Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
Teachers are highly affected by strain-related health problems such as depression. Recent studies have shown the effectiveness of Internet-based problem-solving therapy for symptoms of depression and strain. This study aims to test the efficacy of an Internet-based problem-solving training, adapted to the specific situation of the teachers, when compared to a waiting-list control group.
Who can participate?
Teachers with a heightened level of strain, indicated by self-rated depressive symptoms.
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated into two groups. Participants in the intervention group take part in a five-week online problem-solving training program, consisting of one lesson per week including weekly assignments and feedback by trained online coaches. Participants in the wait-list control group will get access to the training 6 months later. Self-reported symptoms of depression, strain, worrying, problem-solving skills, self-efficacy and quality of life are assessed at four points (at the start of the study, just after the training, and 3 and 6 months after the training ends).
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants may benefit from improvements in depression, strain, worrying, self-efficacy, problem solving skills and mental health in general. There are no known risks of participating in the study.
Where is the study run from?
Department of Mental Health, Leuphana University, Lueneburg, Germany.
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
The study started in April 2012 and ended in December 2013.
Who is funding the study?
European Union.
Who is the main contact?
David Daniel Ebert
ebert@inkubator.leuphana.de
Trial website
Contact information
Type
Scientific
Primary contact
Mr David Daniel Ebert
ORCID ID
Contact details
University
Lueneburg
Volgershall 1
Lüneburg
21339
Germany
+49 (0)4131677 5197
ebert@inkubator.leuphana.de
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
N/A
Study information
Scientific title
An internet-based problem-solving training to reduce strain in teachers: a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a guided self-help problem-solving training
Acronym
Study hypothesis
Internet-based problem-solving training is more effective in reducing depressive symptoms than a wait-list control group.
On 11/02/2013 the target number of participants was changed from 180 to 152.
Ethics approval
Local Ethical Committee, Department for Psychology, Phillips-University of Marburg, Germany, 12/03/2012, ref: AZ: 2012-06K
Study design
Prospective randomized controlled trial with two parallel groups
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Quality of life
Patient information sheet
Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Condition
Depressive symptoms
Intervention
The treatment group has access to an Internet-based training program that consists of five lessons (one per week). The intervention is based on an empirically evaluated online-based problem-solving intervention (van Straten et al., 2008; Warmerdam et al., 2008), adapted to the specific situation of teachers. The lessons include information and examples of how problems can be solved in a systematic way, how to handle unsolvable problems and how to improve well-being by boosting important things in their lives. Participants receive feedback to weekly assignments by trained online coaches.
Participants in the wait-list control group will get access to the same training 6 months after baseline assessment.
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Not Applicable
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
Baseline assessment: 1 week before allocation to treatment groups (enrollment is still ongoing; first participant were assessed for baseline on 9th April)
Post-assessment: 7 weeks after allocation to treatment 3-months follow-up: 3 months after allocation to treatment 6-months follow-up: 6 months after allocation to treatment
Secondary outcome measures
1. Social Problem Solving Inventory (SPSI-R)
2. Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ)
3. Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ)
4. Self-efficacy Scale (SWE)
5. Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)
6. Short-Form Health Questionnaire (SF-12)
Baseline Assessment: 1 week before allocation to treatment groups (enrollment is still ongoing; first participant was assessed for baseline on 9th April)
Post-Assessment: 7 weeks after allocation to treatment 3-months follow-up: 3 months after allocation to treatment 6-months follow-up: 6 months after allocation to treatment
Overall trial start date
15/04/2012
Overall trial end date
01/12/2013
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
Teachers with a heightened level of depressive symptoms [self-rated score higher than 16 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)]
Participant type
Patient
Age group
Adult
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
152
Total final enrolment
150
Participant exclusion criteria
Participants with suicide ideation at time of recruitment [by a score higher than 1 on the suicide ideation question of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)]
Recruitment start date
15/04/2012
Recruitment end date
01/12/2013
Locations
Countries of recruitment
Germany
Trial participating centre
University, Lueneburg
Lüneburg
21339
Germany
Sponsor information
Organisation
Investment & Development Bank of Lower Saxony - NBank (Germany)
Sponsor details
[Investitions- und Förderbank Niedersachsen NBank]
Günther-Wagner-Allee 12 - 16
Hannover
30177
Germany
-
info@nbank.de
Sponsor type
Government
Website
Funders
Funder type
Government
Funder name
European Union (EU)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Funder name
State of Lower Saxony (Germany)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not provided at time of registration
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list
2014 results in https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25121986/ (added 03/06/2020)