MBCT for People with Memory Problems and Low Mood (Student Study) V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for People with Dementia and Depression (Student Study)
IRAS ID
197549
Contact name
Aimee Spector
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCL
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN16382776
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
B1262 F10153315, Verification of insurance
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
There is little evidence for psychological interventions for depression in people with dementia (Kales et al., 2005), despite it being found to significantly reduce one’s quality of life (QoL) (Shin et al., 2005).
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is an effective depression prevention and treatment programme. Evidence from adapted mindfulness interventions have demonstrated improvements on measures of cognition, wellbeing and QoL (Lenze et al., 2014, Wells et al., 2013), however, the interventions were tailored for people with mild cognitive impairment rather than dementia. A feasibility study for people with dementia in care homes, showed that a modified mindfulness intervention was feasible and led to significant improvements in QoL (Churcher-Clark et al., in press). Although there were no significant changes in mood, the study did not actively recruit people with depression. However, a third of participants from the intervention group who were in the depressed range at baseline moved out of the range at follow-up whereas none of the participants in the control did, suggesting that the intervention should be tailored to target people with comorbid depression and dementia.
This project will investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a MBCT group for people with depression and dementia in memory services. A process evaluation will assess feasibility. Effectiveness will be assessed by examining whether the intervention leads to improvements in mindfulness, mood, anxiety, QoL and cognition. Pre-and-post intervention measures will be completed with participants by an assessor, blind to treatment conditions. Qualitative methods will be used to explore the participant’s experience of the mindfulness intervention. Participants will be invited to attend a semi-structured interview, after the intervention, to explore the subjective experience of mindfulness. Carers of participants will also be invited to complete a semi-structured interview, to further examine whether potential benefits of the intervention generalised.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0578
Date of REC Opinion
6 May 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion