Esther I de Bruin1, Simon Valentin2, Jeanine M D Baartmans3, Mathanja Blok4, Susan M Bögels5. 1. University of Amsterdam, Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE), Research Priority Area Yield, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; UvA Minds, Academic Treatment Center for Parents and Children, Banstraat 29, 1071 JW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: e.i.debruin@uva.nl. 2. University of Amsterdam, Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE), Research Priority Area Yield, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; University of Konstanz, Department of Psychology, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany. 3. University of Amsterdam, Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129B, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; UvA Minds, Academic Treatment Center for Parents and Children, Banstraat 29, 1071 JW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 4. UvA Minds, Academic Treatment Center for Parents and Children, Banstraat 29, 1071 JW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 5. University of Amsterdam, Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE), Research Priority Area Yield, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; University of Amsterdam, Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129B, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; UvA Minds, Academic Treatment Center for Parents and Children, Banstraat 29, 1071 JW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mindful2Work is a 6-week program combining physical activity, yoga and mindfulness meditations, targeting (work-related) stress complaints from a body-mind perspective. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We combined a top-down approach (researcher-driven outcome measures) with a bottom-up approach (personal goals and interview data) to investigate the effects on 98 employees with at least moderate (work-related) stress. Effects on personal goals, well-being (stress, anxiety, depression, sleep, affect, happiness), functioning at work (dropout, mental and physical workability, work satisfaction), and training-specific aspects (mindful awareness, self-compassion, emotion regulation strategies) were assessed. RESULTS: Nearly all measures showed no change during the wait-list period, with only negative affect and physical workability showing small statistically significant improvements. Medium to large effect size improvements directly after training and at all follow-ups were found on primary outcomes stress (0.62-1.17), and risk for dropout from work (0.55-1.00), and largest effects occurred on personal goals (0.98-1.46). Improvements in well-being and functioning at work were medium directly after training, and at follow-up 1 (six weeks later) and 2 (six months later), and large at follow-up 3 (one year later). The training-specific measures showed small to medium effects after training and at follow-up 1. Further, from the interviews (n = 9), two main categories of effects emerged: well-being and acquired insights. CONCLUSION: Mindful2Work showed substantial and long-lasting improvements according to researcher-driven measures as well as participants' own reports.
BACKGROUND: Mindful2Work is a 6-week program combining physical activity, yoga and mindfulness meditations, targeting (work-related) stress complaints from a body-mind perspective. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We combined a top-down approach (researcher-driven outcome measures) with a bottom-up approach (personal goals and interview data) to investigate the effects on 98 employees with at least moderate (work-related) stress. Effects on personal goals, well-being (stress, anxiety, depression, sleep, affect, happiness), functioning at work (dropout, mental and physical workability, work satisfaction), and training-specific aspects (mindful awareness, self-compassion, emotion regulation strategies) were assessed. RESULTS: Nearly all measures showed no change during the wait-list period, with only negative affect and physical workability showing small statistically significant improvements. Medium to large effect size improvements directly after training and at all follow-ups were found on primary outcomes stress (0.62-1.17), and risk for dropout from work (0.55-1.00), and largest effects occurred on personal goals (0.98-1.46). Improvements in well-being and functioning at work were medium directly after training, and at follow-up 1 (six weeks later) and 2 (six months later), and large at follow-up 3 (one year later). The training-specific measures showed small to medium effects after training and at follow-up 1. Further, from the interviews (n = 9), two main categories of effects emerged: well-being and acquired insights. CONCLUSION: Mindful2Work showed substantial and long-lasting improvements according to researcher-driven measures as well as participants' own reports.