Investigating the Efficacy of a Two-week, Online Compassionate Imagery Intervention for Improving Mental Wellbeing in Veterinarians: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Compassion
- Sponsor
- University of Surrey
- Enrollment
- 162
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in 'Functions of Self-Criticising/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale' (FSCRS; Gilbert, Clarke, Hempel, Miles & Irons, 2004).
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 2 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
This randomised control trial aims to determine the efficacy of a two-week, online compassionate imagery intervention on improving veterinarian mental wellbeing. Participants will be randomly allocated to receive the intervention immediately or after a 10-week study period. Self-report questionnaires will be used at four time points to measure change on a range of psychological variables.
Detailed Description
Background: Research suggests that veterinarians are high-achievers with self-critical, perfectionist tendencies (Holden, 2020). Perfectionism in veterinarians has been associated with stress, anxiety, negative affect and low resilience (Crane, Phillips \& Karin, 2015). However, McArthur et al. (2017) found that veterinarians with higher levels of self-compassion reported greater resilience. A feasibility study by Wakelin, Perman and Simonds (2022) found an online two-week compassion-focused imagery intervention to be acceptible and feasible for a veterinarian sample. Wakelin et al. (2022) also reported indications of preliminary effect as veterinarians illustrated a reduction in perfectionism, work-related rumination and self-criticism over the intervention period. Aim: This study aims to extend Wakelin et al.'s (2022) research, to determine the efficacy of a two-week, online compassionate imagery intervention on improving veterinarian mental wellbeing. Design: The study will use a mixed-methods, repeated measures, randomised controlled trial design. The independent variables will be the intervention group (either treatment or wait list control) and the data collection time point. Six questionnaires will be used to collect quantitative data on the following dependent variables: perfectionism, work- related rumination, fear of compassion, resilience, self-compassion, self- criticism and self-reassurance. Method: Participants will complete questionnaire measures at four time points: prior to randomisation (baseline), two weeks post-randomisation (post-intervention), six-weeks post-randomisation (one-month intervention follow-up) and ten-weeks after randomisation (two-month intervention follow up). Participants in the treatment group will be asked to watch a 10-15 minute compassionate imagery video every day for two weeks (14 in total). Participants in the control group will gain access to intervention materials upon study completion but their engagement in the videos will not be monitored.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Any student, recent graduate or qualified veterinary surgeon will be eligible for participation in the study.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Veterinarians who participated in Wakelin et al.'s (2022) feasibility trial.
- •Veterinarians who are currently receiving a compassion- or cognitive-based therapy.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in 'Functions of Self-Criticising/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale' (FSCRS; Gilbert, Clarke, Hempel, Miles & Irons, 2004).
Time Frame: 4 time points: baseline, immediate post-intervention, four weeks post-intervention and eight weeks post-intervention
This 22-item scale will be used to measure self-criticism and self-reassurance. Participants are required to respond to statements on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 ('not at all like me') - 4 ('extremely like me'). The FSCRS has 3 subscales (Hated Self, Inadequate Self and Reassured Self) which are used to produce an overall self-criticism score (calculated by summing the Hated Self and Inadequate Self items) and a self-reassurance score (calculated by summing the Reassured Self items).
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in 'Compassionate Engagement and Action Scales' Self-Compassion scale (CEAS; Gilbert et al., 2017)(4 time points: baseline, immediate post-intervention, four weeks post-intervention and eight weeks post-intervention)
- Change in 'Work-related Rumination Questionnaire' (WRRQ; Cropley, Michalianou, Pravettoni & Millward, 2012)(4 time points: baseline, immediate post-intervention, four weeks post-intervention and eight weeks post-intervention)
- Change in 'Brief Resilience Scale' (BRS; Smith et al., 2008)(4 time points: baseline, immediate post-intervention, four weeks post-intervention and eight weeks post-intervention)
- Change in 'Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale - 24 Items' (FMPS-24; Khawaja & Armstrong, 2005).(4 time points: baseline, immediate post-intervention, four weeks post-intervention and eight weeks post-intervention)
- Change in 'Fears of Compassion Scale' (FCS; Gilbert, McEwan, Matos & Rivis, 2011).(4 time points: baseline, immediate post-intervention, four weeks post-intervention and eight weeks post-intervention)