Mental Health Resources for Frontline Healthcare Workers

NCT05113316 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00003287
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 53
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The proposed study is designed to test and optimize the Messy Memories mobile application as an intervention. The Messy Memories mobile intervention is designed to target stress-related problems based on practices with proven effectiveness. By utilizing a mobile application intervention, this study aims to overcome barriers and provide access to evidence-informed intervention strategies that will likely improve mental health in frontline healthcare workers.

Conditions

Mental Health

Keywords

Mental Health in Healthcare Workers; Stress-related problems; Frontline Workers

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Affect Assessments with Messy Memories Apps

  While the participant uses the Messy Memories app, the participant will input information related to their mood over the past few days (affect rating sliders), their level of distress before and after the memory processing, answers to questions about revisiting the memory

  At baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (9)

• Change in Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

  At baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks

• Change in PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)

  At baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks

• Life Events Checklist (LEC) for DSM-5

  At baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks

• Change in The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test: Self-Report Version (AUDIT)

  At baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks

• Change in Maslach-Burnout Inventory

  At baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 16 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Messy Memories App Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects will download and have access to the Messy Memories application in addition to completing self-report measures electronically at pre-determined time points. While the subject uses the app, the participant will input information related to their mood over the past few days (affect rating sliders), their level of distress before and after the memory processing, answers to questions about revisiting the memory, answers to questions in the social connection and self-care modules including assessment of, for example, sleep pattern, eating habits, and exercise habits. The Messy Memories app will also collect data on how frequently and for how long each participant uses the app. Each response will trigger a prompt within the app, and will be recorded with a timestamp (date and time) to indicate when the participant provided a particular response. For all participants, self-report measures will be collected at weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16.

Behavioral: Messy Memories App

Treatment as usual (TAU) Group

NO INTERVENTION

Subjects will not receive any study treatments or have access to the app but may seek standard treatment if they choose, in addition to completing self-report measures. For 8 weeks, TAU group will participate in the study under treatment as usual. For weeks 9-16, the TAU group will then switch and have full access to the Messy Memories App to review and use for a limited amount of time. Subjects will download and have access to the Messy Memories application in addition to completing self-report measures electronically at pre-determined time points. While the subject uses the app, the participant will input information related to their mood over the past few days, their level of distress before and after the memory processing, answers to questions about revisiting the memory, answers to questions in the social connection and self-care modules including assessment of, for example, sleep pattern, eating habits, and exercise habits.

Interventions

Messy Memories App BEHAVIORAL

The Messy Memories mobile app is an intervention targeting stress-related problems based on practices with proven effectiveness, to overcome barriers and provide access to evidence-informed intervention strategies aimed to improve mental health in frontline healthcare workers. The app allows the user to self-administer exposure therapy techniques outside of the traditional psychotherapy context. The Messy Memories app was initially released in a written form for self-help, but with widespread use of smartphones, a mobile application has the potential to further reduce barriers and increase access to care among frontline healthcare workers. The current study proposes to examine this newly developed application for usability and feasibility in a small sample of frontline healthcare workers (Phase I) and then test efficacy of the application in a larger-scale RCT (Phase II) where the application will be compared to a TAU condition.

Messy Memories App Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 89 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Participants will be male and female frontline healthcare employees between ages of 18 and 89.
• Participants must be employed at Emory Healthcare/University
• Participants must comprehend his or her role in the study and the risks involved in

You may not qualify if:

• Not fluent in English language
• Individuals who identify concerns that indicate high risk for suicide or self-harm behaviors
• Individuals who deny any stressful or traumatic experiences in their lifetime
• Adults unable to consent
• Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
• Prisoners
• Cognitively impaired or Individuals with Impaired Decision-Making Capacity
• Community Participation

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Emory University: lead

Study Sites (1)

12 Executive Park

Atlanta, Georgia, 30329, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Study Officials

• Sheila A.M. Rauch, PhD

  Emory University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: Complete research clinical trial (RCT) with a sample of frontline healthcare workers to examine the Messy Memories app versus treatment as usual (TAU).

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 1, 2021
• First Posted: November 9, 2021
• Study Start: June 6, 2022
• Primary Completion: May 26, 2024
• Study Completion: May 26, 2024
• Last Updated: April 23, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)