The reduction of stress reactivity resulting from stress management interventions prevents disorders and improves mental health, however, its long-term sustainability has been little examined. The objective of this study was, therefore, to determine the effectiveness of a stress management intervention, designed to improve stress reactivity, for mental health and sleep problems seven years later, using longitudinal data from 101 male industrial workers. Linear regressions estimated the adjusted effects of the changes in stress reactivity in general as well as in its six subdimensions (work overload, social conflict, social stress, failure at work, and anticipatory and prolonged reactivity) on depression, anxiety, and sleep problems seven years later. The improvement of the prolonged reactivity had positive effects on depression, anxiety, and sleep problems (unstandardized regression coefficients [Bs] ≥ 0.35, all p-values ≤ 0.01). Depression and sleep problems were further improved by a reduction of the reactivity to social conflicts (Bs ≥ 0.29, p-values < 0.05), and an improvement in the overall reactivity score positively influenced sleep problems (B = 0.07, p = 0.017). In conclusion, the improvement of stress reactivity resulting from a work stress intervention was effective and generally long-lasting in preventing mental health and sleep problems. The reduction of the prolonged reactivity seems of particular importance and efficient in inhibiting negative stress manifestations.

Reviews have shown that depression is a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes. However, there is limited evidence for general psychological distress to be associated with incident diabetes. The aim of the present study was to test whether persons who report higher levels of psychological distress are at increased risk to develop type 2 diabetes during 18 years follow up, adjusted for confounders.

Background: Psoriasis has a negative impact on patients’ physical and mental health and can lead to anxiety and depression. Disease management strategies, including educational programs and eHealth devices, have been shown to improve health care for several chronic diseases. However, such disease management strategies are lacking in the routine care of patients with psoriasis. Objective: This study aims to study the impact of a novel intervention that combines an educational program with a disease management smartphone app on the mental health of patients with psoriasis. Methods: Patients with psoriasis in the intervention group received an educational program; attended visits on weeks 0, 12, 24, 36, and 60; and had access to the study app. Patients in the control group only attended the visits. The primary endpoint was a significant reduction of scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Secondary end points were reductions in Dermatology Life Quality Index score, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score, pruritus, and pain, as well as improvements in mood and daily activities. In addition, modulating effects of sex, age, disease duration, and app use frequency were evaluated. Results: A total of 107 patients were included in the study and randomized into the control group (53/107, 49.5%) or intervention group (54/107, 50.5%). Approximately 71.9% (77/107) of the patients completed the study. A significant reduction in HADS-Depression (HADS-D) in the intervention group was found at weeks 12 (P=.04) and 24 (P=.005) but not at weeks 36 (P=.12) and 60 (P=.32). Patient stratification according to app use frequency showed a significant improvement in HADS-D score at weeks 36 (P=.004) and 60 (P=.04) and in HADS-Anxiety (HADS-A) score at weeks 36 (P=.04) and 60 (P=.05) in the group using the app less than once every 5 weeks. However, in patients using the app more than once every 5 weeks, no significant reduction in HADS-D (P=.84) or HADS-A (P=.20) score was observed over the 60-week study period compared with that observed in patients in the control group. All findings were independent of sex, age, and disease duration. Conclusions: These findings support the use of a disease management smartphone app as a valid tool to achieve long-term improvement in the mental health of patients with psoriasis if it is not used too frequently. Further studies are needed to analyze the newly observed influence of app use frequency. Trial Registration: Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien DRKS00020755; https://tinyurl.com/nyzjyvvk

This three-wave study examined whether the pattern of associations of job demands and job resources with work engagement and mental health depends on personality types. In a representative sample of the German workforce (N = 13,665), the Big Five personality traits could be used to cluster participants into five personality types: ordinary, resilient, strained, overcontrolled, and undercontrolled. As predicted, job demands were associated with mental health and job resources were primarily associated with work engagement. However, these relationships differed across personality types. We conclude that research and practice could take a more personality-driven stance towards employee perceptions of job demands and job resources and their associations with work engagement and mental health.

The Demand Control Support Questionnaire (DCSQ) is an established self-reported tool to measure a stressful work environment. Validated German and English versions are however currently missing. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the psychometric properties of German and English versions of the DCSQ among white-collar employees in Switzerland and the US. This cross-sectional study was carried out on 499 employees in Switzerland and 411 in the US, respectively. The 17-item DCSQ with three scales assessed psychosocial stress at work (psychological demands, decision latitude, and social support at work). Depressive symptoms were measured by the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Cronbach’s α and item-total correlations tested the scale reliability (internal consistency). Construct validity of the questionnaire was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Logistic regressions estimated associations of each scale and job strain with depressive symptoms (criterion validity). In both samples, all DCSQ scales presented satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s α ≥ 0.72; item-total correlations ≥ 0.33), and EFA showed the 17 items loading on three factors, which is in line with the theoretically assumed structure of the DCSQ construct. Moreover, all three scales as well as high job strain were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. The associations were stronger in the US sample. The German and the English versions of the DCSQ seem to be reliable and valid instruments to measure psychosocial stress based on the job demand-control-support model in the workplace of white-collar employees in Switzerland and the US.