Helping healthcare workers cope with psychological distress from COVID-19
Official title: A Brief Phased Two-Step Intervention for Treating General Psychological Distress, PTSD, and Co-Morbidities in Healthcare Workers Consequent to Occupational Trauma
Run by Weill Medical College of Cornell University · NCT04626050 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing two different ways to help healthcare workers cope with stress and trauma from their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Weill Medical College of Cornell University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (New York, New York) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 20, 2022 |
| Main results expected | January 2028 |
| Study ends | April 2028 |
| Registry record updated | June 22, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT04626050 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates for this study are healthcare workers who have provided care for COVID-19 patients and are experiencing psychological distress.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with significant unstable medical illnesses or those currently undergoing other psychiatric treatments may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study aims to address the psychological distress experienced by healthcare workers due to their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will engage in either a narrative writing intervention or a medical music intervention over four sessions within two weeks. Following this initial phase, those who meet the criteria for PTSD will have the opportunity to choose between two evidence-based treatments. The study seeks to identify effective interventions to alleviate symptoms of PTSD and moral injury among healthcare workers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could provide effective therapeutic interventions to help healthcare workers manage PTSD and moral injury resulting from their experiences during the pandemic.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown success in using narrative and music interventions for psychological distress, suggesting potential effectiveness for this approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Any healthcare worker providing medical care or support who has experienced occupational-related trauma * English-speaking * Age \>18 * Medically stable * Able to provide informed consent and function at an intellectual level sufficient to allow accurate completion of all assessment instruments * If on psychotropic medication stable for prior 60 days For phase II additional inclusion criteria: \- Current diagnosis of PTSD Exclusion Criteria: * Current significant unstable medical illness precluding regular session attendance or assessment completion * Participants who in the investigator's judgment pose a current homicidal, suicidal, or other risk * Lifetime or current diagnosis of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder * Participation in a clinical trial or concurrent evidence-based treatment for psychiatric conditions or PTSD during the previous 3 months.
Where it's running
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Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, New York, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: JoAnn Difede, PhD — Weill Medical College of Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Olivia Baryluk, BS
- Email: olb4002@med.cornell.edu
- Phone: 212-821-0783
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Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.