Self-help for stress and burnout without therapist contact: An online randomised controlled trial. Issue 2 (3rd April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hofer, Patrizia D.; Waadt, Michael; Aschwanden, Regula; Milidou, Marina; Acker, Jens; Meyer, Andrea H.; Lieb, Roselind; Gloster, Andrew T.
• Is Part Of: Work and stress. Volume 32:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 189
• Page End: 208
• Publication Date: 2018-04-03
• Subjects: Acceptance and commitment therapy -- psychological flexibility -- self-help -- no therapist contact -- stress -- burnout; Job stress -- Periodicals; Job satisfaction -- Periodicals; Stress (Psychology) -- Periodicals; 158.7
• DOI: 10.1080/02678373.2017.1402389
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0267-8373

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Interventions designed to reduce stress and burnout may be costly and access is limited. This study examined the effectiveness of a self-help book, using Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to target stress and burnout in a randomised controlled online trial without any therapist contact. Participants were recruited through a newsletter of a health insurance company. Participants ( N = 119) who reported at least moderate levels of stress were randomly assigned to an immediate intervention ( n = 61) or a waitlist group ( n = 58). Measures before and after the intervention assessed stress, burnout (primary outcomes), depression, well-being, emotion regulation (secondary outcomes) and ACT-specific constructs. Compared to the waitlist group, participants in the immediate intervention group reported lower stress and burnout and higher psychological flexibility at post-assessment. Effects between groups were large for stress ( d = 0.9), moderate to large for burnout ( d = 0.5–0.8) and large for psychological flexibility ( d = 0.8). All primary and most secondary outcomes and ACT processes continued to improve in the 3-month-follow-up period. Results suggest that an ACT self-help book without any therapist contact is effective in reducing stress and burnout for various occupations. Thus, it may provide a cost-effective public health intervention for reducing stress and burnout.