Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Group for Family Caregivers of Stroke Survivors
The Wright Institute
Summary
The goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of group-based ACT intervention in improving the levels of psychological distress in caregivers of stroke survivors. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does group-based ACT intervention improve the levels of psychological distress and QoL in family caregivers of stroke survivors? 2. Do the levels of psychological flexibility and experiential avoidance in family caregivers of stroke survivors mediate the outcome of the ACT Group? The researcher will compare the experimental group (i.e., participants who received group-based ACT intervention) with the control group (i.e., participants who did not receive group-based ACT intervention) to assess whether the group-based ACT intervention is effective in mitigating caregiver stress and improving caregivers' QoL. Participants in the experimental group will: 1. Receive a 5-weekly, 1.5-hour group intervention based on the ACT Model; 2. Complete study measures at pre-treatment, immediate post-treatment, and 2-month follow-up. Participants in the control group will not receive the group intervention but will complete the same study measures.
Description
The proposed study will be the first study performed in the United States to examine the effectiveness of ACT in caregivers of stroke survivors. It aims at evaluating the efficacy of group-based ACT intervention in improving the levels of psychological distress in caregivers of stroke survivors. The author proposes the following hypotheses: 1. Null hypothesis: Participants assigned to the ACT group will not experience significant improvements in levels of psychological distress and QoL at immediate post-treatment and 2-month follow-up when compared to the control group; Alternative hypothesis…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 40+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 40 or above. * Taking the primary responsibility for the care of a family member suffering from stroke (i.e. spending at least 70% of the time on performing caregiving tasks). * The stroke patient has been discharged from hospital and is currently living with the caregiver. * Having cared for the stroke patient for at least six months, including at least two months after discharge. * CSAQ score (as determied during pre-group screening meeting) indicates a high level of distress, as evidenced by one of the following: a) participant answered "Yes" to either or both que…
Interventions
- BehavioralGroup-based ACT Intervention
5-weekly, 1.5-hour group intervention based on the ACT Model
Location
- The Wright InstituteAlameda, California