Clinical trial NCT05728086: Art Therapy to Address Hospital Clinician Burnout
Official title: Art Therapy to Address Hospital Clinician Burnout and Psychosocial Distress: a Randomised Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Burnout
Anxiety
Stress
Depression
Keywords: Art therapy
psychosocial distress
hospital clinicians
burnout
Lead sponsor: Barts & The London NHS Trust
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Queen Mary University of London
First posted: 2023-02-14
Enrollment: 131
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Waitlist randomized controlled trial (RCT) design comprising an intervention group and a waitlist-control group
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: A structured group art therapy intervention, comprising six 60 - 90-minute weekly workshops.

Detailed description: The CHArt group art therapy intervention builds on a 6-week art therapy group intervention piloted with Barts Health oncology and palliative care doctors (Tjasink, M. 2019). It incorporates elements of workshops delivered for staff support by Barts art therapists during the Covid-19 pandemic (Tjasink, M., Stevens, P. 2022).

The intervention is broadly informed by affective neuroscience and evolutionary psychology theories with an emphasis on compassion-focused and resource-oriented therapeutic practice. Whilst the intervention draws on diverse influences, it aligns with the principles of Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT), an integrative, bio-physiological psychological model underpinned by evolutionary theory.

Intervention elements include psycho-education, individual art making, collaborative group art making, art making in pairs, exploring a range of art materials and techniques (including clay, paint, natural objects and non-traditional mark - making materials), art-based grounding exercises and reflective discussion.

The intervention manual was developed by the study's Chief Investigator with input from a group of three art therapy experts (Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) accredited art therapists working in National Health Service (NHS) medical contexts with experience of delivering art therapy - based staff support) and three experts by experience (Health Care professionals with experience of participating in art therapy - based staff support groups at work). Adherence to the intervention will be monitored through two adherence tools (therapist self reported and independent observer).

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* • Healthcare professional employed in a patient facing clinical role by Barts Health NHS Trust or Barts Bank partners

  * 18 years or older
  * Willing and able to provide informed consent
  * Able to attend the group intervention sessions
  * Moderate to severe risk scored on any of the three MBI - HSS subscales or on the PSS 10:
  * emotional exhaustion score of ≥17, or
  * depersonalization score of ≥7, or
  * personal accomplishment score of ≤ 38 or
  * perceived stress (≥ 14)

Exclusion Criteria:

* • Unwilling or unable to give consent

  * Diagnosed with or treated for a serious depressive condition, a personality disorder or psychosis in the past 12 months. (Self-reporting through screening.)
  * Attempted suicide or made plans to commit suicide in the past 12 months. (Self-reporting through screening.)
  * Individual does not provide direct patient care for Barts Health NHS Trust

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in burnout element 'Emotional Exhaustion' assessed using the Emotional Exhaustion scale of The Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS)
timeFrame: Baseline [T1], post 6-week intervention / post 6-week wait [T2], 12 week post intervention follow up [T3]
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in burnout element 'depersonalisation' assessed using the Depersonalisation scale of The Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS)
timeFrame: Baseline [T1], post 6-week intervention / post 6-week wait [T2], 12 week post intervention follow up [T3]
measure: Change in burnout element 'personal accomplishment' assessed using the Personal Accomplishment scale of The Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS)
timeFrame: Baseline [T1], post 6-week intervention / post 6-week wait [T2], 12 week post intervention follow up [T3]
measure: Change in anxiety assessed using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD 7)
timeFrame: Baseline [T1], post 6-week intervention / post 6-week wait [T2], 12 week post intervention follow up [T3]
measure: Change in depression assessed using the Personal Health Questionnaire Depression Scale (PHQ 8)
timeFrame: Baseline [T1], post 6-week intervention / post 6-week wait [T2], 12 week post intervention follow up [T3]
measure: Change in perceived stress assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)
timeFrame: Baseline [T1], post 6-week intervention / post 6-week wait [T2], 12 week post intervention follow up [T3]
measure: CHArt Feedback Questionnaire
timeFrame: post 6-week intervention [T2]
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: London
country: United Kingdom
facility: Barts Health NHS Trust
Study officials:
affiliation: Queen Mary University of London
name: Stefan Priebe
role: STUDY_CHAIR
References:
citation: Tjasink, M., G. Soosaipillai (2019) Art therapy to reduce burnout in oncology and palliative care doctors: a pilot study.
citation: Tjasink, M, Stevens, P. (2022). The innovative use of art psychotherapy with NHS clinicians in Jury, H. and Coles, A., 'Art Psychotherapy and Innovation: New Territories, Techniques and Technologies'. Jessica Kingsley, London: 83 - 103.
citation: Maslach, C. et al. (2018). Maslach burnout inventory: manual. [Menlo Park, Calif.], Mind Garden.