E-bibliotherapy for Informal Caregivers of People With Dementia

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Psychological Well-Being; Caregiver Stress Syndrome; Dementia

Treatments: Other: Control; Other: E-bibliotherapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05927805

HSEARS20221020009

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of this study is to test the efficacy of e-bibliotherapy on improving the psychological well-being of informal caregivers of people with dementia as compared with a control group.

Full description

This project is a two-arm randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of e-bibliotherapy on improving the psychological well-being of informal caregivers of people with dementia. One hundred and ninety-two informal caregivers of people with dementia will be recruited. Participants in the intervention group will receive eight weekly e-bibliotherapy sessions. The control group will get access to the same e-bibliotherapy app but accept only general daily living knowledge. Psychological well-being, caregiving appraisal, mental health, biomarker of stress, and health-related quality of life will be measured to test the effects of e-bibliotherapy immediately post-intervention, three months post-intervention, and six months post-intervention. Focus group interviews will be conducted immediately post-intervention to explore caregivers' experiences participating in this study.

Enrollment: 192 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• primary caregivers aged 18 or above;
• provide unpaid regular care to a person with mild to moderately severe dementia (measured by Global Deterioration Scale, GDS=4~6);
• have cared for the care recipient for at least six months;
• assist with at least one of the care recipient's daily activities;
• use a smartphone or tablet;
• can read Chinese.

Exclusion criteria

• caregivers with unstable physical or mental conditions;
• have cognitive impairment;
• are undergoing acute treatment or have not yet stabilized on their chronic medication;
• are involved in another interventional study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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192 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

Eight weekly sessions of e-bibliotherapy. Participants in the intervention group will use the e-bibliotherapy app we develop, and accept e-bibliotherapy via the app.

Treatment:

Other: E-bibliotherapy

Control group

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Eight weekly sessions of self-learning of general daily living knowledge that this different from the intervention contents from the same e-bibliotherapy app.

Treatment:

Other: Control