Caring for the Carer (CFC)

University of North Carolina (UNC)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Caregiver Burnout; Care Giving Burden; Caregiver Wellbeing; Care Burden

Treatments: Other: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Caregivers

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07167641

25-1695

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the acceptability and feasibility of implementing a novel, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention to caregivers and supporters of individuals who have experienced psychosis, regardless of their relative's engagement in treatment specific to psychosis (i.e., coordinated specialty care (CSC) services). Additionally, the investigators will assess the secondary aim of impact on well-being as a result of the intervention.

Full description

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the acceptability and feasibility of implementing a novel, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention to caregivers and supporters of individuals who have experienced psychosis, regardless of their relative's engagement in treatment specific to psychosis (i.e., coordinated specialty care (CSC) services). Additionally, the investigators will assess the secondary aim of impact on well-being as a result of the intervention.

Participants: 30 caregivers or supporters of individuals who have experienced psychosis and have been referred to or are actively engaged in treatment with two CSC clinics (OASIS and Encompass) Procedures (methods): All participants will be recruited on a rolling basis from two CSC clinics. Participants will engage in a novel, CBT therapy intervention co-developed by Kelsey Ludwig, PhD, and David Penn, PhD. Participants will receive the individual therapy intervention once per week or bi-weekly, for 20 sessions, over the course of 6 months. All therapy sessions will be conducted by trained Masters' or Doctorate level therapists and will be recorded to score treatment fidelity for each therapist. Experiences, wellbeing, and support measures will be taken at baseline and post-treatment, participants will be compensated for these assessments.

Enrollment: 30 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 99 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• The participants must be a parent, caregiver, or supporter of a young person who has been referred to a CSC program for First Episode Psychosis (FEP) in the past 3 years. A parent or supporter is considered eligible for the study if their young person was referred to the program but chose not or was unable to engage in CSC or is currently on the waitlist for FEP treatment.
• Parent, caregiver, or supporter must be at least 18 years of age
• Participants recruited from UNC CSC programs
• Parent, caregiver, or supporter must be able to engage in research assessments and consent to audio recording sessions for fidelity ratings

Exclusion criteria

• Parent, caregiver, or supporter is currently engaged in legal action against the loved one receiving services/experiencing psychosis
• Parent, caregiver, or supporter's loved one has never experienced psychosis
• Parent, caregiver, or supporter does not speak English

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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30 participants in 1 patient group

Caring for the Carer Participants

Experimental group

Description:

Participants (caregivers and supporters) will participate in four foundational sessions (orientation, goal-setting) and up to 16 CBT-focused sessions. A maximum of 20 individual therapy sessions will be delivered to all participants from their date of enrollment up to 6 months.

Treatment:

Other: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Caregivers