TY - JOUR

T1 - Web-Based and Mobile Stress Management Intervention for Employees

T2 - A Randomized Controlled Trial

AU - Heber, Elena

AU - Lehr, Dirk

AU - Ebert, David Daniel

AU - Berking, Matthias

AU - Riper, Heleen

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to acknowledge the European Union (EFRE) for funding this project within the Lueneburg Innovation Incubator, TM 1.1 (CCI 2007DE161PR001). Additionally, we would like to thank Angelina Scheel and Stefanie Christmann for their assistance in administrative tasks and all of the e-coaches for providing guidance to the participants. This study was partially funded by the health insurance company, Barmer GEK. Publisher Copyright: © Elena Heber, Dirk Lehr, David Daniel Ebert, Matthias Berking, Heleen Riper.

PY - 2016/1/27

Y1 - 2016/1/27

N2 - Background: Work-related stress is highly prevalent among employees and is associated with adverse mental health consequences. Web-based interventions offer the opportunity to deliver effective solutions on a large scale; however, the evidence is limited and the results conflicting. Objective: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of guided Web- and mobile-based stress management training for employees. Methods: A total of 264 employees with elevated symptoms of stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10, PSS-10≥22) were recruited from the general working population and randomly assigned to an Internet-based stress management intervention (iSMI) or waitlist control group. The intervention (GET.ON Stress) was based on Lazarus’s transactional model of stress, consisted of seven sessions, and applied both well-established problem solving and more recently developed emotion regulation strategies. Participants also had the opportunity to request automatic text messages on their mobile phone along with the iSMI. Participants received written feedback on every completed session from an e-coach. The primary outcome was perceived stress (PSS-10). Web-based self-report assessments for both groups were scheduled at baseline, 7 weeks, and 6 months. At 12 months, an extended follow-up was carried out for the iSMI group only. Results: An intention-to-treat analysis of covariance revealed significantly large effect differences between iSMI and waitlist control groups for perceived stress at posttest (F 1,261=58.08, P<.001; Cohen’s d=0.83) and at the 6-month follow-up (F 1,261=80.17, P<.001; Cohen’s d=1.02). The effects in the iSMI group were maintained at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions: This Web- and mobile-based intervention has proven effective in reducing stress in employees in the long term. Internet-based stress management interventions should be further pursued as a valuable alternative to face-to-face interventions.

AB - Background: Work-related stress is highly prevalent among employees and is associated with adverse mental health consequences. Web-based interventions offer the opportunity to deliver effective solutions on a large scale; however, the evidence is limited and the results conflicting. Objective: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of guided Web- and mobile-based stress management training for employees. Methods: A total of 264 employees with elevated symptoms of stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10, PSS-10≥22) were recruited from the general working population and randomly assigned to an Internet-based stress management intervention (iSMI) or waitlist control group. The intervention (GET.ON Stress) was based on Lazarus’s transactional model of stress, consisted of seven sessions, and applied both well-established problem solving and more recently developed emotion regulation strategies. Participants also had the opportunity to request automatic text messages on their mobile phone along with the iSMI. Participants received written feedback on every completed session from an e-coach. The primary outcome was perceived stress (PSS-10). Web-based self-report assessments for both groups were scheduled at baseline, 7 weeks, and 6 months. At 12 months, an extended follow-up was carried out for the iSMI group only. Results: An intention-to-treat analysis of covariance revealed significantly large effect differences between iSMI and waitlist control groups for perceived stress at posttest (F 1,261=58.08, P<.001; Cohen’s d=0.83) and at the 6-month follow-up (F 1,261=80.17, P<.001; Cohen’s d=1.02). The effects in the iSMI group were maintained at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions: This Web- and mobile-based intervention has proven effective in reducing stress in employees in the long term. Internet-based stress management interventions should be further pursued as a valuable alternative to face-to-face interventions.

KW - Internet

KW - randomized controlled trial

KW - work

KW - stress

KW - stress management

KW - mental health

KW - Digital media

KW - Business psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85014835462&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/475b2eb5-0dfb-3b4a-8d8a-8093784b82a7/

U2 - 10.2196/jmir.5112

DO - 10.2196/jmir.5112

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 26818683

VL - 18

JO - Journal of Medical Internet Research

JF - Journal of Medical Internet Research

SN - 1439-4456

IS - 1

M1 - e21

ER -