title: Developing a web-based stress management intervention for occupational support workers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Occupational support workers in the mental healthcare sector are exposed to considerable occupational stress and have little access to stress management facilities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article describes the process behind creating a web-based stress management intervention (SMI) for occupational support workers in the mental healthcare sector.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mixed methods were used to inform the content of the web-based SMI, following MRC strategy for designing interventions and PRIMA-EF guidelines for best practice in SMI design. We conducted a literature review to ascertain the content of interventions that had been shown to be successful in reducing stress in mental healthcare populations. In addition, we conducted focus groups in order to assess specific stressors that individuals in the occupational support sector deemed to be important.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The literature review showed that a variety of methods had been successful for reducing occupational stress in the mental healthcare sector including: Relaxation and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques, and skills training in; time management, problem-solving and communication. Individuals in the focus groups identified both personal and organisational stressors to be addressed in the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This intervention was developed with reference to a design strategy, using input from the target population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. mary.ridge@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ridge
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Denny
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Trudie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chalder
mesh_terms: D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D009790:Occupations; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000379:methods; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*