Luodelahti, M. (2015). Mobile-based intervention based on acceptance and commitment therapy: the effectiveness on work ability and perceived stress for individuals with symptoms of metabolic syndrome and psychological stress.
The present study explored whether mobile-based intervention, called Oiva, based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy effects on work ability among obese participants struggling with stress. The eight-week intervention in an RCT study was examining the effectiveness of mobile-based intervention including mindfulness, acceptance and value-based exercises (Mobile). Another subject of interest was whether psychological flexibility related to work ability and perceived stress mediate the effects of the mobile intervention. The study comprehended pre-measurements before the 8-week interventions and follow-up measurements 36 weeks after the pre-measurements. The control group (Control, n=66) participated in the same measurements than the intervention group (Mobile, n=73) without any treatment. Data were analysed with the Mann-Whitney t-test and further using a single-step multiple mediator model.
Although the improvements of different measurements in Mobile group were better than in Control group throughout the study, mobile-based intervention not received a scientific confirmation in comparison with the control group. Despite the failure in the main study hypothesis, the results in the more specific level indicated that Oiva could be used as an effective tool for slight overweight persons improving their work ability. The study proved also that psychological flexibility related to work ability and perceived stress mediated the effects of the mobile intervention. Further research is needed to study whether Oiva could be used as an effective tool for workers in risk groups to improve their wellbeing at work.