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. 2023 May 12;2023(5):CD002892. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002892.pub6

Comparison 2.  ‘Focus one’s attention away from the experience of stress by means of relaxation, exercise or something else’ vs No intervention/wait list/placebo/no stress‐reduction intervention (SMD).

Outcome or subgroup title No. of studies No. of participants Statistical method Effect size
2.1 Any symptoms of stress‐related outcome (follow‐up up to 3 months after the end of the intervention) 35 2366 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.55 [‐0.70, ‐0.40]
2.1.1 No intervention 22 1565 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.48 [‐0.61, ‐0.35]
2.1.2 Wait list 8 429 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.88 [‐1.53, ‐0.24]
2.1.3 Placebo 3 168 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.43 [‐0.74, ‐0.12]
2.1.4 No stress‐reduction intervention 2 204 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.27 [‐0.55, 0.00]
2.2 Any symptoms of stress‐related outcome (follow‐up > 3 to 12 months after the end of the intervention) 6 427 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.41 [‐0.79, ‐0.03]
2.2.1 No intervention 4 312 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.43 [‐0.98, 0.12]
2.2.2 Wait list 2 115 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.40 [‐0.77, ‐0.03]
2.3 Psychological symptoms: anxiety and depression (follow‐up up to 3 months after the end of the intervention) 7 378 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐1.07 [‐1.95, ‐0.19]
2.3.1 No intervention 2 127 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.67 [‐1.60, 0.25]
2.3.2 Wait list 3 173 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐1.89 [‐4.24, 0.46]
2.3.3 Placebo 2 78 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.34 [‐0.79, 0.11]
2.4 Explanatory analysis ‐ subgroup (short vs long duration of intervention): any symptoms of stress‐related outcome (follow‐up up to 3 months after the end of the intervention) 35 2366 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.55 [‐0.70, ‐0.40]
2.4.1 Short (<12 weeks) 33 2255 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.52 [‐0.68, ‐0.37]
2.4.2 Long (≥ 12 weeks) 2 111 Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI) ‐0.96 [‐1.48, ‐0.43]