University of Pittsburgh
The purpose of this research study is to better understand how stress, sleep and activity might impact caregivers' mood and brain health. This study includes a randomized experimental component where therapists will systematically deliver one of two evidence-based talk-therapy treatments. The aim is to evaluate effects on meaningful health-relevant measures including morning activation levels, depression symptoms, rumination, and aspects brain connectivity previously linked with depression. Participants will complete surveys about their caregiving experiences, health, and mood, undergo an MRI, and wear an actigraphy watch that measures activity levels throughout the day and when sleeping.
Depression symptoms are a major public health concern in family dementia caregivers (dCGs) with shared risk factors. With more people living with dementia in the coming decades, more people will become unpaid dCGs. Replacing dCGs with skilled workers is untenable and would cost an estimated $162 billion annually. An estimated 1 in 5 dCGs have a depressive disorders. Over periods of 1-2 years, studies estimate that 25-48% of dCGs will develop new clinically significant symptoms or disorders. Depression symptoms relate to poorer quality caregiving and have health implications, including increase…
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 55 years or older. * Provide at least 15 hours/week of unpaid care to a patient with a dementia diagnosis. * Reporting stress or strain delivering care * No or stable pharmacotherapy for depression * Meets screening definition for having morning activation difficulty or a definite morning type per the Composite Morningness Questionnaire (CMQ) Exclusion Criteria: * Unsafe or unable to undergo MRI * Active Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for mood or insomnia * Probable dementia diagnosis * Deadly illness or plans to leave the study area * Current active substance use di…
Each day, participants are asked to track if they do the morning activity plan.
Participants will meet weekly with a trained therapist to discuss their prescribed activity plan. If unsuccessful, at weekly follow-ups, participants are asked to refine their plan or make a new one. Each session lasts about 30-45 minutes.
Participants will meet weekly with trained a therapist to talk about stressors they experience, providing an opportunity to voice and self-address their problems. In this control condition, therapists will not deliver any particular strategy except for active listening and referring to the educational materials
Some participants will be asked to adjust their sleep schedule to accommodate morning activity engagement by introducing or altering mechanisms known promote early rising (i.e., light exposure, reward and processes, etc.)
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