Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39972292›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2025

Interpersonal vs. supportive group psychotherapy for depression attributed to work stress: study protocol of the multicentre, cluster-randomised, controlled IPT-Work trial.

Elisabeth Schramm, Moritz Elsaesser, Nadine Zehender, Andreas Reif, Claas Lahmann, Manon Feuchtinger, Michael Deuschle, Kai Kahl, Andreas Hillert, Nicola Thiel and 4 more

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Elisabeth Schramm *Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. elisabeth.schramm@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
Moritz Elsaesser *Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Nadine ZehenderDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Andreas ReifDepartment of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt-Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.
Claas LahmannDepartment for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Manon FeuchtingerDepartment for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Michael DeuschleCentral Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Kai KahlDepartment of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Andreas HillertSchön Klinik Roseneck, Prien Am Chiemsee, Germany.
Nicola ThielDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Hannah PiosczykDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Simon MackHochschule Fresenius Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Johannes BauschClinical Trials Unit, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Erika GrafInstitute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 507692077
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDepression associated with occupational stress is highly prevalent, causing high rates of sick leave and thus posing significant societal and economic burden. Meta-analyses of the few studies on psychological and work-focused interventions for common mental disorders including depression report small effects on depressive symptomatology and occupational outcomes. There is an urgent need for more controlled studies on work-directed interventions assessing work outcomes.

methodsThis is an interventional, multicentre, active-controlled, cluster-randomised, observer-blinded clinical trial with two parallel groups conducted in 6 clinical centres throughout Germany over the course of 3 years. A sample of 144 outpatients with work stress related depression will be cluster-randomised to either a specific interpersonal group intervention for depression and work stress (IPT-Work) or a nonspecific supportive group psychotherapy (SP). Each group consists of 10 sessions over 8 weeks of 90 min duration with 4-6 participants. Patients will be assessed at baseline, post-treatment and at 3 months follow-up. The primary endpoint is the relative change in HRSD-24 score from baseline to follow-up 3 months after end of treatment. Secondary outcome measures include the Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI), the Work Ability Index (WAI), the Return to Work Attitude (RTW-SE), the Effort-Reward-Imbalance (ERI), the Job Content Questionnaire 2 (JCQ2), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). In addition, Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) and days of sick leave throughout the study period will be assessed. Effects of treatment will be analysed with a linear mixed model for repeated measures including randomised arm, time point and their interaction as well as HRSD-24 baseline scores and their interaction with time point as fixed effects. DISCUSSION: Results will provide a comparison of a nonwork-directed psychological intervention and a specific, work-directed approach with respect to symptom improvement and increase in work ability. The aim is to improve quality of mental health care for depressed employees to facilitate recovery, improve work ability, and reduce the risk of long-term occupational incapacity. Ultimately, findings will inform the practice of the efficiency of using psychological group treatment in depressed individuals with work stress.

trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00035259); prospectively registered on 15th January 2025.

Indexed as

DepressionInterpersonal PsychotherapyOccupational StressPsychotherapy, GroupAdultFemaleGermanyHumansMaleRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicReturn to WorkSick LeaveDepressionGroup treatmentInterpersonal psychotherapyIPT-workPsychotherapyRandomised controlled trialSupportive psychotherapyWork-directed interventionsWork outcomesWork stress

Identifiers

PMID39972292
PMCPMC11841184

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.