Development of a Web-Based Intervention Course to Promote Academic Staff Well-Being: Protocol for a Mixed Methods...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Occupational Health
• Education

Background:

• Academic staff face high pressure, leading to burnout and poor well-being.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) enhances psychological flexibility, improving well-being and job satisfaction.
• Addressing burnout is crucial for academic staff welfare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and describe the WELLS course, an ACT-based program for academic staff well-being and working life skills.
• To report the mixed methods study design protocol for exploring participants' experiences and the course's effects.

Main Methods:

• A single-arm, nonrandomized, mixed methods study with baseline, postintervention, and 6-month follow-up.
• Quantitative data collection via questionnaires on burnout and working life skills; qualitative data from journals and interviews.
• Latent profile analysis for participant clustering and mixed ANOVA for analyzing changes in well-being and skills.

Main Results:

• 265 participants enrolled as of March 2026.
• Data analysis is ongoing, with results anticipated in late 2026 or early 2027.
• The study is designed to provide insights into the effectiveness of the WELLS course.

Conclusions:

• The WELLS course, if successful, can be a vital tool for enhancing academic well-being, skills, and engagement.
• Understanding the intervention's impact across different burnout levels is key.
• The study aims to address individual well-being challenges within the academic workplace.