Evaluation of a stress management intervention for leaders in small to medium sized companies

Conditions

stress reacitvity

Hofmann S, Schlachter S, Gast M, Erschens R, Schröpel C, Diebig M, Gritzka S, Lehmann JAM, Schwarz E, Jarczok MN, Balint EM, Nater UM, Skoluda N, Junne F, Angerer P, Gündel H.

2026-01-13

10.1186/s12889-025-26088-4

Stress management training for managers in small and medium-sized enterprises (KMU-GO): results of a randomized controlled trial.

Sophie Hofmann, Svenja Schlachter, Michael J. Gast, Rebecca Erschens, Carla Schröpel et al. (16 authors)

Open Access CRIS of the University of Bern2026-01-13

10.48620/94081

Effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a stress management training for leaders of small and medium sized enterprises - study protocol for a randomized controlled-trial.

Lehmann JAM, Schwarz E, Rahmani Azad Z, Gritzka S, Seifried-Dübon T, Diebig M, Gast M, Kilian R, Nater U, Jarczok M, Kessemeier F, Braun S, Balint E, Rothermund E, Junne F, Angerer P, Gündel H.

2021-03-087 citations

10.1186/s12889-021-10398-4

Interventions

Group 1: Group 1: Leaders from small to medium sized companies, who participate in a 1.5 day stress management training and two additional booster sessions three and six month after training (each 180

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 65 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Workers of small to medium sized companies (< 499 employees), who (1) have management responsibility, (2) are 18-65 years old and (3) are more than two years away from retirement.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: planned retirement within the following two years

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Data will be collected at multiple measurement dates. Group 1: T0(two weeks prior to the training),T1(six months after the training), T2(twelve months after the training). At all three measurement dates health-related questions (single-items), stress reactivity (PSRS-23), gratification crisis (ERI), anxiety and depression (HADS), the relationship between leader and member (LMX-7), professional self-efficacy (BSWE), the working atmosphere with regard to psychosocial safety (PSC-4), self-regulation and self-awareness (OPD-SF), the Client Sociodemographic and Service Receipt Inventory (CSSRI) , as well as the EuroQol's questionnaire for health related quality of life (EQ-5D 5L) are assessed. Additionally at T0 and T2 physiological measures are conducted (24h heart rate variability, hair cortisol and alpha-amylase).	—

Measure

Time frame

Data will be collected at multiple measurement dates. Group 1: T0(two weeks prior to the training),T1(six months after the training), T2(twelve months after the training). At all three measurement dates health-related questions (single-items), stress reactivity (PSRS-23), gratification crisis (ERI), anxiety and depression (HADS), the relationship between leader and member (LMX-7), professional self-efficacy (BSWE), the working atmosphere with regard to psychosocial safety (PSC-4), self-regulation and self-awareness (OPD-SF), the Client Sociodemographic and Service Receipt Inventory (CSSRI) , as well as the EuroQol's questionnaire for health related quality of life (EQ-5D 5L) are assessed. Additionally at T0 and T2 physiological measures are conducted (24h heart rate variability, hair cortisol and alpha-amylase).

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Secondary

Measure	Time frame
In addtiion to the survey of the participating managers, it is planned to also question their employees at t0, t1 und t2. Therefore, work related (KFZA, ERI, IS) and health related (WHO-5) data will be collected. Also, the employees will be asked about the interaktion with the manager (LMX-7). In addition to the questionnaire data, serial, qualitative interviews with employees are conducted and evaluated for T0 and T2.	—

Measure

Time frame

In addtiion to the survey of the participating managers, it is planned to also question their employees at t0, t1 und t2. Therefore, work related (KFZA, ERI, IS) and health related (WHO-5) data will be collected. Also, the employees will be asked about the interaktion with the manager (LMX-7). In addition to the questionnaire data, serial, qualitative interviews with employees are conducted and evaluated for T0 and T2.

—

Countries

Germany

Contacts

Public ContactSophie Hofmann

Uniklinikum Ulm, Klinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie

sophie.hofmann@uniklinik-ulm.de+49 (0)731 / 500 68151

Outcome results

None listed