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Acceptability and Feasibility of Work-Oriented Social-Cognitive Skills Training for Veterans With Serious Mental Illness

Acceptability and Feasibility of Work-Oriented, Veteran-Centric, Social-Cognitive Skills Training

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
18 Years and older
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Time periods mentioned: 13 weeks, 5 years
  • Procedures mentioned: Interviews

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "SCIT-WE will be offered for 2 hours weekly over 13 weeks, when most participants are in the job development and job search phases of supported employment."
  • "Notes will be taken during the interviews and used to identify educational topics and types of skills training that would be most useful additions to the curriculum."
  • "Veterans who express an interest in the study will complete a screening interview that establishes psychiatric diagnosis and eligibility for the study."
  • "Veterans who choose to enroll in the study will attend one 2-hour SCIT-WE session weekly for 13 weeks, when most participants are in the job development and job search phases of supported employment."
  • "The group will be facilitated by a doctoral level therapist who has received training from one of the intervention developers and who has over five years of experience offering SCIT to Veterans."
  • "Treatment Manual Development: To gain additional insights about the experience of the intervention for participants, an exit interview will be completed 6-months post-enrollment."
Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests a work-focused social skills program for Veterans with serious mental illness who receive job support at the Minneapolis VA. It looks at whether Veterans find the program helpful and whether it can be combined with job support. Training focuses on understanding other people and handling work relationships.

Many individuals with serious mental illness have difficulty accurately interpreting interpersonal cues and effectively engaging in social exchanges. Difficulties related to the interpersonal aspects of work can lead to isolation, poor productivity, and job loss. The goals of this study are to: 1) adapt an evidence-based social cognitive skills intervention for work settings and use with Veterans, 2) examine the acceptability of the work focused skills training intervention, 3) assess the feasibility of combining the social cognitive skills training program with supported employment, and 4) examine change on functional outcomes. The current study will use feedback from veteran and employment specialist stakeholders to adapt an evidence-based social cognitive skills training program, Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT). The intervention will be modified to tailor it to work relationships and to address any unique relationship concerns among Veterans that are identified by stakeholders. SCIT-Work Edition (SCIT-WE) will add: 1) education about work-related social norms; 2) examples of work-related social interactions that require perspective taking and problem- solving; 3) individual sessions with the study therapist to enhance learning and relevance to each participant's goals; 4) structured interactions with the participant's employment specialist to practice skills outside of group; and 5) skill application sessions with the participant's employment specialist that prompt use of skills after training is completed. SCIT-WE will be developed and piloted in an open trial with 20 Veterans enrolled in the supported employment program at the Minneapolis VA who have a qualifying serious mental illness diagnosis. SCIT-WE will be offered for 2 hours weekly over 13 weeks, when most participants are in the job development and job search phases of supported employment. While participating in the group skills training, participants will have weekly, individual homework review sessions with the group facilitator to promote understanding of the skills and to discuss relevance of the skills to personal goals. Participants also will practice skills weekly with their employment specialist for 10-15 minutes to promote use of skills outside of group sessions. In the 3-months following skills training completion, participants will complete 10 15-minute skills review sessions with their employment specialist to encourage continued skill application in a work setting. Participants will complete assessments at baseline, before receiving the intervention; 3-months post-enrollment, after participating in a weekly skills training group; and 6-months post-enrollment, after receiving 10 additional individual skills review sessions with their employment specialist. Accessibility will be measured with rate of treatment uptake, rate of treatment completion, and participant attitudes toward the intervention. Feasibility of the intervention will be assessed by examining retention in supported employment and the study at 3- and 6-months post-enrollment. Impact of the intervention will be examined with measures of quality of life, social adjustment, self-efficacy, and work relationship quality. It is hypothesized that the intervention will be acceptable to Veterans. The investigators predict a 50% treatment uptake rate, a 70% intervention completion rate, and positive ratings on measures of satisfaction, interest, and value. The investigators hypothesize that it will be feasible to complete this intervention in combination with supported employment activities. The investigators predict that retention in both skills training and supported employment will be 75% at 3-months post-enrollment and 60% 6-months post enrollment. The investigators hypothesize that positive change will be seen at 3-months post-enrollment and sustained at 6-months post-enrollment on measures of quality of life and social adjustment. The investigators predicted that self-efficacy regarding return to work will be improved at 3-months post-enrollment. The investigators predict that Veterans will report being productive and having positive work relationships 6-months post-enrollment. The findings will inform the development of a novel intervention targeting the social and functional impairments associated with serious mental illness. The knowledge gained from this study will guide the development of the next generation of interventions. Given that employment is a critical part of recovery, advancement in therapeutic interventions that support Veterans in this process will be of significance.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Be a Veteran receiving outpatient care, which means care without staying in the hospital, and enrolled in supported services at the Minneapolis VA.
  • Receive care from a mental health team at the Minneapolis VA.
  • Want to work and be looking for a job within 30 miles of the medical center.
  • Have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar I or II disorder, major depression that has returned, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Who can't join

  • Have a moderate or severe brain injury, or a disease of the brain or nerves that affects thinking.
  • Cannot understand enough English to follow testing, or had an IQ below 70 before the illness or injury.
  • Have behavior that prevents taking part in a group, or hearing or vision problems that prevent training and testing.
  • Have active thoughts of suicide or have been hospitalized in the past 4 weeks.
  • Currently have a severe alcohol or drug use disorder.
  • Are taking part in another mental health treatment study.
  • Cannot take part for 7–9 months because of a planned move or unstable housing.
  • Cannot give informed consent, meaning understand and agree to join, or have a legal guardian for personal decisions.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Veterans who are outpatients and enrolled to receive supported services at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System * Veterans are eligible for this program if they are receiving services from a mental health team at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, are motivated to pursue employment, and are seeking employment within 30 miles of the medical center * Veterans will be eligible for the study if they have a DSM-5 diagnosis of Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Exclusion Criteria: Study exclusion criteria are: * presence of a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury * presence of a cognitively compromising neurological disease * understanding of English that is not sufficient for comprehension of testing procedures * premorbid IQ less than 70 * behavior that prevents participation in a group intervention * hearing or visual impairment that prevents completion of intervention and testing procedures * clinical instability, defined as active suicidal ideation or hospitalization in the previous 4 weeks * current diagnosis of alcohol or substance use disorder, severe * current participation in another mental health intervention study * inability to commit to 7-9 months of study participation due to a planned move or unstable housing * inability to provide informed consent * presence of a guardian of person

Study sites (1)

MN