Psychosocial occupational health management with the focus on Supported Employment. Job maintenance through Supported Employment PLUS: A pilot study to support the mental health of employees.

ISRCTN	ISRCTN02422335
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN02422335
Protocol serial number	N/A
Sponsor	European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Investitions- und Förderbank Niedersachsen - NBank (Germany)
Funder	European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (EU)

Submission date: 05/06/2014
Registration date: 02/07/2014
Last edited: 02/07/2014

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
In Germany, the number of days of absence from work caused by mental illness has risen dramatically in the past ten years. Due to lack of qualified staff, it is very important for companies to take care of the physical and mental health of their workers. As a result, the number of people who are unable to work due to mental stress and diseases is extremely high. Supported Employment concepts such as the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model look at making work a rehabilitative agent itself. Supported Employment Plus (SEplus) uses a modified IPS-approach in order to: maintain the affected employees work ability and performance, re-establish the employees mental well-being in the workplace, preserve the work capacity and productivity for the company; reduce the number of days of absence due to mental health problems.

Who can participate?
Employees of the participating businesses who report psychological distress can take part.

What does the study involve?
Employees are randomly allocated to one of two groups: intervention and control groups. The intervention group receives SEplus the affected workers are specifically and individually coached by experienced job coaches. These job coaches also fulfil an advisory and supportive role for the employer, the colleagues and other stakeholders of the business environment.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Not provided at time of registration.

Where is the study run from?
The study is run from participating business enterprise and service companies in Germany.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
October 2012 to September 2014.

Who is funding the study?
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (EU)

Who is the main contact?
Prof Wulf Rössler
wulf.roessler@uzh.ch

Contact information

Prof Wulf Rössler
Scientific

University of Lüneburg
Innovation Incubator
Rotenbleicher Weg 67
Lüneburg
21335
Germany

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Study design	Randomised controlled study
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study type	Participant information sheet
Scientific title	Job maintenance through Supported Employment PLUS
Study acronym	SEplus
Study objectives	1. Job Coaching according to the approach of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) can contribute to job maintenance of employees under psychological pressure or with mental illnesses. Furthermore, coaching according to IPS enhances job satisfaction and reduces the number of days of sickness absence. 2. In addition we hypothesize the following: 2.1. Improvement of job satisfaction in the intervention group. 2.2. Improvement of global functioning in the intervention group. 2.3. Improvement of the quality of life of the participants of the intervention group. 2.4. Increased self-esteem of the participants of the intervention group. 2.5. Reduction of self-stigma in the intervention group. 2.6. Reduction of cognitive appraisal of stigma as a stressor in the intervention group. 2.7. Enhancement of recovery orientation in the intervention group.
Ethics approval(s)	Ethics Committee of the Leuphana University of Lüneburg, 25.09.2013, ref. EB-Antrag Rössler201307_SEplus
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Mental disorders, vocational rehabilitation
Intervention	The intervention lasts from three to six months. The participants should attend to eight to twelve coaching sessions. The job coaches support the participants of the intervention group concerning problems on the job and other psychosocial problems. 50% of the participants are randomized to the intervention group and 50% to the control group. Several instrument based interviews are conducted every 3 months. A two-factor analysis of variance with the two factors group affiliation (Intervention- and control group) and outcome (reduction days of illness yes/no) will be conducted to control for the study hypotheses.
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure(s)	The primary endpoint is the reduction of days incapacity to work by 40% compared with the control group.
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	1. Quality of life 2. Motivation 3. Job satisfaction 4. Psychosocial functioning 5. Job preferences 6. Self-esteem
Completion date	30/09/2014

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Lower age limit	18 Years
Upper age limit	67 Years
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	120
Key inclusion criteria	1. Employee of a cooperation partner (e.g. business enterprise or service company) of the study 2. Self-reporting of psychological stress or mental disorder 3. Psychic distress or mental disorder 4. Voluntariness 5. Participant have to give informed consent 6. Working age (18-67 years)
Key exclusion criteria	1. Persons who need a psychiatric inpatient treatment at the time of the study 2. Persons with an imminent risk of suicide
Date of first enrolment	01/10/2012
Date of final enrolment	30/09/2014

Locations

Countries of recruitment

Germany

Study participating centre

University of Lüneburg

Lüneburg
21335
Germany

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Participant information sheet	Participant information sheet	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes
Study website	Study website	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes

Psychosocial occupational health management with the focus on Supported Employment. Job maintenance through Supported Employment PLUS: A pilot study to support the mental health of employees.