Improving Care Through Improv: Promoting Mastery in the Moment

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Caregiver Burden

Registration Number: NCT05996718

Lead Sponsor: Georgia State University

Brief Summary: The goals of this clinical trial are to: 1) refine the training program, "Improving Care though Improv;" and 2) test the program for its influence self-perceived caregiving mastery (i.e., how persons assess their ability to provide care) among informal caregivers of persons living with moderate dementia. Forty-three informal caregivers will be involved in testing the training program. These individuals will be assigned to groups of between 8 to12 caregivers and take part in weekly 2-hour sessions held over a 4-week period. These caregivers will be taught improvisational (improv) theater skills, which involves being in the moment, self-awareness, and responsiveness to others. This group also will be asked to answer surveys questions about themselves and the person receiving care at three timepoints and invited to provide feedback on their training experiences.

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 43

Inclusion Criteria

Actively engaged in the care of community-dwelling persons living with moderate dementia (4 or 5 on a 7-point dementia-staging scale) who is not likely to be institutionalized within the next 6 months
Able to attend at least 3 of the 4 in-person sessions
Ability to communicate in English

Exclusion Criteria

Potential participants were excluded if they did not meet the above criteria or anticipated moving their person to a skilled nursing facility within the next 6 months.

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Pearlin Mastery, Loss, and Competence: Caregiver Competence Subscale	at baseline, upon training completion (Week 4), and three months post baseline.	4-item Likert-type scale; scores range from 4 to 16 with higher scores indicating greater feelings of competence.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale	at baseline, upon training completion (Week 4), and three months post baseline.	20-item Likert-type scale. Scores range from 0 to 60 with higher scores indicating greater depression.
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory	at baseline, upon training completion (Week 4), and three months post baseline.	20-item Likert-type scale. Scores range from 20 to 80 with higher scores indicating greater anxiety.
Zarit Burden Inventory	at baseline, upon training completion (Week 4), and three months post baseline.	22-item scale with 4-point Likert scale responses. Scores range from 0 to 88 with higher scores indicating greater burden.
Revised Memory and Behavioral Problems Checklist - FREQUENCY	at baseline, upon training completion (Week 4), and three months post baseline.	24-item scale with 4-point Likert scale responses. Scores range from 0 to 96 with higher scores indicating greater behavioral expressions observed by caregivers among persons living with dementia.
Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease Scale	at baseline, upon training completion (Week 4), and three months post baseline.	13 items with a 4-point Likert scale. Scores range from 13 to with 52 with higher scores indicating greater quality of life among persons living with dementia
Revised Memory and Behavioral Problems Checklist - REACTION	at baseline, upon training completion (Week 4), and three months post baseline.	24-item scale with 4-point Likert scale responses. Scores range from 0 to 96 with higher scores indicating greater behavioral expressions observed by caregivers among persons living with dementia.
Perceived Stress Scale	at baseline, upon training completion (Week 4), and three months post baseline.	14-item Likert-type scale. Scores range from 0 to 56 with higher scores indicating greater stress.