Effectiveness of a transactional model-based education programme for enhancing stress-coping skills in industrial workers: a randomized controlled trial

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a stress management educational intervention programme based on the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC) among industrial workers. Participants were 106 employees of a power plant in Iran, randomly assigned into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention comprised active and participatory methods to enhance employees coping skills and it was delivered in six face-to-face sessions. Data was collected using the Ways of Coping Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale at baseline and three months after the intervention. We found mean scores of distancing, self-controlling, seeking social support, escape-avoidance, planned problem-solving, positive reappraisal, total coping skills, perceived social support, and spiritual well-being significantly differed at follow-up compared to baseline in the intervention group, but not in the control group. There was also a significant difference in the mean score of perceived stress between the two groups. We conclude that the educational intervention based on the TMSC was effective in improving coping skills and reducing perceived stress. We suggest that interventions based on the TMSC model can be supportive in workplaces where job stress is common.