NCT02444312

Trial of Benefit Finding in Caregivers: The Building Resources in Caregivers (BRiC) Study

A Randomised Controlled Trial of Benefit Finding in Caregivers: The Building Resources in Caregivers (BRiC) Study Protocol

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 88 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Limerick · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

A randomised controlled trial that will compare the effects of a brief benefit -finding writing intervention with an active control condition on quality of life and psychological health among informal caregivers.

Detailed description

A double-blind, randomized controlled parallel group study design with an equal 1:1 allocation ratio will be employed. This study will compare the effect of a brief benefit finding writing intervention with a control condition among caregivers. Caregivers currently caring for people with mental and physical disabilities will be randomised into a two-week, a) a benefit writing group or b) a control writing group. Caregivers will complete self-report measures relating to their care-recipient and themselves (e.g., illness type, and sociodemographics) and psychometric measures of benefit finding (primary outcome), psychological distress and quality of life(secondary outcomes). These will be assessed via online software at baseline, immediate post-test and at 3 month follow-up. Additionally, expectations and fidelity indices will be assessed and qualitative commentary on participation experiences gathered.

Conditions

• Quality of Life
• Psychological Distress

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Benefit-finding Writing Activity	Caregivers will be instructed to write about the benefits of caring, considering things such as improved social relationship, appreciation of life and loved ones, and the positive consequences with respect to these.
BEHAVIORAL	Neutral Writing Activity	The control group will be instructed to write number of things about the weather that day. Although the sentences can be as long or as short as they like, they will be encouraged to try and aim for about 3 or 4 sentences at least.

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-06-01
• Primary completion: 2015-10-01
• Completion: 2015-10-01
• First posted: 2015-05-14
• Last updated: 2015-10-06