Outcome expectancy as a process indicator in comprehensive worksite stress management interventions

This study investigates the relationship between outcome expectancy for an individual stress management course and the total perceived impact of a comprehensive stress management intervention (SMI). It is based on data from three different measurement points from a longitudinal SMI in Switzerland. Individual and organizational outcome expectancies for stress management courses were captured with two newly developed items (SMI outcome expectancy) immediately after course completion. Perceived individual and organizational impacts of the overall intervention captured with two items of a retrospective impact assessment scale (perceived SMI impact) at the two year follow up survey were used as the outcome measurement. Baseline individual and organizational change commitments (as rated by participants) were included in the analyses as possible moderators. Regression analyses show that individual and organizational outcome expectancies in respect of stress management courses can to some extent predict the perceived impact of the intervention as a whole. At the individual level an intervention will be perceived as most successful when participants already have a high individual change commitment and develop high outcome expectancies during stress management courses.