Be Here Now: Evaluating Mindfulness for ABI patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Be Here Now: Evaluation of an adapted Mindfulness-based Intervention in a mixed Acquired Brain Injury population
IRAS ID
128519
Contact name
Rosario Canade
Contact email
Research summary
Acquired brain injury (ABI), whether classified as traumatic (e.g. road traffic accidents) or not (e.g. encephalitis, brain tumour, Parkinson’s Disease, multiple sclerosis [MS], stroke), is a major cause of disability in the UK, and can lead to a range of difficulties for people. More specifically, individuals who have sustained an ABI commonly report difficulties with emotional adjustment, reduced attention, managing anxious and negative thoughts and feelings and coping with changes in their life after injury. They can often feel very self-critical and frustrated with these changes.
The main aim of the project is to investigate and evaluate the efficacy of an adapted (i.e., specifically tailored, short-form) psychological group intervention based on mindfulness meditation techniques in improving perceived quality of life and reducing psychological symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety, self-criticism, adjustment issues) associated with a mixed ABI population.
The program under investigation is delivered over 4 weeks and comprises 4 x 1-hour sessions, with an emphasis on daily between-session practice and feedback/discussion of the same during sessions.
It is hypothesised that the present study will provide further supporting evidence for the efficacy of MBI in the management and rehabilitation of individuals with ABI in terms of facilitating a reduction in psychological symptoms commonly associated with this. Furthermore, if findings are shown to be significant in terms of the intervention improving patients’ quality of life, this may have important financial implications for the potential application of similar, adapted forms of MBI across NHS services in light of the current economic climate and constraints on resources in order to manage high volumes of referrals to services.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/YH/0352
Date of REC Opinion
24 Oct 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion