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Online Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Parents of Children With Food Allergies

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
The Quality of Life of Parents of Children With Food Allergy
Interventions
Behavioral: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
Other: Treatment as usual
Registration Number
NCT04738890
Lead Sponsor
Canterbury Christ Church University
Brief Summary

This study aims to conduct an initial evaluation of adapted, live online, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for parents and carers of children with food allergies (MBCT-PCCFA).

Detailed Description

This study is a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing adapted, live online, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for parents and carers of children with food allergies (MBCT-PCCFA) with a treatment as usual control. A battery of self-report measures will be administered online at baseline (week 0), post-intervention (week 15) and at follow-up (week 23).

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
46
Inclusion Criteria
  • Parents or caregivers who identify as having a child under the age of 18 with a food allergy
  • The allergy has been diagnosed by a qualified physician (e.g. GP or allergy specialist)
  • Mean score of >=2 on the FAQL-PB, indicating they are at least 'somewhat limited/troubled' by their child's allergy (Cohen et al., 2004).
  • Resident in the United Kingdom
  • Have access to email, a PC/laptop/tablet with a webcam and microphone and internet access to allow videoconferencing
Exclusion Criteria
  • They had consulted on the design and content of the intervention or study
  • They have already participated in a substantial mindfulness-based course
  • They are currently engaged or are planning to engage with another psychological intervention during the course of the study
  • They currently engage in regular mindfulness-based practice
  • They do not have the practical means and time available to be able to attend the intervention during the dates outlined on the information sheet and commit to at-home practice
  • They have scores >19 on PHQ-8 (indicating 'severe' depressive symptom severity; Kroenke et al., 2009) or >15 on GAD (indicating 'severe' level of anxiety; Spitzer et al., 2006)
  • They have a problem with alcohol or recreational drug misuse
  • They have experienced thoughts about harming themselves or others in the last 12 months
  • They have been given a diagnosis of psychosis
  • They are currently experiencing high levels of distress and/or currently feeling particularly fragile
  • They have experienced a bereavement of someone close to them in the last year or are continuing to experience continuing grief in relation to losing someone further back in time
  • They have had traumatic experiences that they continue to be troubled by (including, but not limited to, receiving diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder)
  • They experience significant difficulty being in a group with other people.

NB: for further details re the FAQL-PB and PHQ-8, please see the outcome measures section.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
MBCT-PCCFA plus TAUMindfulness-based cognitive therapyMindfulness-based cognitive therapy adapted for parents and carers of children with food allergy (MBCT-PCCFA) offered live online by video-conferencing, plus treatment as usual.
MBCT-PCCFA plus TAUTreatment as usualMindfulness-based cognitive therapy adapted for parents and carers of children with food allergy (MBCT-PCCFA) offered live online by video-conferencing, plus treatment as usual.
TAU controlTreatment as usualTreatment as usual control group
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change from baseline at week 15 on the Food Allergy Quality of Life-Parental Burden scale - 17 item version (FAQL-PB)Post intervention (week 15)

This measures quality of life in parents of children with food allergies producing a score between 17 and 119, with higher scores indicating a greater burden on the family.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change from baseline at week 15 on the Perceived Stress Scale - 10 items (PSS)Post intervention (week 15)

This measures the perception of stress producing a score between 0 and 40, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress.

Change from baseline at week 23 on the Food Allergy Quality of Life-Parental Burden scale - 17 item version (FAQL-PB)Follow up (week 23)

This measures quality of life in parents of children with food allergies producing a score between 17 and 119, with higher scores indicating a greater burden on the family.

Change from baseline at week 15 on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder screener - 7 items (GAD-7)Post intervention (week 15)

This measures symptoms of anxiety producing a score between 0 and 21, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.

Change from baseline at week 23 on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder screener - 7 items (GAD-7)Follow up (week 23)

This measures symptoms of anxiety producing a score between 0 and 21, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.

Change from baseline at week 15 on the Patient Health Questionnaire - 8 items (PHQ-8)Post intervention (week 15)

This measures symptoms of depression producing a score between 0 and 24, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.

Change from baseline at week 23 on the Patient Health Questionnaire - 8 items (PHQ-8)Follow up (week 23)

This measures symptoms of depression producing a score between 0 and 24, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.

Change from baseline at week 23 on the Perceived Stress Scale - 10 items (PSS)Follow up (week 23)

This measures the perception of stress producing a score between 0 and 40, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress.

Change from baseline at week 15 on the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire - 15 items (FFMQ-15)Post intervention (week 15)

This measures trait mindfulness producing a score from 15 to 75, with higher score indicating greater trait mindfulness.

Change from baseline at week 23 on the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire - 15 items (FFMQ-15)Follow up (week 23)

This measures trait mindfulness producing a score from 15 to 75, with higher score indicating greater trait mindfulness.

Change from baseline at week 15 on the Perth Emotional Reactivity Scale Short Form - 18 itemsPost intervention (week 15)

This measures emotional reactivity producing separate composite scores for positive and negative emotion (i.e. 'general positive reactivity' and 'general negative reactivity'), each of which varies between 9 and 45, with higher scores indicating greater emotional reactivity. Note: this corrects a previous error where it was mistakenly stated that this scale produces a single overall score.

Change from baseline at week 23 on the Perth Emotional Reactivity Scale Short Form - 18 itemsPost intervention (week 23)

This measures emotional reactivity producing separate composite scores for positive and negative emotion (i.e. 'general positive reactivity' and 'general negative reactivity'), each of which varies between 9 and 45, with higher scores indicating greater emotional reactivity. Note: this corrects a previous error where it was mistakenly stated that this scale produces a single overall score.

Change from baseline at week 15 on the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-Revised - 34 itemsPost intervention (week 15)

This measures cognitive reactivity producing a score between 0 and 136, with higher scores indicating greater cognitive reactivity.

Change from baseline at week 23 on the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity-Revised - 34 itemsPost intervention (week 23)

This measures cognitive reactivity producing a score between 0 and 136, with higher scores indicating greater cognitive reactivity.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology

🇬🇧

Tunbridge Wells, Kent, United Kingdom

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