The Smart Way to Beat Stress at Work - SOMA
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Stress
- Sponsor
- University of Wuerzburg
- Enrollment
- 678
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in General and Cognitive Stress
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 2 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The goal of this randomized control trial is to detect and prevent work-related psychological stress among European workers early on, aiming to mitigate its adverse health consequences, including burnout and depression. Soma Analytics has developed a smartphone-based system that comprises a diagnostic module utilizing smartphone sensors to collect and analyze stress biomarkers and an interventional module to reduce stress levels. The main questions this study aims to answer are:
- Hypothesis 1: Compared to the waitlist control, after using the app for 4 weeks, participants in the app group will report (a) lower levels of stress (cognitive and general), (b) higher levels of wellbeing, (c) higher levels of resilience, and (d) fewer sleeping troubles.
- Hypothesis 2: The observed effects will be more intense the more the user interacts with the app throughout the duration of the study.
Participants (employees from six organizations in three European countries) will use the app for 4 weeks. Their levels of stress, well-being, resilience, and sleeping troubles are assessed at baseline, after 2 weeks (mid-intervention), 4 weeks (end of intervention), and 6 weeks (follow-up).
Researchers will compare the intervention group with the waitlist control group to see if levels of stress, well-being, resilience, and sleeping troubles change over time.
Detailed Description
Work-related psycho-social risks and stress have a significant impact on numerous workplaces in Europe, leading to adverse health and business outcomes, as previous research has shown. Prolonged stress have been shown to eventually result in burnout and depression. In 2013, the total annual cost of work-related stress and depression in the EU-27 was estimated to be €617 billion. This figure encompasses expenses borne by employers due to absenteeism (€272 billion), reduced productivity (€242 billion), healthcare costs (€63 billion), and social welfare expenses (€39 billion). The primary objective of the project is to identify and prevent work-related psychological stress that can lead to negative health outcomes like burnout and depression. To achieve this, Soma Analytics has developed a comprehensive smartphone-based system that promotes mental resilience by continuously monitoring well-known stress biomarkers. The solution consists of three modules: a diagnostic module that utilizes smartphone sensors to gather and analyse stress biomarkers, an interventional module comprising smartphone apps aimed at reducing stress levels, and an analytics module that aggregates anonymous data to identify specific human resources issues, such as abnormal stress levels in particular departments. Soma's approach to preventing stress and promoting positive mental health in the workplace includes validated psychological interventions that are tailored to each individual, guiding users through a personalized micro-learning journey. The extensive database of interventions covers a wide range of topics, providing diverse options for users. This large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) involves participants from six organizations across three European countries. It is conducted to validate the solution's effectiveness in reducing stress and improving overall well-being. In a real-world work environment, the investigators examine the effectiveness of Soma's solution. It was hypothesized that it may reduce stress levels, enhance overall well-being, boost resilience, and reduce sleep difficulties compared to a waitlist control group.
Investigators
Dr. Silvana Weber
Lead Researcher
University of Wuerzburg
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Older than 18 years old
- •Having a mobile phone with internet access
- •Accepting informed consent
- •Being employed in one of the participating organizations at the time of the recruitment
Exclusion Criteria
- •Younger than 18
- •Being unemployed at the time of recruitment
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in General and Cognitive Stress
Time Frame: at baseline (T1, week 0), mid-intervention (T2, week 2), end-intervention (T3, week 4), and two-week follow-up (T4, week 6).
Self-reported levels of stress were assessed with the two subscales General Stress (four items, e.g., "How often have you been stressed?") and Cognitive Stress (four items, e.g., "How often have you had problems concentrating?") from the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire - Revised Version (COPSOQ II; Pejtersen et al., 2010).The items were answered on a five-point scale (1 = not at all; 2 = a small part of the time; 3 = part of the time; 4 = a large part of the time; 5 = all the time). Higher values indicate more stress.
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in Sleeping Troubles(at baseline (T1, week 0), mid-intervention (T2, week 2), end-intervention (T3, week 4), and two-week follow-up (T4, week 6).)
- Change in Social Community at Work(at baseline (T1, week 0), mid-intervention (T2, week 2), end-intervention (T3, week 4), and two-week follow-up (T4, week 6).)
- Change in Physical Health Impairment(at baseline (T1, week 0), mid-intervention (T2, week 2), end-intervention (T3, week 4), and two-week follow-up (T4, week 6).)
- Change in Work productivity and activity impairment(at baseline (T1, week 0), mid-intervention (T2, week 2), end-intervention (T3, week 4), and two-week follow-up (T4, week 6).)
- Change in Wellbeing(at baseline (T1, week 0), mid-intervention (T2, week 2), end-intervention (T3, week 4), and two-week follow-up (T4, week 6).)
- Change in Resilience(at baseline (T1, week 0), mid-intervention (T2, week 2), end-intervention (T3, week 4), and two-week follow-up (T4, week 6).)