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Evaluation of a stress management course in adult education centres in rural Australia
Author(s) -
Hawkins Kate M.,
Reddy Prasuna,
Bunker Steve
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
australian journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.48
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1584
pISSN - 1038-5282
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2007.00862.x
Subject(s) - anxiety , depression (economics) , checklist , medicine , mental health , stress management , physical therapy , intervention (counseling) , clinical psychology , psychology , psychiatry , economics , cognitive psychology , macroeconomics
Objective: To investigate whether attending a six‐week stress management course in a rural adult education centre is effective in reducing participants' levels of stress, anxiety and depression.Design: Repeated measures design using self‐report measures of stress, anxiety and depression at commencement and completion of a six‐week stress management course, and six months post‐completion follow up.Setting and participants: One hundred and thirty‐two adults (age range 18–73 years) living in a rural community who self‐enrolled in the stress management course at adult education centres.Intervention: The course consisted of six weekly group sessions. Each two‐hour session conducted by mental health professionals, included teaching cognitive behavioural strategies targeted at reducing individual symptoms of stress.Main outcome measures: Comparative analysis of pre‐ and post‐test and six‐month follow up on measures of stress (Stress Symptom Checklist), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).Results: Results indicated a significant reduction in stress symptoms ( F (7,90) = 34.92, P < 0.001), anxiety and depression ( F (3,95) = 87.92, P < 0.001) from course commencement to course completion. These improvements were sustained six months after course completion for stress symptoms ( F (11,65) = 22.40, P < 0.001), anxiety and depression ( F (5,73) = 41.78, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Findings demonstrate the stress management course is an effective community intervention in a rural community. Challenges for future implementation of the program are discussed.