Preserving Function Among Disability Applicants

Disability Clinical Trial

Official title: Preserving Function Among Disability Applicants: A Motivational Enhancement Approach to Benefits Counseling

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

To test the hypothesis that veterans counseled around managing their benefits will work more and have a better quality of life than those receiving non-specific counseling.

Clinical Trial Description

The aim is to develop and test the efficacy of Benefits Counseling to improve quality of life among veterans who apply for VA benefits. Benefits Counseling involves providing claimants information about rehabilitation and work-related activities, benefits determination and management, and available substance abuse treatment . Benefits Counseling is designed to increase motivation to be active and promote engagement in substance abuse treatment. After enrolling 15 participants in an open-label pilot phase, 300 veterans who are not receiving benefits and are applying to VBA for disability benefits will be randomly assigned to Benefits Counseling or the control condition, VA Orientation, and both groups will be followed for one year.

The primary outcome measures will be observer-rated and self-rated quality of life. Secondary outcome measures will include substance use and treatment utilization. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Disability

• NCT number: NCT00530985
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: VA Office of Research and Development
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1
• Start date: February 2007
• Completion date: June 2009