Background: Stress problems could be conceptualized as deficiencies in recovery between periods of stress and research indicates that recovery from work stress and effort might be crucial for health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a behaviorally oriented stress-recovery management intervention for people with high levels of perceived stress on different recovery experiences.
Method: 73 individuals with high levels of perceived stress (>24.4 on Perceived Stress Scale) were randomly allocated to either a 10-week intervention group or a waiting list control group. Participants were assessed at pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 3-month after the end of the intervention. The outcome measures were the four dimensions of the Recovery Experiences Questionnaire (REQ): relaxation, mastery, control and psychological detachment. For analysis the intention-to-treat principle was used.
Results: Preliminary analysis indicated positive results on measurements of different recovery dimensions of this brief intervention.