaptive coping skills to handle stress and adversity, often delivered through digital platforms with flexible schedules, making it accessible and effective for improving mental health. Unlike other treatments, it emphasizes skill-building and motivation, which are crucial for its success. ^{5 6 8 9 10}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study aimed to determine the feasibility and acceptability of delivering Resilience Training in multi-user virtual reality.

Eligibility Criteria

The ROOM trial is for college students aged 18-30 enrolled in undergraduate programs and healthcare providers over 18 who work with patients. Participants must speak English well and not be in frequent psychotherapy. Those with acute psychiatric symptoms, current suicidality, or serious substance issues cannot join.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a college student aged between 18 and 30.

College student participants: Enrolled in an undergraduate program

I am a healthcare provider and I am at least 18 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

Inability to provide informed consent

Acute symptoms of a psychiatric illness needing immediate care (such as acute psychotic symptoms, current suicidality, serious active alcohol or substance use, marked deterioration in functioning over the prior month) determined by self-report that necessitates close monitoring or inpatient or partial hospitalization

I am not fluent in English.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Resilience Training

A 6-session group-based intervention to deliver mindfulness, metallization, and self-compassion in virtual reality

6 weeks

6 virtual sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

6 months

Assessments at 6 weeks and 6 months post-intervention

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Resilience Training

Trial Overview This study tests the effectiveness of Resilience Training delivered through virtual reality to help individuals cope better with stressors related to psychosis, anxiety, and mood disorders.

Participant Groups

Group I: Resilience Training Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

A 6 1-hour session group based intervention to deliver mindfulness, metallization, and self-compassion.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Massachusetts General Hospital

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,066

Recruited

13,430,000+

Findings from Research

Mental resilience training (MRT) is a mindfulness-based program developed for the British Army that combines cognitive behavioral techniques to enhance stress regulation and emotional control among military personnel.

Initial trials conducted between 2014 and 2016 at the Infantry Training Centre showed that MRT significantly improved infantry recruits' application of psychological skills in real-life training situations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mental resilience training. Precious, D., Lindsay, A.[2019]

A qualitative study involving 18 obstetrics and gynecology residents revealed that resilience in physicians is influenced by their professional identity, connections with others, and the surrounding personal and professional environments.

The findings suggest that enhancing physician resilience requires both individual skill-building programs and broader cultural interventions within the medical community to effectively support doctors in training.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Physician resilience: a grounded theory study of obstetrics and gynaecology residents. Winkel, AF., Robinson, A., Jones, AA., et al.[2019]

A systematic review of 44 randomized controlled trials involving 6,892 healthcare professionals found that resilience training may lead to higher resilience levels and lower depression and stress, although the evidence is of very low certainty.

Despite showing potential benefits, the studies had high risk of bias and limited generalizability, indicating a need for more rigorous research to confirm these findings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Psychological interventions to foster resilience in healthcare professionals. Kunzler, AM., Helmreich, I., Chmitorz, A., et al.[2023]

A systematic training program is essential for military personnel to enhance unit-level resilience in preparation for crises, emphasizing the need for structured support.

Mental health professionals in the military, such as nurses and social workers, are crucial in educating personnel about resilience and supporting effective pre-combat training, leveraging their expertise to improve overall mental health outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Enhancing Resilience in Active Duty Military Personnel. Crabtree-Nelson, S., DeYoung, LP.[2017]

A resilience curriculum for medical trainees, consisting of skill-building workshops, has been developed to help reduce burnout and improve wellness, focusing on skills like goal-setting and managing expectations.

Feedback from interns indicates that the sessions were effective, as most participants reported feeling more comfortable discussing burnout and medical errors, suggesting that resilience training can be a valuable tool in medical education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Curriculum to Foster Resident Resilience. Bird, A., Pincavage, A.[2022]

Digital resilience training significantly improves resilience in individuals, with a moderate to large effect size (g = 0.54-1.09) observed in a systematic review of 22 randomized controlled trials involving 2876 participants.

Training delivered online with a flexible schedule was found to be more effective, highlighting the importance of accessibility and adaptability in future resilience training programs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Digital training for building resilience: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Ang, WHD., Chew, HSJ., Dong, J., et al.[2023]

A survey and interviews with 121 recruits from nine NATO nations revealed consistent preferences for resilience training and coping strategies among volunteer soldiers, highlighting the need for tailored mental health resilience training during Basic Training.

Analysis of data from conscripts showed some differences in perceived demands and coping methods compared to volunteers, indicating that training programs should consider these variations to be more effective.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

NATO survey of mental health training in army recruits. Adler, AB., Delahaij, R., Bailey, SM., et al.[2017]

The U.S. Army Master Resilience Trainer (MRT) course is a 10-day program designed to equip sergeants with resilience training skills, which they can then teach to their soldiers, promoting mental toughness and well-being.

The curriculum is based on evidence from the Penn Resilience Program and positive psychology, ensuring that the training is grounded in scientifically validated methods.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Master resilience training in the U.S. Army. Reivich, KJ., Seligman, ME., McBride, S.[2011]

In a study involving 127 male cadets, resilience training was associated with a significant reduction in symptoms of depression compared to a control group, which experienced increased chronic stress over time.

The effectiveness of resilience training was influenced by participants' motivation, indicating that those who were more motivated to engage in the training benefited more from it.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does Training Motivation Influence Resilience Training Outcome on Chronic Stress? Results from an Interventional Study. Niederhauser, M., Zueger, R., Sefidan, S., et al.[2022]

Resilience Training for US soldiers during Basic Combat Training showed a faster decrease in anxiety symptoms compared to a Military History intervention, indicating its potential effectiveness in improving mental health.

While Resilience Training was positively received and increased confidence in helping others, it did not significantly enhance group cohesion or reduce depression and sleep problems compared to the Military History group.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Resilience training with soldiers during basic combat training: randomisation by platoon. Adler, AB., Williams, J., McGurk, D., et al.[2015]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mental resilience training. [2019]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Physician resilience: a grounded theory study of obstetrics and gynaecology residents. [2019]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Psychological interventions to foster resilience in healthcare professionals. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Enhancing Resilience in Active Duty Military Personnel. [2017]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Curriculum to Foster Resident Resilience. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Digital training for building resilience: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. [2023]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

NATO survey of mental health training in army recruits. [2017]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Master resilience training in the U.S. Army. [2011]

9. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does Training Motivation Influence Resilience Training Outcome on Chronic Stress? Results from an Interventional Study. [2022]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Resilience training with soldiers during basic combat training: randomisation by platoon. [2015]