A Study of a Mental Fitness Intervention for Anesthesiology Resident Wellbeing and Self-Compassion
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorMassachusetts General Hospital
About this trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if app-based wellness programs can help improve wellbeing and self-compassion for medical residents. This is a pilot study, which is done on a small group of people to learn if a larger study would be useful. The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. Are app-based wellness interventions feasible and acceptable in a high-stress population like medical residents? 2. Can app-based wellness programs improve wellbeing and self-compassion in medical residents?
Researchers will compare the app-based wellness program to a time- and attention-matched control program.
Participants will:
* Complete online questionnaires at the start of the study and again after completion of the wellness program * Be assigned by chance (like a coin toss) to one of two different app-based programs, and will participate in the assigned program for 6 weeks. Both programs will involve weekly lessons and brief, daily exercises. Engagement with these exercises will not be mandatory but highly encouraged.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Current PGY4 anesthesiology resident at Massachusetts General Hospital or Brigham and Women's Hospital
Willingness to provide informed consent
The choice of a resident loved one will be at the discretion of the resident.
This may include partners, family, friends or other loved ones.
Disqualifiers
Inability to complete English-language questionnaires
Inability to access and use the intervention components (smartphone app/web platform)
Age <18 years
Concurrent participation in another interventional study designed to target mental fitness or wellbeing
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
App-based bundled mental fitness intervention
Other interventionA structured 6-week, self-guided program delivered via smartphone and web platform. Participants complete one video-based lesson per week and brief daily practice exercises lasting a few minutes each. The curriculum trains three core skills: recognizing recurring self-sabotaging patterns of thought and emotion; interrupting them through short attention-shifting exercises that redirect focus to present-moment sensory experience; and strengthening adaptive responses such as empathy, curiosity, perspective-taking, and decisive action. The approach draws on cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness, and positive-psychology principles, with daily repetition intended to build durable habits. Lessons build cumulatively across the six weeks. Daily and weekly engagement is encouraged but not required. Participants may optionally invite one loved one to take part alongside them.
App-based wellness module collection
Other interventionA structured 6-week comparison program delivered via smartphone and web platform, matched to the experimental arm in format, duration, and time commitment. Participants complete one lesson per week and brief daily activities of a few minutes each, mirroring the cadence of the active program. Content delivers general health and lifestyle education through didactic material and light reflective prompts. Unlike the experimental program, it does not train the targeted cognitive and emotional self-regulation skills (recognizing self-sabotaging patterns, attention-shifting practice, or deliberate cultivation of adaptive responses). This holds participant time and attention constant across arms so the trial can isolate the effect of the active components. Daily and weekly engagement is encouraged but not required.
Treatment groups
60 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: PQ AppExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Control AppPlacebo comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Recruitment Rate
Percentage of eligible residents who consent to participate
Time frame
Enrollment2
Dyadic Enrollment Rate
Percentage of consenting residents who enroll a loved one
Time frame
Enrollment3
Retention Rate
Percentage of enrolled participants who complete the post-study assessment
Time frame
At the end of the study, up to 12 weeks after enrollment4
Adherence
Percent completion of weekly lessons and daily exercises
Time frame
End of study up to 12 weeks after enrollmentSecondary outcomes
1
Self-compassion
Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF): Score is calculated by computing the mean of the six subscale means. Minimum score 1, maximum score 5. Higher scores indicate high self-compassion.
Time frame
Change from enrollment to end of study up to 12 weeks after enrollment2
Burnout
Single-item measures of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, modified from Maslach Burnout Inventory. Minimum score 0, maximum score 84. Higher scores associated with more burnout.
Time frame
Change from enrollment to end of study up to 12 weeks after enrollment3
Depressive symptoms
Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8). Minimum score 0, maximum score 24. Higher scores associated with more depressive symptoms.
Time frame
Change from enrollment to end of study up to 12 weeks after enrollment4
Anxiety symptoms
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7). Minimum score 0, maximum score 21. Higher scores associated with more anxiety symptoms.
Time frame
Change from enrollment to end of study up to 12 weeks after enrollmentSponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
Source ClinicalTrials.gov
This trial is not recruiting at the moment. You can still explore other options: