An Intervention Study to Investigate the Effect of Different Types of Break Activities on Workers´ Psychological and Physiological Health & Job Performance
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Exposure to Nature During Lunch Breaks
- Sponsor
- Tampere University
- Enrollment
- 200
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Health
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 11 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The objective of this research project is to understand and to improve workers´ recovery from work stress. Although recovery during lunch breaks is the most common within-workday break, it has received only minor research attention. Therefore, we will study whether lunch breaks including a relaxation session or exposure to nature have more favorable outcomes than usually spent lunch breaks concerning: a) recovery processes, b) health, c) well-being, d) job performance and e) creativity. We approach recovery by combining the theoretical frameworks of work and environmental psychology.
Detailed Description
We conduct an intervention study in a sample of 200 knowledge-workers who engage in different lunch break activities for 15-minutes per day, two weeks in a row. We randomly assign participants to three experimental conditions: 1) exposure to nature, 2) relaxation and 3) control group (lunch break spent as usual). Online questionnaires before and after the intervention assess long term changes regarding recovery processes and the major outcome variables. Before, during and after the intervention, SMS and paper-pencil questionnaires measure the same constructs four times a day with fewer items. We also measure blood pressure and collect saliva samples to map cortisol excretion across the intervention period. A timed experimental task (i.e., the Alternative Uses Task) is used to examine differences in creativity between the three groups after the intervention period. By combining the knowledge of work and environmental psychology about recovery and restorative experiences, by merging three recovery perspectives (settings, processes, and outcomes) and by using data triangulation, we produce valid results that broaden our view on mechanisms underlying recovery and enhance our understanding about their links to psychological, behavioural and physiological outcomes, resulting in a more comprehensive picture of work stress recovery in general.
Investigators
Jessica de Bloom
Dr.
Tampere University
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Being able to speak and understand Finnish language
- •Paid work for at least 24 hours per week
Exclusion Criteria
- •Shift work, highly irregular working hours
- •Serious illness or allergies that prevent participants from walking in nature
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Health
Time Frame: 7 weeks
Questionnaire data
Creativity
Time Frame: 7 weeks
Questionnaire data
Job performance
Time Frame: 7 weeks
Questionnaire data
Salivary cortisol
Time Frame: 7 weeks
Collection of saliva samples, 3 times per day, 2 times a week for a period of 7 weeks
Well-being
Time Frame: 7 weeks
Questionnaire data
Blood pressure
Time Frame: 7 weeks
Self-administered blood pressure measurements, 3 times per day, 2 days per week for a period of 7 weeks