1. A randomized wait-list controlled trial of Men in Mind: Enhancing mental health practitioners' self-rated clinical competencies to work with men.
- Author
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Seidler ZE, Wilson MJ, Benakovic R, Mackinnon A, Oliffe JL, Ogrodniczuk JS, Kealy D, Owen J, Pirkis J, Mihalopoulos C, Le LK, and Rice SM
- Subjects
- Humans, Male, Single-Blind Method, Australia, Psychotherapy, Mental Health, Clinical Competence
- Abstract
Improved engagement of men in psychotherapy is an essential element in improving male health outcomes. This trial examined whether the Men in Mind intervention improved practitioners' self-rated clinical competencies to engage and respond to male clients in therapy. A parallel, single-blind, wait-list randomized controlled trial was conducted with Australian-based mental health practitioners, currently administering psychotherapy to males, fluent in English, and not currently completing their undergraduate degree. Participants were randomly assigned 1:1, through variable-sized blocks stratified by gender, to either the intervention (Men in Mind) or wait-list control. Men in Mind was offered as a self-led 6-week, five-module online program to upskill practitioners to engage and respond to male clients. The primary outcome was self-reported competency in engaging men in psychotherapy, measured by the Engaging Men in Therapy Scale (EMITS) at 6 weeks. All analyses were by intention-to-treat. Between January 16 and March 17, 2022, 587 participants were randomly assigned to the intervention ( n = 300) or wait-list control ( n = 287). In total, 492 (84%) participants completed the primary endpoint assessment at 6 weeks. Men in Mind demonstrated a large effect of improved EMITS scores compared to the control group ( d = 2.63, 95% CI [2.39, 2.87], p < .001). Men in Mind was effective at increasing mental health practitioners' self-reported efficacy to work with men, which is potentially a key change mechanism in their ability to improve health outcomes for male clients. A limitation of the trial was the use of a bespoke, self-reported primary outcome, while a strength was the gender-responsive intervention design. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
- Published
- 2024
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