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Short psychological intervention could ease Prisoners' anxiety and depression

NCT ID NCT05927987

Symptom relief Sponsor: VU University of Amsterdam Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 08, 2026 · Last updated Jul 09, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study tests whether a brief psychological program called Problem Management Plus (PM+) can help reduce anxiety and depression symptoms in people held in Dutch remand prisons. The program, developed by the World Health Organization, teaches problem-solving, stress management, and social support skills over five sessions. Researchers will compare prisoners who receive PM+ plus usual care to those who receive only usual care, focusing on whether the program is feasible and acceptable in this setting.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Problem Management Plus (PM+)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could provide a practical, low-cost mental health support option for prisoners, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study (56 participants) focused on feasibility, not effectiveness. Results may not generalize to other prisons or populations.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

56 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jun 2024

Finished

May 2026

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years old or above; * Imprisoned in a Dutch prison; * Held on remand; * Dutch-speaking; * Elevated levels of psychological distress (K10 \>15); Exclusion Criteria: * Enclosed in a penitentiary psychiatric centre; * Presents a potential security risk to the research team (PM+ helper and/or research team) * Acute medical condition; * Imminent suicide risk or expressed acute needs/protection risks (e.g., someone who expresses that they are at acute risk of being assaulted or killed); * Severe mental disorder (psychotic disorders, substance dependence) ; * Severe cognitive impairment (e.g., severe intellectual disability or dementia); * Currently enrolled in a specialised psychological treatment program (e.g., EMDR, CBT); * Less than two months on a stable dose of psychotropic medication (if applicable).

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anxiety disorder depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Anxiety disorders Depressive disorder Psychological distress

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Amsterdam, Netherlands

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