Stress prevention through psychoeducation: a meta-analytic review

Background/Objectives: It is widely acknowledged that chronic stress is a major health burden and seriously compromises well-being. Within the widely accepted concept of stepped care, there is a need for preventive approaches at the level of primary care. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions to reduce stress and gain more insight in the features predicting the magnitude of effects.

Methods: Relevant studies were selected from the period 1990–2010 and were included according to predetermined criteria. For each study, the standardised mean difference was calculated for the outcome measure primarily related to stress. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria; for 16 studies a standardised mean difference could be calculated.

Results: The average effect size was 0.27 (95% CI=0.14–0.40) at post test and 0.20 (95% CI=-0.04–0.43) at follow-up. To determine possible moderators of the intervention effects, all 19 studies were included. Results showed that interventions that were shorter in duration obtained better results. When multiple moderators were considered, a model combining both intervention duration and the number of women in an intervention was significant and accounted for 42% of the variability found in the data set. Specifically, interventions with more women that were shorter in duration obtained better results.

Discussion/Conclusions: The effect sizes reported are small but consistently positive, indicating effectiveness of this type of psychoeducation. Learning about stress and disseminating adequate coping techniques seems to contribute positively to mental health. Overall, psychoeducation is effective for people of all ages, from different backgrounds, and with different interests to follow a psychoeducational course. However, short lasting psychoeducational interventions for women appeared most effective.

Funding: Policy Research Centre Welfare, Health and Family of the Flemish Government.

Keywords: Treatment effectiveness, stress, psychoeducation.