Resilience for Educator Well-being

(OnWARD Trial)

Overseen By Deborah J Jones, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 4

640 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 Physical Activity, Resilience for Educator Well-being?

Research suggests that building resilience and focusing on wellness can help reduce burnout and improve well-being among educators and healthcare providers. Programs that promote resilience and wellness have been shown to enhance empathy and reduce stress, which are important for maintaining educator well-being. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Resilience for Educator Well-being treatment safe for humans?

The research articles provided do not contain specific safety data for the Resilience for Educator Well-being treatment or related interventions like physical activity and resilience programs. However, they generally discuss the positive impacts of school-based wellness and physical activity programs on health and well-being, suggesting these types of interventions are typically safe and beneficial. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How does the treatment of physical activity and resilience differ from other treatments for educator well-being?

This treatment is unique because it combines physical activity with resilience-building, which helps educators manage stress and prevent burnout by improving both physical and mental health. Unlike other treatments that might focus solely on psychological aspects, this approach emphasizes regular exercise to enhance resilience, offering a holistic way to improve well-being. ^{11 12 13 14 15}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this 15-month cluster clinical trial is to compare a resilience and stress management program to a physical activity program for early childhood education (ECE) staff on change in well-being. It will also look to see if changes in well-being continue over time. The study sample will include 80 child care centers. Including 80 ECE center directors and approximately 560 ECE center staff. Some ECE centers will receive only the remotely delivered Resilience program. This program works with ECE staff and helps them recognize and strengthen their resilience assets and resources. Other ECE centers will receive only the remotely delivered Physical Activity program that will focus on staff physical activity habits and strength training. There will be 3 months of active program participation and 12 months of a maintenance period where participants will only have access to program materials.

Research Team

Derek Hales, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Deborah Jones, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for directors and staff at early childhood education centers. Participants will engage in a program focusing on either resilience and stress management or physical activity habits and strength training, delivered remotely.

Inclusion Criteria

ECE Staff must be willing to receive text messages

Child Care Centers licensed with no plans to close in the next 2 years and been in operation for at least 1 year

ECE Staff must have access to an online resource (e.g., smartphone, tablet, computer)

Exclusion Criteria

Not applicable.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Active Intervention

Participants engage in either the Resilience or Physical Activity program, including orientation, video lessons, webinars, text messages, and coaching calls

3 months

4 coaching calls for directors, 3 webinars for all participants

Maintenance

Participants have access to program materials to maintain improvements in resilience and well-being

12 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in resilience and well-being over time

15 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Physical Activity
• Resilience

Trial Overview The study compares two programs over 15 months: one enhances resilience and stress management, while the other promotes physical activity. It measures well-being changes during active participation (3 months) and a maintenance period (12 months).

Participant Groups

Group I: Resilience Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Centers randomized to Resilience will receive the Stress Management And Resilience Training program. Participating staff will be led through the program by a behavioral health counselor for 3 months. This counselor will orient participants to the Resilience program and the 4 modules. The counselor will also provide 4 coaching calls with directors (at the start of each module). Additionally, the counselor will provide a webinar every 3 weeks (at the end of each module) to all participants. Participants will have access to video lessons and resources. They will receive weekly reminders and encouragement through text messages.

Group II: Physical Activity Active Control 1 Intervention

Centers randomized to the control arm will receive a physical activity program. Participating staff will be led through the program by a behavioral health counselor for 3 months. This counselor will orient participants to the physical activity program and the 4 modules. The counselor will also provide 4 coaching calls with directors (at the start of each module). Additionally, the counselor will provide a webinar every 3 weeks (at the end of each module) to all participants. Participants will have access to video lessons and resources. They will receive weekly reminders and encouragement through text messages.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,588

Recruited

4,364,000+

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Collaborator

Trials

886

Recruited

677,000+

Findings from Research

Physical fitness is a key factor in building resilience, as it helps individuals withstand and recover from stressors while promoting overall health and well-being.

Regular exercise not only provides physiological and psychological benefits but also protects against chronic diseases and enhances mental toughness, which are essential for resilience, particularly in high-stress environments like the military.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Physical fitness: a pathway to health and resilience. Deuster, PA., Silverman, MN.[2018]

References

1. Pakistan pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of wellness indicators on intellectual dimensions of medical teachers of Karachi: Findings from cross sectional study. [2021]

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

Building Resilience for Wellness: A Faculty Development Resource. [2023]

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

A National Survey of Nursing Faculty Resilience, Moral Courage, and Purpose. [2023]

4. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of a Wellness Leadership Intervention on the Empathy, Burnout, and Resting Heart Rate of Medical Faculty. [2023]

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

Use of a Feedback Survey as a Part of a Wellness Champions Program to Improve Academic Faculty Satisfaction and Burnout: Implications for Burnout in Academic Health Centers. [2022]

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

Influence of school organizational characteristics on the outcomes of a school health promotion program. [2019]

7. Australia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lessons learned from Action Schools! BC--an 'active school' model to promote physical activity in elementary schools. [2022]

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

School Wellness Environments: Perceptions Versus Realities. [2022]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Relationships between social climate and indoor environmental quality and frequently reported health symptoms among teachers and staff in a suburban school district. [2022]

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

Intervention fidelity in a teacher-led program to promote physical activity in preschool-age children. [2015]

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

Physical fitness: a pathway to health and resilience. [2018]

12. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Resilience, Stress, and Burnout Syndrome According to Study Hours in Spanish Public Education School Teacher Applicants: An Explanatory Model as a Function of Weekly Physical Activity Practice Time. [2022]

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

Burnout and self-perceptions of physical fitness in a sample of Italian physical education teachers. [2022]

14. Brazil pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reimagining professional competence in physical education. [2020]

15. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Resilience characterized and quantified from physical activity data: A tutorial in R. [2023]