The Effectiveness of Guided Imagery for a Nonprofit's Employees
Keywords
Abstract
Description
The purpose of this study is to compare the change in stress levels of employees who listen to prerecorded guided imagery to employees who take breaks, and to determine if employees are likely to adopt prerecorded guided imagery as a self-care tool.
Participants will be randomly assigned to either the guided imagery group or the control group. Members of the control group will be asked to take a 10 minute break 3 times per week for 4 weeks. Members of the guided imagery group will be asked to listen to one prerecorded guided imagery track 3 times per week for 4 weeks. All participants will fill out questionnaires before and after the 4 week period. All participants will fill out a short form before and after listening to each guided imagery, or before and after taking each break.
Phase 2: After phase 1 is complete, all participants will have the option to participate in phase 2 of the study. During phase 2, participants will receive a calendar and put a mark on every day that they listen to a guided imagery track. At the end of 4 weeks, participants will turn in the calendar.
Dates
| Last Verified: | 01/31/2017 |
| First Submitted: | 07/13/2014 |
| Estimated Enrollment Submitted: | 07/14/2014 |
| First Posted: | 07/15/2014 |
| Last Update Submitted: | 02/17/2017 |
| Last Update Posted: | 02/22/2017 |
| Actual Study Start Date: | 06/30/2014 |
| Estimated Primary Completion Date: | 10/31/2014 |
| Estimated Study Completion Date: | 10/31/2014 |
Condition or disease
Intervention/treatment
Behavioral: Guided Imagery
Phase
Arm Groups
| Arm | Intervention/treatment |
|---|---|
| No Intervention: 10 minute break Participants asked to take a 10 minute break as usual 3 times per week for 4 weeks | |
| Experimental: Guided Imagery Participants listen to one of 6 pre-recorded guided imagery tracks 3 times per week for 4 weeks | Behavioral: Guided Imagery Guided imagery is a stress management technique that uses verbal suggestion and descriptive language to guide the listener into imagining sensations and visualizing images in the mind in order to bring about a desired physical response, such as reduction in anxiety, stress, or pain. The guided imagery tracks chosen for the study were chosen because their goal is relaxation and stress relief, and their length is under 15 minutes. |
Eligibility Criteria
| Ages Eligible for Study | 18 Years To 18 Years |
| Sexes Eligible for Study | All |
| Accepts Healthy Volunteers | Yes |
| Criteria | Inclusion Criteria: - Staff of a nonprofit who work a minimum of three shifts per week - Willing and able to use about 8-15 minutes of their lunch hours three times per week for for four weeks for the study Exclusion Criteria: - Staff members will be excluded from the study if they currently listen to guided imagery - Those currently experiencing drug or alcohol abuse, suicidal ideation, or other serious mental health issue while not under the care of a trained mental health professional will also be excluded |
Outcome
Primary Outcome Measures
1. State Anxiety as Measured by the State Anxiety Short Form [4 weeks]
Secondary Outcome Measures
1. Compassion Fatigue, Compassion Satisfaction, and Burnout, as measured by the ProQol [4 weeks]
2. Perceived Stress as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale [4 weeks]
