BurnoutNCT07097402
Examination of a Self-Compassion Course for Healthcare Providers Working With People With Multiple Sclerosis
A study testing Self-compassion intervention (Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course) in people with Burnout and Compassion, run by Robert Simpson at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
Clinical staff working with people with multiple sclerosis often face emotional fatigue and high levels of burnout. The Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course is an evidence-based intervention that teaches participants how to meet distress with kindness and care. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Burnout, Compassion
- What is being tested?
- Self-compassion intervention (Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course)
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2025to 31 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Aged 18 years or older
- Able to understand spoken and written English
- Current professional affiliation with the Barlo MS clinic
Who cannot join
- 1) Severe active mental health impairment (psychosis, suicidality)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Jillian Scandiffio, MSc contact
Canada1 site
Unity Health Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, M5B 1W8
Robert Simpson, PhD, 416-360-4000 ext. 40047, robert.simpson@uhn.ca
About this study
Clinical staff working with people with multiple sclerosis often face emotional fatigue and high levels of burnout. The Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course is an evidence-based intervention that teaches participants how to meet distress with kindness and care. This study will recruit up to 40 staff from the Barlo MS Clinic at St. Michael's Hospital to take part in a 6-week, 6-session Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course. Participants will be asked to complete surveys before and after the course to understand the effects of the course on a range of outcomes. Participants will be invited to take part in one qualitative interview on their perspectives on the course.
- Conditions
- Burnout, Compassion
- Being tested
- Self-compassion intervention (Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course)
- Medical subject headings
- Burnout, Psychological
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Self-compassion intervention (Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course)Behavioural
An online 6-week mindful self-compassion course with weekly sessions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Self-compassion course | Experimental | 6-week manualized online Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course Receives: Behavioral: Self-compassion intervention (Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Recruitment
The investigators will measure the number of participants eligible for and recruited to the study.
Measured: 6 months
Retention
The investigators will measure the percentage of participants who complete outcome data.
Measured: 6 months
Adherence
The investigators will measure the number of participants who completed the Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course.
Measured: 6 months
Follow-up rates
The investigators will measure the percentage of participants who complete outcome measures pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 3 months post-intervention.
Measured: 6 months
Secondary outcomes (6)
Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) Version 5
Measures the positive and negative effects of one's compassion for those that they help. Includes with subscales for compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue (including burnout). Answers are assessed using a 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores on the compassion satisfaction sub-scale indicating higher compassion satisfaction, and higher scores on compassion fatigue sub-scale indicating higher burnout.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Self-Compassion Scale - Short Form
Measures how one typically acts towards themselves in difficult times. The total score ranges from a 1-5, with higher scores representing high self-compassion.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Relational Compassion Scale
Measure's ones tendencies for receiving and providing relational compassion. Answers are assessed using a 4-point Likert scale. Higher scores represent higher compassion for self and others.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Perceived Stress Scale-10
Measures one's thoughts and feelings pertaining to stress. The total score can range from 0-40, with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale - Short Form
Measures emotion regulation. Answers are assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. Higher values indicate greater difficulties in emotion regulation.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Dispositional Joy Scale
Measures trait/dispositional joy. Answers are assessed using a 7-point Likert scale, with higher scores representing higher joy.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted31 Jul 2025
- Study start1 Sep 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completion28 Feb 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Jul 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for BurnoutStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Robert Simpson
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Robert Simpson, University of Toronto
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07097402
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2072
- Status last verified
- Jul 2025
- First submitted
- 24 Jul 2025
- Last updated
- 31 Jul 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 31 Jul 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Examination of a Self-Compassion Course for Healthcare Providers Working With People With Multiple Sclerosis
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07097402
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2072
- Conditions
- Burnout, Compassion
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Robert SimpsonUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 28 Feb 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 31 Jul 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Clinical staff working with people with multiple sclerosis often face emotional fatigue and high levels of burnout. The Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course is an evidence-based intervention that teaches participants how to meet distress with kindness and care. This study will recruit up to 40 staff from the Barlo MS Clinic at St. Michael's Hospital to take part in a 6-week, 6-session Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course. Participants will be asked to complete surveys before and after the course to understand the effects of the course on a range of outcomes. Participants will be invited to take part in one qualitative interview on their perspectives on the course.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Self-compassion course | Experimental | Behavioral: Self-compassion intervention (Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course)6-week manualized online Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Aged 18 years or older
- Able to understand spoken and written English
- Current professional affiliation with the Barlo MS clinic
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- 1) Severe active mental health impairment (psychosis, suicidality)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Self-compassion intervention (Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course)An online 6-week mindful self-compassion course with weekly sessions. | Behavioural | Self-compassion course |
Primary outcome
Recruitment
Time frame: 6 months
The investigators will measure the number of participants eligible for and recruited to the study.
Retention
Time frame: 6 months
The investigators will measure the percentage of participants who complete outcome data.
Adherence
Time frame: 6 months
The investigators will measure the number of participants who completed the Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course.
Follow-up rates
Time frame: 6 months
The investigators will measure the percentage of participants who complete outcome measures pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 3 months post-intervention.
6 secondary outcomes
Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) Version 5
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Self-Compassion Scale - Short Form
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Relational Compassion Scale
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Perceived Stress Scale-10
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale - Short Form
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Dispositional Joy Scale
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks after baseline), and 3 months post-intervention
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 31 Jul 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Jillian Scandiffio, MSc contact
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Self-compassion intervention (Self-Compassion for Healthcare Communities course) in people with Burnout and Compassion, run by Robert Simpson at 1 site in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 31 Jul 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Robert Simpson, PhD (416-360-4000 ext. 40047, robert.simpson@uhn.ca), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Recruitment (time frame: 6 months). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 31 Jul 2025.