Promoting Sustainable Return to Work Among Employees on Sick Leave Due to a Mental Health Condition: Evaluation of the HealthyMinds Online Group Intervention

Promoting Sustainable Return to Work Among Employees on Sick Leave Due to a Mental Health Condition: Evaluation of the HealthyMinds Online Group Intervention

Promoting Sustainable Return to Work Among Employees on Sick Leave Due to a Mental Health Condition: Evaluation of the HealthyMinds Online Group Intervention

The purpose of this clinical trial is to evaluate the impact of an online group intervention called Healthy Minds in facilitating a sustainable return to work for individuals with a mood disorder. The study aims to answer the following key questions : Does receiving the Healthy Minds online intervention lead to a more sustainable return to work compared to not receiving the intervention? Are the health outcomes (e.g., depressive symptoms) and work-related outcomes (e.g., work functioning) of individuals who receive the Healthy Minds online intervention better than those who do not receive the intervention in the year following the intervention? Both experimental and control participants will be recruited at baseline while on sick leave (expected to return to work in less than one month) or recently returned to work (less than one month). Participants will complete a series of online questionnaires at the following time points : Baseline First follow-up (2 months after baseline) Second follow-up (6 months after baseline) Third follow-up (12 months after baseline) The questionnaires will cover the following areas : Sociodemographic and biopsychosocial factors Symptoms associated with the primary mood disorder Cognitive difficulties and biaises Self-efficacy related to return to work Work accommodations and natural supports Relationship with immediate supervisor Work functioning Return to work time (number of days away from work) Experimental participants will participate in the 2-month online Healthy Minds group intervention (cohort of 5 participants) between the baseline assessment and the first follow-up. The intervention consists of 8 sessions (one per week for 8 weeks), with each session focusing on a specific aspect of the return-to-work process from a cognitive-behavioral perspective.

Like the intervention group, the control group will complete an online set of questionnaires at the following time points: Baseline First follow-up (2 months after baseline) Second follow-up (6 months after baseline) Third follow-up (12 months after baseline) The questionnaires will cover the following domains: Sociodemographic and biopsychosocial factors Symptoms associated with the primary mood disorder Cognitive difficulties and distortions Self-efficacy in relation to returning to work Work accommodations and natural supports Relationship with immediate supervisor Work functioning Return-to-work time (number of days away from work)

The group intervention (approximately 5 participants per group, 8 groups) is facilitated by two clinicians and consists of 8 sessions (one per week for 8 weeks), with each session focusing on a specific aspect of the return-to-work process from a cognitive-behavioral perspective: Week1: Coping with work stress at work W2 and W3: Recognizing and modifying my dysfunctional beliefs linked to work W4: Overcoming obstacles linked to work functioning and maintaining work W5: To put in place needed work accommodations with the support of the immediate supervisor W6: My strengths and competencies related to work W7: Accepting criticism and asserting myself appropriately W7: My strengths and related skills W8: My best coping strategies for work Both intervention and control participants receive their standard individualized care from their clinician. However, for the experimental participants, the Healthy Minds intervention is an added component to their regular care.

Online Stroop test (french version, available on https://run.pavlovia.org/FredericBr/stroop_french_v2/html/)

Inclusion Criteria: Be in the process of returning to work after depression, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder (with depressed mood, or anxious mood). or Been back for less than a month Exclusion Criteria: Inability to communicate in French Have a known organic disorder Have already received CBT-type intervention (group or individual)