Internet-delivered guided self-help acceptance and commitment therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): a qualitative study of carer views and acceptability
Internet-delivered guided self-help acceptance and commitment therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): a qualitative study of carer views and acceptability
Purpose: to explore carers' views and acceptability of internet-delivered, therapist-guided, self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS).
Methods: a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews was employed with family carers (N = 23) taking part in a feasibility study of iACT4CARERS. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: four overarching themes were identified: 1) usefulness and relevance of the content of the sessions, 2) sense of connectedness, 3) the impact of the intervention on participants and 4) acceptability of the online delivery. Positive carer experiences and intervention acceptability were facilitated by learning helpful ACT skills, perceiving the content of the session as relatable to the carers' needs, feeling connected to other carers and the therapist during the intervention, noticing the benefits of the intervention and the user-friendliness of the online platform. Recommendations for a full-scale trial were identified, such as the inclusion of some "face-to-face" interactions (e.g., via video call) between carers and therapists to facilitate a bidirectional interaction and the provision of an additional aide-memoire to improve the learning experiences.
Conclusion: overall, the intervention was acceptable to the family carers. The proposed recommendations should be considered in a full-scale trial.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Caregivers, Dementia/therapy, Humans, Internet, Qualitative Research
Contreras, Milena
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Van Hout, Elien
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Farquhar, Morag
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McCracken, Lance M.
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Gould, Rebecca L.
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Hornberger, Michael
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Richmond, Erica
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Kishita, Naoko
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17 April 2022
Contreras, Milena
119b4a4a-385f-4f06-aee8-1af82b9efa5b
Van Hout, Elien
c9cfd10b-f75b-4a88-b284-e14071592198
Farquhar, Morag
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McCracken, Lance M.
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Gould, Rebecca L.
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Hornberger, Michael
a48c1c63-422a-4c11-9a51-c7be0aa3026d
Richmond, Erica
38df05f6-7d61-4710-a179-abbc5d4aa58d
Kishita, Naoko
1c0de815-598b-4996-b16c-6e31a2bb7ae8
Contreras, Milena, Van Hout, Elien, Farquhar, Morag, McCracken, Lance M., Gould, Rebecca L., Hornberger, Michael, Richmond, Erica and Kishita, Naoko
(2022)
Internet-delivered guided self-help acceptance and commitment therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): a qualitative study of carer views and acceptability.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 17 (1), [2066255].
(doi:10.1080/17482631.2022.2066255).
Abstract
Purpose: to explore carers' views and acceptability of internet-delivered, therapist-guided, self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS).
Methods: a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews was employed with family carers (N = 23) taking part in a feasibility study of iACT4CARERS. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: four overarching themes were identified: 1) usefulness and relevance of the content of the sessions, 2) sense of connectedness, 3) the impact of the intervention on participants and 4) acceptability of the online delivery. Positive carer experiences and intervention acceptability were facilitated by learning helpful ACT skills, perceiving the content of the session as relatable to the carers' needs, feeling connected to other carers and the therapist during the intervention, noticing the benefits of the intervention and the user-friendliness of the online platform. Recommendations for a full-scale trial were identified, such as the inclusion of some "face-to-face" interactions (e.g., via video call) between carers and therapists to facilitate a bidirectional interaction and the provision of an additional aide-memoire to improve the learning experiences.
Conclusion: overall, the intervention was acceptable to the family carers. The proposed recommendations should be considered in a full-scale trial.
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Internet-delivered guided self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for family carers of people with dementia iACT4CARERS a qualitative study of
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Accepted/In Press date: 11 April 2022
Published date: 17 April 2022
Keywords:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Caregivers, Dementia/therapy, Humans, Internet, Qualitative Research
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Local EPrints ID: 506483
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/506483
ISSN: 1748-2623
PURE UUID: 218cecf5-efbe-48ef-b059-6bd888174a3a
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Date deposited: 10 Nov 2025 17:35
Last modified: 11 Nov 2025 03:10
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Contributors
Author:
Milena Contreras
Author:
Elien Van Hout
Author:
Morag Farquhar
Author:
Lance M. McCracken
Author:
Rebecca L. Gould
Author:
Michael Hornberger
Author:
Erica Richmond
Author:
Naoko Kishita
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