BurnoutFORESTNCT05942469
Fostering Optimal Regulation of Emotion for Prevention of Secondary Trauma (FOREST)
A study testing FOREST in people with Burnout and Burnout, Professional, run by Northwestern University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
FOREST is a positive emotion skills program designed to target mental health and coping needs for frontline violence prevention workers at UCAN. Ten skills are taught over a period of nine months during existing meetings and wellness activities, as well as in online modules in UCAN's Learning Management System (LMS). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Burnout, Burnout, Professional, Positive Affect
- What is being tested?
- FOREST
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 128 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 18 Mar 2025to 1 Sep 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18 and over
- Currently employed by UCAN
- Has internet access
- Speaks and reads English
Who cannot join
- None
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, Illinois, 60611
About this study
Official title: Fostering Optimal Regulation of Emotion for Prevention of Secondary Trauma (FOREST): Implementation and Evaluation of a Burnout Prevention Program for Staff in Gun Violence Prevention Programs
FOREST is a positive emotion skills program designed to target mental health and coping needs for frontline violence prevention workers at UCAN. Ten skills are taught over a period of nine months during existing meetings and wellness activities, as well as in online modules in UCAN's Learning Management System (LMS). Through infusing the FOREST skills throughout UCAN, we hope to inspire organizational culture change that will emphasize the importance of wellbeing and enhance resilience, therefore reducing burnout and turnover.
Read the detailed description
All frontline UCAN staff will receive the FOREST program. Each month for 9 months there will be a focus on one to two positive emotion skills. The skill(s) of the month will be taught to the staff during existing one-hour wellness meetings/activities, and will be co-facilitated by Positive Emotion Ambassadors (PEAs; UCAN Staff members nominated to infuse the skills into UCAN culture) and Northwestern University.
The skill sessions will include didactic content defining the skill and explaining the rationale for inclusion, as well as examples of existing research demonstrating the skills benefits. During the session the group will practice the skill together and discuss ways to use the skill in both work and personal situations. Throughout the month, PEAs will implement the FOREST skill of the month in other existing meetings, check-ins, and team outings
The monthly sessions will be observed by a member of the Implementation Resource Team (IRT) who will use a checklist to track that all core pieces of the skill training were delivered. Once a month, the IRT will meet with the PEAs for additional training and support. These sessions will be audio recorded for qualitative data on facilitators and barriers to the skill.
Each month a module in UCAN's learning management system (LMS) that covers that month's skill(s) will also become available. The LMS modules will contain skill-related content similar to what is taught in the skill sessions, including a thorough definition of the skill, examples of ways to utilize the skill, a review or summary of the skill, and several knowledge questions to check for comprehension. The LMS content may include text, audio, images, and video components. All UCAN frontline CVI staff will be required to complete the LMS FOREST skill module of the month. Percentage of staff completing each LMS training will be tracked.
Annual assessments to assess primary and secondary outcomes will be administered via REDCap. Annual interviews and focus groups will ask for feedback on implementation and content.
- Conditions
- Burnout, Burnout, Professional, Positive Affect, Depression, Anxiety, Compassion Fatigue
- Being tested
- FOREST
- Keywords
- Burnout, Anxiety, Depression, Positive Emotion, Coping, Job Stress
- Medical subject headings
- Burnout, Psychological, Burnout, Professional, Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Compassion Fatigue, Occupational Stress
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
FORESTBehavioural
The skill sessions will include didactic content defining the skill, rationale for including the skill in FOREST, and research demonstrating that practice of the skill increases positive emotion. In addition, the group will practice the skill together and will discuss ways to practice the skill at work as well as outside of work. Throughout the month, PEAs will implement the FOREST skill of the month in other existing meetings, check-ins, and team outings.
Concurrently, a module in UCAN's learning management system (LMS) will become available. The LMS modules will contain skill-related content similar to what is taught in the skill sessions, including a thorough definition of the skill, examples of ways to utilize the skill, a review or summary of the skill, and several knowledge questions to check for comprehension. The LMS content may include text, audio, images, and video components.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| FOREST + Assessments | Experimental | UCAN staff will participate in Monthly Skill Sessions and complete FOREST content modules in the Learning Management System (LMS). Staff will also be invited to complete annual assessments for primary and secondary outcome measures, as well as annual interviews and focus groups to gather feedback on progress, implementation, and content. Receives: Behavioral: FOREST |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Decrease in burnout measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).
The MBI evaluates burnout severity based on three aspects: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment, with higher scores on the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization subscales, and lower scores on the personal accomplishments subscale, indicating increased levels of burnout. Responses on the scale range from "never" to "every day."
Measured: 12 months
Increase in positive affect measured by PROMIS Short Form v1.0- Positive Affect 15a.
PROMIS Positive Affect assesses momentary positive or rewarding affective experiences, such as feelings and mood associated with pleasure, joy, elation, contentment, pride, affection, happiness, engagement, and excitement. Responses options range from "Not at all" to "Very much" with higher scores indicate higher levels of positive affect.
Measured: 12 months
Decrease in depression measured by PROMIS Short Form v1.0- Depression 4a.
PROMIS Depression Bank assesses self-reported negative mood (sadness, guilt), views of self (self-criticism, worthlessness), and social cognition (loneliness, interpersonal alienation), as well as decreased positive affect and engagement (loss of interest, meaning, and purpose). Response options range from "Never" to "Always" with higher scores indicate higher levels of depression.
Measured: 12 months
Decrease in anxiety measured by PROMIS Short Form v1.0- Anxiety 4a.
PROMIS Anxiety Bank assesses self-reported fear (fearfulness, panic), anxious misery (worry, dread), hyperarousal (tension, nervousness, restlessness), and somatic symptoms related to arousal (racing heart, dizziness). Response options range from "Never" to "Always" with higher scores indicate higher levels of anxiety.
Measured: 12 months
Measure of trauma exposure using the Lifetime Events Checklist (LEC).
The LEC measures trauma exposure, including the ability to differentiate direct experience vs work-related or other secondary exposure through a series of questions about stressful events, with responses including "happened to me," "witnessed it," "learned about it," "not sure," and "doesn't apply," followed up by a question asking if the experience happened as part of one's job. There is no formal scoring protocol or interpretation per se, other than identifying whether a person has experienced one or more of the events listed.
Measured: 12 months
Measure of PTSD symptoms using the the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).
The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that assesses the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Responses range from "not at all" to "extremely," with higher scores indicating higher occurrence of PTSD symptoms.
Measured: 12 months
Increase in meaning and purpose measured by PROMIS Short Form v1.0- Meaning and Purpose 4a.
PROMIS Meaning and Purpose Bank assesses one's sense of life having purpose and that there are good reasons for living. Higher scores indicate hopefulness, optimism, goal-directedness, and feelings that one's life is worthy.
Measured: 12 months
Improvement in professional quality of life/well-being measured by Eudaimonic Workplace Well-being Scale (EWWS).
EWWS measures workplace well-being on both interpersonal and intrapersonal dimensions through a series of eight statements where respondents indicate how strongly they relate to those statements. Values range from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree," with higher scores reflecting higher workplace well-being/quality of life.
Measured: 12 months
Secondary outcomes (4)
Decrease in staff turnover.
Measured by number of UCAN staff who have left their job after <1 year of employment based on employee records
Measured: 12 months
Increase in staff retention
Measured by number of staff who have stayed employed for >1 year based on employee records
Measured: 12 months
Increase in staff promotion
Measured by number of staff who have been promoted into a new role based on employee records
Measured: 12 months
Decrease in use of sick days
Measured by average number of sick days used per staff member based on employee records
Measured: 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Jul 2023
- Study start18 Mar 2025
- Primary completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Sep 2027 (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 Northwestern UniversityThe 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
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 128 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Northwestern University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Judith Moskowitz, Northwestern University
- Investigators
- Judith Moskowitz, PhD, MPH, Principal investigator, Northwestern University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05942469
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STU00219630
- Acronym
- FOREST
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Jun 2023
- Last updated
- 23 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Fostering Optimal Regulation of Emotion for Prevention of Secondary Trauma (FOREST): Implementation and Evaluation of a Burnout Prevention Program for Staff in Gun Violence Prevention Programs
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05942469
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- FOREST / STU00219630
- Conditions
- Burnout, Burnout, Professional, Positive Affect, Depression, Anxiety, Compassion Fatigue
- Keywords
- Burnout, Anxiety, Depression, Positive Emotion, Coping, Job Stress
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 128 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Northwestern UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 18 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 12 Jul 2023 (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.
FOREST is a positive emotion skills program designed to target mental health and coping needs for frontline violence prevention workers at UCAN. Ten skills are taught over a period of nine months during existing meetings and wellness activities, as well as in online modules in UCAN's Learning Management System (LMS). Through infusing the FOREST skills throughout UCAN, we hope to inspire organizational culture change that will emphasize the importance of wellbeing and enhance resilience, therefore reducing burnout and turnover.
Detailed description
All frontline UCAN staff will receive the FOREST program. Each month for 9 months there will be a focus on one to two positive emotion skills. The skill(s) of the month will be taught to the staff during existing one-hour wellness meetings/activities, and will be co-facilitated by Positive Emotion Ambassadors (PEAs; UCAN Staff members nominated to infuse the skills into UCAN culture) and Northwestern University.
The skill sessions will include didactic content defining the skill and explaining the rationale for inclusion, as well as examples of existing research demonstrating the skills benefits. During the session the group will practice the skill together and discuss ways to use the skill in both work and personal situations. Throughout the month, PEAs will implement the FOREST skill of the month in other existing meetings, check-ins, and team outings
The monthly sessions will be observed by a member of the Implementation Resource Team (IRT) who will use a checklist to track that all core pieces of the skill training were delivered. Once a month, the IRT will meet with the PEAs for additional training and support. These sessions will be audio recorded for qualitative data on facilitators and barriers to the skill.
Each month a module in UCAN's learning management system (LMS) that covers that month's skill(s) will also become available. The LMS modules will contain skill-related content similar to what is taught in the skill sessions, including a thorough definition of the skill, examples of ways to utilize the skill, a review or summary of the skill, and several knowledge questions to check for comprehension. The LMS content may include text, audio, images, and video components. All UCAN frontline CVI staff will be required to complete the LMS FOREST skill module of the month. Percentage of staff completing each LMS training will be tracked.
Annual assessments to assess primary and secondary outcomes will be administered via REDCap. Annual interviews and focus groups will ask for feedback on implementation and content.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| FOREST + Assessments | Experimental | Behavioral: FORESTUCAN staff will participate in Monthly Skill Sessions and complete FOREST content modules in the Learning Management System (LMS). Staff will also be invited to complete annual assessments for primary and secondary outcome measures, as well as annual interviews and focus groups to gather feedback on progress, implementation, and content. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Age 18 and over
- Currently employed by UCAN
- Has internet access
- Speaks and reads English
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- None
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 |
|---|---|---|
| FORESTThe skill sessions will include didactic content defining the skill, rationale for including the skill in FOREST, and research demonstrating that practice of the skill increases positive emotion. In addition, the group will practice the skill together and will discuss ways to practice the skill at work as well as outside of work. Throughout the month, PEAs will implement the FOREST skill of the month in other existing meetings, check-ins, and team outings. Concurrently, a module in UCAN's learning management system (LMS) will become available. The LMS modules will contain skill-related content similar to what is taught in the skill sessions, including a thorough definition of the skill, examples of ways to utilize the skill, a review or summary of the skill, and several knowledge questions to check for comprehension. The LMS content may include text, audio, images, and video components. | Behavioural | FOREST + Assessments |
Primary outcome
Decrease in burnout measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).
Time frame: 12 months
The MBI evaluates burnout severity based on three aspects: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment, with higher scores on the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization subscales, and lower scores on the personal accomplishments subscale, indicating increased levels of burnout. Responses on the scale range from "never" to "every day."
Increase in positive affect measured by PROMIS Short Form v1.0- Positive Affect 15a.
Time frame: 12 months
PROMIS Positive Affect assesses momentary positive or rewarding affective experiences, such as feelings and mood associated with pleasure, joy, elation, contentment, pride, affection, happiness, engagement, and excitement. Responses options range from "Not at all" to "Very much" with higher scores indicate higher levels of positive affect.
Decrease in depression measured by PROMIS Short Form v1.0- Depression 4a.
Time frame: 12 months
PROMIS Depression Bank assesses self-reported negative mood (sadness, guilt), views of self (self-criticism, worthlessness), and social cognition (loneliness, interpersonal alienation), as well as decreased positive affect and engagement (loss of interest, meaning, and purpose). Response options range from "Never" to "Always" with higher scores indicate higher levels of depression.
Decrease in anxiety measured by PROMIS Short Form v1.0- Anxiety 4a.
Time frame: 12 months
PROMIS Anxiety Bank assesses self-reported fear (fearfulness, panic), anxious misery (worry, dread), hyperarousal (tension, nervousness, restlessness), and somatic symptoms related to arousal (racing heart, dizziness). Response options range from "Never" to "Always" with higher scores indicate higher levels of anxiety.
Measure of trauma exposure using the Lifetime Events Checklist (LEC).
Time frame: 12 months
The LEC measures trauma exposure, including the ability to differentiate direct experience vs work-related or other secondary exposure through a series of questions about stressful events, with responses including "happened to me," "witnessed it," "learned about it," "not sure," and "doesn't apply," followed up by a question asking if the experience happened as part of one's job. There is no formal scoring protocol or interpretation per se, other than identifying whether a person has experienced one or more of the events listed.
Measure of PTSD symptoms using the the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).
Time frame: 12 months
The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that assesses the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Responses range from "not at all" to "extremely," with higher scores indicating higher occurrence of PTSD symptoms.
Increase in meaning and purpose measured by PROMIS Short Form v1.0- Meaning and Purpose 4a.
Time frame: 12 months
PROMIS Meaning and Purpose Bank assesses one's sense of life having purpose and that there are good reasons for living. Higher scores indicate hopefulness, optimism, goal-directedness, and feelings that one's life is worthy.
Improvement in professional quality of life/well-being measured by Eudaimonic Workplace Well-being Scale (EWWS).
Time frame: 12 months
EWWS measures workplace well-being on both interpersonal and intrapersonal dimensions through a series of eight statements where respondents indicate how strongly they relate to those statements. Values range from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree," with higher scores reflecting higher workplace well-being/quality of life.
4 secondary outcomes
Decrease in staff turnover.
Time frame: 12 months
Increase in staff retention
Time frame: 12 months
Increase in staff promotion
Time frame: 12 months
Decrease in use of sick days
Time frame: 12 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Sep 2026.
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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.
Judith Moskowitz, PhD, MPH principal investigator
Northwestern University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing FOREST in people with Burnout and Burnout, Professional, run by Northwestern University at 1 site in United States.
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 4 inclusion and 1 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: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Sep 2026. 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 United States. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Decrease in burnout measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). (time frame: 12 months). The study lists 8 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 23 Sep 2026.