Chronobiological and ACT-based Training to Handle Stress at Work

Keywords

• Sleep Hygiene
• Morning Light
• Acceptance and Commitment Training

Lead sponsor

Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel is the lead sponsor of 8 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

Study arms

• Experimental
  ACT-Chrono

  First Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) training, followed by chronobiological training

  Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Training · Behavioral: Sleep Hygiene and bright light in the morning

• Experimental
  Chrono-ACT

  First chronobiological training, followed by ACT training

  Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Training · Behavioral: Sleep Hygiene and bright light in the morning

• Other
  Chrono

  First no training, followed by chronobiological training

  Behavioral: Sleep Hygiene and bright light in the morning

• Other
  ACT

  First no training, followed by ACT training

  Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Training

Interventions

• BehavioralAcceptance and Commitment Training

  During the ACT-based intervention, participants will get 4 training sessions in groups, once a week for an hour. Additionally, participants will be asked to implement behavioural exercises such as mindfulness and value-based exercises into their daily schedule.

• BehavioralSleep Hygiene and bright light in the morning

  During the chronobiological intervention, participants will get 4 training sessions in groups, one hour per week. Additionally, they will use a daylight lamp at home, for 30 minutes per day after waking up.

Primary outcomes

1. Change in subjective exhaustion measured by the German Version of the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure

   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)

   Time frame: approx. every two weeks, and at follow up (i.e., approx. 5 weeks after last training session)

Secondary outcomes

1. Change in Subjective well-being as assessed by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12)

   Sum over twelve items, higher scores indicate worse psychological well-being

   Time frame: approx. every two weeks, and at follow up (i.e., approx. 5 weeks after last training session)

2. Change in subjective well-being as assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D)

   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.

   Time frame: approx. every 4 weeks

3. Change in quality of circadian rhythm

   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

   Time frame: Actimetric devices are worn during 2 x 28 days continuously. The outcome of actimetric data are aggregated per person and training episode

4. Change in subjective and objective sleep quality: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)

   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

   Time frame: 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

5. Change in Subjective sleepiness in the morning

   Measured by Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS), higher scores indicate higher sleepiness

   Time frame: KSS is measured daily

6. Change in daytime subjective sleepiness

   Measured by Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS): higher scores indicate higher sleepiness

   Time frame: ESS approx every four weeks

7. Change in Chronotype

   Measured by a short version of the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire, higher scores indicate a later chronotype

   Time frame: approx. every 4 weeks and at follow up (i.e., approx. 5 weeks after last training session)

8. Change in Burnout severity

   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

   Time frame: every 4 weeks

9. Change in Absences

   Numbers of days absent if available from the employer

   Time frame: Assessed daily

10. Change in Implementation of treatment

    Questions about frequency implementation of treatment in daily life

    Time frame: approx. every two weeks, and at follow up (i.e., approx. 5 weeks after last training session)