Evaluation of a Multi-Method Group Treatment Approach for the Management of Stress

摘要

The purpose of this dissertation was twofold. First, to evaluate the treatment effectiveness of a stress management package. Second, to examine the role of social support as a significant external factor in reducing stress symptomatology. It was hypothesized that subjects receiving treatment would obtain significantly greater decreases in stress than subjects in a waiting list condition. Also, it was hypothesized that wait-list subjects with high levels of social support would obtain significant greater decreases in stress than wait-list subjects with low levels of social support. A matched-pair randomized block design was used. Thirty-two subjects were rank ordered on a measure of social support, matched according to level of social support, and randomized into either treatment or wait-list condition. The statistical and clinical results demonstrate the contribution of the stress management package in reducing stress when compared to no treatment intervention. On three of four dependent measures the treatment subjects evidenced significant pre-posttest reductions in stress compared to the wait-list subjects. There were no significant differences between wait-list subjects with high social support and low social support. In fact, the low social support subjects improved markedly when compared to the high social support subjects. These results suggest that the assumed benefits derived from social support may not be accurate.