Effects of a psychosocial skills training workshop on psychophysiological and psychosocial risk in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

Adaptation and implementation of an evidence-based behavioral medicine program in diverse global settings: The Williams LifeSkills experience

“…In Hungary, in an observational trial of the WLS ® workshop, adapted as described above for delivery there, Stauder et al [39] found that distressed persons in the Budapest metro area who participated in the workshop showed a pattern of psychosocial improvements that are remarkably similar to those observed by Bishop et al [38] We have also collaborated with Dr. Christian Albus in Germany to mount a RCT evaluating the WLS ® workshop as a component of a multiple risk factor intervention trial for employees of a large German corporation. A similar collaboration with Dr. Alexandre Ghelman in Brazil is currently being implemented in an observational trial of the effects of the WLS ® workshop with online support among employees of a large Brazilian corporation.…”

“…The answer to this question was a clear "yes" as documented in the findings in the RCT that Bishop et al (Table 3) [38] conducted in a sample of 59 male Singaporean (60% Chinese) patients following coronary bypass surgery. Not only were there robust improvements with regard to both negative and positive psychosocial risk factors, but blood pressure and heart rate at both rest and in response to anger recall were significantly decreased in the men randomized to WLS ® workshop training, with all improvements maintained or enhanced at 3 months follow-up.…”

Effcacy of Williams LifeSkills Training in improving psychological health of Chinese male juvenile violent offenders: a randomized controlled study

“…In this 9-week study, we found that WLST significantly improved trait anxiety, negative coping skills, and tangible social support, with a close-to-significant trend toward a larger decrease in depression, among male juvenile violent [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] as well as in meta-analysis of interventions relevant to young offenders with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, or selfharm tendencies [23] . These findings reinforce our similar previous fi ndings that WLST improves psychosocial health in Chinese medical students [18] , as well as our prior study in this same incarcerated population of young male offenders in which WLST produced significant reductions in overt aggressive tendencies, hostility, and impulsivity [17] .…”

“…Williams LifeSkills Training (WLST) [11] is a highlystructured program for cognitive behavioral coping skills, and has been used in carefully-conducted, randomized, controlled trials to reduce blood pressure, hostility, anger, depression, and anxiety, and to increase positive affect and satisfaction with social support in patients with coronary heart disease, stressed people in the community, and Alzheimer's disease family caregivers [12][13][14][15] . WLST also reduces hostility and maladaptive clinical decision-making in U.S. medical students [16] and overt aggression, hostility, and impulsivity in young Chinese male violent offenders [17] .…”

2016 European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice

“…254,255 In hostile CAD patients, a group-based hostility-control intervention may lead not only to decreases in behaviourally assessed hostility levels, but also to decreased levels of depression, resting heart rate (HR) and CV reactivity to mental stress, as well as to increased social support and satisfaction with life. 256 Work reorganizations aimed at improving autonomy and increasing control at work may result in improved social support and a reduction in physiological stress responses. Hence, a reduction of work stress in managers and supervisors may have beneficial health effects on the target individuals and may also improve perceived social support in their subordinates.…”