Evaluation of occupational health interventions using a randomized controlled trial: challenges and alternative research designs

Occupational health researchers regularly conduct evaluative intervention research for which a randomized controlled trial (RCT) may not be the most appropriate design (eg, effects of policy measures, organizational interventions on work schedules). This article demonstrates the appropriateness of alternative designs for the evaluation of occupational health interventions, which permit causal inferences, formulated along two study design approaches: experimental (stepped-wedge) and observational (propensity scores, instrumental variables, multiple baseline design, interrupted time series, difference-in-difference, and regression discontinuity). For each design, the unique characteristics are presented including the advantages and disadvantages compared to the RCT, illustrated by empirical examples in occupational health. This overview shows that several appropriate alternatives for the RCT design are feasible and available, which may provide sufficiently strong evidence to guide decisions on implementation of interventions in workplaces. Researchers are encouraged to continue exploring these designs and thus contribute to evidence-based occupational health

It's Time to Start Changing the Game: A 12-Week Workplace Team Sport Intervention Study

This is an Open Access Article. It is published by Springer under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported Licence (CC BY). Full details of this licence are available at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Background A 12-week multi-team sport programme was provided to employees of a large services organisation and conducted in workplaces. This programme was used to investigate the short-term effect of regular sports team participation on individual employee and organisational health. Methods A large services organisation participated in this study. Two regional worksites of office workers were assigned as the team sport (intervention) (n = 28 participants) or control (n = 20 participants) groups. The team sport sessions were underpinned by psychological behaviour change theory and consisted of weekly 1-h team sport sessions for 12 weeks. Measures of aerobic fitness, physical activity behaviour, group cohesion, interaction and communication, psychological wellbeing, health, anthropometrics and workplace experiences were recorded pre- and post-intervention. Data were analysed using a series of mixed ANOVAs. Results After 12 weeks significant improvements were observed in VO2 max (+ 4.5 ± 5.8 ml/min kg, P < .002, η 2 p = .182), interpersonal communication within teams (+ 3%, P < .042, η 2 p = .087) and mean weekly physical activity duration (+ 154.74′, P < .002, η 2 p = .071) in the intervention group. A significant (P < .012, η 2 p = .130) effect on body composition was observed in the intervention group. Conclusions Participation in team sport may be an effective method to improve the aerobic fitness and physical activity behaviour of employees, and promote interpersonal communication between colleagues. Individual health outcomes and social interactions have the capacity to influence the health of the organisation. The extent of which these findings are replicable across a scope of organisations should be examined objectively over the long term

A multidimensional view on Pre-service teacher resilience in Germany, Ireland, Malta and Portugal

Teacher resilience is a key factor to understand how teachers effectively cope with the strains and stresses of their profession. In this chapter, we are presenting results from a survey study, in four different countries (Germany, Malta, Ireland and Portugal), on pre-service teacher resilience which was part of the project ENTREE (ENhancing Teacher REsilience in Europe). The main goals were to examine the relationships between a global dimension of resilience and its related dimensions and to test the communalities and differences in these relationships amongst the four different countries. Participants were 764 pre-service teachers from Germany, Ireland, Malta and Portugal who answered to a questionnaire including perceptions of individual (e.g. teacher efficacy, commitment, personal life, rumination) and social/contextual (e.g. school support, social context) factors, as well as a global evaluation of resilience. Results showed that self-efficacy appears as one of the key factors related to resilience. Furthermore, differences in the relationships between the variables were found according to each country, suggesting that resilience is influenced by the context in which teachers live and work

Classroom ready? Building resilience in teacher education

This chapter discusses how an innovative online learning resource designed to support pre-service teachers in building capacity for professional resilience can also support the development of "classroom ready" teachers. The process of developing the Building Resilience in Teacher Education (BRiTE) resource is explained and results from an evaluation with key stakeholders presented. Findings regarding the content and online design of the resource were positive and confirmed the usefulness and relevance of the resource for pre-service teachers and in teacher education programs. It is argued that a resilience-focused approach to developing non-academic key capabilities is efficacious. Through the development of a resource that is personalised, interactive, connected to the profession and grounded in the literature, the BRiTE resource may complement teacher education experiences and have the potential to support not only pre-service teachers and teacher educators, but also practicing teachers