A Pilot RCT on the Effect of ExAT on Teacher Burnout and Stress

The objective of this pilot randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effects of Expressive Art Therapy on reducing burnout and stress symptoms among Hong Kong's primary and secondary school teachers.The proposed study is a pilot randomized controlled trial. Prior to all study procedures, 90 participants (i.e., primary and secondary school teachers) will be recruited to complete an online informed consent with telephone support. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the Expressive Arts Therapy group (ExAT group) or the waitlist control group (WL group) in a ratio of 1:1. The ExAT group will receive the Expressive Arts intervention via face-to-face workshops for 2 consecutive weeks (2 hours per session). There are a total of 3 batches (around 15 participants per batch) for the intervention. Participants in this group will be in touch with their inner selves and inner resources via body movement, writing and music. There will be visual art creation as a conclusion for integrating the body and mind. The art products would be placed in their workplace for stress regulation. The WL control group will not receive any intervention during the study, but they will receive self-help art therapy materials after the whole study procedure. The outcome measures include burnout, stress, depressive, and anxiety symptoms, as well as insomnia symptoms, physical activity, health-related quality of life, and the intervention acceptability at baseline, immediate post-treatment, and 4-week follow-up assessments by completing the same questionnaire set.

Inclusion Criteria:Hong Kong residents aged >/=18Able to read Chinese (verbal expression in Chinese or English)With qualified teaching cert. (degree holder)Willing to provide informed consent and comply with the trial protocolTeacher work in primary or secondary school in Hong KongExclusion Criteria:Current involvement in psychological treatment program for stress and / or burnout reductionA change in psychotropic drugs or over-the-counter medications that target mood within 2 weeks before the baseline assessmentA Patient Health Questionnair-9 (PHQ-9) item 9 score > 2 indicating a serious level of suicidal risk