A Character-Strengths Based Coaching Program for Rural Community Health Workers to Address Their Work Stress in India: Protocol for a Two-arm Randomized Controlled Trial

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a character-strengths based coaching program designed to reduce work-related stress and improve mental wellbeing among Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), who are rural female health workers in India. The study compares this coaching intervention to routine health worker supervision, focusing on self-reported wellbeing measured by the Authentic Happiness Inventory at three months. The trial also assesses other wellbeing indicators such as affect, self-efficacy, flourishing, burnout, and motivation, as well as service delivery and patient outcomes related to depression care. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups: the intervention group receives a five-day residential workshop focused on character strengths and strategies to manage work stress, followed by 8 to 10 weeks of weekly telephonic coaching sessions. The control group continues with the usual weekly face-to-face supervision provided by their supervisors in group settings. The coaching sessions are individually delivered by assigned coaches via phone and last about 30 to 45 minutes each. During the study, participants will complete assessments at baseline, one month, three months, and six months to measure wellbeing and related factors. Data collection includes self-reported questionnaires on happiness, affect, burnout, and motivation. Researchers will also explore the impact of the intervention on work performance and patient satisfaction. Outcomes will be collected by assessors unaware of group assignments to ensure unbiased results. The total participation period includes multiple follow-ups to monitor both short- and medium-term effects.

Character-Strengths Based Coaching For Work-Stress Reduction For Health Workers