Targeted Group-based Psychotherapy to Address Emotional Stress in at Risk ICU Survivors: A Pilot Feasibility Study

Psychological symptoms and emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress, are common problems among patients discharged from the intensive care unit (ICU). The presence of psychological distress is associated with poor medical adherence, slower recovery, and reduced quality of life in this patient population. There is a lack of research on evidence-based interventions to address mental health symptoms in ICU patients post-hospitalization. Researchers have recently highlighted the potential utility of peer support/group interventions in the post-ICU recovery process; however, they have yet to be widely tested in interventional trials, and their feasibility and acceptability in the post-ICU population have yet to be demonstrated in a research study. Thus, the purpose of this study is to adapt and deliver a 6-session group-based psychological intervention for post-ICU patients in a single-arm, non-randomized interventional study. Patients' symptoms will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. The primary aim of the study is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the group intervention in the post-ICU patient population. Secondarily, changes in patients' emotional distress will be examined to assess for the impact of the intervention on patients' symptoms.