Evaluation of the "rethink stress" mindset intervention: A metacognitive approach to changing mindsets.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Series of randomized controlled trials.
PubMed 37199967 · doi:10.1037/xge0001396
What was done
Researchers conducted three randomized controlled trials evaluating a "metacognitive approach" to the "rethink stress" mindset intervention, which delivers balanced information regarding stress alongside guidance on the power of mindsets to choose adaptive perspectives. Experiment 1 randomized corporate finance employees to the intervention or a waitlist control, assessing stress mindset, self-reported physical health symptoms, and interpersonal-skill work performance at a 4-week follow-up. Experiment 2 evaluated an electronic multimedia delivery of the intervention. Experiment 3 compared the metacognitive intervention directly against a traditional stress-mindset manipulation and assessed persistence after exposure to contradictory information.
What was found
The abstract reports directional outcomes without quantitative estimates, sample sizes, or effect sizes. In Experiment 1, the metacognitive intervention yielded greater increases in stress-is-enhancing mindsets and greater improvements in self-reported physical health symptoms and interpersonal work performance at 4 weeks compared to waitlist control. Experiment 2 replicated the effects on stress mindset and symptoms using an electronic multimedia format. In Experiment 3, the metacognitive approach led to greater initial increases in stress-is-enhancing mindsets relative to the traditional intervention, and these increases were sustained following exposure to contradictory information.
Why it matters
Standard mindset interventions often fail to protect against subsequent exposure to conflicting narratives about the debilitating nature of stress. Incorporating a metacognitive component appears to confer resilience against contradictory information, sustaining mindset shifts and self-reported health and workplace benefits.
Limits
The abstract provides no sample sizes (overall n is unknown), exact numerical results, confidence intervals, or p-values. Physical health and work performance outcomes relied entirely on self-report. Long-term follow-up beyond 4 weeks was not reported.
Cited by
- supports Research from Alia Crum's laboratory demonstrates that stress can be adaptive and can improve performance and outcomes.