Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART-EM) among Emergency Physicians: A Pilot Intervention Study

Abstract

Aim: The aim was to test the feasibility and reliability of the Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART-EM) program in decreasing stress and burnout among emergency physicians. In addition, the research attempted to see whether resilience and quality of life could be improved within this professional group. Methods: With ethics committee approval. A total of 42 emergency physicians agreed, after informed consent, to participate in this study and were included in the intervention group that received the SMART-EM program or the nonintervention group for 3 three months. Participation was voluntary. They all completed the pre- and post-intervention surveys. The SMART-EM program involved a first session of 2.5 hours and a second session of 1.5 hours. With one follow-up presentation and a survey at the beginning of the intervention and another at the end of the 3-month intervention. Surveys, including the Perceived Stress Scale, Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, ProQOL Scale, and Burnout Assessment Tool Scale, were used for both groups before and after 3 months of the SMART-EM intervention. Results: A total of 37 emergency physicians completed both surveys in this study. No significant improvements in perceived stress, quality of life, or burnout at 3 months were observed in the SMART-EM intervention group compared to the nonintervention control group. Resilience, measured by the Psychological Resilience scale, showed improvement in the SMART-EM intervention group, aligning with the theory of a unified construct enhancing adaptive behavior. However, these changes were not statistically significant compared to the nonintervention group. Conclusion: It could be valuable, acceptable and feasible to use two sessions to reduce stress in emergency physicians through the SMART-EM program. However, our intervention did not significantly or clinically improve perceived stress, quality of life, or well-being, and therefore, we suggest further research on its clinical effectiveness.