{ "abstract": "Background: Correctional workers (CWs), are frequently exposed to traumatic workplace events, placing them at higher risk of experiencing mental health disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite high prevalence of mental health challenges, CWs underutilize mental health services due to stigma, irregular work schedules, and accessibility issues. While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective, it poses accessibility challenges. Electronic CBT (eCBT) offers a scalable, accessible alternative, but use among CWs remains underexplored.\n\nObjective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of diagnosis-specific eCBT programs designed for CWs in reducing symptoms of MDD, GAD, and PTSD compared to treatment as usual (TAU).\n\nMethods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with 84 CWs in Ontario, assigned to either eCBT (n=40) or TAU (n=44). The eCBT program provided diagnosis-specific modules with synchronous personalized feedback from care providers over 12-weeks via the Online Psychotherapy Tool (OPTT). Symptom severity was measured at baseline, week-6, and post-treatment using validated scales for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and quality-of-life. Data analysis included paired samples t-tests, mixed linear models, and effect size calculations (Cohen’s d).\n\nResults: The eCBT group exhibited significant reductions in symptom severity for depression, anxiety, and PTSD from baseline to post-treatment compared to TAU (p<0.01), with a moderate effect size (Cohen’s d=0.68). Symptom severity decreased by 61.37% for eCBT versus 23.29% in TAU. Mixed linear models confirmed a significant treatment-by-time interaction, favoring eCBT (p<0.01). However, no significant differences in quality-of-life improvements were observed between groups.\n\nConclusions: Diagnosis-specific eCBT programs are effective in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD for CWs. The asynchronous, accessible format of eCBT addresses current key barriers. Future research should explore strategies to improve adherence and increase the accessibility of services for CWs.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University", "Department of Clinical Psychology, School of Health in Social Sciences, The University of Edinburgh", "Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta", "Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care", "Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto", "Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University", "Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Center for Addiction and Mental Health", "Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Sciences, University of Toronto", "Health Services Sector, Correctional Service of Canada", "School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa", "Department of Psychology, Carleton University", "OPTT Inc.", "Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University", "Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Kingston Health Sciences Centre", "Centre for Digital Health Research (CDHR), Providence Care Hospital" ], "article_type": "research article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 19, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0, 1 ], "name": "Christina Holmes" }, { "affs": [ 0, 2 ], "name": "Gilmar Gutierrez" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Callum Stephenson" }, { "affs": [ 0, 3, 4 ], "name": "Elnaz Moghimi" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Niloufar Malakouti" }, { "affs": [ 0, 5 ], "name": "Jasleen Jagayat" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Charmy Patel" }, { "affs": [ 4, 6 ], "name": "Alexander Simpson" }, { "affs": [ 4, 7 ], "name": "Cory Gerritsen" }, { "affs": [ 8, 9, 10 ], "name": "Michael Martin" }, { "affs": [ 11 ], "name": "Mark Fitzpatrick" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Jazmin Eadie" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Anika Agrawal" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Vineeth Jarabana" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Kimia Asadpour" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Ferwa Khan" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Dianne Groll" }, { "affs": [ 0, 6, 11 ], "name": "Mohsen Omrani" }, { "affs": [ 0, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14 ], "name": "Nazanin Alavi" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0w4q4w8dedx9w.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1922912", "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13720534/?tool=EBI", "id": "0w4q4w8dedx9w", "issns": [ "1664-0640" ], "landing_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1922912/full", "language": "eng", "licence": "CC-BY-4.0", "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "heading", "Original Research" ], [ "openalex", "3202|Digital Mental Health Interventions" ] ], "openalex": "W7222592302", "pdf_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1922912/pdf", "pmcid": "PMC13720534", "pmid": "42964444", "published": "2026-10-16", "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0w4q4w8dedx9w.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:18Z", "native_id": "10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1922912", "source": "crossref", "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1922912/full" }, { "first_seen": "2026-10-31T12:21:36Z", "native_id": "PMC:PMC13720534", "source": "europepmc", "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13720534" }, { "first_seen": "2026-11-03T12:21:23Z", "native_id": "PMC13720534", "source": "pmc", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1922912" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "medicine", "origin": "issn:1664-0640", "subfield": "psychiatry" } ], "title": "Delivering online cognitive behavioral therapy to address mental health challenges in correctional workers: a randomized controlled trial", "title_text": "Delivering online cognitive behavioral therapy to address mental health challenges in correctional workers: a randomized controlled trial", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-11-03T12:21:23Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/0w4q4w8dedx9w", "venue": "Frontiers in Psychiatry", "versions": [] }