N/A
N=118
Remotely-Delivered Benefits Counseling for Service Connection Applicants
Job Satisfaction · Unemployment
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02677428 ↗Enrolled (actual)
118
Serious AEs
1.7%
Results posted
Aug 2020
Primary outcome: Primary: Hours Per Week of Paid Work — 2.8; 2.0; 4.8; 4.0 hours per week
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- N/A
- Interventions
- Remotely-Delivered Benefits Counseling (Behavioral); Control (Behavioral)
- Age
- Adult · 18+ yrs
- Sex
- All
- Sponsor
- VA Office of Research and Development
- Primary completion
- Jul 2019
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Hours Per Week of Paid Work |
2.8; 2.0; 4.8; 4.0; 6.8; 5.6 | — |
| SECONDARY Work Importance and Confidence Ruler |
7.03; 6.72; 7.17; 7.08; 7.34; 7.28 | — |
Summary
A significant portion of Veterans who apply for disability benefits have difficulty finding and sustaining employment, and are concerned that working for pay will jeopardize their receipt of service-connection benefits. In a completed clinical trial, Veterans who received Motivational Interview-formatted counseled about opportunities to work and receive service-connection went on to work for pay significantly more often than controls. The proposed clinical trial will test this counseling's efficacy when it is delivered by an automated computer program.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- All enrolled participants will have difficulty working as evidenced by a "Yes" response to any sub-part of the following question:
- During the past 4 weeks, have you had any of the following problems with your work or other regular daily activities as a result of any emotional problems (such as feeling depressed or anxious):
- (a) Cut down on the amount of time you spent on work or other activities?
- (b) Accomplished less than you would like?
- (c) Didn't do work or other activities as carefully as usual?
- Participants will also meet the following inclusion criteria:
- i. A Compensation and Pension evaluation by a psychiatrist or psychologist is scheduled
- ii. Does not have a service-connected physical disability rated over 30%
- iii. Is not service-connected for a psychiatric condition (0% service-connection is allowed, as Veterans with 0% service-connection have not received any benefit payments)
- iv. Age 18-65
- v. Reports access to an internet-connected computer/tablet and a working telephone
- vi. Reports working an average of two or fewer days per week for pay over the preceding 4 weeks
- vii. Self-reported ability to participate psychologically and physically, able to give informed consent and complete assessments; viii. Reports being able to read (this is necessary for understanding the website)
- ix. Expressed interest in sampling whatever website is provided
Exclusion Criteria
- Already receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
- Has a conservator
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02677428). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.