Yoga, Mindfulness and Cognitive Psychotherapy as Treatment for Stress and Burnout

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to investigate if treatment with yoga or mindfulness has a more profound and longstanding effect on stress and burnout than treatment with cognitive psychotherapy alone.

Official Title
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Yoga, Mindfulness and Cognitive Psychotherapy as Treatment for Stress and Burnout

Conditions
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Stress, Psychological, Burnout, Professional, Anxiety, Depression

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Yoga
* Behavioral: Mindfulness based cog psychotherapy
* Behavioral: Cognitive psychotherapy


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: On sick leave at least 50% at the beginning of the study. Sick leave for a maximum of 1 year if on full-time sick leave at the beginning of the study or for a maximum of 3 years if on part-time sick leave at the beginning of the study. Speak Swedish well enough to participate in the study interventions. Body mass index (BMI) of between 18 and 30. Meet the diagnostic criteria for burnout syndrome from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. Exclusion Criteria: Medication, including all medication or topical skin preparations with cortisone in any form. Exceptions: Antidepressants, contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy for hypothyroidism if hormone levels were within the normal range, and hormone replacement therapy to treat menopausal symptoms. To receive an exception for medication, a participant had to take the same medication at the same dose at both blood tests.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 16 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control arm<br>Participants in this arm will be recruited from the group who applied to participate in the study and fulfilled the inclusion criteria but for various reasons (such as time constraints) could not participate. | |
| Active Comparator: Cognitive psychotherapy arm<br>In this arm, participants will attend a group meeting to practice cognitive psychotherapy once a week. They will also practice on their own >= 4 times a week. | Behavioral: Cognitive psychotherapy<br>* Participants in this arm will attend a weekly group meeting to practice cognitive psychotherapy. They will also practice >= 4 time a week on their own. Additionally, participants in this arm will practice various practical skills, such as how to plan a satisfactory day using their own definition of a satisfactory day. Participants will follow this schedule for 20 weeks.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Mindfulness based cog psychotherapy arm<br>In this arm, participants will attend a group meeting to practice mindfulness based cognitive psychotherapy once a week. They will also practice on their own >= 4 times a week. | Behavioral: Mindfulness based cog psychotherapy<br>* Participants in this arm will attend a weekly group meeting to practice mindfulness based cognitive psychotherapy. They will also practice >= 4 time a week on their own. Additionally, participants in this arm will practice various practical skills, such as how to plan a satisfactory day using their own definition of a satisfactory day. Participants will follow this schedule for 20 weeks.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Yoga treatment group<br>Persons in this arm will practice yoga >= 5 time each week (2 times in a supervised group and the other times on their own). | Behavioral: Yoga<br>* Participants in this intervention arm will practice yoga (physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation) >= 5 times a week (twice in a supervised group and the rest on their own). Additionally, participants in this arm will practice various practical skills, such as how to plan a satisfactory day using their own definition of a satisfactory day. They will follow this schedule for 20 weeks.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reduced stress measured by qualitative questionnaires | Level of stress will be measured by qualitiative questionnaries, including the Swedish Health-Related Quality of Life Survey (SWEQUAL). | 5 months after start of treatment | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reduced cortisol secretion | We will measure cortisol level in a 24-hour sample of urine. | 5 months after start of treatment | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Stress, Burnout, Anxiety, Depression