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Promoting Recovery by Overcoming Self-stigma in Mental Health Disorders With a Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy (NECT) Group Intervention

NCT07735481 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 106

Last updated 2026-08-05

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This study will evaluate whether Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy (NECT) can promote recovery among adults living with severe mental health disorders, including substance use disorders. NECT is a structured group intervention that combines education about stigma, cognitive techniques to challenge internalized negative beliefs, and narrative exercises that help participants develop a broader identity beyond their diagnosis.

Approximately 106 adults receiving outpatient or day-hospital psychiatric care at Geneva University Hospitals will be randomly assigned to receive either usual care plus 12 weekly NECT sessions or usual care plus 12 comparison group sessions that do not specifically address self-stigma or recovery. The study will examine whether NECT improves recovery after the intervention and whether any benefits are maintained over time.

Conditions

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Narrative Enhancement Cognitive Therapy

NECT is a manualized group intervention comprising 12 weekly 90-minute sessions delivered to groups of approximately eight participants. It combines psychoeducation about stigma and self-stigma, cognitive restructuring of internalized negative beliefs, and narrative exercises that help participants develop a more integrated identity beyond mental illness. Sessions are co-facilitated by a trained mental health professional and a peer practitioner. Individual make-up sessions may be offered for missed sessions.

BEHAVIORAL

Control Group Sessions

Twelve weekly group sessions in which participants discuss topics such as their weekly activities, without specific psychotherapeutic or psychoeducational content targeting self-stigma or recovery. Treatment as usual continues throughout.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Louise Penzenstadler

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-10-01
Primary Completion
2028-09-30
Completion
2029-09-30

Countries

  • Switzerland

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

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 NCT07735481 on ClinicalTrials.gov