Masters Thesis

The effects of mindfulness exercises derived from acceptance and commitment therapy during recovery from work-related stress

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of brief, daily mindfulness training derived from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the physiological measures of recovery from stress in employees within their work settings. Following two concurrent multiple-baseline designs, six workers engaged in two daily mindfulness exercises derived from ACT during their shifts while working in environments characterized by frequent exposure to work-related stressors. Two one-minute heart rate variability (HRV) snapshots were measured twice daily for each participant, pre-recovery, and post-recovery, with changes in HRV and values used to indicate physiological recovery from stress. Results showed a positive change in HRV values during intervention conditions in four out of six participants, compared to baseline conditions. This study evaluated the potential utility of a brief intervention derived from ACT that is highly cost-effective for employers. These results further established the potential utility of HRV measurement as a physiological measure, indicating the effect of an ACT-derived intervention’s success. Keywords: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Heart Rate Variability, mindfulness, work-related stress, recovery

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