Wirtz Petra H, Auer Alisa, Semmer Norbert K, Ehlert Ulrike, Nussbeck Fridtjof W
Biological Work and Health Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
Front Psychol. 2024 Jul 29;14:1232172. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1232172. eCollection 2023.
While the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral stress management trainings (SMTs) is well-documented, the underlying mechanisms, especially in an occupational context, are not fully understood. We tested whether SMT-induced improvements in stress management skills, particularly in the mastery of changing cognitions, may explain beneficial SMT effects.
Our non-randomized controlled trial comprised 108 employees of a German health insurance company, with 65 of them participating in a cognitive-behavioral SMT and 43 participating in an alternative control training (AT). As outcome variables, we repeatedly assessed stress-related (functional stress management skills, relaxation, stress reactivity, exhaustion), work-related (job dissatisfaction), and specific-context-related (social support, trait anger) measures at baseline, 2 weeks, and 3 months after the trainings. Functional stress management skills and, in particular, a subscale assessing perceived mastery of changing cognitions ("cognitive-strategies-and-problem-solving") were tested as mediators of change.
Repeated measures (M)AN(C)OVAs and complementary multigroup latent difference models confirmed improvements in all outcomes in the SMT-group compared to the AT-group (s ≤ 0.015). Multivariate mediation path analyses revealed that, regarding mechanisms of change, the subscale cognitive-strategies-and-problem-solving was identified as the most important mediator for all outcomes (95% CIs for expected increases in SMT- vs. AT-group = [lower limits (LLs) ≥ 0.004]; 95% CIs for expected decreases in the SMT- vs. AT-group = [upper limits(ULs) ≤ -0.078]) except for job dissatisfaction.
Our findings confirm that employees can effectively learn to master stress reduction techniques and consequently lower the resulting burden. Moreover, beneficial SMT effects seem to result from improvements in functional stress management skills, particularly in the ability to change cognitions. This points to the importance of training cognitive techniques.
虽然认知行为压力管理培训（SMT）的有效性已有充分记录，但潜在机制，尤其是在职业背景下，尚未完全明确。我们测试了SMT诱导的压力管理技能提升，特别是在改变认知的掌握方面，是否可以解释SMT的有益效果。
我们的非随机对照试验包括一家德国健康保险公司的108名员工，其中65人参加了认知行为SMT，43人参加了替代对照培训（AT）。作为结果变量，我们在培训前、培训后2周和3个月时反复评估了与压力相关的（功能性压力管理技能、放松、压力反应性、疲惫）、与工作相关的（工作不满）以及与特定情境相关的（社会支持、特质愤怒）指标。功能性压力管理技能，特别是一个评估感知到的改变认知掌握程度的子量表（“认知策略与问题解决”）被测试为变化的中介变量。
重复测量（M）AN（C）OVA和补充多组潜在差异模型证实，与AT组相比，SMT组在所有结果上均有改善（s≤0.015）。多变量中介路径分析表明，关于变化机制，除工作不满外，子量表认知策略与问题解决被确定为所有结果中最重要的中介变量（SMT组与AT组预期增加的95%置信区间=[下限（LLs）≥0.004]；SMT组与AT组预期减少的95%置信区间=[上限（ULs）≤-0.078]）。
我们的研究结果证实，员工可以有效地学习掌握减压技巧，从而减轻由此产生的负担。此外，SMT的有益效果似乎源于功能性压力管理技能的提升，特别是改变认知的能力。这凸显了培训认知技术的重要性。
