Loneliness
Conditions
Keywords
seniors, mental health
Brief summary
Loneliness is a key predictor of mortality in older adults, and is a prominent risk factor for mental and physical illness in older adulthood. The goal of this study is to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a group loneliness intervention in geriatric psychiatry outpatients. This type of group loneliness intervention is based on functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP), called Awareness, Courage, and Love (ACL) Groups. The objective of this clinical trial is to adapt, implement, and evaluate the ACL group for outpatients.
Detailed description
The objective of this clinical trial is to adapt, implement, and evaluate a type of loneliness group intervention called Awareness, Courage, and Love Groups for older adult outpatients diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. The following research questions will be answered: (a) Are ACL groups with geriatric psychiatry outpatients feasible and acceptable? (b) Do such ACL groups demonstrate preliminary efficacy?
Interventions
BEHAVIORALAwareness, Courage, and Love Group Psychotherapy
Awareness, Courage, and Love (ACL) groups are an outgrowth of functional analytic psychotherapy, which is an empirically-based behavioural therapy that emphasizes the principle of positive reinforcement within relationships (Holman et al., 2017; Kanter et al., 2010; Kohlenberg \& Tsai, 1991; Tsai et al., 2009a). Awareness involves the practice of mindfulness, and in particular, the noticing of emotions within oneself and in others (Tsai et al., 2009b). Courage refers to engaging in vulnerable self-disclosures and practicing boundaried support. Love encompasses healthy caring for oneself and others, and in particular, responding affirmingly to another person's self-disclosures.
Sponsors
London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute OR Lawson Research Institute of St. Joseph's
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Randomized waitlist control group
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
60 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Older adults with psychiatric disorder(s)
Exclusion criteria
* Individuals who are disoriented to person, delirious, unable to tolerate or participate meaningfully in the group, or otherwise unable to provide consent to research and psychotherapy * Unable to speak English
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale | Up to 2 months | Brief measure of loneliness. The minimum value is 0, the maximum value is 11, and higher scores indicate a worse outcome. |
| Attendance and attrition (defined as the number of participants that withdraw (numerator)/number of participants randomised (denominator)) | Up to 2 months | Measure of feasibility. Captured across 8 sessions, comparing pre to post. |
| Quantitative Program Satisfaction | Up to 2 months | Brief measure of program satisfaction. The minimum value is 0, the maximum value is 16, and higher scores indicate a better outcome. |
| UCLA Loneliness Scale (Neto) | Up to 2 months | Brief measure of loneliness. The minimum value is 6, the maximum value is 24, and higher scores indicate a worse outcome. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale | Up to 2 months | 1 item pictorial scale of subjective wellbeing from 0 (minimum) to 10 (maximum). A higher score indicates a better outcome. |
| Adaptation of Inclusion of Other in Self Scale | Up to 2 months | Brief single-item pictorial measure of social closeness. The minimum value is 1, the maximum value is 7, and higher scores indicate a better outcome. |
| Relational Health Indices | Up to 2 months | Brief measure of group relational health. The minimum value is 8, the maximum value is 40, and higher scores indicate a better outcome. |
| Sacred Moment Qualities | Up to 2 months | Brief measure of perceived sacred qualities, adapted from Pargament et al. (2014). The minimum value is 11, the maximum value is 55, and higher scores indicate a better outcome. |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed