Promoting Sustainable Return to Work Among Employees on Sick Leave Due to a Mental Health Condition: Evaluation of the HealthyMinds Online Group Intervention

Summary

The purpose of this clinical trial is to evaluate the impact of an online group intervention called Healthy Minds in facilitating a sustainable return to work for individuals with a mood disorder. The study aims to answer the following key questions :

* Does receiving the Healthy Minds online intervention lead to a more sustainable return to work compared to not receiving the intervention?
* Are the health outcomes (e.g., depressive symptoms) and work-related outcomes (e.g., work functioning) of individuals who receive the Healthy Minds online intervention better than those who do not receive the intervention in the year following the intervention?

Both experimental and control participants will be recruited at baseline while on sick leave (expected to return to work in less than one month) or recently returned to work (less than one month). Participants will complete a series of online questionnaires at the following time points :

* Baseline
* First follow-up (2 months after baseline)
* Second follow-up (6 months after baseline)
* Third follow-up (12 months after baseline)

The questionnaires will cover the following areas :

* Sociodemographic and biopsychosocial factors
* Symptoms associated with the primary mood disorder
* Cognitive difficulties and biaises
* Self-efficacy related to return to work
* Work accommodations and natural supports
* Relationship with immediate supervisor
* Work functioning
* Return to work time (number of days away from work)

Experimental participants will participate in the 2-month online Healthy Minds group intervention (cohort of 5 participants) between the baseline assessment and the first follow-up. The intervention consists of 8 sessions (one per week for 8 weeks), with each session focusing on a specific aspect of the return-to-work process from a cognitive-behavioral perspective.

Conditions

• Depression Anxiety Disorder
• Adjustment Disorders
• Adjustment Disorder With Anxious Mood
• Adjustment Disorder With Depressed Mood

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Healthy Minds

The group intervention (approximately 5 participants per group, 8 groups) is facilitated by two clinicians and consists of 8 sessions (one per week for 8 weeks), with each session focusing on a specific aspect of the return-to-work process from a cognitive-behavioral perspective: Week1: Coping with work stress at work W2 and W3: Recognizing and modifying my dysfunctional beliefs linked to work W4: Overcoming obstacles linked to work functioning and maintaining work W5: To put in place needed work accommodations with the support of the immediate supervisor W6: My strengths and competencies related to work W7: Accepting criticism and asserting myself appropriately W7: My strengths and related skills W8: My best coping strategies for work Both intervention and control participants receive their standard individualized care from their clinician. However, for the experimental participants, the Healthy Minds intervention is an added component to their regular care.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ciusss de L'Est de l'Île de Montréal

  collaborator OTHER

• PhysioExtra

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Energir

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Université du Québec a Montréal

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Marc Corbière, PhD · Université du Québec a Montréal

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-03-06

Primary Completion

2025-03-01

Completion

2025-03-01

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations