Work-related stress is a major public health concern, causing sickness absenteeism and impaired health and well-being. Many afflicted with severe work-related stress will not receive evidence-based treatment due to geographical distance, stigma and unwillingness to participate in a group, creating unequality access to healthcare services. Online interventions show comparable effects to face-to-face interventions and have potential to break down some of these barriers. We have developed and pilot tested the online delivery format of the intervention for work-related stress, Stop for Stress, with promising results. In a two-armed, multicentre randomized controlled trial we aim to 1) compare the effect of the online delivery format and an evidence-based face-to-face group-based format and 2) identify markers of enhanced outcomes in each delivery format. The study will include 220 patients with severe work-related stress (110 from each of two centres) who are randomizes 1:1 to the two interventions. Outcomes consist of self-report measures of psychological symptoms, cognitive functioning, sleep, and perceived working environment and register data on ebsenteeism and return-to-work.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
220
Participants gain access to an online program comprised by 14 modules covering psychoeducation on stress, sleep, and communication, cognitive behavioral restructuring, and exercises and tools for dealing with stress and preventing relapse. Participants are followed by a therapist providing feedback on exercises and progress. The program extends over approx. 12 weeks.
The group-based format consists of 8 sessions of each 3 hours spread across 12 weeks. The sessions cover psychoeducation on stress, sleep, and communication, cognitive behavioral restructuring, and exercises and tools for dealing with stress and preventing relaps. A group includes 8-9 participants
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital
Aarhus, Central Region Denmark, Denmark
RECRUITINGDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Gødstrup Hospital
Herning, Central Region Denmark, Denmark
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGPerceived stress (T1)
Self-report measure using the 10 item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), 10 items on a 0-4 scale, ranging from 0-40 point with higher scores indicating more perceived stress.
Time frame: Post intervention: 3 months from baseline
Obejctive cognitive functioning measures by ICAT (T2)
ICAT (Internet-Based Cognitive Assessment Tool) comprises 5 subtests (list learning, consonant repitition, letter-number sequencing, delayed list learning, visuomotor tracking)
Time frame: Follow-up: 6 months from baseline
Return-to-work
Derived from the Danish national DREAM registry, comprising information on weekly transfer income (e.g. long-term sickness absence) and employment status
Time frame: Participants are followed continously from 5 yeras prior to enrollment (baseline) and until 12 months follow-up
Perceived Stress (T2)
Self-report measure using the 10 item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), 10 items on a 0-4 scale, ranging from 0-40 point with higher scores indicating more perceived stress.
Time frame: Follow-up: 6 months from baseline
Perceived Stress (T3)
Self-report measure using the 10 item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), 10 items on a 0-4 scale, ranging from 0-40 point with higher scores indicating more perceived stress.
Time frame: Follow-up: 12 months from baseline
Cognitive functioning (T1)
Self-report measure using the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), 25 items on a 0-4 point scale, range 0-100 with higher scores indicating lower subjective cognitive functioning.
Time frame: Post intervention: 3 months from baseline
Working environment (T1)
Perceived working environment self-reported using selected (independent) items from the Danish Psychosocial Questionnaire (DPQ). Includes influence, predictability, work load, relations to coworkers, relations to managers, recognition, and meaning.
Time frame: Post intervention: 3 months from baseline
Working environment (T2)
Perceived working environment self-reported using selected (independent) items from the Danish Psychosocial Questionnaire (DPQ). Includes influence, predictability, work load, relations to coworkers, relations to managers, recognition, and meaning.
Time frame: Follow-up: 6 months from baseline
Work ability (T1)
Self-report measure using the Work Ability Index (WAI), 1 item scale ranging from 0-10 with higher scores indicating better work ability
Time frame: Post intervention: 3 months from baseline
Work ability (T2)
Self-report measure using the Work Ability Index (WAI), 1 item scale ranging from 0-10 with higher scores indicating better work ability
Time frame: Follow-up: 6 months from baseline
Work ability (T3)
Self-report measure using the Work Ability Index (WAI), 1 item scale ranging from 0-10 with higher scores indicating better work ability
Time frame: Follow-up: 12 months from baseline
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