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A Brief GAmeplay Intervention for NHS ICU Staff Affected by COVID-19 Trauma (GAINS Study)

NCT04992390 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 106

Last updated 2025-07-17

Study results available
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Summary

Intensive care unit (ICU) staff are frequently exposed to traumatic events at work (e.g., witnessing patients die), amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant proportion experience intrusive memories of these events that pop suddenly into mind: these imagery-based memories can disrupt functioning and contribute to posttraumatic stress disorder. Previous research has shown that a brief behavioural intervention can reduce the number of intrusive memories after a traumatic event. In this study we aim to optimise a brief digital intervention to help reduce the number of intrusive memories experienced by ICU staff (primary outcome). We will explore if it can improve work functioning and wellbeing (secondary outcomes). We will recruit approximately 150 ICU staff with intrusive memories of events experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study is funded by the Wellcome Trust (223016/Z/21/Z).

Conditions

  • Intrusive Memories of Traumatic Event(s)

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Brief digital imagery-competing task intervention

First session guided by a researcher: A memory cue followed by playing the brief digital imagery-competing task with mental rotation instructions. Option to engage in self-administered/guided sessions after the first session and record their intrusive memories (symptom monitoring).

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Wellcome Trust

    collaborator OTHER

  • Uppsala University

    collaborator OTHER

  • Intensive Care Society

    collaborator UNKNOWN

  • University of Nottingham

    collaborator OTHER

  • P1vital Products Limited

    lead INDUSTRY

Principal Investigators

  • Emily Holmes · Uppsala University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-08-24
Primary Completion
2022-05-30
Completion
2022-06-30

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04992390 on ClinicalTrials.gov