TY  - JOUR
A1  - Muschalla, Beate
T1  - Work-anxiety-coping intervention improves work-coping perception while a recreational intervention leads to deterioration
BT  - results from a randomized controlled trial
JF  - European journal of work and organizational psychology : the official journal of The European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology
N2  - Work-anxieties are costly and need early intervention. The perception of being able to cope with work is a basic requirement for work ability. This randomized controlled trial investigates whether a cognitive behavioural, work-anxiety-coping group (WAG) intervention leads to better work-coping perception than an unspecific recreational group (RG). Heterogeneous people in medical rehabilitation, who were due to return to work, were interviewed concerning their work-anxieties, and either randomly assigned to a WAG (n=85) or a RG (n=95). The participants (with an average of 50years old [range 23-64]; 51% women; 70% workers or employees, 25% academics, 5% unskilled) followed the group intervention for four or six sessions. The perceived work-coping was assessed by self-rating (Inventory for Job-Coping and Return Intention JoCoRi) after each group session. Although participants had a slight temporary decrease in work-coping after group session two (from M-1=2.47 to M-2=2.28, d(Cohen)=-.22), the WAG led to the improvement of perceived work-coping over the intervention course (from M-1=2.47 to M-6=2.65, d(Cohen)=.18). In contrast, participants from the RG reported lower work-coping after six group sessions (from M-1=2.26 to M-6=2.02, d(Cohen)=-.18). It is considered that people with work-anxieties need training in work-coping. By focusing on recreation only, this may lead to deterioration of work-coping. Indeed, intervention designers should be aware of temporary deterioration (side effects) when confronting participants with work-coping.
KW  - Work-anxiety
KW  - work-coping
KW  - return to work
KW  - intervention
KW  - mental health
Y1  - 2017
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2017.1384378
SN  - 1359-432X
SN  - 1464-0643
VL  - 26
IS  - 6
SP  - 858
EP  - 869
PB  - Taylor & Francis
CY  - Abingdon
ER  -