Actively Recruiting
Acceptability and Feasibility of Work-Oriented, Veteran-Centric, Social-Cognitive Skills Training
Led by VA Office of Research and Development · Updated on 2025-10-09
20
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
52 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Many individuals with serious mental illness, including Veterans with diagnoses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, or PTSD, face challenges in interpreting social cues and engaging in work-related social interactions. This can lead to isolation, reduced productivity, and job loss. The study aims to adapt an existing social cognitive skills training program to better support Veterans in work settings, assess the acceptability of this adapted program, evaluate combining it with supported employment, and measure changes in functional outcomes such as quality of life and work relationships. The intervention, called Social Cognition and Interaction Training-Work Edition (SCIT-WE), is a group-based skills training program offered weekly for 13 weeks during the job development and job search phases of supported employment. Participants attend 2-hour group sessions plus weekly individual homework review sessions with a facilitator, and practice skills with their employment specialist for 10-15 minutes weekly. After the group training, participants continue skill review during 10 sessions with their employment specialist over the following 3 months. The curriculum includes training on workplace social norms, emotion regulation at work, and communication styles tailored for Veterans. Participants will be evaluated at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months post-enrollment. Assessments include measures of treatment uptake, completion, satisfaction, retention in employment and training, quality of life, social adjustment, self-efficacy about returning to work, and work relationship quality. Exit interviews with participants and employment specialists will gather feedback to finalize the treatment manual. The study duration for each participant is approximately 6 months, during which researchers monitor functional improvements and the feasibility of integrating SCIT-WE with supported employment.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Acceptability and Feasibility of Work-Oriented Social-Cognitive Skills Training for Veterans With Serious Mental Illness
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Veterans who are outpatients and enrolled to receive supported services at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System
- Receiving services from a mental health team at the Minneapolis VA
- Motivated to pursue employment and seeking employment within 30 miles of the medical center
- Have a DSM-5 diagnosis of Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder, or PTSD
You will not qualify if you...
- Moderate or severe traumatic brain injury
- Cognitively compromising neurological disease
- Insufficient English comprehension for testing
- Premorbid IQ less than 70
- Behavior preventing participation in group intervention
- Hearing or visual impairment preventing intervention or testing
- Clinical instability, including active suicidal ideation or hospitalization in last 4 weeks
- Current severe alcohol or substance use disorder
- Current participation in another mental health intervention study
- Inability to commit to 7-9 months of participation due to planned move or unstable housing
- Inability to provide informed consent
- Presence of a guardian of person
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 screening interview
Duration - 13 weeks
Participants attend one 2-hour skills training group weekly for 13 weeks, combined with weekly individual homework review sessions and practice exercises with their employment specialist to develop social-cognitive skills related to work.
Weekly group session and weekly individual review phone call; weekly 10-15 minute in-person practice sessions with employment specialist
Duration - 13 weeks
Participants continue supported employment activities with 10 additional individual skills review sessions over the next 13 weeks to reinforce and apply training skills.
Approximately 10 in-person sessions with employment specialist
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55417-2309
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
T
Tasha M Nienow, PhD
L
Laura A Meis, PhD
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NA
Model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
1
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