Social ClimateNCT07135518
Improving Social Climate in Secure Settings With a Compassion Focused Staff Intervention
A study testing Compassion Focused Staff Support and CFT Workshop in people with Social Climate and Compassion, run by University Psychiatric Clinics Basel at 1 site in Switzerland.
Trial summary
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a Compassion Focused Staff Support (CFSS) intervention in improving the social climate of correctional and forensic psychiatric institutions. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Social Climate, Compassion, Critical Incident
- What is being tested?
- Compassion Focused Staff Support and CFT Workshop
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 96 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSwitzerland
- Study dates
- 31 May 2024to 5 Sep 2025
- 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 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Staff Participants:
- Employed at one of the participating correctional or forensic psychiatric units
- Aged 18 years or older
- Willing to provide informed consent
- Client Participants:
- Residing in one of the participating correctional or forensic psychiatric units at the time of data collection.
- Aged 18 years or older.
- Capable of providing informed consent
Who cannot join
- Staff Participants:
- None (all eligible staff are invited to participate)
- Client Participants:
- Not capable of providing informed consent (e.g., due to acute psychiatric crisis or cognitive impairment).
- Not deemed competent to participate by treatment team.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a Compassion Focused Staff Support (CFSS) intervention in improving the social climate of correctional and forensic psychiatric institutions. The intervention is based on Compassion Focused Therapy and designed to support staff in managing stress, enhancing affect regulation, and strengthening compassion toward self and others. Three institutional units are included in the study. One unit is randomly selected to receive the full CFSS intervention, including a half-day introductory workshop and monthly staff support sessions over six months. A second unit serves as a control group and receives no intervention. A third unit receives only the initial workshop without follow-up sessions. The effect of the intervention is evaluated using a pre-test/post-test design. Outcomes include changes in staff-reported and client-reported social climate, assessed with validated questionnaires, as well as institutional data on critical incidents. The study aims to improve working conditions in secure settings and foster more compassionate, effective staff-client interactions.
- Being tested
- Compassion Focused Staff Support, CFT Workshop
- Keywords
- Compassion Focused Therapy, Staff Support, Forensic Psychiatry, Social Climate, Workplace Wellbeing, Secure Settings, Staff Intervention
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Compassion Focused Staff SupportBehavioural
The Compassion Focused Staff Support (CFSS) intervention is designed to promote emotional resilience, compassion, and affect regulation. The intervention begins with a half-day introductory workshop covering the evolution-informed model of emotion regulation, the three-affect system framework, social mentalities, and the nature of compassion. This workshop provides psychoeducation and experiential exercises to introduce key concepts. Following the workshop, staff participate in six monthly 60-minute team sessions over a six-month period. These sessions involve reflective dialogue, experiential exercises, compassion-focused practices, and group-based exploration of emotionally challenging work situations.
CFT WorkshopBehavioural
Participants attend a single half-day workshop providing psychoeducation and experiential exercises on compassion, affect regulation, and social mentalities based on Compassion Focused Therapy.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Full CFSS Group (Workshop + Monthly Groups) Receives: Behavioral: Compassion Focused Staff Support |
| Partial | Other | Workshop-Only Group Receives: Behavioral: CFT Workshop |
| Control | No intervention | No intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Staff-Perceived Social Climate
Staff perceptions of social climate will be assessed using the Essen Climate Evaluation Schema (EssenCES), a self-report questionnaire.
Measured: T0 (6 months before start of the intervention), T1 (2 weeks before start of the intervention), T2 (2 weeks after last session of the intervention)
Compassion
Compassionate attitudes and behaviours will be measured using the German version of the Compassionate Engagement and Action Scales (CEAS) to assess staff capacity for self- and other-directed compassion. The CEAS is a self-report questionnaire.
Measured: T0 (6 months before start of the intervention), T1 (2 weeks before start of the intervention), T2 (2 weeks after last session of the intervention)
Secondary outcomes (2)
Client-Perceived Social Climate
Client perceptions of institutional social climate will be measured using the EssenCES. Assessed at three timepoints to evaluate potential parallel changes from the client perspective.
Measured: T0 (6 months before start of the intervention), T1 (2 weeks before start of the intervention), T2 (2 weeks after last session of the intervention)
Critical Incidents
Frequency of critical incidents (e.g., aggression, safety breaches) will be extracted from institutional records. Routinely collected data will be used to assess environmental shifts during the intervention period.
Measured: T0 (6 months before start of the intervention), T1 (2 weeks before start of the intervention), T2 (2 weeks after last session of the intervention)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Aug 2025
- Study start31 May 2024
- Primary completion4 Aug 2025
- Study completion5 Sep 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Social ClimateStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 96 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University Psychiatric Clinics Basel
- Sponsor type
- Research network
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Andrea Canel, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07135518
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ID ClimACT CFSS
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 6 Aug 2025
- Last updated
- 18 May 2026
- 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 18 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Improving Social Climate in Secure Settings With a Compassion Focused Staff Intervention
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07135518
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ID ClimACT CFSS
- Keywords
- Compassion Focused Therapy, Staff Support, Forensic Psychiatry, Social Climate, Workplace Wellbeing, Secure Settings, Staff Intervention
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 96 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University Psychiatric Clinics BaselResearch network
- Study start
- 31 May 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 4 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 5 Sep 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 Aug 2025 (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.
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a Compassion Focused Staff Support (CFSS) intervention in improving the social climate of correctional and forensic psychiatric institutions. The intervention is based on Compassion Focused Therapy and designed to support staff in managing stress, enhancing affect regulation, and strengthening compassion toward self and others. Three institutional units are included in the study. One unit is randomly selected to receive the full CFSS intervention, including a half-day introductory workshop and monthly staff support sessions over six months. A second unit serves as a control group and receives no intervention. A third unit receives only the initial workshop without follow-up sessions. The effect of the intervention is evaluated using a pre-test/post-test design. Outcomes include changes in staff-reported and client-reported social climate, assessed with validated questionnaires, as well as institutional data on critical incidents. The study aims to improve working conditions in secure settings and foster more compassionate, effective staff-client interactions.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Compassion Focused Staff SupportFull CFSS Group (Workshop + Monthly Groups) |
| Partial | Other | Behavioral: CFT WorkshopWorkshop-Only Group |
| Control | No intervention | –No intervention |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Employed at one of the participating correctional or forensic psychiatric units
- Aged 18 years or older
- Willing to provide informed consent
- Residing in one of the participating correctional or forensic psychiatric units at the time of data collection.
- Aged 18 years or older.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- None (all eligible staff are invited to participate)
- Not capable of providing informed consent (e.g., due to acute psychiatric crisis or cognitive impairment).
- Not deemed competent to participate by treatment team.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Compassion Focused Staff SupportThe Compassion Focused Staff Support (CFSS) intervention is designed to promote emotional resilience, compassion, and affect regulation. The intervention begins with a half-day introductory workshop covering the evolution-informed model of emotion regulation, the three-affect system framework, social mentalities, and the nature of compassion. This workshop provides psychoeducation and experiential exercises to introduce key concepts. Following the workshop, staff participate in six monthly 60-minute team sessions over a six-month period. These sessions involve reflective dialogue, experiential exercises, compassion-focused practices, and group-based exploration of emotionally challenging work situations. | Behavioural | Intervention |
| CFT WorkshopParticipants attend a single half-day workshop providing psychoeducation and experiential exercises on compassion, affect regulation, and social mentalities based on Compassion Focused Therapy. | Behavioural | Partial |
Primary outcome
Staff-Perceived Social Climate
Time frame: T0 (6 months before start of the intervention), T1 (2 weeks before start of the intervention), T2 (2 weeks after last session of the intervention)
Staff perceptions of social climate will be assessed using the Essen Climate Evaluation Schema (EssenCES), a self-report questionnaire.
Compassion
Time frame: T0 (6 months before start of the intervention), T1 (2 weeks before start of the intervention), T2 (2 weeks after last session of the intervention)
Compassionate attitudes and behaviours will be measured using the German version of the Compassionate Engagement and Action Scales (CEAS) to assess staff capacity for self- and other-directed compassion. The CEAS is a self-report questionnaire.
2 secondary outcomes
Client-Perceived Social Climate
Time frame: T0 (6 months before start of the intervention), T1 (2 weeks before start of the intervention), T2 (2 weeks after last session of the intervention)
Critical Incidents
Time frame: T0 (6 months before start of the intervention), T1 (2 weeks before start of the intervention), T2 (2 weeks after last session of the intervention)
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 18 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Social Climate
RecruitingObservational study
Generation Victoria Cohort 2020s: A Statewide Longitudinal Cohort Study of Victorian Children and Their Parents
Mental Health, Child Wellbeing
Enrolling by invitation
The University of Oregon ACCESS Project
School Attendance, School Climate
Active, not recruiting
Investigating the Effects of a Dyad Intervention on Teacher Resilience, Mental Health, and Social Emotions and Behavior
Burnout
Active, not recruiting
Prevention Workshop to Address Bullying Behaviors in Schools
Bullying of Child, Child Behavior Disorders
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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Compassion Focused Staff Support and CFT Workshop in people with Social Climate and Compassion, run by University Psychiatric Clinics Basel at 1 site in Switzerland.
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 8 inclusion and 5 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 May 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 Switzerland. 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?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
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?
Staff-Perceived Social Climate (time frame: T0 (6 months before start of the intervention), T1 (2 weeks before start of the intervention), T2 (2 weeks after last session of the intervention)). 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 18 May 2026.