Evaluation of a stress management training

The objective of this investigation is the evaluation of a stress management training at the workplace. The standardized program comprises three parts offered in a group setting: problem solving, relaxation training and promotion of pleasant experiences. Ninety-nine persons employed at an industrial company were randomly assigned to an experimental group with immediate treatment or to a waiting list control group. Subjects filled in questionnaires on coping strategies, health status, and consumption of tranquilizers at three different assessments: t1 = before the training, t2 = after termination of a three months1 training, t3 = at six months follow-up. Complete data exist from 47 experimental and 33 control subjects. Data computation focused on analyses of co-variance (ANCOVA) with a correction according to Bonferroni. At t3, experimental subjects were superior to control subjects with regard to their use of coping strategies and their emotional state. There were no significant changes in the number of psychosomatic symptoms or the consumption of drugs that could be attributed to the training.