Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of Compassion Focused Therapy Group Intervention for Adults With Moderate-severe Acquired Brain Injury in an Inpatient Neurorehabilitation Setting

Emotional difficulties such as anxiety and depression are common after experiencing a brain injury. The compassion focused therapy (or CFT) model proposes the importance of developing skills in being able to self-soothe and be self-compassionate to counteract feelings of distress. Several studies have shown that therapy groups using CFT techniques are helpful, but there has only been one previous study of a CFT group with people with acquired brain injury. This study aims to evaluate a new CFT group for people who have had a brain injury and are currently receiving inpatient neuro-rehabilitation. The group will have six weekly sessions with 4-6 people in each group. The group will be run at the inpatient neuro-rehabilitation unit. As this is a new group that has not been run before, it will be a small study to see whether the group is feasible and acceptable to attendees. The study will evaluate whether the group can be run as planned and how many people attend. The investigators will also interview people who attended the group to find out what they thought of the group.

The study also aims to use four questionnaires measuring emotional distress, well-being, self-compassion and quality of life to measure the effect of the group. Group attendees questionnaire scores from before and after the group will be compared to see if there has been any change due to attending the group.

This project is being completed as part of a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at King's College London, and will be recruiting patients from an inpatient neurorehabilitation setting.