Implementation of Mind-Body Practices in an Online Community of Caring (CaringBridge)

NCT05002842 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 1703S09842
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 979
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

CaringBridge (CB) is an online health community for people undergoing challenging health journeys. This platform provides an opportunity for individuals and their caregivers to rally support for a loved-one during a health journey. CaringBridge offers the opportunity for expressive writing through journal entries, wellbeing resources, participant health journey stories, and practical scheduling and communication tools to support community, healing, and wellbeing. Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM) is a systemized mind-body approach developed to increase loving acceptance and has been shown to increase resilience in the face of adversity. The aim of this study is to better understand how mind-body practices, like LKM, impact adult CB users

Conditions

Cancer; Stress

Keywords

Cancer; Gratitude; Social Support; Online; Perceived Stress; CaringBridge; Social Connectedness; Social Assurance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Perceived Stress: The Perceived Stress Scale

  The Perceived Stress Scale is a 10-item scale for measuring one's perception of stress. All 10 items are assessed by asking how often a respondent felt a certain way on a 5-point Likert measure (0 = Never; 4 = Very Often), with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 40. Higher total scores indicate greater perceived stress. This will be assessed at baseline and week three, in addition to week six for the deferred arm.

  3 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Change in Self-Compassion: The Self-Compassion Scale

  3 weeks

• Change in Compassionate Love: The Compassionate Love for Humanity Scale

  3 weeks

• Change in Social Support: The Social Connectedness Scale

  3 weeks

• Change in Social Support: The Social Assurance Scale

  3 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Immediate Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Those in the immediate intervention arm will begin the LovingKindess Meditation practice upon enrollment.

Behavioral: LovingKindess Meditation

Delayed Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Those in the deferred intervention arm will commence the LovingKindness Meditation practice intervention approximately 3 weeks (post 3 -week survey) after enrollment and participate three weeks thereafter.

Behavioral: LovingKindess Meditation

Interventions

LovingKindess Meditation BEHAVIORAL

Participants will have access to a recording of a script to guide them through meditation

Delayed Intervention; Immediate Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• English literacy
• CaringBridge user with an active email address
• Visitor/Caregiver/Patient on a Cancer Journey (for Phase 2 only)

You may not qualify if:

• N/A

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Minnesota: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Telke S, Leininger B, Hanson L, Kreitzer MJ. A Randomized Trial of 21 Days of Loving Kindness Meditation for Stress Reduction and Emotional Well-being Within an Online Health Community for Patients, Family, and Friends Experiencing a Cancer Health Journey. J Integr Complement Med. 2022 Feb;28(2):158-167. doi: 10.1089/jicm.2020.0512. Epub 2022 Jan 11.

  PMID: 35167360 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms

Study Officials

• Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN, FAAN

  University of Minnesota Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: SEQUENTIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 4, 2021
• First Posted: August 12, 2021
• Study Start: May 1, 2018
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2018
• Study Completion: December 1, 2018
• Last Updated: May 9, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)