Chronobiological and ACT-based Training to Handle Stress at Work

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Stress
• Interventions: Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Training; Behavioral: Sleep Hygiene and bright light in the morning

• Registration Number: NCT04290117
• Lead Sponsor: Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel

Brief Summary

The aim of the present project is to combine "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy" and "sleep hygiene + light-therapy (so-called chronotherapy)" serially in a sample of employees to reduce levels of subjective exhaustion.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2019-09-05
• Study Start: 2019-10-16
• Status Verified: 2020-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-02-26
• Last Update Submitted: 2020-02-26
• Study First Posted: 2020-02-28
• Last Update Posted: 2020-02-28
• Primary Completion: 2020-03
• Study Completion: 2020-04

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 90

Inclusion Criteria

• working in an office mainly (i.e., > 60% of work time)
• Age: ≥18 years old
• Sex: male and female individuals
• Ownership of cell phone with internet connection
• informed consent as documented by signature

Exclusion Criteria

• diseases of the retina or related diseases such as diabetes mellitus
• taking drugs which heighten photosensitivity
• inability to understand and follow procedures in German

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Chrono-ACT	Acceptance and Commitment Training	First chronobiological training, followed by ACT training
ACT	Acceptance and Commitment Training	First no training, followed by ACT training
ACT-Chrono	Sleep Hygiene and bright light in the morning	First Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) training, followed by chronobiological training
Chrono-ACT	Sleep Hygiene and bright light in the morning	First chronobiological training, followed by ACT training
Chrono	Sleep Hygiene and bright light in the morning	First no training, followed by chronobiological training
ACT-Chrono	Acceptance and Commitment Training	First Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) training, followed by chronobiological training

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in subjective exhaustion measured by the German Version of the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure	approx. every two weeks, and at follow up (i.e., approx. 5 weeks after last training session)	Overall mean score as well as three subscales of Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure ( P = physical fatigue; E= emotional exhaustion; and C= cognitive weariness, each ranging from 1-7).; Note: Higher scores indicate higher levels of exhaustion (overall as well as on each scale P, E and C)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in quality of circadian rhythm	Actimetric devices are worn during 2 x 28 days continuously. The outcome of actimetric data are aggregated per person and training episode	Actimetric devices are worn during 2 x 28 days continuously. These devices store the amount of activity in a resolution of 30 Hz 24/7. For data analyses, these activity data will be aggregated to three values (stability, variability and relative amplitude) per participant and training episode by non-parametric circadian rhythm analyses; higher values indicate higher stability, variability and amplitude
Change in daytime subjective sleepiness	ESS approx every four weeks	Measured by Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS): higher scores indicate higher sleepiness
Change in Chronotype	approx. every 4 weeks and at follow up (i.e., approx. 5 weeks after last training session)	Measured by a short version of the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire, higher scores indicate a later chronotype
Change in Implementation of treatment	approx. every two weeks, and at follow up (i.e., approx. 5 weeks after last training session)	Questions about frequency implementation of treatment in daily life
Change in Subjective well-being as assessed by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12)	approx. every two weeks, and at follow up (i.e., approx. 5 weeks after last training session)	Sum over twelve items, higher scores indicate worse psychological well-being
Change in subjective well-being as assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D)	approx. every 4 weeks	Sum over each of the subscales assessing somatic, depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms. The subscale assessing panic symptoms, alcohol abuse and intake of medication will be categorically evaluated.
Change in Absences	Assessed daily	Numbers of days absent if available from the employer
Change in subjective and objective sleep quality: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)	PSQI is collected approx. every four weeks and at follow up (i.e. approx 5 weeks after last training), the single question and actimetric data are measured daily	Subjectively assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI, higher scores indicate worse subjective sleep quality), by a single question about sleep quality (higher scores indicate worse quality) and by actimetric analyses
Change in Subjective sleepiness in the morning	KSS is measured daily	Measured by Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS), higher scores indicate higher sleepiness
Change in Burnout severity	every 4 weeks	Measured by Maslach Burnout Inventory using sumscores of the subscales emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal achievement. Higher scores indicate higher exhaustion, depersonalization and better personal achievement

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Centre for Chronobiology, UPK Basel; 🇨🇭 Basel, Switzerland