BurnoutNCT05637190
A Pilot RCT on the Effect of ExAT on Teacher Burnout and Stress
A study testing Expressive Arts Therapy group intervention in people with Burnout and Stress, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
The objective of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effects of Expressive Art Therapy on reducing burnout and stress symptoms among Hong Kong's primary and secondary school teachers. The proposed study is a pilot randomized controlled trial. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- What is being tested?
- Expressive Arts Therapy group intervention
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 90 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 10 Jan 2022to 31 Dec 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Hong Kong residents aged >/=18
- Able to read Chinese (verbal expression in Chinese or English)
- With qualified teaching cert. (degree holder)
- Willing to provide informed consent and comply with the trial protocol
- Teacher work in primary or secondary school in Hong Kong
Who cannot join
- Current involvement in psychological treatment program for stress and / or burnout reduction
- A change in psychotropic drugs or over-the-counter medications that target mood within 2 weeks before the baseline assessment
- A Patient Health Questionnair-9 (PHQ-9) item 9 score > 2 indicating a serious level of suicidal risk
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Hong Kong1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, HKSAR
Fiona YY Ho, Ph.D, 3943 6575, pmhlab@cuhk.edu.hk
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Expressive Art Therapy on Teacher Burnout and Stress: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
The objective of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effects of Expressive Art Therapy on reducing burnout and stress symptoms among Hong Kong's primary and secondary school teachers.
The proposed study is a pilot randomized controlled trial. Prior to all study procedures, 90 participants (i.e., primary and secondary school teachers) will be recruited to complete an online informed consent with telephone support. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the Expressive Arts Therapy group (ExAT group) or the waitlist control group (WL group) in a ratio of 1:1. The ExAT group will receive the Expressive Arts intervention via face-to-face workshops for 2 consecutive weeks (2 hours per session). There are a total of 3 batches (around 15 participants per batch) for the intervention. Participants in this group will be in touch with their inner selves and inner resources via body movement, writing and music. There will be visual art creation as a conclusion for integrating the body and mind. The art products would be placed in their workplace for stress regulation. The WL control group will not receive any intervention during the study, but they will receive self-help art therapy materials after the whole study procedure. The outcome measures include burnout, stress, depressive, and anxiety symptoms, as well as insomnia symptoms, physical activity, health-related quality of life, and the intervention acceptability at baseline, immediate post-treatment, and 4-week follow-up assessments by completing the same questionnaire set.
- Being tested
- Expressive Arts Therapy group intervention
- Keywords
- Expressive Arts Therapy, Teachers, Randomized controlled trial
- Medical subject headings
- Burnout, Psychological
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Expressive Arts Therapy group interventionOther
Art is helpful to reduce negative emotions and boost self-worth during the creative process. During the Expressive Arts Therapy workshops, participants experience different art forms, including visual art, body movement, writing, music, and guided imagery to identify the inner self and get in touch with the self to release suppressed emotions and stress.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Expressive Arts Therapy group | Experimental | The Expressive Arts Therapy group will receive the Expressive Arts intervention via face-to-face workshops for 2 consecutive weeks (2 hours per session). there are a total of 3 batches (around 15 participants per batch) for the intervention. Receives: Other: Expressive Arts Therapy group intervention |
| Waitlist control group | No intervention | The Waitlist control group will not receive any intervention during the study, but they will receive self-help art therapy materials after the whole study procedure. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Changes in Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM)
A 14-item questionnaire with 7-point scale will be used for physical fatigue, emotion exhaustion, and cognitive weariness. The score ranges from 1(never or almost never) to 7 (always or almost always). Item 1-5: physical fatigue; item 6-8: emotional exhaustion; and item 9-14: cognitive wariness
Measured: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
A 10-item questionnaire measuring the perceived degree of stress across situations over the past month. Items include how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded do the respondents perceive. the score ranges from 0 (never) to 4 (very often)
Measured: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Secondary outcomes (7)
Change in The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
A 9-item questionnaire used for screening, diagnosing, monitoring, and measuring the severity of depression, which scores each of the nine DSM-IV criteria as 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day)
Measured: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in The Generalized Anxiety disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7)
A brief 7-item instrument for screening for generalized anxiety disorder and assessing its severity in clinical practice and research. Anxiety severity is categorized using scores of 5-9 (mild), 10-14 (moderate) and 15or more (severe)
Measured: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
A 7-item scale designed to evaluate perceived insomnia severity. Ratings on the 5-point Likert scale are obtained on the perceived severity of sleep-onset, sleep-maintenance, early morning awakening problems, satisfaction with current sleep-maintenance, early morning awakening problems, satisfaction with current sleep pattern, interference with daily functioning, noticeably of impairment attributed to the sleep problem and level of distress caused by the sleep problem.
Measured: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20)
A 20-item self-report instrument designed to measure fatigue. Ratings on a 5-point Likert sscale are obtained on the dimensions of general fatigue, physical fatigue, mental fatigue, reduced motivation, and reduced activity. Scores on each subscale range from 4 to 20, with higher scores indicating greater fatigue
Measured: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Short Form (Six-Dimension) Health Survey - The Chinese (Hong Kong) Version (SF-6D)
A preference-based single index measure of health. A six-digit number represents each SF-6D health state, each digit denotes the level of one of six SF-6D dimensions: physical functioning, role limitation, social functioning, bodily pain, mental health and vitality. The SF-6D index, scored from 0.0 (worst health state) to 1.0 (best health state)
Measured: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Credibility-Expectancy questionnaire (CEQ)
The 6-item CEQ yielded ratings of treatement credibility, acceptability/satisfaction, and expectations for success
Measured: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Treatment Acceptability and Adherence Scale (TAAS)
A 10-item self-report scale designed to measure treatment acceptability on various facets, such as dropout likelihood and treatment adherence.
Measured: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Dec 2022
- Study start10 Jan 2022
- Primary completion31 Dec 2023 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2023 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for BurnoutStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Chinese University of Hong KongThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Fiona YY Ho, Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Investigators
- Fiona YY Ho, Ph.D, Principal investigator, Chinese University of Hong Kong
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05637190
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- PSY025
- Status last verified
- Feb 2023
- First submitted
- 24 Nov 2022
- Last updated
- 8 Feb 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Feb 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Expressive Art Therapy on Teacher Burnout and Stress: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05637190
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PSY025
- Keywords
- Expressive Arts Therapy, Teachers, Randomized controlled trial
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Chinese University of Hong KongUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Jan 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2023 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2023 (estimated)
- First posted
- 5 Dec 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The objective of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effects of Expressive Art Therapy on reducing burnout and stress symptoms among Hong Kong's primary and secondary school teachers.
The proposed study is a pilot randomized controlled trial. Prior to all study procedures, 90 participants (i.e., primary and secondary school teachers) will be recruited to complete an online informed consent with telephone support. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the Expressive Arts Therapy group (ExAT group) or the waitlist control group (WL group) in a ratio of 1:1. The ExAT group will receive the Expressive Arts intervention via face-to-face workshops for 2 consecutive weeks (2 hours per session). There are a total of 3 batches (around 15 participants per batch) for the intervention. Participants in this group will be in touch with their inner selves and inner resources via body movement, writing and music. There will be visual art creation as a conclusion for integrating the body and mind. The art products would be placed in their workplace for stress regulation. The WL control group will not receive any intervention during the study, but they will receive self-help art therapy materials after the whole study procedure. The outcome measures include burnout, stress, depressive, and anxiety symptoms, as well as insomnia symptoms, physical activity, health-related quality of life, and the intervention acceptability at baseline, immediate post-treatment, and 4-week follow-up assessments by completing the same questionnaire set.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Expressive Arts Therapy group | Experimental | Other: Expressive Arts Therapy group interventionThe Expressive Arts Therapy group will receive the Expressive Arts intervention via face-to-face workshops for 2 consecutive weeks (2 hours per session). there are a total of 3 batches (around 15 participants per batch) for the intervention. |
| Waitlist control group | No intervention | –The Waitlist control group will not receive any intervention during the study, but they will receive self-help art therapy materials after the whole study procedure. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Hong Kong residents aged >/=18
- Able to read Chinese (verbal expression in Chinese or English)
- With qualified teaching cert. (degree holder)
- Willing to provide informed consent and comply with the trial protocol
- Teacher work in primary or secondary school in Hong Kong
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Current involvement in psychological treatment program for stress and / or burnout reduction
- A change in psychotropic drugs or over-the-counter medications that target mood within 2 weeks before the baseline assessment
- A Patient Health Questionnair-9 (PHQ-9) item 9 score > 2 indicating a serious level of suicidal risk
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Expressive Arts Therapy group interventionArt is helpful to reduce negative emotions and boost self-worth during the creative process. During the Expressive Arts Therapy workshops, participants experience different art forms, including visual art, body movement, writing, music, and guided imagery to identify the inner self and get in touch with the self to release suppressed emotions and stress. | Other | Expressive Arts Therapy group |
Primary outcome
Changes in Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM)
Time frame: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
A 14-item questionnaire with 7-point scale will be used for physical fatigue, emotion exhaustion, and cognitive weariness. The score ranges from 1(never or almost never) to 7 (always or almost always). Item 1-5: physical fatigue; item 6-8: emotional exhaustion; and item 9-14: cognitive wariness
Change in Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
Time frame: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
A 10-item questionnaire measuring the perceived degree of stress across situations over the past month. Items include how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded do the respondents perceive. the score ranges from 0 (never) to 4 (very often)
7 secondary outcomes
Change in The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
Time frame: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in The Generalized Anxiety disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7)
Time frame: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
Time frame: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20)
Time frame: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Short Form (Six-Dimension) Health Survey - The Chinese (Hong Kong) Version (SF-6D)
Time frame: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Credibility-Expectancy questionnaire (CEQ)
Time frame: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Change in Treatment Acceptability and Adherence Scale (TAAS)
Time frame: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Feb 2023.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Fiona YY Ho, Ph.D principal investigator
Chinese University of Hong Kong
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Expressive Arts Therapy group intervention in people with Burnout and Stress, run by Chinese University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Feb 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Yeuk Yu Yip (3943 6575, pmhlab@cuhk.edu.hk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Changes in Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM) (time frame: baseline (week 0), immediate post intervention (week 3) and 4-week post intervention follow up). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Feb 2023.