Stress management in the workplace: A comparison of a computer-based and an in-person stress-management intervention

Work stress contributes significantly to corporate health costs. Numerous corporations have implemented worksite stress-management interventions to mitigate the financial and personal impact of stress on their employees. Cognitive-behavioral stress-management interventions can reduce both perceived and physiologically measured stress. Traditionally, these interventions have been delivered in small, instructor-led groups. Outcomes from a stress-management intervention provided via an instructor led versus a computer-presented format were compared through a randomized, controlled design. Brief relaxation procedures presented in both formats led to highly significant reductions in immediately-reported stress. Stress reduction, however, was not associated with improvement in longer-term indices of workplace stress following completion of the intervention and at a one-month follow-up. Attrition was significantly higher in the computer-presentation format. Across both presentation formats, however, more frequent use of stress-reduction techniques was correlated significantly with greater reductions in stress indices (e.g., nervousness, social isolation, overall work stress) at follow-up.