Developing a framework for evaluation: a Theory of Change for complex workplace mental health interventions
Abstract Background There is a gap between the necessity of effective mental health interventions in the workplace and the availability of evidence-based information on how to evaluate them. The available evidence outlines that mental health interventions should follow integrated approaches combinin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16092-x |
| _version_ | 1797801195010523136 |
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| author | Fotini Tsantila Evelien Coppens Hans De Witte Kahar Abdulla Benedikt L. Amann Ella Arensman Birgit Aust Johanna Creswell-Smith Luigia D’Alessandro Lars De Winter Asmae Doukani Naim Fanaj Birgit Greiner Eve Griffin Caleb Leduc Margaret Maxwell Cliodhna O’ Connor Charlotte Paterson György Purebl Hanna Reich Victoria Ross Jaap Van Weeghel Chantal Van Audenhove |
| author_facet | Fotini Tsantila Evelien Coppens Hans De Witte Kahar Abdulla Benedikt L. Amann Ella Arensman Birgit Aust Johanna Creswell-Smith Luigia D’Alessandro Lars De Winter Asmae Doukani Naim Fanaj Birgit Greiner Eve Griffin Caleb Leduc Margaret Maxwell Cliodhna O’ Connor Charlotte Paterson György Purebl Hanna Reich Victoria Ross Jaap Van Weeghel Chantal Van Audenhove |
| author_sort | Fotini Tsantila |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background There is a gap between the necessity of effective mental health interventions in the workplace and the availability of evidence-based information on how to evaluate them. The available evidence outlines that mental health interventions should follow integrated approaches combining multiple components related to different levels of change. However, there is a lack of robust studies on how to evaluate multicomponent workplace interventions which target a variety of outcomes at different levels taking into account the influence of different implementation contexts. Method We use the MENTUPP project as a research context to develop a theory-driven approach to facilitate the evaluation of complex mental health interventions in occupational settings and to provide a comprehensive rationale of how these types of interventions are expected to achieve change. We used a participatory approach to develop a ToC involving a large number of the project team representing multiple academic backgrounds exploiting in tandem the knowledge from six systematic reviews and results from a survey among practitioners and academic experts in the field of mental health in SMEs. Results The ToC revealed four long-term outcomes that we assume MENTUPP can achieve in the workplace: 1) improved mental wellbeing and reduced burnout, 2) reduced mental illness, 3) reduced mental illness-related stigma, and 4) reduced productivity losses. They are assumed to be reached through six proximate and four intermediate outcomes according to a specific chronological order. The intervention consists of 23 components that were chosen based on specific rationales to achieve change on four levels (employee, team, leader, and organization). Conclusions The ToC map provides a theory of how MENTUPP is expected to achieve its anticipated long-term outcomes through intermediate and proximate outcomes assessing alongside contextual factors which will facilitate the testing of hypotheses. Moreover, it allows for a structured approach to informing the future selection of outcomes and related evaluation measures in either subsequent iterations of complex interventions or other similarly structured programs. Hence, the resulting ToC can be employed by future research as an example for the development of a theoretical framework to evaluate complex mental health interventions in the workplace. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:46:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b0c54e23e153493994f66c6c6f00e837 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:46:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-b0c54e23e153493994f66c6c6f00e8372023-06-18T11:27:17ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582023-06-0123111610.1186/s12889-023-16092-xDeveloping a framework for evaluation: a Theory of Change for complex workplace mental health interventionsFotini Tsantila0Evelien Coppens1Hans De Witte2Kahar Abdulla3Benedikt L. Amann4Ella Arensman5Birgit Aust6Johanna Creswell-Smith7Luigia D’Alessandro8Lars De Winter9Asmae Doukani10Naim Fanaj11Birgit Greiner12Eve Griffin13Caleb Leduc14Margaret Maxwell15Cliodhna O’ Connor16Charlotte Paterson17György Purebl18Hanna Reich19Victoria Ross20Jaap Van Weeghel21Chantal Van Audenhove22LUCAS, Centre for Care Research and Consultancy, KU LeuvenLUCAS, Centre for Care Research and Consultancy, KU LeuvenResearch Group Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences- O2L/WOPP KU LeuvenEuropean Alliance Against DepressionCentre Fòrum Research Unit, Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addiction (INAD), Parc de Salut Mar, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM)School of Public Health, University College CorkNational Research Centre for the Working EnvironmentFinnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) Equality Unit – Mental Health TeamInternational Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), 5221 Wisconsin Avenue NWPhrenos Center of ExpertiseFaculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineMental Health Center PrizrenSchool of Public Health, University College CorkSchool of Public Health, University College CorkSchool of Public Health, University College CorkNursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of StirlingNational Suicide Research Foundation, University College CorkNursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of StirlingInstitute of Behavioral Sciences, Semmelweis UniversityGerman Depression FoundationAustralian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith UniversityPhrenos Center of ExpertiseLUCAS, Centre for Care Research and Consultancy, KU LeuvenAbstract Background There is a gap between the necessity of effective mental health interventions in the workplace and the availability of evidence-based information on how to evaluate them. The available evidence outlines that mental health interventions should follow integrated approaches combining multiple components related to different levels of change. However, there is a lack of robust studies on how to evaluate multicomponent workplace interventions which target a variety of outcomes at different levels taking into account the influence of different implementation contexts. Method We use the MENTUPP project as a research context to develop a theory-driven approach to facilitate the evaluation of complex mental health interventions in occupational settings and to provide a comprehensive rationale of how these types of interventions are expected to achieve change. We used a participatory approach to develop a ToC involving a large number of the project team representing multiple academic backgrounds exploiting in tandem the knowledge from six systematic reviews and results from a survey among practitioners and academic experts in the field of mental health in SMEs. Results The ToC revealed four long-term outcomes that we assume MENTUPP can achieve in the workplace: 1) improved mental wellbeing and reduced burnout, 2) reduced mental illness, 3) reduced mental illness-related stigma, and 4) reduced productivity losses. They are assumed to be reached through six proximate and four intermediate outcomes according to a specific chronological order. The intervention consists of 23 components that were chosen based on specific rationales to achieve change on four levels (employee, team, leader, and organization). Conclusions The ToC map provides a theory of how MENTUPP is expected to achieve its anticipated long-term outcomes through intermediate and proximate outcomes assessing alongside contextual factors which will facilitate the testing of hypotheses. Moreover, it allows for a structured approach to informing the future selection of outcomes and related evaluation measures in either subsequent iterations of complex interventions or other similarly structured programs. Hence, the resulting ToC can be employed by future research as an example for the development of a theoretical framework to evaluate complex mental health interventions in the workplace.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16092-xComplex interventionsWorkplace-based mental health/health interventionsOrganizational interventionsMENTUPPIntervention developmentImplementation |
| spellingShingle | Fotini Tsantila Evelien Coppens Hans De Witte Kahar Abdulla Benedikt L. Amann Ella Arensman Birgit Aust Johanna Creswell-Smith Luigia D’Alessandro Lars De Winter Asmae Doukani Naim Fanaj Birgit Greiner Eve Griffin Caleb Leduc Margaret Maxwell Cliodhna O’ Connor Charlotte Paterson György Purebl Hanna Reich Victoria Ross Jaap Van Weeghel Chantal Van Audenhove Developing a framework for evaluation: a Theory of Change for complex workplace mental health interventions BMC Public Health Complex interventions Workplace-based mental health/health interventions Organizational interventions MENTUPP Intervention development Implementation |
| title | Developing a framework for evaluation: a Theory of Change for complex workplace mental health interventions |
| title_full | Developing a framework for evaluation: a Theory of Change for complex workplace mental health interventions |
| title_fullStr | Developing a framework for evaluation: a Theory of Change for complex workplace mental health interventions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developing a framework for evaluation: a Theory of Change for complex workplace mental health interventions |
| title_short | Developing a framework for evaluation: a Theory of Change for complex workplace mental health interventions |
| title_sort | developing a framework for evaluation a theory of change for complex workplace mental health interventions |
| topic | Complex interventions Workplace-based mental health/health interventions Organizational interventions MENTUPP Intervention development Implementation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16092-x |
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