Implementation of the ASCEND Training for Supervisors in Dutch Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorVU University of Amsterdam
About this trial
This cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Dutch adaptation of an in-person group intervention for workplace supervisors - Advancing Supervisors' Capacity for Mental Health at Work (ASCEND) - in Dutch Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The ASCEND intervention is designed to equip supervisors with the skills to: i) know when to support their workers; ii) how to direct workers to support, and iii) advocate for action on mental health at work.
The primary objectives of this project are to:
* Assess to what extent the Dutch adaptation of the WHO-developed ASCEND intervention is effective in enhancing supervisors' confidence, responsiveness, mental health literacy, and self-care practices, and in reducing supervisor stigma towards mental health conditions within Dutch SMEs. * Evaluate the impact of the ASCEND intervention on employee outcomes, including mental health and work-related outcomes among supervisees (i.e., subordinates), as well as overall organizational absenteeism rates. * Identify barriers, facilitators, and key implementation and adoption indicators to support future opportunities for scaling up the ASCEND intervention.
Researchers will compare two groups to evaluate the effectiveness of the ASCEND intervention. One group will receive the training (the intervention group), while the other group will receive the training after the final follow-up period (the control group).
Data will be collected from both supervisors and their supervisees (i.e., subordinates) via online questionnaires at various time points. In addition, general organizational information, including absenteeism rates, will be gathered through a representative from each participating organization.
To further explore the feasibility of scaling up the ASCEND intervention within the Netherlands, qualitative data will be collected through interviews and/or focus group discussions.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Having 10 to 250 employees
Being located in the Netherlands
18 years or older
Working in an organization in the Netherlands
Disqualifiers
None
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Advancing Supervisors' Capacity for Mental Health at Work (ASCEND)
BehavioralThe intervention will consist of a training that incorporates evidence-based content and interactive exercises. Advancing Supervisors' Capacity for Mental Health at Work (ASCEND) covers five core topics designed to equip supervisors with the knowledge and practical skills needed to effectively support the mental health of their employees. The full training is delivered over approximately 8 hours in an in-person group setting. Trainings are facilitated by a trained professional. To support learning, participants will also receive a Manager Reference Booklet during the training. This booklet consolidates key information from the ASCEND training, serving both as a learning aid during the sessions and a practical, quick-reference tool afterward. It includes summaries of key concepts, tips, and exercises, along with space for participants to record notes. Participants receive a certificate for their participation in the training.
Treatment groups
148 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Advancing Supervisors' Capacity for Mental Health at Work (ASCEND)Experimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: ControlNo intervention 0 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Supervisor confidence in addressing employee mental health problems
Confidence in addressing employee mental health problems will be measured among supervisors using a 6-item scale used in other trials that investigated a similar intervention. Participants will be asked to rate their degree of confidence from 1 (not confident at all) to 5 (extremely confident) for various activities that are related to the construct of supporting employee mental health. A mean score will be calculated by averaging participants' ratings across all items. Scores range from 1 to 5, with a higher score indicating more confidence.
Time frame
Change from baseline to 1 monthSecondary outcomes
1
Supervisor confidence in addressing employee mental health problems
Confidence in addressing employee mental health problems will be measured among supervisors using a 6-item scale used in other trials that investigated a similar intervention. Participants will be asked to rate their degree of confidence from 1 (not confident at all) to 5 (extremely confident) for various activities that are related to the construct of supporting employee mental health. A mean score will be calculated by averaging participants' ratings across all items. Scores range from 1 to 5, with a higher score indicating more confidence.
Time frame
Change from baseline to within 1-hour post-intervention and 3 months2
Supervisor responsiveness to employee mental health problems
Responsiveness to mental health problems will be measured among supervisors using a 6-item scale used in earlier trials investigating a similar intervention. Participants rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) to what extent they agree with the statement. A mean score will be calculated by averaging participants' ratings across all items. Scores range from 1 to 5, with a higher score indicating a better responsiveness.
Time frame
Change from baseline to 1 month and 3 months3
Supervisor stigma towards mental health conditions
Stigma towards mental health conditions will be measured among supervisors using the 12-item Stigma Toward Employee Depression Scale. Items are adjusted to fit a broader range of mental health conditions, instead of depression only. Participants rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) to what extent they agree with the statement. A mean score will be calculated by averaging participants' ratings across all items. Scores range from 1 to 5, with a higher score indicating more stigma.
Time frame
Change from baseline to 1-hour post-intervention, 1 month, and 3 months4
Supervisor self-care
Self-care will be measured among supervisors using a construct originating from the Health-oriented Leadership framework. The full SelfCare scale consists of 3 subscales (i.e., awareness, values, and behavior), but this trial focuses only on the behaviors. From the behavior items, 3 items are chosen. Participants rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) to what extent they agree with the statement. A mean score will be calculated by averaging participants' ratings across all items. Scores range from 1 to 5, with a higher score indicating better SelfCare.
Time frame
Change from baseline to 1 month and 3 monthsOther outcomes
1
Perceived supervisor responsiveness to mental health problems
Perceived supervisor responsiveness to mental health problems will be measured among supervisees, using the same construct (i.e., 'Supervisor responsiveness to mental health conditions') that is measured among supervisors. Two items of the original will be included and adjusted to fit the context of the supervises. Participants rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) to what extent they agree with the statement. A mean score will be calculated by averaging participants' ratings across all items. Scores range from 1 to 5, with a higher score indicating a higher perceived responsiveness.
Time frame
Change from baseline to 1 month and 3 months2
Perceived supervisor staff care
Staff care will be measured among supervisees using a construct originating from the Health-oriented Leadership framework. The full SelfCare scale consists of 3 subscales (i.e., awareness, values, and behavior), this trial focuses only on the behaviors. From the behavior items, some items are chosen to be included. Participants rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) to what extent they agree with the statement. A mean score will be calculated by averaging participants' ratings across all items. Scores range from 1 to 5, with a higher score indicating better perceived StaffCare.
Time frame
Change from baseline to 1 month and 3 months3
Supervisee psychological distress
Psychological distress will be measured among supervisees using the 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). The K6 consists of 6 items asking people to rate their emotional states on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (none of the time') to 5 (all the time). Scores are summed and scores range from 0 to 24. Higher scores indicate increased non-specified psychological distress.
Time frame
Change from baseline to 1 month and 3 months4
Supervisee help-seeking intentions
Help-seeking intentions will be measured among supervisees using the General Help Seeking Questionnaire. Participants are asked how likely it would be that they would seek help from 5 resources (e.g., direct supervisor, company mental health resources, doctor/GP, mental health professional, or other) on a scale ranging from 1 (very unlikely) to 5 (very likely), with higher scores indicating a greater intention to seek help.
Time frame
Change from baseline to 1 month and 3 monthsSponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
VU University of Amsterdam
Lead sponsor
World Health Organization
Collaborator
University of Copenhagen
Collaborator
University Hospital Heidelberg
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov