Exposure to Nature During Lunch Breaks Clinical Trial
Official title:
An Intervention Study to Investigate the Effect of Different Types of Break Activities on Workers´ Psychological and Physiological Health & Job Performance
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.
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.
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Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Supportive Care