Creating Resilient Workplaces Study (CReW)

University of Manitoba

Status: Completed

Conditions: PTSD; Stress Disorders, Posttraumatic; Depression; Anxiety Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Mindfulness Course

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04002050

2019:165

Details and patient eligibility

About

The proposed study aims to understand the impact of a 5-Class CBTm Course on variables contributing to workplace resilience among Public Safety Personnel (PSP). This involves examining the impact of the CBTm Course on prevention of PTSD and related conditions among PSPs. This research project will be undertaken using a randomized-controlled trial design. Questionnaires will be completed 1) before taking the course, 2) during the course, 3) after the course, and 4) at three-month follow-up.

Full description

The current proposal plans to implement and evaluate a CBT intervention for building workplace resilience by preventing symptoms of PTSD and related conditions in Public Safety Personnel (i.e., police officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency communications, and correctional officers), in Manitoba, Canada. The intervention used in this study is the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Mindfulness (CBTm) Course.

Participants will be randomized into either the intervention group (CBTm) arm or the comparison arm. Participants placed in the intervention arm will be invited to immediately participate in the CBT intervention. Participants in the comparison arm will be placed on a 3-month waiting-list and will be invited to attend the CBT intervention following completion of the study. While placed in the comparison arm, participants may access the usual mental health supports that are normally offered through their respective occupational organizations, EAP programs, and other programs in the community.

Those who do not meet eligibility criteria will not be enrolled into the study, but will still be invited to attend the CBTm classes as space allows. Ineligible participants will not be randomized and their data will not be used in our analysis of the trial.

The Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Mindfulness (CBTm) Course for Public Safety Personnel is a brief psychoeducational course consisting of 5 classes (90 minutes each) occurring on a weekly basis. The CBTm course addresses the fundamentals of CBT and provides participants with practical strategies for managing stress (such as relaxation strategies, cognitive restructuring, goal setting, behavioural activation, and exposure therapy). The sessions will be facilitated by a mental health-professional (i.e. psychiatrist, psychologist, and/or social worker).

Participants will complete self-report evaluation forms at baseline, weekly at CBTm Classes 1 to 5, post-intervention at 6 weeks, and follow-up at 3 months. They will be asked to complete the following measures: (1) Modified DSM-5 Self-Rated Level 1 Cross-Cutting Measure - Adult, (2) Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item, (3) Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9), (4) Session Evaluation questionnaire, (5) Homework Evaluation Form, (6) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for the DSM-5 (PCL-5) with Life Events Checklist (LEC-5) and Criterion A, (7) Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10 item (CD-RISC 10), (8) Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8), (9) Short Form-12 (SF-12), (10) Drop out Form, (11) Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire 15-Item (FFMQ-15), (12) Perceived Stress Scale, (13) Utrecht Work Engagement Scale 9-Item (UWES-9), and (14) Service Utilization Follow Up.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Age 18 or older
2. Employed and on active duty as a police officer, firefighter, paramedic, dispatcher, or corrections officer
3. Employed in Manitoba

Exclusion criteria

1. Diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist with a mental health disorder in the past 6 months
2. A history of mental health service use related to a mental disorder in the past 6 months
3. PCL-5 score ≥37
4. PHQ-9 score ≥10
5. GAD-7 score ≥10
6. Suicidal ideation in the past 6 months

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

CBTm Course Intervention

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants placed in the intervention group will receive the CBTm Course. The CBTm Course consists of 5 classes, 90 minutes each, and held in-person on a weekly basis.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Mindfulness Course

Comparison Group

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in the comparison group will not receive the intervention during the study, but will be offered intervention once the study has been completed (i.e. 3 month waiting-period). However, in the event that a stressful situation arises while a participant is placed in the comparison group, the participant may seek assistance from the usual mental health supports offered through their respective occupational organizations, EAP programs, and other programs in the community. Following completion of the study, participants in the comparison group will be invited to attend the CBTm Course.