None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
New approaches to enhancing Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander mental health are clearly needed. This study aims to development of a culturally relevant and appropriate model of mental health that addresses some of the core issues of disconnection, disrupted attachments and trauma experienced by so many Aboriginal people. We propose adapting compassion-focused therapy (CFT) so that it is culturally appropriate for Aboriginal clients; and will evaluate its effectiveness. As such, this is a pilot study. Our aims are as follows: 1. To develop an Aboriginal-adapted culturally appropriate form of CFT, based initially on feedback from an Aboriginal health professional group. It is anticipated that there will be some further modifications as necessary over the course of the project. 2. To determine if this Aboriginal-adapted form of CFT is viewed as an acceptable and promising approach by Aboriginal health professionals and Aboriginal clients. 3. To conduct a preliminary evaluation of the impact of CFT within the constraints of the timeline, the service contexts, the absence of available control groups and an acceptable evaluation design that meets AHRMC and other ethical guidelines The participants will be clients of three different services: Namatjira Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre, Bunjum Corporation and Rekindling the Spirit. Different groups will be held in each of the services for their respective clients.. The clients of Namatjira Haven are in the early stages of drug or alcohol rehabilitation and are in-patients; The clients of the other two services live in the community, and may or may not have current mental health problems. People who are assessed as having severe mental health problems (e.g. psychosis, current suicidal ideation) will not be included in the groups.
Interventions
The intervention will take the form of a Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) group based intervention to be know as “The Arts-based Compassion Skills program”, modeled on the work of Paul Gilbert, founder of CFT, Russell Kolts (author of CFT Made Simple) and the Centre for Clinical Interventions (WA) Building Self-Compassion program (modelled on CFT and the work of Kristin Neff, a leading researcher in the area). The total length of the groups will be approximately 18-24 hours. The length and freq
The intervention will take the form of a Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) group based intervention to be know as “The Arts-based Compassion Skills program”, modeled on the work of Paul Gilbert, founder of CFT, Russell Kolts (author of CFT Made Simple) and the Centre for Clinical Interventions (WA) Building Self-Compassion program (modelled on CFT and the work of Kristin Neff, a leading researcher in the area). The total length of the groups will be approximately 18-24 hours. The length and frequency of each session will vary according to the group's specific needs e.g. at the Namatjira Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre, following feedback from the Learning Circle of Aboriginal staff we have found that 2 sessions/week over 3-4 weeks (up to 8x3hrs each) has worked better than 8 sessions spread over 8 weeks due to rapid turnover of clients. In other contexts (e.g. community groups), it may be that the 8 x 3 hr sessions over 8 weeks works best. Within these parameters, the length and frequency of sessions is agreed with each service, but and totals around 18-24hrs across 5-8 sessions. Based on feedback from the Aboriginal health professionals group and the Advisory Group, we shall be making the following adaptations from standard protocols for CFT: 1. The program will be focused more broadly on self-care, not just self-compassion (e.g. engaging in self-appreciation, gratitude practices, savoring experience etc.) 2. It makes more use of art and music than standard CFT 3. It makes less use of written materials e.g. forms, writing tasks Either Natalie Roxburgh or James Bennett-Levy (clinical psychologists) plus an Aboriginal group facilitator leads the sessions, assisted by Aboriginal health workers from the host organisations. The key components of the program are: 1. Understanding Self-Compassion (e.g. what is it; Why is it important; Self-criticism vs. self-compassion. Why is it hard to be self-compassionate) 2. Barriers to Self-Compassion (e.g. positive beliefs about self-criticism; negative beliefs about self-compassion; kindness vs self-criticism experiment; compassion = courage) 3. Preparing for Self-Compassion (slowing down; soothing-rhythm breathing; attentional retraining; safe place imagery) 4. Compassionate Imagery via Arts Practice (giving compassion to another; creating an ideal compassionate image; building your own compassionate image, self-compassion break) 5. Self-Compassion Thinking (taking in the good, self-appreciation, savoring, gratitude,) 6. Self-Compassionate Behaviour (Taking care of ourselves - impact of the threat system e.g. avoidance, worry, procrastination, numbing through drugs/alcohol vs. engaging the caring/compassion system e.g. self-soothing activities; Taking care of others – acts of kindness, gratitude, appreciation) 7. Reviewing learning and planning for the future The 5-8 sessions will comprise 1-7 above, with some adaptations and overlap across sessions. The group-based interventions are conducted at either one of the three partnering organizations in the Northern Rivers region of NSW o Namatjira Haven Drug and Alcohol Healing Centre - Alstonville o Rekindling the Spirit - Lismore o Bunjum Corporation - Ballina
Sponsors
North Coast Primary Health Network
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Participants will be those Aboriginal clients of the three partnering organisations - Namatjira Haven Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centre, Bunjum Corporation and Rekindling the Spirit - who: 1. choose to be part of the groups 2. are referred as suitable by their services, and 3. who are assessed by the clinical psychologists/group leaders as being suitable (e.g. no serious mental illness, are suitable for group work etc.) The groups will be be same sex groups due to the nature of the services and cultural appropriateness – Namatjira and Rekindling – all male; Bunjum – all female or all male
Exclusion criteria
Clients will not be included if they have serious mental illness (e.g. psychosis) or are actively suicidal, or are unlikely to function well in groups.
Outcome results
None listed