Internet-Based Stress Recovery Program FOREST+ for Healthcare Workers (FOREST+)

Effects of Intervention Plan on Outcomes of Stress Recovery Program FOREST+ for Healthcare Workers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The study aims to assess the efficacy of an internet-based stress recovery intervention for healthcare workers receiving therapist support with or without an intervention plan.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Stress, Psychological
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: FOREST+

Detailed Description

The intervention will be delivered as an internet-based stress recovery program for healthcare workers, comprising of six modules: introduction, psychological detachment, distancing, mastery, control, and keeping the change alive. These modules have been chosen after considering themes that could be most useful for healthcare workers under high stress. Each module consists of a psychoeducational and an exercise component. An intervention plan will be drawn up with the therapist prior to the start of the program, setting the intensity of engagement and the frequency of reminders. During the program, a therapist provides individual feedback on the completed exercises and can also be available on request.

The effect of the intervention will be compared with a control group that will use the program without an intervention plan. The intervention will be delivered in Lithuanian.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 91
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Lithuania
  • Vilnius, Lithuania
    • Vilnius University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• licensed healthcare professionals currently working under license;
• at least 18 years old;
• comprehending Lithuanian language;
• access to internet.

Exclusion Criteria:

• acute psychiatric crisis;
• high suicide risk;
• interpersonal violence.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention group; The intervention group will get a 6-week therapist-guided online stress recovery intervention with an intervention plan.	Behavioral: FOREST+; The intervention will be delivered as an internet-based stress recovery intervention consisting of six weekly modules: introduction, psychological detachment, distancing, mastery, control, and keeping the change alive. Each module consists of a psychoeducational and an exercise component. During the program, a therapist provides individual feedback on the completed exercises and can also be available on request.
Experimental: Control group; The control group will get a 6-week therapist-guided online stress recovery intervention without an intervention plan. The control group will participate in the program at the same time as the intervention group.	Behavioral: FOREST+; The intervention will be delivered as an internet-based stress recovery intervention consisting of six weekly modules: introduction, psychological detachment, distancing, mastery, control, and keeping the change alive. Each module consists of a psychoeducational and an exercise component. During the program, a therapist provides individual feedback on the completed exercises and can also be available on request.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change on Recovery Experience Questionnaire	Changes on stress recovery are measured. Recovery Experiences Questionnaire (Sonnentag & Fritz, 2007) is a selfreport measure consisting of 16 questions. All items are answered on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Totally disagree) to 5 (Totally agree). A higher score indicates more pronounced recovery.	Pre-treatment, post-treatment (after 6 weeks), 6 months follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change on Perceived Stress Scale	Changes on perceived stress are measured. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4, Cohen et al., 1983) is a self-report measure and consists of 4 questions. All items are answered on a 5 point Likert scale that ranges from 0 (Never) to 4 (Very often). Higher score indicates more pronounced perceived stress.	Pre-treatment, post-treatment (after 6 weeks), 6 months follow-up
Change on Patient Health Questionnaire	Changes on anxiety and depression symptoms are measured. Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4, Kroenke et al., 2001) is a self-report measure and consists of 4 questions. All items are answered on a 4-point Likert scale that ranges from 0 (Not at all) to 3 (Nearly every day). Higher score indicates more pronounced anxiety or depression symptoms.	Pre-treatment, post-treatment (after 6 weeks), 6 months follow-up
Change on Well-being Index	Changes on well-being are measured. Well-being Index (WHO-5, Bech, 2004) is a self-report measure and consists of 5 questions. All items are answered on a 6-point Likert scale that ranges from 0 (At no time) to 5 (All of the time). Higher score indicates more pronounced well-being.	Pre-treatment, post-treatment (after 6 weeks), 6 months follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Vilnius University
• Collaborators: Linkoeping University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Evaldas Kazlauskas, Ph.D., Vilnius University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 11, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 30, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): June 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 15, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 22, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): September 23, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): February 22, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 21, 2024
• Last Verified: September 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Stress, Psychological
• Other Study ID Numbers: 25 / (1.3) 250000-KP-22-III

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