Health TrialsbyHealthPanel

F.I.R.E.- Fighters With Focus, Intention, Regulation and Engagement

ConditionFirefighters' Mental Health
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-65
SponsorUniversity of Coimbra

About this trial

Firefighters are routinely exposed to potentially traumatic events, making them vulnerable to debilitating mental health problems. Consequently, promoting well-being and the ability to respond effectively and safely to work demands are vital. The FIRE is an innovative mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and compassion-based manualized intervention encompassing eight weekly group sessions delivered at Fire Stations. A preliminary version of this program will be refined based on qualitative inputs from structured interviews with firefighters and emergency/civil protection sector stakeholders. The FIRE feasibility dimensions of adaptation, acceptability, implementation, practicality, integration, and limited efficacy will be evaluated in a two-arm, 1:1, non-blinded randomised controlled trial. The extent to which the FIRE contributes to the promotion of well-being and the decrease of psychopathological symptoms, and the causal theory underlying FIRE, will be explored through an examination of potential mechanisms of change.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Age 18-65

Being a volunteer firefighter

Disqualifiers

Currently undergoing any form of psychiatric/psychological intervention (self-reported)

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

  • FIRE

    Behavioral

    The FIRE will include 8-weekly group sessions (10-15 participants per group; 90-minutes duration) delivered at Fire Stations. The FIRE implementation will occur outside the charlie phase (fire critical season, from May to October), controlling for the potential seasonality impact on results. Two clinical psychologists with mindfulness, ACT and compassion training will facilitate the FIRE sessions. Weekly gentle reminders will be sent to motivating participants to practice the between-sessions exercises.

Treatment groups

53 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: Experimental FIRE GroupExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Wait-list Control GroupNo intervention 0 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Well-being

Measured by the World Health Organization Well-Being Index 5 (WHO-5). The total raw score, ranging from 0 to 25, is multiplied by 4 to give the final score, with 0 representing the worst imaginable well-being and 100 representing the best imaginable well-being.

Time frame
Baseline, 8 weeks and 3-month follow-up

Secondary outcomes

1

Depression

Measured with the depression subscale of the Patient Health Questionnaire 4 (PHQ-4). The subscale scores range between 0 and 6. Scores equal or higher than 3 are a reasonable cut-off point for detecting possible cases of depression.

Time frame
Baseline, 8 weeks and 3-month follow-up
2

Anxiety

Measured with the anxiety subscale of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). The subscale scores range between 0 and 6. Scores equal to or higher than 3 are a reasonable cut-off point for detecting possible cases of anxiety.

Time frame
Baseline, 8 weeks and 3-month follow-up
3

PTSD

Measured with the PTSD Checklist-5. The total score ranges from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater severity of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.

Time frame
Baseline, 8 weeks and 3-month follow-up
4

Attention

Measured with the Toulose Piéron Cancellation Test. Performance is assessed based on the number of correctly cancelled stimuli, errors of omission and commission, and indices of attention and concentration, with higher scores indicating better attentional performance.

Time frame
Baseline and 8 weeks

Other outcomes

1

Feasibility criteria questionnaire - Acceptability

Measured through the feasibility criteria questionnaire (to be developed by the researchers). It will comprise questions addressing overall FIRE satisfaction, perceived usefulness of each session and experiential exercises and willingness to recommend the FIRE to peers.

Time frame
8 weeks
2

Feasibility criteria questionnaire - Demand

Measured through the feasibility criteria questionnaire (to be developed by the researchers). This dimension will focus on program adherence (e.g., number of participants, percentage of sessions completed).

Time frame
8 weeks
3

Feasibility criteria questionnaire - Implementation

Measured through the feasibility criteria questionnaire (to be developed by the researchers). Barriers and facilitators of engagement will be examined.

Time frame
8 weeks
4

Feasibility criteria questionnaire - Practicality

Measured through the feasibility criteria questionnaire (to be developed by the researchers). This dimension will assess the practicality of delivering the intervention within fire stations, including the availability of required resources (e.g., space, materials).

Time frame
8 weeks

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

University of Coimbra

Lead sponsor

Source ClinicalTrials.gov

This trial is not recruiting at the moment. You can still explore other options: