Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Improve Work and Wellness in Veterans With Mental Illness

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Posttraumatic Stress Disorders

In brief

Vocational instability in Veterans with serious mental illness (SMI) is pervasive, costly, and harmful. Over 75% of Veterans with SMI are unemployed, resulting in economic difficulties and trouble meeting basic needs. Overall, among adults with depression, work dysfunction results in a 36 to 51 billion dollar loss annually. Unemployed Veterans with SMI also suffer major health consequences, including a more severe course of illness and poor recovery over time, leading to increased inpatient and emergency service use. The WORKWELL study will synergistically address these deficits in health, recovery, and work functioning by testing the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Work Success (CBTw) intervention. Using a pragmatic design, this project will address work as a major social determinant of health and close the health disparity gap among people with SMI. Further, through promotion of work and healthy thinking, CBTw holds promise to reduce risk of suicide among vulnerable veterans with SMI.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT04504903

Run by

VA Office of Research and Development

People needed

294

Starts

2021-01-01

Expected to finish

2024-09-30

Last updated by the study team

2026-04-01

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Unemployment, defined as no current participation in a competitive job
• A competitive work goal, which denotes a goal of a regular job in the community that pays at least minimum wage
• Presence of a serious mental illness including one or more of the following conditions:
• major depression
• bipolar disorders
• schizophrenia
• schizoaffective disorder
• posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Currently enrolled in and receiving VA vocational rehabilitation services

You may not qualify if…

• Previous participation in cognitive behavioral therapy intervention geared toward work
• Presence of a severe medical or cognitive impairment that will prevent participation in the study

Where it is running

• Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL — Hines, Illinois, United States
• Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN — Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
• St. Louis VA Medical Center John Cochran Division, St. Louis, MO — St Louis, Missouri, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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