Mind-body Resilience Program for Cardiac Arrest Survivors and Their Caregivers: Recovering Together After Cardiac Arrest (RT-CA)

Mass General Brigham

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Resilience; Survivorship; Mindfulness; Cardiac Arrest (CA); Emotional Distress; Depression; Anxiety; Caregivers

Treatments: Behavioral: Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest 1; Other: Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest 2

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT07143357

2025P002063

5K23AT012487 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to pilot two resilience interventions for cardiac arrest survivors and their informal caregivers, Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest 1 and Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest 2 . The data the investigators gather in this study will be used to further refine the interventions.

Full description

The goal of this study is to test the feasibility of our proposed interventions through a pilot RCT. The investigators will deliver the RCT intervention (N=42 dyads; 84 participants total) and evaluate feasibility and acceptability based on a priori benchmarks.

The RCT will initially take place at Massachusetts General Hospital intensive care units and step-down units. Cardiac arrest survivor-caregiver dyads will be randomly assigned to one of two groups - Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest 1 (RT-CA 1) or Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest 2 (RT-CA 2).

RT-CA 1 involves six, 30-minute weekly sessions beginning at bedside and continuing over Zoom after the survivor is discharged. RT-CA 2 involves one, 30 minute session at bedside.

All participants will complete psychosocial survey measures at baseline, six weeks, and 3 months.

Enrollment: 84 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Out-of-hospital or in-hospital CA survivor (must have new diagnosis of "cardiac arrest" in electronic medical record from index hospitalization with documented loss of pulse) with an identified caregiver (identified by the survivor who is their primary source of emotional and functional support)
2. survivor must score >5 on Short Form of the Mini Mental State Exam for sufficient cognitive function for meaningful participation
3. ability and willingness to participate in a hybrid in-person/live video intervention
4. English speaking adults (18 year or older)
5. at least one member of the dyad endorses clinically significant emotional distress during screening (>7 on either of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale subscales).

Exclusion criteria

1. active psychosis, mania, substance dependence, or suicidal intent or plan that would require a higher level of care
2. any other psychiatric or neurological condition that would preclude meaningful participation
3. the caregiver must not be a cardiac arrest survivor

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

84 participants in 2 patient groups

Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest 1

Experimental group

Description:

Dyads will participate in 6 30-minute skills-based sessions. Sessions will also include provision of anticipatory guidance and and resources to manage cardiac arrest-specific stressors. A clinical psychologist will deliver all of the sessions. The main intervention goal is to provide dyads with resiliency skills and resources to reduce emotional distress and prevent chronic distress.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest 1

Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest 2

Other group

Description:

Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest is a minimally enhanced usual care control. Dyads will participate in one 30-minute session with a clinician reviewing available psychosocial resources for cardiac arrest survivors and their caregivers.

Treatment:

Other: Recovering Together after Cardiac Arrest 2