The Effects of a Hybrid Face-To-Face and Online Mode of Delivering a Mindfulness-Based Dementia Caregiving Programme for Family Caregivers of Persons With Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT05242614 | Unknown DMC

• 1 other identifier: HSEARS20210709005
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 290
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) has been shown promising effects in enhancing the well-being of caregivers of patients with dementia (PWD). However, the time schedule and the mode of delivering the conventional MBI was demanding to family caregivers of PWD, and therefore impeding the feasibility of use among caregivers. Our research team had developed a hybrid MBI program which includes face to face and online mode of mindfulness sessions w. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this 6-week hybrid MBI program on caregivers of PWD over a 6-month follow up. This study is a two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. Participants are family caregivers of PWD and we aimed to recruit 290 subjects. Eligible participants will be recruited from three local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Hong Kong. They will be randomly allocated into MBI group and a control group (with 145 participants in each group) . The participants in the MBI group will receive 6 weekly 90-minute group-based sessions delivered through a face-to-face and online approach. The participants in control group will receive brief education on dementia care with the same group size, duration, and frequency as the sessions in the intervention group. Assessment (using questionnaire) about caregiving stress and other outcomes (positive aspect of caregiving, depression, dyadic relationship, anxiety, neuropsychiatric symptoms of patients) will be assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention and at the 6-month follow up. Focus group interview will also be conducted to explore family caregivers' experience in participating in the program. We aimed to recruit 20 caregivers for the interviews via purposive sampling. It is hypothesized that compared to the control group, the MBI group will have a reduction on caregiving stress and improve other outcomes after the intervention.

Conditions

Caregiver Burden

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in perceived Stress scale of caregivers

  The change in stress will be measured by the Chinese version of perceived stress scale (Cohen et al., 1983) . The PSS contains 10 items. It is a 5 point Likert scale (1= never, 5=Very often). The total score is ranged from 10 to 50. A higher score indicating higher level of perceived stress

  baseline, immediately after the intervention, 6 month- after the intervention

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Change in depressive symptoms of caregivers

  baseline, immediately after the intervention, 6 month- after the intervention

• Change in positive caregiving experience of caregivers

  baseline, immediately after the intervention, 6 month- after the intervention

• Change in caregiving burden of caregivers

  baseline, immediately after the intervention, 6 month- after the intervention

• Change in dyadic relationship

  baseline, immediately after the intervention, 6 month- after the intervention

• Change in heart rate variability of caregivers

  baseline, immediately after the intervention, 6 month- after the intervention

Other Outcomes (1)

• Level of mindfulness

  baseline, immediately after the intervention, 6 month- after the intervention

Study Arms (2)

A hybrid Mindfulness-based Dementia Caregiving Program (MBDCP)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants from the experimental group will receive a hybrid Mindfulness-based Dementia Caregiving Program (MBDCP). It is a 6-week program. In the 1st, 2nd and 6th session, it is delivered through face to face, while in the 3rd, 4th and 5th sessions, it will be delivered via online approach.

Behavioral: The Hybrid Mindfulness-based Dementia caregiving program (MBDCP)

Control group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The family caregivers in the control group will receive 6 week education programme on dementia. It is a control for the social effects of the MBDCP. In the 1st, 2nd and 6th session, it is delivered through face to face, while in the 3rd, 4th and 5th sessions, it will be delivered via online approach.

Behavioral: Psychoeducation educational program

Interventions

The Hybrid Mindfulness-based Dementia caregiving program (MBDCP) BEHAVIORAL

The hybrid MBDCP includes 6 weekly 90-minute group-based sessions delivered through a face-to-face (1st, 2nd, and 6th sessions) and online approach (3rd, 4th, and 5th sessions). The online session is designed for self-directed learning. The MBDCP includes different mindfulness practices (e.g., mindful eating, body scanning, and mindful walking), psychoeducation on caregiving, and group sharing, aimed at helping caregivers to develop mindfulness skills through the formal and informal practice of mindfulness, and to integrate these skills into their everyday life. The duration of each session is 90 minutes. Th MBDCP will be delivered by a qualified mindfulness therapist. In the MBDCP's online sessions, the caregivers will watch a teaching video (e.g., a video demonstrating mindfulness practices) through a website.

A hybrid Mindfulness-based Dementia Caregiving Program (MBDCP)

Psychoeducation educational program BEHAVIORAL

This program serves as a control for the social effects of the MBDCP. The brief education program consists of 6 weekly 90-minutes group sessions in which the sessions (1st, 2nd, and 6th) and (3rd 4th 5th) will be delivered through the face-to-face and online approach respectively, with the similar group size of the MBDCP. The education contents include caregiving skills, education on mood, and group sharing. The program will be led by a nurse.

Control group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Caregivers who are aged 18 or above
• Caregivers who are taking care for a family member medically diagnosed with dementia who has been residing in the community;
• Caregivers who are providing care to the dementia care recipients for at least 6 months prior to the subject recruitment.

You may not qualify if:

• Caregivers who have participated in any structured psychosocial intervention or mindfulness-based intervention/training in the 6 months prior to recruitment,
• Caregivers who have acute psychiatric and medical comorbidities that are potentially life-threatening (e.g., suicidal ideation) or leave them with a limited ability to participate or adhere to the intervention (e.g., acute psychosis),
• caregivers who do not have Internet access.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: lead

Related Publications (10)

• Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96. No abstract available.

  PMID: 6668417 BACKGROUND

• Roberts RE, Vernon SW. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale: its use in a community sample. Am J Psychiatry. 1983 Jan;140(1):41-6. doi: 10.1176/ajp.140.1.41.

  PMID: 6847983 BACKGROUND

• Kate N, Grover S, Kulhara P, Nehra R. Scale for positive aspects of caregiving experience: development, reliability, and factor structure. East Asian Arch Psychiatry. 2012 Jun;22(2):62-9.

  PMID: 22714876 BACKGROUND

• Zarit SH, Reever KE, Bach-Peterson J. Relatives of the impaired elderly: correlates of feelings of burden. Gerontologist. 1980 Dec;20(6):649-55. doi: 10.1093/geront/20.6.649. No abstract available.

  PMID: 7203086 BACKGROUND

• Sebern MD, Whitlatch CJ. Dyadic relationship scale: a measure of the impact of the provision and receipt of family care. Gerontologist. 2007 Dec;47(6):741-51. doi: 10.1093/geront/47.6.741.

  PMID: 18192628 BACKGROUND

• Vanderlei LC, Silva RA, Pastre CM, Azevedo FM, Godoy MF. Comparison of the Polar S810i monitor and the ECG for the analysis of heart rate variability in the time and frequency domains. Braz J Med Biol Res. 2008 Oct;41(10):854-9. doi: 10.1590/s0100-879x2008005000039. Epub 2008 Sep 30.

  PMID: 18853042 BACKGROUND

• Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. Circulation. 1996 Mar 1;93(5):1043-65. No abstract available.

  PMID: 8598068 BACKGROUND

• Baer RA, Smith GT, Hopkins J, Krietemeyer J, Toney L. Using self-report assessment methods to explore facets of mindfulness. Assessment. 2006 Mar;13(1):27-45. doi: 10.1177/1073191105283504.

  PMID: 16443717 BACKGROUND

• Cummings JL, Mega M, Gray K, Rosenberg-Thompson S, Carusi DA, Gornbein J. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory: comprehensive assessment of psychopathology in dementia. Neurology. 1994 Dec;44(12):2308-14. doi: 10.1212/wnl.44.12.2308.

  PMID: 7991117 BACKGROUND

• Kor PPK, Li ML, Kwok DKS, Leung AYM, Lai DLL, Liu JYW. Evaluating the effectiveness of a 6-week hybrid mindfulness-based intervention in reducing the stress among caregivers of patients with dementia during COVID-19 pandemic: protocol of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychol. 2022 Jul 19;10(1):178. doi: 10.1186/s40359-022-00876-8.

  PMID: 35854347 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Caregiver Burden

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress, Psychological; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Pui Kin Patrick Kor

CONTACT

2766 5622; patrick.kor@polyu.edu.hk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: All outcome measurements will be collected by an independent trained assessor (a trained research assistant) who are blinded to the group assignment of the participants
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dr. Kor Pui Kin Patrick

Model Details: This study is a two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial, with an intervention group (mindfulness group) and a control group. The participants in the MBI group will receive 6 weekly 90-minute group-based sessions delivered through a face-to-face and online approach. The participants in control group will receive brief education on dementia care with the same group size, duration, and frequency as the sessions in the intervention group.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2022
• First Posted: February 16, 2022
• Study Start: March 1, 2022
• Primary Completion: October 1, 2023
• Study Completion: June 30, 2024
• Last Updated: February 16, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share