Coping styles and optimism predict different aspects of well‐being in a randomised controlled trial of a tailored counselling intervention for injured workers

Abstract

Objective Many injured people suffer from reduced well‐being and emotional distress even with mild‐to‐moderate accident‐related injuries. This study aimed to identify moderators of treatment efficacy of a highly tailored multidisciplinary counselling intervention for injured workers. Methods We conducted exploratory moderator analyses of a prospective randomised controlled trial with 192 mild to moderately injured workers (71.9% men; Mage = 50) who were randomised to either a control group with case management only, or an intervention group with case management plus tailored counselling intervention. Seven moderators, including five coping styles, as well as dispositional optimism and pessimism, were assessed at baseline. The outcome measures, assessed at baseline and 12 months (post‐measure) and 18 months (follow‐up measure) post‐injury, concerned five aspects of well‐being: job and life satisfaction, negative feelings, well‐being related to family and personal health. Results We found differential treatment effects, as participants low in social diversion (d = 0.26), high in emotion‐oriented coping (d = 0.64) and low in optimism (d = 0.48) benefited from the tailored counselling intervention and showed enhanced well‐being in different aspects of life. No other effects were significant. Conclusion The results suggest that our tailored counselling intervention has a modest effect on negative feelings for mild to moderately injured workers. Generally, dispositional optimism and coping styles should be considered in rehabilitation interventions of injured workers.