30 Day Mobile App Programs for Stress Management in Customer Service Representatives
| Status: | Not yet recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Psychiatric |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 18 - 70 |
| Updated: | 1/18/2019 |
| Start Date: | January 11, 2019 |
| End Date: | December 31, 2019 |
| Contact: | Adrian C Williams, M.S. |
| Email: | HeadspaceatWork@gmail.com |
| Phone: | (412) 326-9740 |
A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing a 30 Day Mediation App to 30 Day Active Problem Solving App: Stress Management in Customer Service Representatives
Burnout and stress at work can make individuals less productive, which can carry over into
their personal and at-home lives and negatively impact health. Customer service
representatives are under especially high strain as they are exposed to significant
interpersonal conflict at work, both with frustrated customers and with pressure from
coworkers and supervisors. However, recent research has found that different stress
management interventions (e.g., mindfulness meditation training) can increase job
satisfaction and work productivity. However, individuals with significant stress might find
these training program classes difficult to attend with their busy schedules. Newer
interventions have focused on smartphone mobile applications as an effective delivery system
for these training programs. Thus, the purpose of this project is to conduct a randomized
controlled trial (RCT) comparing two different stress management smartphone app programs to
evaluate effects on job-related outcomes, functional and structural brain outcomes, and
biology.
their personal and at-home lives and negatively impact health. Customer service
representatives are under especially high strain as they are exposed to significant
interpersonal conflict at work, both with frustrated customers and with pressure from
coworkers and supervisors. However, recent research has found that different stress
management interventions (e.g., mindfulness meditation training) can increase job
satisfaction and work productivity. However, individuals with significant stress might find
these training program classes difficult to attend with their busy schedules. Newer
interventions have focused on smartphone mobile applications as an effective delivery system
for these training programs. Thus, the purpose of this project is to conduct a randomized
controlled trial (RCT) comparing two different stress management smartphone app programs to
evaluate effects on job-related outcomes, functional and structural brain outcomes, and
biology.
Approach: Employees will be given study flyers describing the study and encouraged to call a
project hotline to evaluate their study eligibility. Eligible participants will be scheduled
for an in-person study baseline and neuroimaging appointment at Carnegie Mellon University
where they will provide written informed consent, complete baseline survey measures, provide
several drops of blood via a finger prick (Dried Blood Spot (DBS) samples), and complete a
60-minute neuroimaging scan. After completing baseline measures participants will be
instructed on how to download and use the Headspace smartphone app, and will be randomly
assigned to one of the two programs. Participants will be asked to complete a 7- minute
end-of-day daily diary measure each day during the treatment period, which will measure
stress, affect, sleep, and workplace perceptions (a text message link will be sent an hour
before the participant's standard bedtime each day). The project team will monitor treatment
adherence (participants who do not complete a daily practice session will be called and
reminded the following day). In the week following the end of the treatment period,
participants will be scheduled to come back to Carnegie Mellon for a post-treatment
appointment where they will complete the same measures as at baseline (survey measures, DBS,
and neuroimaging). Participants will then be debriefed, compensated, and dismissed.
Approximately two months after participants complete the 30-day program, we will call them
for a 15-minute follow-up call. During this call, participants will answer a few
questionnaire items and a brief program evaluation.
Interventions: Participants will be asked to complete one lesson daily for 30- days on the
Headspace app; the first ten lessons will be 10 minutes long, the next ten will be 15 minutes
long, and the final ten will be 20 minutes long. The mindfulness program will consist of the
standard base program offered in Headspace. The Recharge program will consist of problem
solving and stress management instruction.
Setting and Participants: David Creswell's Health and Human Performance Laboratory at
Carnegie Mellon University will direct this study. Participants will be customer service
employees (those who interact with customers daily via phone or in-person interactions)
recruited from the Pittsburgh region.
project hotline to evaluate their study eligibility. Eligible participants will be scheduled
for an in-person study baseline and neuroimaging appointment at Carnegie Mellon University
where they will provide written informed consent, complete baseline survey measures, provide
several drops of blood via a finger prick (Dried Blood Spot (DBS) samples), and complete a
60-minute neuroimaging scan. After completing baseline measures participants will be
instructed on how to download and use the Headspace smartphone app, and will be randomly
assigned to one of the two programs. Participants will be asked to complete a 7- minute
end-of-day daily diary measure each day during the treatment period, which will measure
stress, affect, sleep, and workplace perceptions (a text message link will be sent an hour
before the participant's standard bedtime each day). The project team will monitor treatment
adherence (participants who do not complete a daily practice session will be called and
reminded the following day). In the week following the end of the treatment period,
participants will be scheduled to come back to Carnegie Mellon for a post-treatment
appointment where they will complete the same measures as at baseline (survey measures, DBS,
and neuroimaging). Participants will then be debriefed, compensated, and dismissed.
Approximately two months after participants complete the 30-day program, we will call them
for a 15-minute follow-up call. During this call, participants will answer a few
questionnaire items and a brief program evaluation.
Interventions: Participants will be asked to complete one lesson daily for 30- days on the
Headspace app; the first ten lessons will be 10 minutes long, the next ten will be 15 minutes
long, and the final ten will be 20 minutes long. The mindfulness program will consist of the
standard base program offered in Headspace. The Recharge program will consist of problem
solving and stress management instruction.
Setting and Participants: David Creswell's Health and Human Performance Laboratory at
Carnegie Mellon University will direct this study. Participants will be customer service
employees (those who interact with customers daily via phone or in-person interactions)
recruited from the Pittsburgh region.
Inclusion Criteria:
Fluent in English
- 18-70 years old
- Planning to remain in the Pittsburgh area for the duration of participation
- Endorse significant work stress
Exclusion Criteria:
- Any significant mental and physical health conditions
- Metal implants
- Significant claustrophobia
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