N/A
N=294
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Improve Work and Wellness in Veterans With Mental Illness
Posttraumatic Stress Disorders
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04504903 ↗Enrolled (actual)
294
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Apr 2026
Primary outcome: Primary: Total Weeks Worked in Competitive Jobs — 7.07; 4.86 Weeks Worked
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- N/A
- Interventions
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Work Success (CBTw) (Behavioral); Psychoeducation (Behavioral)
- Age
- Adult, Older Adult · 18+ yrs
- Sex
- All
- Sponsor
- VA Office of Research and Development
- Primary completion
- Sep 2024
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Total Weeks Worked in Competitive Jobs |
9.97; 8.36 | — |
| PRIMARY Total Weeks Worked in Competitive Jobs |
9.97; 8.36 | — |
| PRIMARY Total Weeks Worked in Competitive Jobs |
9.97; 8.36 | — |
| SECONDARY Short Employment Hope Scale (EHS-14) |
7.60; 7.61 | — |
| SECONDARY Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) |
3.95; 3.94 | — |
| SECONDARY Scale for Suicidal Ideation Change |
.26; .21 | — |
| SECONDARY Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Work Success (CBTw) Fidelity |
5.18 | — |
Summary
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.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- 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
Exclusion Criteria
- 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
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04504903). 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.