The purpose of this study is to assess whether an 8-week mindfulness program enhances psychological well-being (e.g., stress, depressive symptoms), biological indicators of stress (e.g., inflammation), and cognitive function (e.g., attentional ability) in primary family caregivers of persons with dementia or a related neurodegenerative disease. A total of 232 primary family caregivers aged 50+ years of age will be recruited for this study and randomized to one of three groups: mindfulness meditation (MM), psychoeducation (PSY) or caregiver respite (CR). All participants will complete three testing sessions: baseline (pre-intervention \[T1\]), post 8-week follow-up (post-intervention, \[T2\]), and 12-month follow-up (T3).
The purpose of this study is to assess the benefits of 2 virtual self-care programs - mindfulness meditation or a psychoeducation support group - for family caregivers of persons with a neurodegenerative disorder. Both programs are 8-weeks in length. A third arm will include a respite-ony group, which may be considered "treatment as usual". Outcomes of interest include psychological well-being (e.g., stress, depressive symptoms), biological indicators of stress (e.g., inflammation), and cognitive function (e.g., attentional ability). All participants will complete three testing sessions: baseline (pre-intervention \[T1\]), post 8-week follow-up (post-intervention, \[T2\]), and 12-month follow-up (T3). The target sample is 232 family/informal caregivers, aged 50+ years old. All sessions will be conducted using the Zoom platform. Participants will be required to go to LifeLabs for blood collection. Blood results will be shared with participants.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
232
8-week mindfulness meditation program, based on Kabat-Zinn's MBSR program and modified for caregivers. The intervention will be led by MBSR-trained facilitators.
A lecture-style program based on the "10 Keys"TM to Healthy Aging Course, an evidence-based program for older adults. The program will be delivered by a facilitator experienced in delivering similar content.
Participants will receive two hours of respite from their caregiving responsibilities per week, for eight weeks. They will be given the opportunity to participate in either the MM or the PSY condition following completion of testing.
Toronto Metropolitan University
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
RECRUITINGPerceived Stress Scale
10-item Likert-type scale that measured level of distress in the past month. The questionnaire will be modified to cover the past 2 weeks. Higher scores (range 0-40) indicate greater perceived stress.
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (within 1 week following intervention completion), 12-month follow-up.
Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression
A 20-item Likert-type questionnaire that measures presence of depressive symptoms in the past week. Higher scores (range 0-60) indicate greater depressive symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (within 1 week following intervention completion), 12-month follow-up.
Zarit Burden Interview
A 22-item Likert-type scale that measures distress surrounding the caregiver role. Greater scores (range 0-88) indicate greater caregiver burden.
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (within 1 week following intervention completion), 12-month follow-up.
Flanker Task
The flanker task is a classic test of inhibitory control, in which participants are asked to indicate the direction in which a central arrow points while ignoring an array of "flanking" arrows. Flanker interference (difference in reaction times between congruent and incongruent trials for the correct responses, incongruent-congruent) will be calculated with greater scores indicating greater interference.
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (within 1 week following intervention completion), 12-month follow-up.
Allostatic Load Index
Blood samples will be collected to measure biomarkers of biological stress to create an allostatic load (AL) index. Using the count-based calculation method, biomarker values that fall above the 75th percentile of the sample distribution are categorized as 1 and those below the 75th percentile are categorized as 0; except for DHEA-S, HDL cholesterol, which are categorized as 1 for values that fall below the 25th percentile and 0 for values that fall above the 25th percentile (Seeman et al., 1997). Subsystem scores (metabolic, immune, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine) are created by summing the relative biomarker scores and a total AL index score is calculated by summing all biomarker scores. Greater AL index score indicates greater cumulative biological stress.
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (within 1 week following intervention completion), 12-month follow-up
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