An Online Guided Self-help Intervention to Improve Common Mental Health Problems Among Medical Professionals

NCT06910748 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 1007627352
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 161
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online guided self-help intervention developed based on Problem Solving Therapy (PST) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which are both transdiagnostic low-intensity interventions recommended by the World Health Organization, in improving medical professionals' mental health.

Conditions

Depression, Anxiety

Keywords

randomized controlled trial; medical professionals; internet-based; self-help; intervention; mental health; depression; anxiety

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Change from baseline depression immediately after the interventions

  The outcome will be measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) consisting of 9 questions designed to correspond to the 9 diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Items are rated from 0 to 3 according to increased frequency of experiencing difficulties in each area covered. Scores are summed and can range from 0 to 27. Score 10 is often recommended as the cut-off score to detect major depressive disorder. Scores of 5, 10, 15, and 20 represent cut-off points for mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe depression, respectively. The Chinese version has been validated.

  immediately after the interventions

• Change from baseline depression 1 month after the interventions

  The outcome will be measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) consisting of 9 questions designed to correspond to the 9 diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Items are rated from 0 to 3 according to increased frequency of experiencing difficulties in each area covered. Scores are summed and can range from 0 to 27. Score 10 is often recommended as the cut-off score to detect major depressive disorder. Scores of 5, 10, 15, and 20 represent cut-off points for mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe depression, respectively. The Chinese version has been validated.

  1 month after the interventions

• Change from baseline anxiety immediately after the interventions

  The outcome will be measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD), which is a 7-item instrument developed to identify likely cases of generalized anxiety disorder in primary care patients. Items are rated for the last two weeks, using a four-point rating scale for duration from 1 ("not at all") to 5 ("nearly every day"). A score of 10 or greater represents a cut point for identifying cases of generalized anxiety disorder, while cut points of 5, 10, 15, and 20 are interpreted as representing mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe levels of anxiety. The Chinese version has been validated.

  Immediately after the interventions

• Change from baseline anxiety 1 month after the interventions

  The outcome will be measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD), which is a 7-item instrument developed to identify likely cases of generalized anxiety disorder in primary care patients. Items are rated for the last two weeks, using a four-point rating scale for duration from 1 ("not at all") to 5 ("nearly every day"). A score of 10 or greater represents a cut point for identifying cases of generalized anxiety disorder, while cut points of 5, 10, 15, and 20 are interpreted as representing mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe levels of anxiety. The Chinese version has been validated.

  1 month after the interventions

Study Arms (2)

The EMPOWER program

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention group will receive 4 weekly sessions (the EMPOWER program).

Behavioral: E-training for Medical Professionals On Wellbeing and Effective Resolutions (E.M.P.O.W.E.R.)

Education materials

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The active control group receive education materials about mental health, depression, anxiety and available community resources but not the EMPOWER program during the intervention period.

Other: Education Materials

Interventions

E-training for Medical Professionals On Wellbeing and Effective Resolutions (E.M.P.O.W.E.R.) BEHAVIORAL

The EMPOWER programme aims to help participants acquire problem-solving skills adapted into the context of MPs' workplace and daily life to address their work-related, personal, and interpersonal problems, including self-neglect, work-life imbalance, patient communication problems, as well as stress during emerging public health crises. The session elements include video introduction, metaphors, daily examples, and narrative stories with prototype MP characters depicting the targeted problems to demonstrate how the taught problem-solving skills could be applied in a variety of situations. Brief exercise and homework will be assigned after each session and personalized written feedback will be provided. ACT strategies were also incorporated throughout the program to facilitate behavioral change.

The EMPOWER program

Education Materials OTHER

The active control receive education materials covering (1) introduction of mental health problems; (2) signs, symptoms, causes, and consequences of anxiety and depression, and (3) treatment approaches and available community resources.

Education materials

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• (1) being a frontline medical professional working in local public settings;
• (2) at least 18 years of age;
• (3) able to read and understand Chinese;
• (4) have access to the Internet; and
• (5) Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and/or Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) score\>=5, indicating at least mild levels of depression and/or anxiety.
• actively suicidal.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Chinese University of Hong Kong: lead

Study Sites (1)

JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK

Hong Kong, China, No postal code, Hong Kong

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression; Anxiety Disorders; Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Mental Disorders; Personal Satisfaction

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 28, 2025
• First Posted: April 4, 2025
• Study Start: March 31, 2025
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2026
• Study Completion: May 28, 2026
• Last Updated: June 3, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

HK (1)