The effect of a cognitive-behavioral therapy-based e-psychological support program for healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

The global COVID-19 pandemic has exerted profound physical and psychological tolls on healthcare professionals, underscoring the urgent need for their mental health support. The objectives of this research are twofold: first, to develop an e-psychological support program based on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy tailored specifically for healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic; second, to assess the program’s effectiveness in reducing secondary traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and stress levels, as well as improving healthcare professionals’ perception of coping with trauma. Designed as a randomized controlled trial, the study was conducted with 71 healthcare workers employed in a hospital in Gaziantep, Turkey. The developed e-psychological support program consists of six modules: stress model, self-monitoring skills, coping with anxiety, behavioral activation skills, and cognitive restructuring (two modules). The results showing a significant decrease in anxiety, depression, stress and secondary traumatic levels in the intervention group compared to the control group are encouraging. This suggests that the CBT-based e-psychological support program has the potential to have a positive impact on the mental well-being of healthcare professionals. Also, the improvement in healthcare professionals’ perception of coping with trauma is an important outcome. CBT has a strong evidence base for treating mental health issues, and adapting it for the specific needs of healthcare workers during a crisis like the pandemic is a promising approach. The development of online interventions for healthcare professionals is valuable not only for the current pandemic but also for future crisis situations. These programs can serve as a template for addressing mental health needs during other global health emergencies.