Trial of Benefit Finding in Caregivers: The Building Resources in Caregivers (BRiC) Study

NCT02444312 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: BRiC2015
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 88
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

A randomised controlled trial that will compare the effects of a brief benefit -finding writing intervention with an active control condition on quality of life and psychological health among informal caregivers.

Conditions

Quality of Life; Psychological Distress

Keywords

Caregiving; Benefit Finding; Writing Intervention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Benefit Finding (Adapted version of the 17-item Benefit Finding Scale; Antoni et al., 2001)

  Used to assess change in benefit-finding levels over the course of the intervention and follow-up

  Baseline, immediate post-intervention (two weeks), and 3 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Caregiver Quality of Life (40 item Adult Carer Quality of Life Questionnaire; Joseph, Becker, Elwick, & Silburn, 2012)

  Baseline, immediate post-intervention (two weeks), and 3 months

• Psychological Distress (Hospital and Anxiety Depression Scale; Zigmond & Snaith, 1983)

  Baseline, immediate post-intervention (two weeks), and 3 months

Study Arms (2)

Benefit-finding Writing Activity

EXPERIMENTAL

For two weeks, on six days of their choice, caregivers will be instructed to write about their thoughts and feelings in a diary/ notebook about the benefits of caring.

Behavioral: Benefit-finding Writing Activity

Neutral Writing activity

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

For two weeks, on six days of their choice, caregivers will be instructed to write about a neutral topic.

Behavioral: Neutral Writing Activity

Interventions

Benefit-finding Writing Activity BEHAVIORAL

Caregivers will be instructed to write about the benefits of caring, considering things such as improved social relationship, appreciation of life and loved ones, and the positive consequences with respect to these.

Benefit-finding Writing Activity

Neutral Writing Activity BEHAVIORAL

The control group will be instructed to write number of things about the weather that day. Although the sentences can be as long or as short as they like, they will be encouraged to try and aim for about 3 or 4 sentences at least.

Neutral Writing activity

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Must be over the age of 18
• Must identify as caring for a family member, friend or relative
• Must be living in Ireland

You may not qualify if:

• If the person cared for is living in institutional care

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Limerick: lead
• Carolan Research Institute: collaborator
• Care Alliance Ireland: collaborator

Study Officials

• Stephen Gallagher, PhD

  University of Limerick, Department of Psychology

  STUDY DIRECTOR

• Charles Brand, MSc

  University of Limerick

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Brenda H O' Connell, B.A

  University of Limerick

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Ms. Brenda O'Connell

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 11, 2015
• First Posted: May 14, 2015
• Study Start: June 1, 2015
• Primary Completion: October 1, 2015
• Study Completion: October 1, 2015
• Last Updated: October 6, 2015

Record last verified: 2015-10