Winner of the $50,000 Healthy Minds Canada/Pfizer Canada Research Award!

TORONTO - May 22, 2015 - PRLog -- Healthy Minds Canada (HMC) is proud to announce that University of Montreal's Dr. Tania Lecomte is the recipient of the HMC/Pfizer Canada 2014 $50,000 Reseach Award for her work in depression relapse prevention and workplace mental health.

Background on Depression

Depression is one of the primary causes for work incapacity in Canada. Over 50% of individuals who have had one depressive episode will have at least another in their lifetime. Yet, few studies have looked at preventing depression relapse in people who have returned to work after a depression. Studies suggest that depression relapse might be linked to dysfunctional beliefs and cognitive biases, which can be altered with cognitive behaviour therapy.

Dr. Lecomte's Research

Her study aims at verifying the impact of a group cognitive behaviour therapy intervention for people with depression who are currently at work, on prevention of depression relapse. 50 workers with a recent history of depression will be asked to take part in our group therapy or be in the control condition. Measures will be taken three times over the course of eight months.

“We hope that this study will help demonstrate that people with a history of depression can maintain their work activities and avoid absences due to depression recurrence if offered the right tools” say Professors Lecomte and Corbière.  “Group cognitive behaviour therapy for depression is a highly potent intervention that we believe could have an impact not only on absenteeism linked to depression relapse but also work functioning and well-being at work”.

This study takes a first step in determining the effects of a tailored intervention for relapse prevention in individuals having experienced depression who are working. This intervention might be a useful and easy to implement tool for organizations wishing to avoid the negative consequences of depression relapse in their employees, and to improve their work functioning and well-being at work.

For more information, please contact:

Katie W. Robinette, Executive Director of Healthy Minds Canada

krobinette@healthymindscanada.ca

www (dot) healthymindscanada (dot) com

Photos and images available