TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychosomatic and physical responses to a multi-component stress management program among teaching professionals
T2 - A randomized study of cognitive behavioral intervention (CB) with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approach
AU - Au, Doreen W.H.
AU - Tsang, Hector W.H.
AU - Lee, Janet L.C.
AU - Leung, Christie H.T.
AU - Lo, Jennie Y.T.
AU - Ngai, Shirley P.C.
AU - Cheung, W. M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd.
PY - 2016/5/1
Y1 - 2016/5/1
N2 - Background: The present study aims to assess psychosomatic and physical responses to a multi-component stress management program with the use of CAM and CB approaches among teaching professionals in Hong Kong. Method: A random controlled trial (RCT) was used to compare between CB group (n = 26) and the CAM-CB group (n = 30). Interventions were administered for 1.5 h once a week for eight consecutive weeks. A self-administered questionnaire including perceived stress scale (PSS) and frequency of psychosomatic symptoms were measured at baseline (T1), immediate after the program (T2), and 4 weeks after the program (T3). Physical parameters were measured at T1 and T2. Results: A reduction of 23% in PSS was observed in the CB group, while the CAM-CB group yielded 18% reductions in PSS from T1 to T3 [F(2,108) = 3.099; p = .049]. No significant interactions were observed in the frequency of psychosomatic symptoms and physical parameters. However, a significant downward time trend was observed (p < .001) and larger percentage changes in physical responses were shown in the CAM-CB group than CB group. Conclusion: Clinical evidence of both the CAM-CB and CB program has been demonstrated in the current study and both approaches are easy to be self-implemented. The CAM technique might serve as an alternative choice for self-administered stress management to replace the additional time needed for professional follow-up contacts. It might further improve some physical responses such as handgrip strength and resting heart rate, which are associated with better psychosomatic health and better occupational stress management.
AB - Background: The present study aims to assess psychosomatic and physical responses to a multi-component stress management program with the use of CAM and CB approaches among teaching professionals in Hong Kong. Method: A random controlled trial (RCT) was used to compare between CB group (n = 26) and the CAM-CB group (n = 30). Interventions were administered for 1.5 h once a week for eight consecutive weeks. A self-administered questionnaire including perceived stress scale (PSS) and frequency of psychosomatic symptoms were measured at baseline (T1), immediate after the program (T2), and 4 weeks after the program (T3). Physical parameters were measured at T1 and T2. Results: A reduction of 23% in PSS was observed in the CB group, while the CAM-CB group yielded 18% reductions in PSS from T1 to T3 [F(2,108) = 3.099; p = .049]. No significant interactions were observed in the frequency of psychosomatic symptoms and physical parameters. However, a significant downward time trend was observed (p < .001) and larger percentage changes in physical responses were shown in the CAM-CB group than CB group. Conclusion: Clinical evidence of both the CAM-CB and CB program has been demonstrated in the current study and both approaches are easy to be self-implemented. The CAM technique might serve as an alternative choice for self-administered stress management to replace the additional time needed for professional follow-up contacts. It might further improve some physical responses such as handgrip strength and resting heart rate, which are associated with better psychosomatic health and better occupational stress management.
KW - Cognitive behavioral intervention
KW - Complementary and alternative medicine
KW - Mental health
KW - Physical responses
KW - Psychosomatic symptoms
KW - Stress
KW - Teacher
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84960113975&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.brat.2016.02.004
DO - 10.1016/j.brat.2016.02.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 26974559
AN - SCOPUS:84960113975
SN - 0005-7967
VL - 80
SP - 10
EP - 16
JO - Behaviour Research and Therapy
JF - Behaviour Research and Therapy
ER -