TY - JOUR

T1 - Outcome assessment of a complex mental health intervention in the workplace. Results from the MENTUPP pilot study

AU - Fotini, Tsantila

AU - Evelien, Coppens

AU - Hans, De Witte

AU - Ella, Arensman

AU - Benedikt, Amann

AU - Arlinda, Cerga Pashoja

AU - Paul, Corcoran

AU - Johanna, Creswell Smith

AU - Grace, Cully

AU - Ditta, Toth Monika

AU - Birgit, Greiner

AU - Eve, Griffin

AU - Ulrich, Hegerl

AU - Carolyn, Holland

AU - Caleb, Leduc

AU - Mallorie, Leduc

AU - Doireann, Ni Dhalaigh

AU - Cliodhna, O’Brien

AU - Charlotte, Paterson

AU - György, Purebl

AU - Hanna, Reich

AU - Victoria, Ross

AU - Reiner, Rugulies

AU - Sarita, Sanches

AU - Katherine, Thompson

AU - Chantal, Van Audenhove

AU - Abula, Kahar

AU - Aust, Birgit

AU - Cox, Laura

AU - D’Alessandro, Luigia

AU - Davey, Grace

AU - De Winter, Lars

AU - Dooyoung, Kim

AU - Doukani, Asmae

AU - Dushaj, Arilda

AU - Fanaj, Naim

AU - Hackel, Stefan

AU - Hogg, Bridget

AU - Mathieu, Sharna

AU - Maxwell, Margaret

AU - Alcazar, Ana Moreno

AU - Mulcahy, Karen

AU - Dhalaigh, Doireann Ni

AU - Connor, Ainslie O’

AU - Orchard, Wendy

AU - Qirjako, Gentiana

AU - Rapeli, Saara

AU - Sanches, Sarita

AU - Szekely, Andras

AU - Van Weeghel, Jaap

AU - MENTUPP consortium members

AU - Rugulies, Reiner Ernst

N1 - Correction : DOI 10.1007/s00420-023-02016-0 Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Objective: Multicomponent interventions are recommendable to achieve the greatest mental health benefits, but are difficult to evaluate due to their complexity. Defining long-term outcomes, arising from a Theory of Change (ToC) and testing them in a pilot phase, is a useful approach to plan a comprehensive and meaningful evaluation later on. This article reports on the pilot results of an outcome evaluation of a complex mental health intervention and examines whether appropriate evaluation measures and indicators have been selected ahead of a clustered randomised control trial (cRCT). Methods: The MENTUPP pilot is an evidence-based intervention for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) active in three work sectors and nine countries. Based on our ToC, we selected the MENTUPP long-term outcomes, which are reported in this article, are measured with seven validated scales assessing mental wellbeing, burnout, depression, anxiety, stigma towards depression and anxiety, absenteeism and presenteeism. The pilot MENTUPP intervention assessment took place at baseline and at 6 months follow-up. Results: In total, 25 SMEs were recruited in the MENTUPP pilot and 346 participants completed the validated scales at baseline and 96 at follow-up. Three long-term outcomes significantly improved at follow-up (p < 0.05): mental wellbeing, symptoms of anxiety, and personal stigmatising attitudes towards depression and anxiety. Conclusions: The results of this outcome evaluation suggest that MENTUPP has the potential to strengthen employees’ wellbeing and decrease anxiety symptoms and stigmatising attitudes. Additionally, this study demonstrates the utility of conducting pilot workplace interventions to assess whether appropriate measures and indicators have been selected. Based on the results, the intervention and the evaluation strategy have been optimised.

AB - Objective: Multicomponent interventions are recommendable to achieve the greatest mental health benefits, but are difficult to evaluate due to their complexity. Defining long-term outcomes, arising from a Theory of Change (ToC) and testing them in a pilot phase, is a useful approach to plan a comprehensive and meaningful evaluation later on. This article reports on the pilot results of an outcome evaluation of a complex mental health intervention and examines whether appropriate evaluation measures and indicators have been selected ahead of a clustered randomised control trial (cRCT). Methods: The MENTUPP pilot is an evidence-based intervention for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) active in three work sectors and nine countries. Based on our ToC, we selected the MENTUPP long-term outcomes, which are reported in this article, are measured with seven validated scales assessing mental wellbeing, burnout, depression, anxiety, stigma towards depression and anxiety, absenteeism and presenteeism. The pilot MENTUPP intervention assessment took place at baseline and at 6 months follow-up. Results: In total, 25 SMEs were recruited in the MENTUPP pilot and 346 participants completed the validated scales at baseline and 96 at follow-up. Three long-term outcomes significantly improved at follow-up (p < 0.05): mental wellbeing, symptoms of anxiety, and personal stigmatising attitudes towards depression and anxiety. Conclusions: The results of this outcome evaluation suggest that MENTUPP has the potential to strengthen employees’ wellbeing and decrease anxiety symptoms and stigmatising attitudes. Additionally, this study demonstrates the utility of conducting pilot workplace interventions to assess whether appropriate measures and indicators have been selected. Based on the results, the intervention and the evaluation strategy have been optimised.

KW - Mental health interventions

KW - MENTUPP

KW - Outcome evaluation

KW - SMEs

KW - Theory of change

KW - Workplace interventions

U2 - 10.1007/s00420-023-01996-3

DO - 10.1007/s00420-023-01996-3

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37452149

AN - SCOPUS:85164954763

VL - 96

SP - 149

EP - 1165

JO - International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

JF - International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

SN - 0340-0131

ER -