Background: Job stress among healthcare workers has received more attention in recent years, perhaps because these professionals are prime candidates for high stress levels.
Method: The immediate effects of brief massage therapy, music relaxation with visual imagery, muscle relaxation, and social support group sessions were assessed in 100 hospital employees at a major public hospital.
Design: The effects of the therapies were assessed using a within-subjects pre-post test design and by comparisons across groups.
Results: Groups reported decreases in anxiety, depression, fatigue, and confusion, as well as increased vigor following the sessions.
Conclusion: That the groups did not differ on these variables suggests that these particular therapies, when applied for short periods of time, are equally effective for reducing stress among hospital employees.