Internet-delivered guided self-help acceptance and commitment therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): a feasibility study
Internet-delivered guided self-help acceptance and commitment therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): a feasibility study
Objectives: the feasibility of research into internet-delivered guided self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for family carers of people with dementia is not known. This study assessed this in an uncontrolled feasibility study.
Method: family carers of people with dementia with mild to moderate anxiety or depression were recruited from primary and secondary healthcare services in the UK. Participants were offered eight, guided, self-help online ACT sessions adapted for the needs of family carers of people with dementia with optional online peer support groups. Pre-defined primary indicators of success included recruitment of 30 eligible carers over 6 months and ≥70% completing at least two online sessions.
Results: thirty-three participants (110% of the target sample) were recruited over 6 months and 30 participants (91%) completed two or more sessions, and thus both indicators of success were met. Further, 70% of participants completed seven or all eight sessions, and 27% of participants were lost to follow-up, but none of the reasons for early withdrawal were related to the intervention.
Conclusion: this study supports the feasibility, including recruitment and treatment completion. A full-scale trial to assess the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of the intervention including its long-term effects is warranted.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Caregivers, Dementia/therapy, Feasibility Studies, Humans, Internet, Quality of Life
1933-1941
Kishita, Naoko
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Gould, Rebecca L.
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Farquhar, Morag
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Contreras, Milena
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Van Hout, Elien
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Losada, Andrés
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Cabrera, Isabel
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Hornberger, Michael
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Richmond, Erica
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McCracken, Lance M.
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7 October 2022
Kishita, Naoko
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Gould, Rebecca L.
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Farquhar, Morag
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Contreras, Milena
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Van Hout, Elien
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Losada, Andrés
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Cabrera, Isabel
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Hornberger, Michael
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Richmond, Erica
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McCracken, Lance M.
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Kishita, Naoko, Gould, Rebecca L., Farquhar, Morag, Contreras, Milena, Van Hout, Elien, Losada, Andrés, Cabrera, Isabel, Hornberger, Michael, Richmond, Erica and McCracken, Lance M.
(2022)
Internet-delivered guided self-help acceptance and commitment therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): a feasibility study.
Aging & Mental Health, 26 (10), .
(doi:10.1080/13607863.2021.1985966).
Abstract
Objectives: the feasibility of research into internet-delivered guided self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for family carers of people with dementia is not known. This study assessed this in an uncontrolled feasibility study.
Method: family carers of people with dementia with mild to moderate anxiety or depression were recruited from primary and secondary healthcare services in the UK. Participants were offered eight, guided, self-help online ACT sessions adapted for the needs of family carers of people with dementia with optional online peer support groups. Pre-defined primary indicators of success included recruitment of 30 eligible carers over 6 months and ≥70% completing at least two online sessions.
Results: thirty-three participants (110% of the target sample) were recruited over 6 months and 30 participants (91%) completed two or more sessions, and thus both indicators of success were met. Further, 70% of participants completed seven or all eight sessions, and 27% of participants were lost to follow-up, but none of the reasons for early withdrawal were related to the intervention.
Conclusion: this study supports the feasibility, including recruitment and treatment completion. A full-scale trial to assess the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of the intervention including its long-term effects is warranted.
Text
Internet-delivered guided self-help acceptance and commitment therapy for family carers of people with dementia iACT4CARERS a feasibility study
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Accepted/In Press date: 22 September 2021
Published date: 7 October 2022
Keywords:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Caregivers, Dementia/therapy, Feasibility Studies, Humans, Internet, Quality of Life
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Local EPrints ID: 506480
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/506480
ISSN: 1360-7863
PURE UUID: 3ea62017-8c14-4181-a00d-9fd20644c3fe
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Date deposited: 10 Nov 2025 17:35
Last modified: 11 Nov 2025 03:10
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Contributors
Author:
Naoko Kishita
Author:
Rebecca L. Gould
Author:
Morag Farquhar
Author:
Milena Contreras
Author:
Elien Van Hout
Author:
Andrés Losada
Author:
Isabel Cabrera
Author:
Michael Hornberger
Author:
Erica Richmond
Author:
Lance M. McCracken
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