Intervention Study on Break Activities and Workers´ Psychological and Physiological Health & Performance

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The objective of this research project is to understand and to improve workers´ recovery from work stress. Although recovery during lunch breaks is the most common within-workday break, it has received only minor research attention. Therefore, we will study whether lunch breaks including a relaxation session or exposure to nature have more favorable outcomes than usually spent lunch breaks concerning: a) recovery processes, b) health, c) well-being, d) job performance and e) creativity. We approach recovery by combining the theoretical frameworks of work and environmental psychology.

Detailed Description
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We conduct an intervention study in a sample of 200 knowledge-workers who engage in different lunch break activities for 15-minutes per day, two weeks in a row. We randomly assign participants to three experimental conditions: 1) exposure to nature, 2) relaxation and 3) control group (lunch break spent as usual). Online questionnaires before and after the intervention assess long term changes regarding recovery processes and the major outcome variables. Before, during and after the intervention, SMS and paper-pencil questionnaires measure the same constructs four times a day with fewer items. We also measure blood pressure and collect saliva samples to map cortisol excretion across the intervention period. A timed experimental task (i.e., the Alternative Uses Task) is used to examine differences in creativity between the three groups after the intervention period. By combining the knowledge of work and environmental psychology about recovery and restorative experiences, by merging three recovery perspectives (settings, processes, and outcomes) and by using data triangulation, we produce valid results that broaden our view on mechanisms underlying recovery and enhance our understanding about their links to psychological, behavioural and physiological outcomes, resulting in a more comprehensive picture of work stress recovery in general.

Official Title
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An Intervention Study to Investigate the Effect of Different Types of Break Activities on Workers´ Psychological and Physiological Health & Job Performance

Conditions
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Exposure to Nature During Lunch Breaks, Relaxation Exercises During Lunch Breaks

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Park walk during lunch break
* Behavioral: Relaxation during lunch break


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Being able to speak and understand Finnish language Paid work for at least 24 hours per week Exclusion Criteria: Shift work, highly irregular working hours Serious illness or allergies that prevent participants from walking in nature

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 70 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control group<br>Participants continue their normal lunch routine. | |
| Experimental: Relaxation exercise during lunch break<br>Participants perform relaxation exercises during each lunch break during work for a period of 2 working weeks. | Behavioral: Relaxation during lunch break<br> <br> |
| Experimental: Park walk during lunch break<br>Participants go for a walk in the closest park nearby each lunch break during work for a period of 2 working weeks. | Behavioral: Park walk during lunch break<br> <br> |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Well-being | Questionnaire data | 7 weeks | 
| Job performance | Questionnaire data | 7 weeks | 
| Creativity | Questionnaire data | 7 weeks | 
| Health | Questionnaire data | 7 weeks | 
| Salivary cortisol | Collection of saliva samples, 3 times per day, 2 times a week for a period of 7 weeks | 7 weeks | 
| Blood pressure | Self-administered blood pressure measurements, 3 times per day, 2 days per week for a period of 7 weeks | 7 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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lunch breaks, recovery, nature, park walking, relaxation