The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a writing intervention (Reclaiming Yourself), intended to facilitate bereavement for spousal caregivers whose partners died with dementia.
The current research is part 3 of a multi-phase project, whose purpose was to examine the experience of bereavement for spousal caregivers to persons with dementia. Based on spouses' shared experiences and the input of experts in the field (i.e. bereavement/dementia researchers, health care providers), an existing writing intervention called the Finding Balance tool was adapted from the context of cancer bereavement to that of dementia. The purpose of this third phase is to test this adapted writing intervention (Reclaiming Yourself) with bereaved spouses of persons with dementia. Participants will be randomly assigned into one of two groups: treatment (who will receive the tool); and control (who will not be offered the tool until a later stage). The feasibility and acceptability of the intervention will be assessed, as well as the degree to which it facilitated participants' bereavement, ability to find balance, and psychological health.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
16
This tool is a behavioural writing intervention, intended to facilitate bereavement for spousal caregivers of persons with dementia
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Inventory of Daily Widowed Life (IDWL)- change at 1 and 2 months post-intervention
Measure of finding balance in bereavement
Time frame: The measure will be administered pre-intervention, 1 month following the introduction of the intervention, and 2 months following the introduction of the intervention
Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale- Revised (CESD-R)- change at 1 and 2 months post-intervention
Measure of depressive symptoms
Time frame: The measure will be administered pre-intervention, 1 month following the introduction of the intervention, and 2 months following the introduction of the intervention
Texas Revised Inventory of Grief, Present Feelings- change at 1 and 2 months post-intervention
Measure of grief
Time frame: The measure will be administered pre-intervention, 1 month following the introduction of the intervention, and 2 months following the introduction of the intervention
Semi-structured qualitative evaluation interviews
Measure of the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention
Time frame: Post intervention (after 1 month)
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