Clinical trial NCT04954872: Competency-based Training in Problem Management Plus: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Official title: Comparing Strategies for Competency-based Training in Problem Management Plus to Improve Non-specialist Competencies for Responding to Psychological Distress: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Depression
Keywords: Training
Competency
Psychological treatment
Lead sponsor: George Washington University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Nepal
First posted: 2021-07-08
Enrollment: 99
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Persons without mental health professional experience will be randomized to either training as usual to develop Problem Management Plus competencies or they will be randomized to Problem Management Plus training that uses Equip principles of competency-based training.
Primary purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Brief summary: The proposed study in Nepal will evaluate if non-specialists participating in Equip-based Problem Management Plus training show greater competencies compared to non-specialists participating in standard Problem Management Plus training. The proposed study is a randomized controlled trial with mixed-methods components evaluating both quantitative outcomes and qualitative outcomes among non-specialists participating in the training and their trainers.

Detailed description: There is increasing recognition of the high burden of psychological distress among populations around the world. Increasingly, non-specialists (persons who do not have expertise in formal mental health training) are being used to deliver psychological services. There is a long history of successful implementation of psychological services by non-specialists in Nepal. Recently, a cluster randomized controlled trial of Problem Management Plus showed modest benefit over enhanced care as usual in southeastern Nepal. A recent initiative by the World Health Organization is being rolled out to improve the competencies of non-specialists participating in Problem Management Plus and similar trainings. This initiative is Ensuring Quality in Psychological Services (Equip). The proposed study in Nepal will evaluate if non-specialists participating in Equip-based Problem Management Plus training show greater competencies compared to non-specialists participating in standard Problem Management Plus training. The proposed study is a randomized controlled trial with mixed-methods components evaluating both quantitative outcomes and qualitative outcomes among non-specialists participating in the training and their trainers.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* No prior mental health professional training
* Literate in Nepali

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any prior mental health professional training

Primary outcomes:
measure: Enhancing Assessment of Common Therapeutic Factors (unabbreviated title: Enhancing Assessment of Common Therapeutic Factors)
timeFrame: Immediately after Problem Management Plus training (10-days post-baseline)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Enhancing Assessment of Common Therapeutic Factors (unabbreviated title: Enhancing Assessment of Common Therapeutic Factors)
timeFrame: After Problem Management Plus supervision (approximately 45-days post-baseline)
measure: Problem Management Plus Competency Assessment (unabbreviated title: Problem Management Plus Competency Assessment)
timeFrame: Immediately after Problem Management Plus training (10-days post-baseline)
measure: Problem Management Plus Competency Assessment (unabbreviated title: Problem Management Plus Competency Assessment)
timeFrame: After Problem Management Plus supervision (approximately 45-days post-baseline)
measure: Group Facilitation Competency Assessment (unabbreviated title: Group Facilitation Competency Assessment)
timeFrame: Immediately after Problem Management Plus training (10-days post-baseline)
measure: Group Facilitation Competency Assessment (unabbreviated title: Group Facilitation Competency Assessment)
timeFrame: After Problem Management Plus supervision (approximately 45-days post-baseline)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Kathmandu
country: Nepal
facility: Transcultural Psychosocial Organization Nepal
Study officials:
affiliation: George Washington University
name: Brandon A Kohrt, MD, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: