Improving Personal Recovery After Depression With a Blended Module (STAIRS) (STAIRS)

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Newly Developed Blended Module for Patients Recovering From Depression (STAIRS): a Mixed Methods Randomized Controlled Trial

Almost all mental healthcare treatments of depression focus on symptomatic recovery. However, such recovery does not inherently mean that personal recovery is reached. In fact, many persons still experience functional impairments after symptomatic recovery. As this has a negative influence on daily life, a new blended module (STAIRS) was developed to promote personal recovery in persons that are in the final stage of symptomatic recovery from depression. The current study will investigate the efficacy of STAIRS, by adding STAIRS to care as usual and comparing it with care as usual. It is hypothesized that STAIRS will have a positive effect on personal recovery and that this effect is larger than in the control group.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Depression
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Storytelling and Training to Advance Individual Recovery Skills (STAIRS)

Detailed Description

The study uses a mixed methods design to determine efficacy and underlying mechanisms contributing to the effect of the STAIRS-training. One hundred forty adults, who are in the last phase of their depression treatment, will be enrolled and randomized (1:1) to (1) a group receiving the STAIRS-training next to Care as Usual (CAU) or (2) a group receiving CAU added with three information letters. Level of personal recovery, symptom severity, empowerment and control will be determined at baseline, at the end of the program (8 weeks) and at 6 months follow up. Approximately fifteen participants from the STAIRS group will be asked about their experiences with the different elements of the program and the perceived effects, in a semi-structured interview at the end of the program.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 36
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Netherlands
  • Drenthe
    • Assen, Drenthe, Netherlands, 9401PJ
      • GGZ Drenthe
  • Provincie Groningen
    • Groningen, Provincie Groningen, Netherlands, 9713GZ
      • University Medical Center Groningen

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 to 65 years old
• Being in the last phase (recovery phase) of treatment for a diagnosed Major Depressive Disorder; psychological treatment is expected to end within three months or treatment is finished within the past 3 months and patient receives an aftercare and/or maintenance antidepressant treatment.
• No more than moderate depression severity: Score of <38 on the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self Rated (IDS-SR).
• The willingness to participate: an affirmative response to the question 'after being explained what participation means for you, are you willing to participate?'.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Bipolar depression or depression with psychotic features.
• Comorbid schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorder.
• Comorbid moderate or severe dependence of alcohol or drugs.
• Neurological disorder (e.g., dementia).
• Insufficient command of the Dutch language.
• Cognitive problems or indication of low IQ (i.e.< 80).
• Not in possession of a pc or smartphone.
• Having been referred to a different mental health service for other mental problems

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Care As Usual plus STAIRS; Care as usual added with a eight week STAIRS-training	Behavioral: Storytelling and Training to Advance Individual Recovery Skills (STAIRS); STAIRS is a 8-week program, in which 8 different themes are addressed. Coverage of each theme starts with a group meeting guided by a professional and expert by experience. In these meetings different exercises are done (e.g., filling out an actual and desired week-schedule, role-playing a difficult situation), information is given and experiences are shared. Between meetings, participants can choose from a range of homework exercises to practice their desired skills in a tailored way. In addition, participants can share experiences with the other group members and exchange reactions using a private online community.
No Intervention: Care As Usual; Care as usual added with three information letters

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in Inventory Recovery Outcome Counter (I.ROC) total score	The I.ROC is a self report rating scale containing 12 items measuring the level of personal recovery. Each item is rated on a 6-point ordinal scale, ranging from 0 (never) to 5 (always). Total scores range from 0 to 72. A higher score is better.	Baseline, end of treatment (8 weeks) and 6 months follow up
Change from baseline in Recovery Assessment Scale, Domains and Stages (RAS-DS) total score	The RAS-DS is a self report rating scale containing 38 items measuring the level of personal recovery. Each item is rated on a 4-point ordinal scale, ranging from 0 (untrue) to 4 (completely true). Total scores range from 0 to 152. A higher score is better.	Baseline, end of treatment (8 week) and 6 months follow up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self Report (IDS-SR) total score	The IDS-SR is a self report rating scale containing 30 items, of which 28 need to be answered, measuring the level of depressive symptom severity. Each item is rated on a 4-point ordinal scale, ranging from 0 to 3. Total scores range from 0 to 84. A higher score is worse.	Baseline, end of treatment (8 weeks) and 6 months follow up
Change from baseline in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) total score	The SDS is a self report rating scale containing 5 items, measuring the level of global functional impairments caused by symptoms. Three items are rated on a 11-point ordinal scale, ranging from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely). Total scores range from 0 to 30. A higher score is worse. Furthermore two items measure the number of days lost or unproductive caused by symptoms.	Baseline, end of treatment (8 week) and 6 months follow up
Depression relapse in the last six months, diagnosed with the Dutch version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview - Simplified (M.I.N.I - S), section MDEp	The Dutch version of the M.I.N.I. (MINI-S voor DSM-5 Nederlandse versie 2019, Overbeek & Schruers / English - Version 2 © Hergueta & Weiller, 2017) is a structured diagnostic interview for diagnosing psychiatric disorders. Section MDEp is used to diagnose the presence or absence of DSM-5 Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in the past six months.	6 months follow up
Change from baseline in Netherlands Empowerment List (NEL) total score	The NEL is a self report rating scale containing 40 items measuring the level of empowerment. Each item is rated on a 5-point ordinal scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Total scores range from 40 to 200. A higher score is better.	Baseline, end of treatment (8 weeks) and 6 months follow up
Change from baseline in Mastery Scale total score	The Mastery Scale is a self report rating scale containing 7 items measuring the level of control over events and ongoing situations. Each item is rated on a 5-point ordinal scale, ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). Total scores range from 0 to 28. A higher score is better.	Baseline, end of treatment (8 weeks) and 6 months follow up
Change from baseline in Self-Management Ability Scale (SMAS-30) total score	The SMAS-30 is a self report rating scale containing 30 items measuring the level of self-management. Each item is rated on a 6-point ordinal scale, ranging from 1 to 6. Total scores range from 30 to 180. A higher score is better.	Baseline, end of treatment (week 8) and 6 months follow up
Economic evaluation, based on the Treatment Inventory of Costs in Psychiatric patients	The TIC-P is a self report questionnaire measuring the medical costs and productivity losses caused by health problems related to psychiatric disorders.	Baseline, end of treatment (8 weeks) and 6 months follow up
Perceived effects and program valuation by patients recovering from a depression	User experiences on program elements considered helpful, investigated with a semi structured interview with selected participants from the STAIRS-group containing questions about what helped them in which way in their personal recovery process	End of intervention (8 weeks)
Acceptability and usability of the STAIRS-training for patients recovering from a depression	User experiences on acceptability and usability, investigated with a semi structured interview containing questions about the content, didactics and organization of the meetings, homework assignments and used website.	End of intervention (8 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Medical Center Groningen
• Collaborators: Hanze University of Applied Sciences
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Robert Schoevers, prof, University Medical Center Groningen

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Wedema D, Wardenaar KJ, Alma MA, van Asselt ADI, Korevaar EL, Schoevers RA. A blended module (STAIRS) to promote functional and personal recovery in patients with a major depressive disorder in remission: study protocol of a concurrent mixed methods randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry. 2023 Oct 7;23(1):727. doi: 10.1186/s12888-023-05213-w.

Helpful Links

• official website of the intervention

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 11, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 17, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): May 17, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 21, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 27, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): July 1, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 1, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 28, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: personal recovery
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Depression
• Other Study ID Numbers: 202100347

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No