Gymnastik- och idrottshögskolan, GIH

BACKGROUND: In recent decades, stress-related disorders have received more attention, with an increasing prevalence, especially within the working population. The internet provides new options for broad dissemination, and a growing body of evidence suggests that web-based interventions for stress might be effective. However, few studies have examined the efficacy of interventions in clinical samples and work-related outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an internet-based cognitive behavioral intervention for stress-related disorders integrating work-related aspects (work-focused and internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy [W-iCBT]), compared with a generic internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) group and a waitlist control (WLC) group.

METHODS: In this trial, 182 employees, mainly employed in the health care, IT, or educational sector, who fulfilled the criteria for a stress-related disorder, were randomized to a 10-week W-iCBT (n=61, 33.5%), generic iCBT (n=61, 33.5%), or WLC (n=60, 33%). Self-rated questionnaires on perceived stress, burnout, exhaustion, and other mental health- and work-related outcomes were administered before and after the treatment and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups.

RESULTS: Compared with the WLC group, participants of the W-iCBT and iCBT groups showed an equal and significant reduction in the primary outcome (Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire [SMBQ]) from pretreatment to posttreatment assessment (Cohen d=1.00 and 0.83, respectively) and at the 6-month follow-up (Cohen d=0.74 and 0.74, respectively). Significant moderate-to-large effect sizes were also found in the secondary health- and work-related outcomes. The W-iCBT was the only group that exhibited significant effects on work ability and short-term sickness absence. Short-term sickness absence was 445 days lower than the WLC group and 324 days lower than the iCBT intervention group. However, no significant differences were found in terms of work experience or long-term sick leave.

CONCLUSIONS: The work-focused and generic iCBT interventions proved to be superior compared with the control condition in reducing chronic stress and several other mental health-related symptoms. Interestingly, effects on work ability and short-term sickness absence were only seen between the W-iCBT intervention and the WLC groups. These preliminary results are promising, indicating that treatments that include work aspects may have the potential to accelerate recovery and reduce short-term sickness absence because of stress-related disorders.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05240495; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05240495 (retrospectively registered).

Introduction

Stress is one of the major challenges of modern society, causing significant costs and personal problems. In the recent decade a growing body of research has provided support for the efficacy of internet interventions for stress. However, few studies have focused on how participants experience internet interventions for stress.

Method

The current study was a qualitative follow-up study of an internet-delivered and work-focused cognitive behavioral treatment for stress. The aim was to capture participants' experiences of the treatment and their views on effects on health and well-being. Participants were selected from a controlled study (n = 27), using a criterion-based sampling approach selecting those participants who had completed all treatment modules. Nine semi-structured interviews were held, and the material was analyzed using Thematic Analysis.

Results

The results indicated that most of the participants experienced positive effects on their mental health and well-being in both life and at work. All participants emphasized the importance of having access to therapist support. In line with previous research, participants found the intervention to be extensive and demanding and expressed the need for extended treatment time and therapist support.

Conclusions

Considering the limitations of the present study, future research could examine the feasibility of reducing the length of each session, extending deadlines and increasing therapist support. This could improve treatment efficacy and further enhance utilization in the target population.

In this study, a previously evaluated guided Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for social anxiety disorder (SAD) was adapted for mobile phone administration (mCBT). The treatment was compared with a guided self-help treatment based on interpersonal psychotherapy (mIPT). The treatment platform could be accessed through smartphones, tablet computers, and standard computers. A total of 52 participants were diagnosed with SAD and randomized to either mCBT (n = 27) or mIPT (n = 25). Measures were collected at pre-treatment, during the treatment, post-treatment and 3-month follow-up. On the primary outcome measure, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale - self-rated, both groups showed statistically significant improvements. However, mCBT performed significantly better than mIPT (between group Cohens d = 0.64 in favor of mCBT). A larger proportion of the mCBT group was classified as responders at post-treatment (55.6% versus 8.0% in the mIPT group). We conclude that CBT for SAD can be delivered using modern information technology. IPT delivered as a guided self-help treatment may be less effective in this format.