Internet-Based Intervention for Occupational Stress Among Medical Professionals

NCT ID: NCT03475290

Last Updated: 2020-11-04

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

1240 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-10-08

Study Completion Date

2020-04-15

Brief Summary

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The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of internet intervention for reduction of occupational stress and its negative consequences (job burnout, depression) among medical professionals through the enhancement of the resources that are critical for coping with stress: self-efficacy and perceived social support.

Detailed Description

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Medical professionals are at high risk for job stress and burnout. Research show that the negative effects of stress can be reduced through strengthening personal resources such as self-efficacy and perceived social support. In line with cultivation and enabling hypotheses (Schwarzer \& Knoll, 2007; Benight \& Bandura, 2004) either self-efficacy cultivates perceived support, or rather perceived support enables self-efficacy. This study aims at testing both hypotheses in experimental design by applying them as a theoretical framework for the Med-Stress: evidence-based, CBT-framed internet intervention to foster resource accumulation among medical professionals.

The effectiveness of intervention will be tested in a four-arm randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of: 1) self-efficacy and perceived support sequential enhancement (cultivation hypothesis), 2) perceived support and self-efficacy sequential enhancement (enabling hypothesis), 3) only self-efficacy, and 4) only social support enhancement (controls). Primary outcomes are job stress and burnout, secondary outcomes include work engagement, depression, and secondary traumatic stress. Self-efficacy and perceived support are expected to mediate the relationships between condition assignment and outcomes. Assessments include baseline (T1), three- or six-weeks post-test (depending on the condition, T2), as well as six- and twelve-months follow-ups (T3, T4). Intervention effect sizes and between-groups comparisons at post-test and follow-ups will be calculated.

This study will contribute to the findings on the role of personal resources in the development of job stress and burnout by demonstrating the cultivation vs enabling effects of self-efficacy and perceived social support.

Conditions

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Stress, Psychological, Occupational Burnout, Professional

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Self-Efficacy and Perceived Social Support

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Personal resources' enhancement: self-efficacy and perceived social support

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The condition reflects cultivation hypothesis and consists of 2 sequential modules with self-efficacy enhancement module (SE) preceding perceived social support enhancement module (SS). Each module is comprised of 3 evidence-based, CBT-framed exercises: 1) SE: mastery experience, vicarious experience, and action planning, 2) SS: received support \& cognitive distortions, social skills \& peer support, action planning. Participants will have an option to engage in one or more out of four additional modules: relaxation, cognitive reconstruction, mindfulness, and lifestyle. The condition takes 6 weeks, 1 week per exercise.

Perceived Social Support and Self-Efficacy

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Personal resources' enhancement: perceived social support and self-efficacy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The condition reflects enabling hypothesis and consists of 2 sequential modules with perceived social support enhancement module (SS) preceding self-efficacy enhancement module (SE). Each module is comprised of 3 evidence-based, CBT-framed exercises: 1) SS: received support \& cognitive distortions, social skills \& peer support, and action planning, 2) SE: mastery experience, vicarious experience, and action planning. Participants will have an option to engage in one or more out of four additional modules: relaxation, cognitive reconstruction, mindfulness, and lifestyle. The condition takes 6 weeks, 1 week per exercise.

Self-Efficacy

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Personal resources' enhancement: self-efficacy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The condition consists of self-efficacy enhancement module (SE) and is comprised of 3 evidence-based, CBT-framed exercises: mastery experience, vicarious experience, and action planning. Participants will have an option to engage in one or more out of four additional modules: relaxation, cognitive reconstruction, mindfulness, and lifestyle. The condition takes 3 weeks, 1 week per exercise.

Perceived Social Support

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Personal resources' enhancement: perceived social support

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The condition consists of perceived social support enhancement module (SS) and is comprised of 3 evidence-based, CBT-framed exercises: received support \& cognitive distortions, social skills \& peer support, and action planning. Participants will have an option to engage in one or more out of four additional modules: relaxation, cognitive reconstruction, mindfulness, and lifestyle. The condition takes 3 weeks, 1 week per exercise.

Interventions

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Personal resources' enhancement: self-efficacy and perceived social support

The condition reflects cultivation hypothesis and consists of 2 sequential modules with self-efficacy enhancement module (SE) preceding perceived social support enhancement module (SS). Each module is comprised of 3 evidence-based, CBT-framed exercises: 1) SE: mastery experience, vicarious experience, and action planning, 2) SS: received support \& cognitive distortions, social skills \& peer support, action planning. Participants will have an option to engage in one or more out of four additional modules: relaxation, cognitive reconstruction, mindfulness, and lifestyle. The condition takes 6 weeks, 1 week per exercise.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Personal resources' enhancement: perceived social support and self-efficacy

The condition reflects enabling hypothesis and consists of 2 sequential modules with perceived social support enhancement module (SS) preceding self-efficacy enhancement module (SE). Each module is comprised of 3 evidence-based, CBT-framed exercises: 1) SS: received support \& cognitive distortions, social skills \& peer support, and action planning, 2) SE: mastery experience, vicarious experience, and action planning. Participants will have an option to engage in one or more out of four additional modules: relaxation, cognitive reconstruction, mindfulness, and lifestyle. The condition takes 6 weeks, 1 week per exercise.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Personal resources' enhancement: self-efficacy

The condition consists of self-efficacy enhancement module (SE) and is comprised of 3 evidence-based, CBT-framed exercises: mastery experience, vicarious experience, and action planning. Participants will have an option to engage in one or more out of four additional modules: relaxation, cognitive reconstruction, mindfulness, and lifestyle. The condition takes 3 weeks, 1 week per exercise.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Personal resources' enhancement: perceived social support

The condition consists of perceived social support enhancement module (SS) and is comprised of 3 evidence-based, CBT-framed exercises: received support \& cognitive distortions, social skills \& peer support, and action planning. Participants will have an option to engage in one or more out of four additional modules: relaxation, cognitive reconstruction, mindfulness, and lifestyle. The condition takes 3 weeks, 1 week per exercise.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age of at least 18 years
* Professionally active medical providers
* Internet connection

Exclusion Criteria

* No access to a device with Internet connection
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Linkoeping University

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role collaborator

Stockholm University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Ewelina Smoktunowicz

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Ewelina Smoktunowicz, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

SWSP University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Department of Psychology

Locations

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SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Warsaw, , Poland

Site Status

Countries

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Poland

References

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Benight CC, Bandura A. Social cognitive theory of posttraumatic recovery: the role of perceived self-efficacy. Behav Res Ther. 2004 Oct;42(10):1129-48. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2003.08.008.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15350854 (View on PubMed)

Cieslak R, Anderson V, Bock J, Moore BA, Peterson AL, Benight CC. Secondary traumatic stress among mental health providers working with the military: prevalence and its work- and exposure-related correlates. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2013 Nov;201(11):917-25. doi: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000000034.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24177477 (View on PubMed)

Widerszal-Bazyl M, Cieslak R. Monitoring psychosocial stress at work: development of the Psychosocial Working Conditions Questionnaire. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2000;Spec No:59-70. doi: 10.1080/10803548.2000.11105108.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10828153 (View on PubMed)

Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 6668417 (View on PubMed)

Demerouti E, Mostert K, Bakker AB. Burnout and work engagement: a thorough investigation of the independency of both constructs. J Occup Health Psychol. 2010 Jul;15(3):209-222. doi: 10.1037/a0019408.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20604629 (View on PubMed)

Devilly GJ, Borkovec TD. Psychometric properties of the credibility/expectancy questionnaire. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2000 Jun;31(2):73-86. doi: 10.1016/s0005-7916(00)00012-4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11132119 (View on PubMed)

Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB. The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001 Sep;16(9):606-13. doi: 10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11556941 (View on PubMed)

Lua H.J. The mediating role of work stress and burnout management self-efficacy in the job demand - resources model [dissertation]. SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw 2008.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Schaufeli, W.B., Shimazu, A., Hakanen, J., Salanova, M., & De Witte, H. (2017). An ultra-short measure for work engagement: The UWES-3. Validation across five countries. European Journal of Psychological Assessment. Advance online publication. doi:10.1027/1015-5759/a000430.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Schwarzer, R., & Knoll, N. (2007). Functional roles of social support within the stress and coping process: A theoretical and empirical overview. International journal of psychology, 42(4), 243-252. doi: 10.1080/00207590701396641

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Schwarzer R, Schulz U (2000) Berlin Social Support Scale (BSSS). Retrieved from http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~health/bsss.htm

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Weathers, F.W., Litz, B.T., Keane, T.M., Palmieri, P.A., Marx, B.P., & Schnurr, P.P. (2013). The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Scale available from the National Center for PTSD at www.ptsd.va.gov.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Smoktunowicz E, Lesnierowska M, Carlbring P, Andersson G, Cieslak R. Resource-Based Internet Intervention (Med-Stress) to Improve Well-Being Among Medical Professionals: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Jan 11;23(1):e21445. doi: 10.2196/21445.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 33427674 (View on PubMed)

Smoktunowicz E, Lesnierowska M, Cieslak R, Carlbring P, Andersson G. Efficacy of an Internet-based intervention for job stress and burnout among medical professionals: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2019 Jun 10;20(1):338. doi: 10.1186/s13063-019-3401-9.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 31182128 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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I.N.16 Med-Stress

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id