Training veterans with serious mental illness in collaborative decision-making skills
Improving Collaborative Decision Making in Veterans With Serious Mental Illness
This study is testing a new training program to help veterans with serious mental illness make better decisions about their treatment and see if it improves their engagement and satisfaction.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 72 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VA Office of Research and Development Federal |
| Locations | 1 site (San Diego, California) |
| Trial ID | NCT04324944 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This study aims to improve collaborative decision-making (CDM) skills among veterans with serious mental illness (SMI) through a structured training program called Collaborative Decision Skills Training (CDST). The research will first assess the feasibility of CDST in Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Centers (PRRCs) and adapt the program based on stakeholder feedback. Following this, a randomized controlled trial will compare the effectiveness of CDST against an active control group to evaluate improvements in treatment engagement and satisfaction. The findings will also contribute to the development of clinician and service delivery manuals for broader implementation.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are veterans currently receiving services for serious mental illness at the VA San Diego Healthcare System.
Not a fit: Patients with primary substance use disorders or those at significant risk of exacerbation of symptoms or violence may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this training could empower veterans to make more informed decisions about their mental health treatment, leading to better outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: While collaborative decision-making approaches have shown promise in other populations, this specific adaptation for veterans with serious mental illness is novel and has not been extensively tested.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * currently receive services in the VASDHS PRRC * i.e., seen in the clinic in the past month and/or completed a PRRC group during the past trimester * have an SMI diagnosis per the electronic medical record * e.g., schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, and major depressive disorder with psychotic features * agree to have a subset of treatment appointments audiotaped Exclusion Criteria: * having primary substance use or organic neurological disorder diagnosis * are determined by PRRC and/or study staff to be at significant risk of exacerbation of symptoms, suicidal ideation, or other risk due to study participation * have a history and/or current risk of violence that PRRC and/or study staff determine to be too high risk to manage effectively at the PRRC's outpatient clinic location (which has less police presence than the primary VASDHS hospital location)
Where this trial is running
San Diego, California
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA — San Diego, California, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Emily B Treichler, PhD — VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA
- Study coordinator: Emily B Treichler, PhD
- Email: Emily.Treichler@va.gov
- Phone: 858-552-8585
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.