Discussion
DECAY
This randomized controlled trial assessed the effect of an educational intervention based on the TMSC on stress management and coping skills among industrial workers in Iran. The results suggest that the educational intervention could significantly improve coping skills strategies, spiritual well-being, and perceived social support, and decrease perceived stress among industrial workers. This original study is the first to use an educational intervention based on the robust TMSC to help industrial workers cope with stress through the development of appropriate stress coping skills.The significant impact of the educational programme on coping skills in the present study aligns with previous research in other working populationsSeeking social support was another coping skill that was increased in the intervention group. This problem-focused coping skill intentionally pursues practical, informational and emotional support from relevant others to relieve the particular stressor which is challenging in one’s lifeThe present study showed a remarkable change in spiritual well-being when the measure was repeated after the intervention. Drawing upon one’s beliefs and understanding of the holistic purpose of life can be recognised as adaptive, and a positive coping strategy in the face of considerable sufferingOne of the most important results of the present study was that the educational programme reduced perceived stress even when measured three months after the intervention, suggesting some longevity to the principles of the TMSC programme. We acknowledge that an assertion that this programme could empower industrial workers to cope with stressors in the long term requires additional data collection, perhaps after two years, as it is well-known that there are skills decay over time, even when used regularlyThe present study is the first to describe the effect of an educational intervention based on the comprehensive and standard method of TMSC among industrial workers. This RCT study produced causal evidence of the role stress coping skills training can contribute to industrial workers’ well-being. In this study, we measured spiritual well-being in addition to eight coping skills of the TMSC model. The simultaneous use of face-to-face and virtual education is one of the other strengths of the study.Despite the strengths of the study, it also has some limitations. This study was conducted in one Iranian industrial company and may not generalize to other industrial work environments, or culturally diverse environments. Self-reported questionnaires were used to gather study variables, which may have been accompanied by some bias despite the full explanation provided to the participants at the beginning of the study as an attempt to gain their trust. The lack of long-term outcome assessment may also be considered another limitation of the present study. Finally, despite trying to prevent or mitigate contamination, selecting one work shift as the intervention group and the other as the control group might be contamination.